Steve Aoki Reveals Techno Alter Ego on Saudi’s MDLBEAST Records

Here’s something unexpected. Steve Aoki reveals his dark side as Ninja Attack on the latest MDLBEAST Records release. Aoki’s new track Aurora veers into techno territory riding on deep, driving basslines and minimal dark melodies. The new track showcases a grittier side to Aoki’s sound – and we much prefer it to his usual sonic style.

Aurora is the next step towards the release of MDLBEAST’s forthcoming Soundstorm Vol.1 compilation album. It follows singles from Salvatore Ganacci, Cosmicat, Skytech & Fafaq, Butch and R3HAB. Listen to Aoki’s Aurora track below.

Volumes

Aoki is one of the DJs returning to MDLBEAST Soundstorm in December after playing at the inaugural event in 2019. “David Guetta and Steve Aoki returning again this year speaks volumes about their feelings towards the festival,” said MDLBEAST’s Head of Talent Talal Al Bahiti.

Al Bahiti reports that the feedback from the first MDLBEAST Soundstorm was incredible. “The festival was born from the underground music and dance culture in Saudi, and this really resonated with international artists. They understood what the festival meant for Saudis and the impact it had on the wider region. David Guetta was quoted saying, ‘I feel like we are writing a new page of history together’, and his words couldn’t be truer.”

Benefits

As well as its cultural impact, MDLBEAST brings economic benefits to Saudi too. The 2019 event contributed $118.5 million to the local economy and created 16,000 direct and indirect jobs. Independent research reveals 83% of Saudi youth believe Soundstorm 2019 increased opportunities for local musicians and creatives in the country. Furthermore, 86% of young Saudis said they were prouder of the creativity and culture in Saudi Arabia as a result of the festival. “There is a new generation hungry for culture and quality music, which comes as no surprise considering 70% of the population of Saudi is below the age of 30,” said Al Bahiti.

Growing Appetite

Feeding this growing appetite, this year’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm has expanded from a three-day to a four-day event. It runs 16 – 19 December on a huge purpose-built site located 40 minutes outside of Riyadh. The first phase DJ call sheet features more than 60 DJs across the EDM, house, deep house and techno spectrums.

Al Bahiti claims that DJs’ and artist managers’ perceptions of the Saudi and Middle East markets are changing. “They now realise people across the region love dance music just as much as anywhere else and are crying out for live entertainment. This offers them great opportunities.”

Also read: MDLBEAST Launches XP Conference to Accelerate Region’s Music Industry