ACTION

CULTURE

THE PLAYLIST DEFTONES

LISTEN UP Three ways to pimp your audio style

With their 1995 debut, Adrenaline, California’s Deftones laid the foundation for the nu-metal genre and bands such as Linkin Park. But instead of resting on their laurels, the five-piece began to experiment with electronic sounds, resulting in their platinum-selling masterpiece White Pony five years later. The band’s desire to explore new territory has been key to their success. On the eve of the release of Deftones’ eighth album, Gore, we asked bassist Sergio Vega to list five tracks that have inspired him; it was no surprise when, instead of rock classics, he chose tunes that he loves to play in his DJ sets. deftones.com

Panda Bear

The Juan MacLean

Crosswords

Running Back To You

“Early in the evening, I like to play songs that are a bit out there but still get people’s heads bobbing. Crosswords is a good example of this. With their electronic rhythms and weird delay effects, Panda Bear’s songs are a modern, airy take on psychedelic music. When you’re a DJ, playing his music is a guaranteed win. It earns you coolness points from people who know of him, while others come up and ask what it is.”

“I love playing this track in my sets. Thanks to Nancy Whang’s cool vocals, everybody on the dancefloor seems to click with it instantly, no matter what kind of music they’re into. It’s not a club banger, it’s a downbeat electropop song incorporating disco and funk elements, which makes it the perfect tool when switching between genres, from weirder stuff to hip-hop. It’s kind of the glue in my DJ sets.”

Migos

Blasé

Look At My Dab

“Hip-hop is a major part of my sets at the moment, because I love where the genre is going. Some people complain about the current lack of lyricism, but for me it’s about the experimental sound of a lot of hip-hop tracks right now. Take Blasé: for most of the song, there’s not even any bass, which is fantastic. It shows that you don’t always have to be banging away, as the music can lose its impact.”

“This is a great track to get people hyped as you approach peak time. Migos are the kings of the triplet flow, which is so prominent in hip-hop today. In this song, they talk about ‘dab’, which is basically a new word for ‘swag’. Thanks to viral success of the video, Look At My Dab is now a movement with a dance. That’s great for DJs, because when you play it out, the whole dancefloor does the moves.”

Down In The DM “What’s interesting about this rap song is that the only people who request it are women – and they ask for it a lot! In the lyrics, Gotti basically calls for girls to message him certain shots of themselves via Snapchat. It’s very risqué and he’s not very poetic with his words, which I think is why it works. So if you want to please the ladies in the club, be sure to include this one on your playlist.”



THE GADGET Nervana

The product of extensive research and collaboration with action sports athletes, Grip earphones are designed to fit comfortably and snugly to keep you motivated through your toughest workouts.

JBL Everest Elite 700

Ty Dolla $ign

Yo Gotti

88

JBL Grip 200

This pocket-sized device excites the brain by sending electronic pulses down the ear canal as you listen to your music. When connected to your music player with a standard headphone cable, Nervana’s signal stimulates the Vagus nerve in order to trigger neurotransmitters that increase feelings of happiness and relaxation. experiencenervana.com

For personal flexibility and freedom, these cans are hard to beat: wireless connectivity to share music, videos and games; a dynamic listening experience; sculpted ear cushions; and 25-hour battery life.

JBL Xtreme This portable bluetooth speaker does it all. It pumps the volume, supports 15 hours of play time, and comes with dual USB charging ports as well as a splashproof coating for outdoor parties. It even has a noiseand echo-cancelling speakerphone for those pesky conference calls. musica.co.za

THE RED BULLETIN