After six years of believing that I was fully done with Burning Man, the stars happened to align this summer when I got a calling to go. 

Back in 2016, I never thought that Burning Man would allow me to press the reset button and relieve myself from many things I was carrying emotionally. Then suddenly when I was out on the playa in my element, I began to feel myself again: connected, worry-free, present. 

Thanks to 11 days of complete disconnection from my computer and phone, I was left at the mercy of nature’s elements which brought me back to a place of peace and serenity.  

It was such a joy to take part in Burning Man’s social experiment, one that unites a community of like minded beings from various backgrounds. 

I loved getting my hands dirty while building the camp, helping out with a friend's art structure and chatting with new and old friends every single day.  This was a whole new experience for me; an experience that filled my heart and inspired me in powerful ways. 

For the first time, I can safely say that I have been transformed by my time on the playa, and for that I feel grateful and humbled. 

Memorable moments like riding solo on my bike, letting go of plans, eating nourishing food, getting totally lost in the city, visiting random camps and more often than not connecting with strangers was pure magic. For me, this is the essence of Burning Man: an experience of contribution, full of serendipity and spontaneity. 
 
Here’s a personal highlight of mine that I’d like to share: 
It’s Friday evening, and I have been chosen to set the mood on the Robot Heart bus (which I must admit was one of my favorite nights out there). Here I am pre-set drinking Sake and sharing stories with my dear friend Benjamin Alexander.  The bus is parked at camp when I jump on top and begin to play for 20 minutes before the wheels start turning. Our drive to the deep playa begins, and with that a brutal dust storm follows.  I was instantly taken back in time to my 2015 Burn when I was fascinated by the fairy-lit bicycles chasing the bus, lighting up the space with an array of moving colors.  Eventually, after an hour of driving around, the wind stops, the dust settles, and the bus finds its parking spot for the night.  I finally remove my dust mask and watch the vast space in front me light up as I finish my set.  An unforgettable moment, visual, crowd…everything was perfect. 
 
To all of you who are reading this who were there dancing and glowing on the playa, I would like to say a huge thank you!  I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life.  You inspired me to smile and shine. 
 
Until next year.
 
Julien aka YokoO xx 
 
FOLLOW YOKOO
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instagram.com/yokoo_dj/ 
facebook.com/yokoomusic/
yokoo.bandcamp.com/ 
youtube.com/user/YokoODj 
https://djyokoo.com/ 

Photo Credit:
John Dill

YokoO - Robot Heart - Burning Man 2022

Here is the exclusive mix I did for the well known Berlin based radio Flux FM to promote our yearly Musik Gewinnt Freunde label showcase at Ritter Butzke, which took place on September 20, 2014.

Dig in!!

Track list:
Arve Henriksen - Poverty And It’s Opposite [Stereo Deluxe]
Ejeca - Together [Needwant]
Doubting Thomas - Delayered [Organic-Music]
Christian Löffler - All Comes feat. Gry [Ki Records]
Matt Star - Chordo [Escapism Musique]
Rampue, Rosa Lux, I’m Not A Band - Wilderness [Dantze]
Mount Kimbie - Made To Stray (DJ Koze Remix) [Warp Records]
E-Klash - Tool Me In [Monog Records]
DZNB - Double Impact (Dan Curtin Remix) [Turquoise Blue Recordings]
John Talabot Feat. Pional - So Will Be Now [Permanent Vacation]
Zoot Woman - Don’t Tear Yourself Apart (Chopstick & Johnjon Instrumental) [Embassy One]
DAHM - Hansi [Kompakt]
Santos, David Gtronic - Poison (Abstract Mix) [Serkal]
Yate - Remora [Propaganda Records]
Jichael Mackson - Gedons [Stock5]

Some of the tracks only come in as short loops, helping for transitions. Don't be confused if you can't really hear some of them. It's all a bit of a mish mash :)

ENJOY!

. . . and stay up to date with the latest . . .
https://soundcloud.com/musik-gewinnt-freunde
https://facebook.com/yokoomusic
http://djyokoo.com/

Musik Gewinnt Freunde Promo Mix - Flux FM Club Sandwich

Some words from XLR8R:
"[...] And then there's this podcast. It's one of the most scrumptious, gorgeous sets that XLR8R has run in recent months—which, consider we've hosted mixes from the likes of Laurent Garnier, Audiofly, Dance Spirit, Fort Romeau and Virginia lately, is saying quite a bit. As YokoO explains in the video, the session's emotions run the gamut from joy to sadness, love and loneliness and back again, its soothing passages punctuated with moments of pure drama. In short, it's a musically rich hour of listening pleasure. Our suggestion: Grab a glass of wine (or whatever) and settle in for a while."

