An archive of my DJ mixes & set recordings.

Mixes & Set Recordings

Lychee (@lycheefrut) & I had a lovely time joining May's Nowadays Nonstop with an extended back-to-back, and I'm glad we're able to revisit the moment.

We wanted this set to be as fun as possible while distinctly ourselves, and I love that you can hear a bit of both of us in the recording, dancing side-by-side in one of our favorite venues and building steadily toward a euphoria of our own.

Recorded live at Nowadays (@nowadaysnyc), 28 May 2022, 10PM - 2AM. With much love & thanks to the Nowadays staff and all the dancers. Illustration by Sofia Hjortberg.

Lychee & Aaron J - Live at Nowadays, May '22

Recorded live at @nowadaysnyc on 10 June 2023, 10PM - 1AM, alongside @geophone & @kimskii. With so much love and gratitude to the Nowadays staff and all the dancers. Artwork by Márton Tóth.

Aaron J at Nowadays, June 2023

Recorded live at the Grove, Saturday 8-10PM, Sustain-Release Year Nine (2023). Thank you to Aurora & the Sustain-Release team for the trust, to everyone who shared this memory I'll never forget.

Aaron J at Sustain-Release, Year Nine

Recorded live at Above Below 2024, Chiltern Hills, UK.

Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of finally visiting Above Below, a magically warm and inspiring festival tucked intimately within the Chilterns which I had heard so much about over years. What I discovered there was a community that immediately felt like home, a weekend full of moments both immaculately deep & breathlessly exuberant, and a true sense of independence and discovery in the spirit of the festival.

Playing in the UK will always be a special honor for me, and I wanted to capture my appreciation for such a pivotal scene while pushing myself in ways that are distinctly my own. This set helped me find more than a few footholds in my own practice and I’m so happy to share the recording, one from a lineup full of friends & inspirations. Hope you enjoy it!

@arn_j
@abovebelowfestival

Artwork by Malte Schumann.

Sure Thing Mix 131: Aaron J

Aaron J B2B Oberman at Draaimolen Festival 2024

Recorded live at Paral·lel Festival 2024, Saturday 530-830PM, Port del Comte, Spain.

Thank you to the Paral·lel team for the trust, to everyone whose music I was able to share, to all of you for being there and for listening.

@parallelfestival

Aaron J at Paral·lel Festival 2024

For this episode we welcome the extraordinary talents of Aaron J, Brooklyn's Sure Thing record label and podcast founder, known for hosting an immense list of explorative modern techno artists from around the globe. Altering our consciousness for the first time in 2023 with a particularly awe inspiring set at Sustain-Release, Aaron's deeply considered and intricate approach is something of sheer beauty, and coupled with masterful technical ability, his inspiring DJ sets allow for fully immersive dancefloor experiences. 

Here Aaron explores the softer edges of his expansive sound palette, meditative soundscapes and tranquil IDM converging in total harmony for what he describes as a 'recalibration of the senses'. 

@arn_j
@sure_thing

Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in?

A. Of all the mixes I’ve put together over the years, this one definitely feels the most vulnerable. The months I spent thinking about and working on this mix accompanied an intensely busy time in my life, and the process helped me stay in touch with the simple joy of listening as a way of stepping back and letting things go. There is a direct connection here between the music within and the emotions that live inside me. At the same time, I’ve tried my best to mix this as transparently as possible, so that the act of DJing takes a back seat and allows the music to take center stage.

The inspiration behind the tracks I chose and the story of the mix is one of finding balance, so I hope listening to it feels like a casting off of the present day and a recalibration of the senses. I’d love for people to listen to the mix in a setting where they feel most protected from the changes and stressors of the outside world, whether that be sitting outside in nature or laying on a couch surrounded by the comforts of home.

Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much?

A. There is a track in the mix by Autumn of Communion called “Goodbye PK” dedicated to the late Peter Kuhlmann, who many of your listeners will know as the legendary Pete Namlook of FAX +49-69/450464. It’s an immensely moving track that manages to convey both the tragedy of his loss and the depth of the beauty he left with the world, and I feel we’re so fortunate to have music and influences like this in our recent history. I included it early to set the tone of the rest of the mix, which is quite different than any I’ve done before, and to pay my respects to those who’ve inspired our scene from the very beginning.

Q. I was lucky enough to witness your set at Sustain-Release in 2023 and was in awe of your ability to practice restraint while steadily building up tension and energy in the set with such clinical and seamless execution. Is this part of the DJ craft something you spend a lot of time planning and refining?

A. That was such a life-changing moment for me, so I’m really glad you were there! You really nailed what I hoped to accomplish with that set, and I definitely spend a lot of time thinking about where my sets will begin, where I would like them to end up, and what sort of path I might take to get there. Understanding the minutiae of how a transition will affect someone’s state of mind and how to propel someone forward without jarring them back to reality is something I’m always working to improve on. That said, the upward trajectory is not always the most interesting one, and there are so many other ways of charting a course through a set that I hope to be able to explore. For the mix I’ve made for you, it’s not so much a set that builds energy as it is one that expands and contracts, hopefully in a gentle and purposeful way.

MDC.311 Aaron J

Recorded live at Ratherlost Easter 2025, Lofi Amsterdam, 6-9PM.

Thank you to the @ratherlost team for the trust, to the producers within for their incredible music, to all who shared that moment which will surely endure in my mind.

Artwork by Dypere (dypere.cc).

Aaron J at Ratherlost Easter 2025

The Lily Waiting is my contribution to a long tradition of sleep sets, eight hours of music meant to accompany you through a full night of sleep or an extended restful moment. I've included selections that I find delicate, dream-like, and gently full of hope.

Please consider listening at a low volume and starting with Side A. The accompanying playlist will allow you to play the parts in sequential order. Thanks for listening.

The Lily Waiting. Side B

The Lily Waiting is my contribution to a long tradition of sleep sets, eight hours of music meant to accompany you through a full night of sleep or an extended restful moment. I've included selections that I find delicate, dream-like, and gently full of hope.

Please consider listening at a low volume and starting with Side A. The corresponding playlist will allow you to play the parts in sequential order. Thanks for listening.

The Lily Waiting. Side A

red bean enthusiast 
@sure_thing

EU/UK: tal@klsbookings.com
world/contact: surethinginfo@gmail.com

Aaron J

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