Grammy-nominated DJ, record producer, restauranteur, fashion and music executive, Steve Aoki has debuted his highly-anticipated album Steve Aoki Presents KOLONY, out now via Dim Mak Records / Ultra Records. KOLONY is a ten-track release of party-cranking tracks, an amalgamation of collaborations, that blurs the boundaries between electronic music and hip-hop, landing on something in between and adding supplemental flavor.
Download “Kolony”
On Wednesday, Aoki celebrated KOLONY’s debut by shutting down a block in New York City for a special live concert event and runway show, hosted by Build Series. Aoki treated thousands of fans to an exclusive first listen of the project during his DJ set where he was joined on stage by a live marching band and special guest performers Bok Nero, Sonny Digital, Ayo & Teo, Mase, and more.
Aoki also debuted a preview of “Paradise Found” his sixth collection for DIM MAK, a street influenced menswear brand, and ended the show by caking the crowd. Check out event photos.
On Thursday, Aoki shared the stage with Ma$e and Bad Royale for a live performance of “4,000,000 (feat. Ma$e & Big Gigantic)” at Live with Kelly and Ryan – watch the full performance HERE.
With countless collaborations from some of hip-hop’s biggest figures, KOLONY is stacked with hard-hitting rhymes from some of the most prominent lyricists today, including Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Migos, 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, T Pain, ILOVEMAKONNEN and more. Featuring standout singles “Night Call” featuring Migos and Lil Yachty, “Lit” with Gucci Mane, T-Pain and Yellow Claw, “Without U” with 2 Chainz and DVBBS, and countless more, KOLONY serves as Aoki’s first full turn into the hip-hop atmosphere and brings and exciting and expertly crafted new facet to Aoki’s noted list of accomplishments.
“When I was in the studio working on this project or a song with someone that made it to the album, they brought their own crew, and I’d turn around and be like, ‘this squad is like a colony,’” explains Aoki of the title. “We’re like a colony, because it just felt like the energy in the room was more vibrant. It was a lot of energy from people flowing from the studio, and I loved that think tank, that group collaboration, and spirit.”
Moreover, KOLONY has already garnered critical acclaim straight out of the gate. Billboard raved that “Steve Aoki is back on the collaborative tip, and he is swinging for the stars,” and XXL praised how “Steve Aoki has a remarkable ability of blending new sounds together and he doesn’t disappoint on this high-energy record.” VIBE proclaimed the project “is filled with party-ready singles that are destined to infest radio waves and garner chart topping airplays.”
“I’m definitely an artist that likes to cross out of the lines, color outside of the lines, working with all sorts of different genres,” he says. “When I’m in the studio, I don’t think of myself as an EDM producer. I think of myself just as a producer, and I want to make the best music I can with the artists I’m working with.”