XLR8R full feature: http://www.xlr8r.com/podcasts/2015/06/podcast-391-yokoo/

Track list:
01 Kadebostan "Sofia On Stage"
02 Dance Spirit "Beauty And Sadness"
03 Powel - unknown
04 Dorisburg "Emotion"
05 Francis Harris "Of The Field"
06 [subtle transition] Premiesku "Trandafirit"
07 Prompt "Nayara"
08 Luc Angenehm "Anabel"
09 Gorje Hewek & Izhevsky "Calinerie" (ambient edit)
10 Dorisburg "Mima"
11 Gorje Hewek & Izhevski "Calinerie"
12 YokoO "Vali"
13 [subtle transition] Jade featuring Venus "Love Heart"
14 Kiasmos "Looped"
15 Holy Spirits "White Walls"

ENJOY!

http://www.djyokoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/yokoomusic

The story

XLR8R Podcast 391 - YokoO

Stores & Download -li.sten.to/mark_taylor

Deepwater Echo

Tracklist: http://www.wearesoundspace.com/mix087-yokoo/
Download: https://theartistunion.com/tracks/cdfc8f

https://soundcloud.com/yokoo live performance from https://soundcloud.com/kalliopestage @ Burning Man

Join the inner circle: https://theartistunion.com/wearesoundspace
<a href="https://theartistunion.com/tracks/cdfc8f?soundcloud_ref=description" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download for free on The Artist Union</a>

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MIX087 - YokoO

I'm happy to finally release my first extended set with you, recorded at StereoBar in Montreal. StereoBar is a club that's quickly jumped onto my shortlist of favorite venues in the world. Beyond the nailing the club fundamentals (sound system, layout, lighting, staff), they feature the "All Night" series where one DJ plays as opener, headliner, and closer. I love this format since it gives me the opportunity to build the energy from scratch and take the night in any direction without constraints.

But more importantly, I get to play for one of the most enthusiastic, supportive crowds that I've ever encountered. The energy from this night was the strongest I've felt in quite some time, certainly my best gig of the last year. Almost everything I threw out there worked, which actually makes me think that I might not have worked hard enough. There are many more sonic landscapes I'd love to explore, so hopefully I can come back again soon and we can take another journey in that special room...

Recorded October 1, 2016
Special thanks to Kora for scrambling to record my set at the last minute!

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Tracklist

atish - [063] - october 2016 - live at stereobar, montreal

www.soundcloud.com/leeburridge
www.facebook.com/djleeburridge

Art: Spacecats by Ayda Keshtkar
Photo: John Dill

Lee Burridge - Robot Heart - Burning Man 2016

Where to start . . . ?! This second Burning Man experience was indescribable. 
Filled with serendipitous moments, my week was as magical as it could have been.

Robot Heart was the last of the seven shows I played and certainly one I was looking forward to the most. Why? Because I was given the opportunity to play an extended set. Pretty damn special isn't it?!

It's 7.30AM, Saturday after man burn, I wake up all dusty in my yurt after playing through a mad storm at White Ocean from 3 to 5AM hoping for the weather to have settled a little. I walk outside and guess what . . . 
it is a complete white out!!! 

Putting all the good will I have out there, I decide to jump on my bicycle and ride out to the deep playa to find the bus. The wind is very strong and the visibility so low that I literally get thrown off it. I desperately start walking, like a blind man, following whatever sound I can hear. Slowly losing hope, I eventually run into a bunch of white walkers on the same mission. I realise time is running low as I have lost all sense of direction. My skepticism increases, yet my ears magically take me to the Heart just before the start of my agreed set time - 8.30AM. Monolink is performing live in front of a bunch of troopers. I get informed that performances have slightly been delayed due to weather conditions. The sky gets darker by the minute. The crew warns me that rain had been forecasted and that music would have to be turned off for safety reasons in case of another storm. I then realise that my set could just get canceled. Sad face. I pray the weather gods for mercy.
As I get on, the sky magically clears. No more wind, barely any clouds, no more dust. My nightmare turns into a dream and my journey on the decks begins.

I hope you’ll appreciate and enjoy the spontaneity of this set.

Love, and Love only.

https://soundcloud.com/yokoo

Art Project:
Ursa Major
Reaching to grab what is within her grasp is Ursa Major, a 14 foot tall, grizzly bear sow. She may simply be reaching for berries but perceivably she is reaching higher: to the northern sky and the constellation that is her name, Ursa Major. In navigation, the constellation is useful in pointing the way to the North Star.  Ursa Major’s pose is inspiring, she brings the gaze and hopes of the participant skyward. She also demonstrates respect for the bears and nature, her pose is not like a taxidermy bear. She is in her natural state and unthreatening.  With a durable, unique material that was used on their previous Burning Man project (Penny the Goose), Ursa Major’s fur will be made of US and Canadian pennies. The pattern and feel will be like fur.

Mr and Mrs Ferguson Art
www.facebook.com/Mr-and-Mrs-Ferguson-Art-434710516694820/
www.lisa-and-camera.com

Photo by : Jim Parisi

Robot Heart - Burning Man 2016 - Sunday Morning - Black Rock City

YokoO - Robot Heart - Burning Man 2016

© artwork by franz zünkler ➲ contact ✉ franz.zuenkler@t-online.de

Atish (https://soundcloud.com/atish) presents Afterhour Sounds Podcast Nr.134

Unsere Nr. 134 kommt heute von einem amerikanischen Künstler, der mich seit 3 Jahren ununterbrochen musikalisch begleitet. Ich erinnere mich noch sehr gut an seine damalige Bunring Man Aufnahme… Sie haute mich schlichtweg um. Seitdem komme ich nicht mehr um Ihn herum. 

