DSKOTEK

Origin: None

DSKOTEK is proving to be the people’s choice! This year, the Los Angeles based Producing/DJ Duo was selected as winners in Insomniac’s Discovery Project, landing them a DJ spot at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. Performing for thousands at a time, however, is no unfamiliarity for DSKOTEK. They’ve rocked crowds all across north America, sharing the stage with many of EDM’s top producers/Djs. DSKOTEK’s performance gets the adrenaline pumping as they drop bass bombs all over the dance floor, leaving the crowd pleading for more. Just like their performance, their music captivates audiences around the world, utilizing a unique multi-genre style you can’t find anywhere else. Their ability to blend heavy bass lines with melodic riffs, after finally sprinkling them with glitchy 8 bit samples, puts their production, musically, on a higher level where quality takes the form of creativity and artistic ingenuity.

Release after release, their production has continually landed them spots on Beatport’s Top 100 Electro-House Charts. Dskotek’s fan base grows daily with support from more and more artists & Dj’s constantly playing their music all over the world. Taking the EDM scene by storm, this bass-influenced duo isn’t coming to a halt any time soon!

The DUO was formed in 2009, shortly after Jesse started producing with Alex. Soon they started performing together in 2010. Dskotek has performed all over the US with some of electro’s biggest names like Mustard Pimp, Steve Aoki, Crystal Castles, LA Riots, Le Castle Vania, Designer Drugs, Jack Beats, Dj Dan, Kill the Noise, Dj Bam Bam, Lazy Rich + many more!!

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We came together to make DSKOTEK after knowing each other for years through gaming online. Music is everything, the love of our lives.

 

Interview

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Home Town: Los Angeles, CA
Currently Living: Los Angeles, CA
Origin Of Name: Our name spelling was influenced by MSTRKRFT but the name came from a song by Young Love called “Discotech” so we just added our own little twist to it.
Weapon of Choice: DABS & coffee
Source of Power: Justice, Daft punk, Tool, Pink Floyd, Aphex Twin.

Was there one particular moment in the recording or mixing process for your Discovery Project entry that made you feel like you were creating something pretty damn special?
We were excited to include our favorite tunes at the moment, mixed with our own original tracks. There was a point when our mix was the “hottest and most played,” that was pretty amazing.

Are there any dots to connect with where/how you grew up to your musical output? From people freestyling on the street corner to a grand piano forced down your throat by your Mom.
Ha-ha that’s pretty funny, growing up we both experienced our family shoving a musical instrument in our face. Alex grew up listening to metal, playing drums with his family since he was four-years old. Jesse grew up listening to disco/80’s music while his mom cleaned the house, making him dance with her.

What do your parents think of what you are doing?
It’s all love, they are fully supportive. Family is everything.

What’s the strangest part of your job?
Well we are always wondering what the next big sound or genre will be.

What’s the biggest misconception about being a DJ?
All the girls think we are players when in reality we are career driven fellas.

Tell me about your most memorable night out.
For the both of us, EDC 2013.

Do you have any memorable moments from past EDC’s or any other Insomniac party?
After killing our set, watching Dash Berlin close EDC Vegas 2013, that countdown at the end was unforgettable.

How does what you do for a living affect you on a day-today basis?
Music is our life, usually our friends are at our studio contributing to our music process or anything else related to DSKOTEK.

What is your ultimate career dream?
Radio hits and a house full of Grammys.

Are you impulsive with your work or do you have a sketch in mind before you start?
Our tracks usually start off sounding like polka and old Italian ballads, but after loads of effects processing and MP3 compression, we finally achieve that fine DSKOTEK sound. Enjoy. Most of the time everything is trial and error when producing. When it comes to DJing we play our tunes along with our favorite tunes at the moment.

How, if at all, does listening to music figure into your creative process?
We are constantly listening to music to get some direction and inspiration on a new sound. Recently we are digging most of the mashups Hardwell is dropping.

What’s the most important piece of gear in your studio?
Definitely our MacBook Pro, we make all our music on it and have learned to produce while we are traveling to different shows.

How important is it for you to experiment and take on the risk of failure?
Like we said everything is trial and error, we have so many unfinished tunes. It’s all part of the process.

Do you have a list of people you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
That’s a long list, but at the top are Harwell, Porter Robinson and Krewella. We love collaborating with as many artists possible because we always learn something new from the experience.

If we pressed Shuffle on your iPod while you went to the bathroom, what would you be embarrassed to come back to us listening to?
Krewella “Alive” (Acoustic Version)

What sound or noise do you love?
Queefs.

What should everyone just shut the fuck up about?
Twerking! JK #twerkteam.

What gets you excited when you think about the future of electronic music and club culture?
We love how electronic music is becoming “pop” music. We’d love to work with pop vocalists and artists.

When you look at electronic music and the surrounding culture, what worries you about the future?
We like that electronic music is becoming “pop,” but what worries us is that trap music is leading towards urban music. We don’t want EDM to become urban music. With the culture, we wish that most people at festivals or clubs were familiar with the producers that are creating the music being played.

What are your weaknesses?
Thick grubs and video games.

Do you have a secret passion?
Movie scores and video games.

How would you describe your sound to a deaf person?
Space ships taking off and landing while aliens mate.

Is success physical or internal? What does it mean to you?
Success is doing what you love.

What do you remember about your first DJ gig?
House party with a bunch of metal heads asking for metal music they could mosh to.

What’s the hardest professional lesson you’ve learned thus far?
To always make sure every gig is contracted and to get paid before performing. We learned the hard way by trusting every promoter.

Do you have a favorite all-time mixed CD or series?
Kids Bop 3

Last words?
Can’t wait to play another Insomniac event…

What advice would you offer someone thinking about entering the Discovery Project competition?
Make sure your mix is original, don’t play pure bangers and include as many of your own tunes as possible. Also make sure the recording quality of the mix is good. You’ll be surprised how many deejays submit low quality mixes.

Winning Track:

 

 

Winning Mix:

 

 

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