As he flourishes in his second home on the palm tree-clad strip of Hollywood Boulevard, Australian DJ/ producer Generik has been embracing the LA lifestyle and the never-ending summer.
Whether it is his residencies at Pacha Ibiza, Hakkasan or Omnia Nightclub in Las Vegas and Bali, Generik has been creating waves with his energy and crafting a distinct sound that is heavily influenced by his house music roots.
Ahead of his appearance at Festival X (Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne), we chat with Generik about his residences, new music and what he really misses a bout Australia.
You’ve become a staple of Las Vegas’ circuit with a Hakkasan Group residency; how enjoyable has your time been playing Hakkasan, OMNIA and Wet Republic?
It’s been amazing; getting to play to that many people all having the wildest night of their lives is incredible. With so many people flying in and out of Vegas, you always get a different crowd and can have a lot of fun with them.
The art of DJing in 2019 compared to 5, 10 years ago; are there many differences to how you approach a standard DJ set?
Yeah, for sure. Now, more than ever, I look to build and create a vibe on the dance floor. I also love playing a lot of new records from new producers.
You recently launched your own label, You Do You; what inspired that move?
I love playing new music in my sets and discovering new producers, so it just made sense. There is plenty of new music coming, which I’m really excited about.
The first song released on You Do You is your own track ‘Tony’. When can we expect more releases and are you targeting other artists to release new material?
Definitely. It’s all coming very soon. After spending the summer in Ibiza, I’ve made new friends and will be sharing their new music soon.
Tell us a bit about your recent summer residency in Ibiza with Calvin Harris?
Playing at Pacha and Ushuaïa was a dream come true. Just played some cards and a couple of quiet glasses of wine. . . hahaha!
You’re headed back to Australia as part of the Festival X tour; can we expect anything special from Generik for this run of shows?
I can’t wait to come back to Australia and tour the east coast. I’ve got plenty of edits and a couple of new songs of mine to play.
It’s a stacked line-up Festival X; who will you be side of stage checking out?
Calvin Harris – the stage he’s bringing to Australia is going to be next-level. Kölsch – I saw him play at Amnesia, it was wild. MK – house music legend. Nic Fanciulli – he had a residency at Ushuaïa this summer called Dance Or Die. It was an epic party. Also gonna check out the Aussie girls: Alison Wonderland and Anna Lunoe who are doing big things in the States.
What do you most miss about ‘home’ and like to indulge when you’re back down under?
I miss VBs, meat pies, chicken parmas, AFL and the accent. I’ll be home for the festival and then might do a few more sneaky shows in the new year; you’ll have to check my Instagram. :)
Electronic music as we move towards a new decade; where do you see the next trend/s coming from?
House music will never die. Nothing beats a piano and a vocal for me.
Is there a typical ‘work week’ for you?
Write music. Download music. Write music. Play golf. Write music. DJ. DJ. DJ. :)
Who are a couple of acts you think readers should add to their next playlist?
Get into Jamie River, Jamo, Ben Hemsley, SOSA, Ben Sterling and Choomba.
Now you can plead the fifth here, but seriously what was Flume thinking at Burning Man?
HAHAHA! I’ll plead the fifth.
Anything else you’d like to add before we bid you au revoir?
I can’t wait to come home and play at Festival X. There will be new tunes coming soon and I can’t wait to see you all.
