Written Interview with Dave Aju for FWD.DJ 2019

Listen to the mix here: http://www.fwd.dj/mix/fwd122-dave-aju/

Tell us a bit about your mix! What would you like the listeners to know about it before they listen?

The mix was recorded live at the four-year anniversary party of LA's Midnight Lovers, who are one of the finest homegrown underground crews in town, they always have a great local and loyal following of dancers who know how to get down. I was on duty for the morning closing set, and coming on after some pretty banging peak-hour stuff, so while the mix may feel a bit relentless at times compared to say my Greasy Listening series, in the setting of a beautifully packed and sweaty warehouse, it's all sunrise surprise for the floor vibes. I dug up a bunch of uplifting classics I remembered hearing at SF raves coming up, as well as newer cuts and edits for it.

Take us through your studio, and production habits.

I share a studio that used to be the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal HQ. Lots of history. Production habit-wise it all depends on the project. We have loads of classic machines if that's needed, or as is often the case with my work, we have some great mics that I'll record some original sounds and voices with to use. While sound design doesn't quite seem to be a priority to some these days, it'll always be about subtly fresh sounds for me.

You have been an active member of the electronic music scene for almost two decades now. What have been some of the defining moments in your career in the scene?

I've been blessed over the years to organically connect with many like-minded peers and kindred spirits, resulting in support from and releases for some of my own personal heroes like Moodymann, Hebert, and Gilles Peterson, and performances at cool places from famous clubs and festivals like Panoramabar and Fabric, Sonar and Mutek, to the Ecuadorian jungle, and the Getty Institute. But most importantly making friends all around the world with people who understand and feel the music similarly. I've learned how much that fundamentally connects us; tastes in food, art, politics, and everything else tend to align as well.

What are your thoughts on the current state of electronic music & the electronic music scene?

It's a fascinating time for all music and media right now of course, things are a bit crazy, but also exciting. There is just such an overwhelming amount of content people have access to now, and it's interesting to observe the patterns and moves people make to deal with it. A lot of fellow veterans complain about the quality of electronic music these days, but I tend to disagree. At the very least, the ratio has remained the same just at a much larger scale. And one could even make an argument that younger artists are exposed to so much more data now, so they are more informed of the history and roots of the music. The downside to this of course, is that it makes for much less personal exploration and imaginative options, and with things being constantly counted and quantitative, things can get pretty dogmatic and dangerous out there. But there will always be good artists with good hearts and ideas in the scene, the trick is ensuring they can reach the people they need to now.

Specifically would be interesting how you would compare your experience in LA vs SF (given you moved recently). How much was music/”the scene” a decision factor in your move?

Well, I spent a five-year period in between out in Berlin. So it wasn't really about that direct comparison so much. After being overseas for awhile, I knew I wanted to come back home to Cali, and between the cost of rent, desire for a change of scenery, as well as some personal relationships here in LA it was an easy choice. I love San Francisco and the City will always be home to me in many ways, but I feel much more inspired by the cultural diversity and raw vastness of LA right now, there is just more of things - people, possibilities, opportunities, taco trucks, warehouse parties, traffic jams etc haha. It's also simply different and newer to me, I guess there's a fair chance it'd be the reverse if I grew up down here.

It’s been several years since your last full length - what have you been cooking up in since 'Black Frames' was released back in 2014.

Yeah, I've been mostly focused on EPs and singles since then, but happy to announce that album number four is pretty much wrapped and should see the light of day by this summer! Will leave it at that for now until it's all in Sharpie, but feeling good about it.

You come from a family of Jazz musicians. How does this background influence you approach to creating, playing and listening to music?

Yeah my dad was a fierce jazz patron and musician. He used to jam with cats like Pharaoh Sanders and Joe Henderson before they blew up. He used run these underground speakeasy jam sessions, where players would come off their cash gigs where they had to play standards for boogie crowds and jam all night together - ha, sound familiar? I love all kinds of music really, but eventually I realized how blessed I was to be raised around all of that and not just what was being fed to us on the radio dial.

Does your origins in both Piano & Drumming influence your listening habits? Do you have a favorite Pianist & Drummer active today? Or have you left that scene behind?

Sometimes I kick myself for not sticking with them or trumpet, and I know my pops has a laugh from above when I do. But the day I saw a sampler and synthesizer for the first time with the idea we could make a new sound/instrument every time, I never looked back. Having said that, I adore lots of traditional instrumental music. Most of the obvious jazz greats on keys and drums, from Monk and Herbie, to Roach and Blakey.. active today I think Robert Glasper and Chris Dave are incredible.

We hear that Matthew Herbert commissioned a couple of releases from you on Accidental. We are massive MH fans over here. Can you tell us a bit about working with him and your experience creating music for someone at that level of artistry?

Yeah, I just released my third EP for the label family. The A1 track "Max At Masonic" is actually a tribute to Max Roach to tie in with the last question. Matthew has been a great supporter for years and it's been an honor to be working with him. Early on in my hip-hop years, I was always the kid asking why we had to sample James Brown records for snares and would be using car keys and broken glass instead. I've always just had a fascination with sound, in and out of context. Naturally, Herbert found my work and being a figurehead of sorts of that movement, we hit it off. One of the best things about working with Accidental, and the same could be said of Circus Company in their heyday, is the push to make sure the music is unique and unpredictable. Most labels are scared to release anything challenging or truly different, Matthew has always been the opposite, avoiding things too easy or obvious, which is very refreshing, and necessary.

What are you listening to these days?

Man there is so much out there! Right now, if we went with recent play counts I guess it would be Steve Spacek, Nick Hakim, Sudan Archives, the new Anthony Naples album, and some classic personal comforts like 3Chairs, Blackbyrds, Grace Jones, and Sunny Ade.

Which artists/labels are creating the most envelope pushing sound right now?

The above-mentioned newer artists for sure, l'm feeling a lot of stuff coming from the west coast right now, from down here like the Brainfeeder camp and the Warehouse Preservation Society up to Sepehr and the Squirrels crew in SF to Mood Hut and newer producers like Ramzi and Yu Su in Vancouver.

What is on the horizon for Dave Aju?

Aside from the new album, I'm involved in two band projects which are about to surface as well. Been doing a fair amount of giving back to the community in the form of helping friends finish up their projects and doing mix-downs for fellow producers as well as preparing some curriculum for a local institute, and readying to launch my own label soon.