Photo by Serena Wang
The longstanding FADER Mix series presents new, exclusive DJ mixes from our favorite artists, DJs, and producers. This week, New York City-based DJ Joe, PinkPantheress’s tour DJ and a musical force unto himself, presents a mix that is cinematic and sleazy.
You may know Joe Liao from his viral videos shimmying and strutting beside everyone’s favorite “Stateside” girl, PinkPantheress.
DJ Joe is the chart-topping singer's tour DJ, but beyond his high-profile creative partnership, he’s an adventurous DJ with eclectic taste and a penchant for merging sounds across genres and styles. He cites PinkPantheress, the visual artist Kembra Pfahler, Miles Davis, Detroit techno pioneer Jeff Mills, and Russian 20th-century composer Sergei Rachmaninoff as key influences.
For his FADER Mix — his first public mix since finding a global audience — DJ Joe crafted a pounding set that dabbles in Bloghouse sleaze, post-punk austerity, acid-washed techno, and features dialogue from Taiwanese director Edwards Yang’s 2001 film YiYi. He sneakily recorded the mix during a lunch break while rehearing for tour and describes it as well suited for “riding through winding mountain roads at night on an electric scooter or dancing alone in a laundromat while you wait for your clothes to dry.” Sounds like a plan.
Listen to DJ Joe’s FADER Mix on SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and Youtube. Read DJ Joe’s FADER Mix tracklist and interview below.
DJ Joe’s FADER Mix tracklist
Ellen Allien - “Open”
Dialogue from the film YiYi (2000)
Peter Lindkvist - “Ride to the Northbridge”
The Cure - “The Walk (Infusion 12” Mix)”
La Manie - “Stubenhocker (Oliver Koletzki Remix)”
Vitalic - “Valletta Fanfares”
Mugatu - “Assault on the West End Girls”
Jing - “Mrs Acid”
Soulwax - “E Talking (Nite Version)”
Gucci Mane - “Lemonade (Instrumental)”
Hobos - “Trick”
CHLOE (Thévenin) - “Take Care (Abe Duque Remix)”
DJ Deeon & DJ Funk - “96 U Got 2”
CSS - “Alala (Bonde Do Role Remix)”
Imatran Voima - “Quad City (Bass Junkie Mixxx)”
Creme de Menthe - “Electrobas”
Miss Kittin - “Professional Distortion (Gods Magnetic Cereal Pamper) [Otto Von Schirach Remix]”
Jason Carr - “Jumping Jacks”
Sweet Exorcist - “Part of the Scene”
DJ Hell - “Je Regrette Everything (Superpitcher Remix)”
Felix Da Housecat - “Rocket Ride (Rude Photo Mix)”
What led you to start DJing?
It was string of events. I started making soundscapes for me to dance to when I was a teenager, mixing ambient music and noise. After high school, I moved to Japan and I got really inspired by the listening bars and music culture over there. Later, my friend Jocelyn gave me a DJ controller for my birthday. Shout out to her. Now we’re here.
What’s the first set you ever played?
I had a slot in my high school’s student run radio station.
How has your local scene shaped your mixing and curation?
New York City has so many different coexisting scenes. Ravers, skaters, rock musicians, art people, coked out finance dudes — everyone is intertwined in a greater network. I don’t know if I fit into a specific category neatly, but I listen to all music — from techno to jazz to bluegrass. I think the diversity of New York culture itself has unconsciously shaped my taste.
What’s the most memorable set you’ve ever played?
Me and Pink went b2b at an afters at Glastonbury at 4 in the morning. I don't have any photos or videos from the night, so it was a lot of fun.
What excites you about the future of nightlife?
Partying is cool, but community is the point. Everyone’s so desperate for so called “third spaces” because secretly we all just want to go out, run into people we barely know, and side hug each other. Everything is just way too expensive right now. I don’t think there should be financial barriers of entry to experience nightlife. We need nightlife that centers art and friendship, but we all have to step up and make the changes we want to see happen, me included.
How would you describe your FADER mix?
This mix combines dialogue from Edwards Yang’s 2001 film YiYi, The Cure, a Gucci Mane instrumental, and synth pop alongside electro and bloghousey grooves. Lots of guitars and drums. It’s my attempt to transpose the feelings and thoughts percolating in my brain into something unserious yet yearning.
Where did you record the mix? Describe your surroundings.
I recorded the mix in the middle of production rehearsals for the next leg of the PinkPantheress tour, somewhat sneakily during my lunch break on the CDJs we bring on the road. In a large Los Angeles warehouse full of people at work.
Beyond DJing and music, what's an interest you have that may surprise?
Besides tap dancing, I’m super into cameras, lenses, and film stuff. I shoot on 16mm a lot.
