Catching Up With Ekali On The Alinea Tour

Photo Credit: Awakening Records

Acclaimed melodic trap producer/DJ Ekali brought his Alinea Tour to the historic Webster Hall in New York City a few weeks ago. Accompanied by Awakening Records tastemaker BLVDE RUNNER and LA-based trap producer Villa, the NYC show was a success as East Coast trap fans got to enjoy the predominantly West Coast sound.

Ekali will be wrapping up his Alinea Tour this weekend with shows in Sacramento, CA at The Park Ultra Lounge on Friday, April 26 and in Portland, OR at 45 East on Saturday, April 27. BLVDE RUNNER and Badlike will play in support at both shows.

Photo Credit: Ekali

After his set on Saturday, April 13, I was able to catch up with Ekali and pick his brain with some questions I was curious about.

Duce: You've played some memorable shows in NYC over the years: headlining Warehouse of Horrors in 2019 and your surprise b2b at The Warsaw after Halloween in 2018. Do you have a favorite?

Ekali: New York has always been one of my favorite places to play shows! It’s so hard to choose which one has been my favorite, as New York crowds have always been a joy to perform for. However, some of my best memories in the city come from the times I played Baby’s All Right and Rough Trade, way earlier in my career around 2016. There’s something special about playing in tiny, sweaty, and packed venues for an intimate crowd that makes performing special to me.

Duce: Those small venues are always a vibe! Do you have a can't miss spot when you come to NYC?

Ekali: I’ve always found exploring one of the most joyful things to do in NYC -- crawling around Brooklyn finding random dive bars or restaurants and seeing where the city takes you. I’ve had so many amazing times stumbling into some of my favorite restaurants and hangouts just walking around -- but I would be hard-pressed to remember their names. That’s what makes the city so beautiful to me -- it’s sense of adventure.

Duce: Adventure is something NYC does quite well! So tell us about your adventure of getting Awakening Records started.

Ekali: The label side of Awakening has been a dream of mine for years, but the timing never felt quite right. I’ve always been tapped directly into the underground in electronic music and what I noticed, over the last few years especially -- is that our industry is headed down a path that is encouraging fast consumption over quality.

What it means to be a producer/DJ by today’s popular definition is becoming increasingly opaque in meaning. The quality of music itself is becoming a tertiary value in the equation of what it means to succeed as an artist -- taking a backseat to what the industry perceives as an attractive artist to promote. This is leaving artists who put their heart and all their time into the craft itself in the dust -- struggling to compete with the pace of content churned out in the modern age of art.

The goal of the label is to give these artists a home and to provide them with a platform to present their own artistic expression -- unadulterated by label molds, social media agendas, or unfavorable signing terms.

Duce: That sounds like a huge win for you and underground artists everywhere. Good luck with your Awakening Records label! What's next for Ekali once the tour ends?

Ekali: This summer I’m working on beginning to showcase the Awakening label artists through live shows -- working directly with promoters who are tapped into the underground culture in various cities to present full lineups from the label roster. We want to keep these shows as close to the culture as we can and find unique, intimate venues that offer a memorable experience for the fans.

Duce: I can't wait to see these showcases in action. What's next for the Awakening label?

Ekali: We have a few more projects lined up from some incredible artists for release through the summer, and I will be focusing on a solo Ekali project later this year for release on the label as well. We’re also beginning work on Compilation 02 already!

Duce: That sounds great. I will definitely keep an ear out for it! Any last words you'd like to share with your fans?

Ekali: I just want to thank every one of our listeners and fans for believing in what we’re doing. I took a while off my career for personal reasons and came back into an industry that has changed completely and become so oversaturated -- to have your attention, to see everyone still out at the shows dancing and having a good time, and to receive messages of love and encouragement -- it means the absolute world. We’re only ramping up from here and I couldn’t be more grateful to have all of you along with me for the ride.

Duce: Thanks again Ekali for making the time to speak with me. I wish you the best for your last few Alinea shows this weekend as I eagerly await new goodies from you and Awakening!

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