Sonically, Alok is in the midst of a new era that he terms “future-tech.” The Brazilian producer’s latest single “The Club Is Jumpin'” taps into the style in the context of a Destiny’s Child sample, reframed in a tech-heavy fashion fit for the club. The one-off is a reminder that Alok is no stranger to genre-bending; he’s known around the world for melding older and newer dance/electronic sounds and bringing them to dance floors across continents. Some of these performances include his debut summer residency at Hï Ibiza, where he will be the first Brazilian to ever hold a residency within the club’s main room. More recently though, he’ll be stopping by The Great Hall at Brooklyn’s Avant Gardner on May 27. Dancing Astronaut sat down with Alok ahead of his performance at the New York venue to talk future-tech, “The Club Is Jumpin’,” and his upcoming bookings. Read the Q&A below, and purchase tickets to the show here.

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For listeners unfamiliar with your future-tech style, could you please explain what this sounds like and why you decided to coin it “future-tech”?

Alok: “My new single ‘The Club Is Jumpin” is a prime example of what ‘future-tech’ is about sonically. The main idea is to blend tech-house vibes with signature sounds and elements of future rave music genre, which makes ‘future-tech’ the most accurate description of what people can expect from me and my shows during this festival season.”

What does future-tech reflect about your evolution as an artist?

Alok: “My musical preferences are constantly evolving, so I wanted to create something fresh that I haven’t tried before that would work on dance floors in many different environments. The tech-house influences create a feeling of intimacy while future rave brings enough energy to make the music work with the main stage crowds of big festivals. For me, it’s the next step towards widening sonic horizons and drawing inspiration from as many different genres as possible.”

What do you consider the most important aspects of your live performances, and how will the Great Hall amplify these elements?

Alok: “It’s certainly a great synergy with the audience. Live performances create a unique experience that can’t be reproduced with online shows. There is a sense of sensorial immersion in my performances that goes beyond sound and brings lighting effects into the mix. Audiovisual projections and a narrative arc designed not only to entertain the audience, but also to bring awareness and share messages about environmental, technological, and human aspects as a special theme, is my main focus at the moment: the ancient wisdom of native peoples.

New York is a very important hub for my shows, and I have an impression that Brooklyn is a kind of cultural epicenter. Taking my sound to the Great Hall, a venue highly respected by the North American public wherein some of the world’s top music producers have already performed, is a driving force for me to seek excellence every day and create a new dynamic of experiences for the people who will attend my shows and support my journey.”

Congratulations on becoming the first Brazilian DJ to host a residency at Hï Ibiza! What excites you most about this new opportunity and how will you tailor your live approach to this setting?

Alok: “The most exciting aspect of my forthcoming Ibiza residency is to be able to further expand the boundaries and develop my performances without neglecting what I value as an artist. The entire summer season in Europe will be mainly about bringing a unique experience to all the people attending the shows. Each night will be different, with no set list prepared ahead of time, as I believe that unpredictability is also a vital element of a unique show. Of course, all of them will have a mutual narrative, but you’ll never know what’s inside until you experience it yourself. I’ll also try to bring to Ibiza surprise guests to perform with me. I’m excited and can’t wait to kick off this project this summer.

Featured image: Alok/Instagram

Tags: alok, Avant Gardner, future tech, Q&A, tech house, the great hall

Categories: Features