- Zigzagging club music from a one-of-a-kind DJ.
- Simon Aussel is known for a particularly wild DJing style and leftfield bassy bangers, and it's his curious and playful attitude that's won him loyal fans over the years. Whether photographing drink tokens from gigs or creating an 8-bit version of his debut album on a Game Boy cartridge, he seems to approach every endeavour with childlike joy and wonder—rare qualities in an industry that can leave so many jaded.
The Nantes-born, Paris-based artist's love of digging and world-building has set him on a blazing path. He's released an exceptionally wide range of music, including a Memphis rap tape for Trilogy Tapes, dubstep-trap-jazz hybrids with Egyptian singer Abdullah Miniawy and deadly hard drum for Livity Sound. His mixes, meanwhile, are fast becoming DJ lore thanks to his knack for connecting seemingly opposed genres like new wave and fast techno. Look no further than his now-famous Dekmantel Selectors set from 2021 or a marathon back-to-back with Skee Mask in 2022.
As Aussel gets more comfortable with storytelling, he's getting more personal and focusing on deeper, slower sounds. That's evident on this RA Podcast—six months in the works—which incorporates woozy downtempo, weighty dub and bleepy beats. Of course, in the chaotic middle section there's plenty of huge basslines, plus old-school electro, acidic techno and even a bouncy edit of the Montell Jordan classic "This Is How We Do It." Showcasing his quirks, influences and growth, this is Aussel in prime time.
What have you been up to recently?
Looking at all the colours and crazy shapes in the trees because it's spring, playing football with my friends, making as much music as possible in the studio, producing beats for other artists and planning new releases on my label, TEMƎT. Recently, I did my first live set at Rewire, which is something I loved. I really want to explore the live aspect more and push it further.
How and where was the mix recorded? And can you tell us the idea behind it?
I've spent six months working on this mix sporadically, using both Ableton and CDJs, turntables and a mixer to explore various narrative structures, create twists and add depth—much like telling a story. After outlining my plan, I recorded it at home using 3 CDJs, 1 MK2 and a borrowed DJM mixer (thanks Combe).
The main theme I aimed for was "funky." By funky I mean capturing a sense of groove and warmth. It can take many forms—hard, smooth, slow, fast, broken—while still embodying funkiness. In an era where everything sounds impeccably produced, sometimes it lacks that human touch. Tha Funk Shall Be Within U!
Also, I pay special attention to blending music from different eras, connecting the old and the new. This mix features tracks spanning from the early '90s to the 2020s. Deep crates!
I hope this mix will help open the eyes of those who still see me as a bass DJ.
What's one club or party that had a major impact on you as an artist?
Two years ago, I toured Latin America with the label BFDM, and we attended a baile funk party. You know that feeling when everything seems so new and surreal, like the first time you go to a rave? It's like discovering a world that's been there all along, with people involved, but you never noticed it until now.
That's how I felt at this party. Everything was so different, from the size of the sound system to the music, the way people danced and even how the DJs played. First the music was so fresh and radical, a new kind of baile funk with crazy tempos and rhythmic patterns. Baile funk is one of the most exciting scenes in club music right now.
The DJs were all using iPads, plugging in with a jack and adjusting faders on the screen virtually. I've been involved in club culture in Europe for so long that my vision has become rigid over time. I never imagined using an iPad to DJ—it felt forbidden, unimaginable. It made me realise that my vision was very much formatted to the European standard, with Berlin representing the archetype of how a party should be.
It helped me take a step back. It's always the same with music—the most interesting things happen when you don't have too many rules in mind. That's where everything becomes possible. You can try things that are wild.
Has being a producer changed the way you DJ?
Yes, in the way I use effects, there's so much creativity to explore—playing with pitch, gates, finding surprising ways to use delays and more. Additionally, in the way I manipulate different layers in a DJ set, blending the low-end of one track with the high-end or the snare of another track. There's a live feeling in my DJ sets that comes from my production approach.
A year ago, Hudson Mohawke was one of many people who said club music often gets over-intellectualised. As an artist known for a quirky sound, how do you feel about the level of self-awareness and seriousness among club producers?
It seems like there's a bit of confusion here. Over-intellectualising music doesn't necessarily mean taking your own art lightly. When I'm in the studio crafting music, I take it very seriously, regardless of any external perceptions about seriousness or humour. But I think it's important not to take oneself too seriously in life. It's two different things. Music isn't about concepts or intellectual analysis—it's about evoking emotions and connecting through sound. The essence of music lies in its ability to be felt rather than overanalysed.
This "humour or serious" debate about music doesn't say much about the music in itself sadly. If we want to discuss self-awareness and seriousness it would be more interesting to speak about DJs rather than producers ;) It could open up a more meaningful conversation about the industry and its nuances. And there's a lot to say!
What's one social or political cause you want the world to pay more attention to?
In 2020, I wrote an open letter advocating for a greater consideration of environmental issues in the way artists tour with a series of proposals. These include using planes only as a last resort for travel and planning longer tours when going to another continent to avoid one-off shows, which are devastating for the environment. It's a taboo topic in electronic music.
In practice, for all journeys of ten hours or less, I always take the train, and I turn down certain dates when I've flown too much. I'm trying to find ways to reduce my carbon footprint. It's not perfect, and it's still a work in progress, but I believe it could pave the way for artists who are hesitant to take the leap.
What are you looking forward to in the near future?
The new Maxime Aussel—AKA Less-O—release, called Cri du Coeur on TEMƎT, out mid-June.