Die Rede ist von „Atish“, einem ehrlichen und unkomplizierten Künstler, der keinen geradlinigen Weg ging. Anfangs noch Programmierer für Facebook, entschied er sich vor knapp 10 Jahren selber Musik zu mixen, wie seine unzähligen Mixe belegen. Anders als viele andere Künstler, die gerne ihre so genannte ‚peinliche‘ Anfangszeit verheimlichen möchten, sind bei Ihm tatsächlich noch alle Mixe zum Anhören verfügbar. Dass er damals wie heute seinem Sound gleich geblieben ist, spricht umso mehr für diesen sympathischen Menschen. 

Sein Coming Out hatte er 2012, als er auf dem Robot Heart art-car spielte. Seitdem ging es steil bergauf. Tokio, New York, Istanbul, Berlin,…um nur einige Stationen seines vollgepackten Kalenders zu nennen.

Aber auch in seiner Wahlstadt San Francisco treibt er weiterhin sein Unwesen. Und wie!!! Neben dem etwas anderen Clubformat mit dem Namen ‚Late night tonight!‘, einer Mischung aus Talk-Show und Club Party, gründete er auch das Label ‚Manjumasi‘. 
Und wäre dies nicht schon genug, feilt er in jeder freien Minute an kommenden Releases und Remixen. Tendenz steigend. Sowohl in Qualität, als auch in Quantität. Wir sind gespannt.

Das von Ihm eingespielte Set ist eine herrlich ‚afterhoureske‘ Reise ins Dickicht der melodischen und verträumten elektronischen Musik. Das sich Atish für dieses Set etwas ganz besonderes einfallen lassen hat ist unüberhörbar. Ich war beim ersten Hören des Sets tatsächlich komplett geflasht, hatte ich doch etwas anderes erwartet. Aber diese Überraschungsmomente, die unsere Reihe und die jeweiligen musikalischen Interpretationen immer wieder mit sich bringen, hauen mich, nein uns, immer wieder um. Darauf darf man auch ein wenig Stolz sein. Vor allem wenn man am Ende ein ganz außergewöhnliches Set erhält. So auch hier. Schnallt euch an… Ich kann mich nur wiederholen, aber es erwartet euch eine Reise durch verspielte, sehr deepe und hypnothische Felder, wie gemacht für eine tanzbare Afterhour sind. Das gabs bei uns schon lange nicht mehr….seid gespannt.

Wir danken Dir vielmals für dieses besondere Set Atish. Umwerfend und überraschend gut. Wenn Unikat, dann Hier. Chapeu.

Wir sind entzückt.

[Text: arkadiusz.]


✘ Atish (San Francisco/United States Of America)

soundcloud.com/atish
facebook.com/atishmusic

TRACKLIST | bit.ly/atish-afterhour

Podcast 2018

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atish presents Afterhour Sounds Podcast Nr. 134

I’m happy to release my recording from Sandbox Festival in Hurghada Egypt. I always love playing the Middle East. The sights, sounds, tastes, and smells are very different than my home, all of which represent one of my favorite aspects of DJing: getting enjoy the world’s diversity. Beyond that, I’ve found that the people of the region are an incredibly friendly and passionate bunch, so playing a festival that attracts the heads from many across the region was special for me.

The Sandbox mainstage was a big one - these stages are sometimes tricky for me as I feel pressured to go for the jugular and bang out a medley of big drops for those hands in the air moments, but I resisted the pressure and went instead for undulation between the deep moments building to the big ones while maintaining a steady groove through. Hope that idea came through, hope you enjoy the set, and can’t wait to make my way back to the Middle East!
Thanks @moagalleryph (IG) for the photo.

Tracklist: http://bit.ly/atish-mix-sandbox-festival

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- connect - 
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Check out my upcoming gigs here: www.bandsintown.com/atish / bit.ly/atishsk

atish - [079] - live at sandbox festival, egypt

Barcelona is one of my favourite cities. The quality of the Catalan food, the warmth of its people, and walking amongst the small streets can charm even the coldest of hearts. This set was recorded at Nomads when I stopped on my way back from India, on June 8th. -G

Connect:
www.instagram.com/gabrhome/
www.facebook.com/Gab.Rhome

Gab Rhome - Live from NOM Barcelona [6.8.2019]

Robot Heart is a collective of doers and dreamers, artists and entrepreneurs. Our home is in the desert dust of Burning Man, and the streets of New York City, Detroit, Bay Area and Hong Kong. Home is wherever the Heart is.

Robot Heart is a community and a family, and our events are an extension and celebration of that community, bound together by shared values of inclusion, giving, environmental responsibility and mutual respect.

Music is our first language, and our mission is to bring love and beats to the world. We work with and support artists, technologists and visionaries of all types in order to create incredible experiences and connected moments. To create love and beats, for you.