DJ Aoki says fans are bringing more energy
It may not be accurate to call Steve Aoki the face of the new electronic-music movement in America. But he certainly has the face to be the face.
With his lanky frame, drowsy eyes and long stream of wispy black hair, Aoki is one of the few DJs in the country as instantly identifiable as the bespectacled Skrillex or the masked, grinning caricature known as deadmau5. Perhaps that’s why Aoki, founder of the influential electronic-music label Dim Mak, has become one of the country’s top touring DJs, spinning for tens of thousands of fans at massive festivals and on TV at the mtvU Woodie Awards.
With his glossy synthesizers and seductive electro beats, Aoki, 34, bridges the gap between Top 40 pop and indie-club cred. And in January, he released his first proper album, “Wonderland,” featuring collaborations with LMFAO, Kid Cudi and Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo.
We caught up with him to chat about the state of dance music in America (he’ll be performing at 8 p.m. Sept. 2 on the Red Bull Stage at the Northcoast Music Festival).
Question:
Steve Aoki: In America, it’s just blown-up. And it’s not just the amount of people. It’s the energy. The excitement. The enthusiasm. The passion. All of that is just incredible. You play a festival show — say, Ultra — and you can see 50,000 people in front of you, if you’re playing the main stage. But not only do you see that many people, you see at least half of them jumping in unison. It’s incredible to be able to have that kind of energy and connection with the audience.
The way I see myself as an artist is always based on my music. So it pushes me to get the music out there more often. That kind of music is global. It translates across languages and cultures. And on tour, I see it. Some of these places
northcoastfestival.com I’ve played, they might not understand my English, but they understand the songs.
Q.
SA: I come from a world of rock ‘n’ roll, where albums defined artists. It wasn’t the EP that defined you, it was the album. It wasn’t a particular song. Like Weezer’s “Pinkerton” album is what’s defining of Weezer to me, not “El Scorcho.” Or Propagandhi’s “Less Talk, More Rock” — that entire album was the centerpiece of the punk time in my life. Or Gorilla Biscuits’ “Start Today.” Or the Prodigy’s first album. So for me, I’m still in that space. I want to put out an album that’s defining of my sound in 2012.
And I agree with you — it’s the singles that define DJs. And some of the top 10 DJs in the world don’t release albums at all — Afrojack, Laidback Luke, Avicii. They don’t have albums, but they’re considered literally the top DJs in the world, and they have every right, because these songs are global hits that transcend culture and language.
Q.
SA: It’s true, man. You’re absolutely right about that. It is kind of uncomfortable. Even for the Woodies, they had to break up each of the songs, so after every song, I had to fade out and then start up again. There was this awkwardness to it. But I was happy to be part of the Woodie Awards, because the award itself is all about honoring the underground culture of music.