Playlists
Octave One pick their 10 favorite pre-set jams ahead of Vujaday Festival
Octave One getting hyped on classic tracks in the green room
When it comes to live techno, few in the industry are as experienced as Detroit natives Octave One. The duo of Lenny and Lawrence Burden have been churning out live sets of unremitting techno with a laser-focused dedication to the craft since 2006. Never losing sight of their commitment to the dancefloor, these two brothers are amongst the most earnest innovators in their field.
Watching these masters of hardware navigate through the mess of wires, buttons and knobs on stage, it becomes self-evident that Octave One's electrifying style of performance is something that is truly unique to the scene.
Ahead of their performance at Vujaday Festival on the Caribbean island of Barbados this April, Mixmag asked Octave One what they prefer to listen to backstage before they regale their audiences with an assault of unshakeable techno.
“We always listen to music on the road and these are some of the tunes that get us in the zone for our shows," says Octave One. A mixed bag of beloved classics, Lenny and Lawrence Burden show us that sometimes, the best way to prepare for an epic techno set is to clear your mind and take yourself outside of the genre completely.
Vujaday Festival is a five-day event taking place April 3 - 7 that will unfold all throughout Barbados. The acts who have been tapped for this pristine dance music celebration include Moodymann, YokoO, Damian Lazarus, DJ Tennis, Danny Tenaglia, Sasha, andhim, Bob Moses and more.
Check out the full line-up and learn more about Vujaday Festival here.
Purchase tickets here.
Dive into Octave One's pre-set selections - a playlist they titled 'Setting My Mechanism' - below.
Cameron is Mixmag's Jr. Editor. Follow him on Twitter
[Photo: Marie Staggat]
Read this next!
Octave One: "Early Detroit techno was soulful... influenced by disco and house"
Octave One reveal their favorite gear for live techno
Vujaday Festival 2019 reveals phase-two line-up
Rage Against the Machine 'Bulls on Parade'
"Prepare us for the head knock!"
Barry White 'Never Gonna Give You Up'
"A master of building suspense and simply just cause he’s cool!"
Kate Bush 'Running Up That Hill'
"An emotional song with powerful progression that helps us set our pace."
Billy Idol 'Rebel Yell'
"Because sometimes we feel like screaming!"
Thomas Dolby 'One Of Our Submarines
"A track that allows the mind to dream when you totally want to relax because your nerves are on edge."
Prince 'She’s Always in My Hair'
"This song just creates a mood that you can embrace in your soul. There's nothing like feeling this kind of love and pain before you go connect to the beat."
Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Higher Ground'
"Helps to ignite the fire before the explosion in the big room!"
Fleetwood Mac 'The Chain'
"There's nothing like listening to great tunes with lots of transitions before a set. It helps us clear our minds as to what’s about to happen on stage."
Depeche Mode 'Policy of Truth'
"I mean come on... there is truly no better tune to get you motivated."
Alice In Chains 'Down in a Hole'
"Sometimes you just wanna feel something, you know? Layne Staley's vocals in this song are mind-blowing and you can’t help but to feel them."
