Weekend Weapons…Steve Aoki

Weekend Weapons…Steve Aoki

23 June, 2009 | 10.40AM

• Written by: Zack Rico
• Filed under: Music News: dim mak, steve aoki

Steve Aoki leads the Los Angeles indie dance revolution like a pirate who has taken control of Hollywood’s nightlife. To his hipster fans, he is a Captain Jack Sparrow, a neo-hippy DJ who is dedicated to the cause, unafraid to sail to Ibiza or to play cave-like afterparties.

To his detractors, Steve Aoki is a celebrity-endorsed spinner (Lindsay Lohan loves him, model/actress Devon Aoki is his half sister) who has successfully commandeered the blog generation via polaroid snaps, hipster friends (he counts famous photographer Mark “The Cobrasnake” Hunter as his friend), corporate sponsorship, and a clothing line.

But beyond the hype, and the subsequent derision that dance music fans seem to bestow on any of their brothers whose head is above the parapet, Steve Aoki knows his music. His record label Dim Mak kick started the career of Bloc Party, and more recently helped the Klaxons, Scanners, and Mystery Jets find their feet.

Aoki’s Dim Mak Tuesdays parties at Cinespace and his Sunday party, Banana Split Sundaes, are two of LA’s most popular club events. Wherever he goes, people come and see him play. He is America’s answer to Erol Alkan.

Beatportal hoodwinked the mustache-touting king of LA dance to reveal his current three Weekend Weapons.

Motor ‘Death Rave’ (Dim Mak)

I usually open with this track. It’s got the most massive build up I’ve heard all year in a song.

The transitions are thick, heavy, and it destroys the floor. People don’t know what to do when the drop comes.

Laidback Luke & Diplo ‘Hey’ (Dim Mak)

This one is coming out in July so you’ll be able to download it on Beatport soon.

You can hear both Luke and Diplo’s production coming through on the track, which has a thumping tribal beat that gets everyone dancing. Plus Rye Rye’s “The beat’s still coming, coming coming...” drop sounds sick.

Nasa feat. Kanye West, Santigold, Likke Li ‘Gifted’ (Steve Aoki Remix) (Anti)

This is a new remix that I just topped off a few months ago. I was excited to use all three of the vocalists in the track.

I made two different songs into one starting off with Kanye and a heavy bassline pleaser for the crowd, then transitioning into an indie hook with Santi and Likke Li ending the track.

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