Ferry Corsten readily admits he has a thing for Asia. His wife, Lia, is Filipino, and Tokyo is one of his favourite cities for spinning. 'I have a big weakness for the whole Asian thing,' says the Dutch trance producer and DJ. 'Asians seem to have a certain gene Caucasians don't have that switches on when they hear tracks with big melodies. They go crazy and emotional, as if they're about to cry. It's crazy and it's beautiful.' Asian clubbers rule the roost in participation, according to Corsten. 'The Japanese, they're very freaky,' he says. 'The way they dress is unreal. They look like they're from the future. It's great because they're so enthusiastic and open-minded.' Corsten will aim to get the crowd going crazy at Sun Hung Kai Centre tonight, as part of Heineken's Found@Thirst search for local talent. While Corsten's name might not ring a bell, you may have heard his tracks produced under a long list of pseudonyms, including Pulp Victim, Moonman, Gouryella, Veracocha, System F, Exiter and Ferr. 'Before I had my own label, Tsunami, I was releasing a lot of material at a very fast pace,' he says. 'I couldn't flood the place with my material, so I came up with a couple of pseudonyms and released one thing here, one thing there. That way, I also learnt how each record label would deal with my material, and I eventually used what I had learnt to set up my own label. And when I started my label in 1997, I had no artists, so I had to create aliases.' Thirty-year-old Corsten says his ride to the top has been fairly smooth. Since he released his first record at the age of 16, he's notched up nine gold singles. He can also boast of being the Dutch artist with the most hits on the British singles charts - from Moonman's Don't Be Afraid in 1996, which entered the club charts at No46, to the System F single Out of the Blue that entered at No14. His club anthem remix of William Orbit's Barber's Adagio for Strings made the British top 10. Besides producing and remixing, Corsten also compiled and mixed the Trance Nation series with Ministry of Sound, which sold more than a million copies worldwide. Last year, he was listed at No6 by Britain's DJ magazine, and this year at No4 by America's BPM magazine. His album Ferry Corsten: Right of Way, launched in October 2003, brought together his work as a producer and DJ. Having done everything from drum and bass to ambient, techno and house, it's no surprise the album contains crossover with other genres. 'I really feel like experimenting with other things again,' he says. 'The trance sound is still there, but with other influences like electro, which I really love. It's just so minimal and dirty, but it's too cold for crowds and clubs. That's why I'm trying to combine it with the euphoric feeling of trance.' Being original is crucial for aspiring DJs, says Corsten. 'The most important thing is to stand out and believe in your own thing,' he says. With the demand for DJs on the rise, Heineken's Found@Thirst offers locals the chance to break into the profession. 'It's great to see the local scene being motivated,' he says. 'Having a good ear and being able to entertain crowds by just psyching them up is half the work already.' Heineken's Found@Thirst Main Show 2004, tonight, 11pm-6am, 2/F Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, $180 in advance, $220 on the door. Inquiries: 6135 7910.