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CDN BEATS: TNG – AudiOral

March 30, 2012

Welcome to the seventh edition of Canadian Beats: The Next Generation where we feature 19-year-old AudiOral from Calgary, Alta. Her catchy sound is making waves in cowtown and she’s one to look out for! As always, if you know someone that should be featured on CDN Beats: TNG, make sure you holla at me at kpelletier@djmag.ca!

 

Name: Kali Yesalusky

Age: 19

Current City: Calgary, Alta.

Style: Swing electro, electro, funk and glitch

Hi, my name is AudiOral and I’m addicted to eating toasted bagels with cream cheese whilst mixing tunes that make you bounce and smile all gangly-like.

 

Describe your first experience with EDM?

I can recall a time when my grandmother was babysitting me, so I figure around eight to 10 years old. She took me to HMV where I came across a mix album called Club Mix USA. It had tracks like Toca’s Miracle by Fragma, Derb, Sandstorm, and Rapture by iiO. My young brain was entirely fascinated by the fact that music could be created without actual instruments, because at that time I was already teaching myself to play the guitar. Later on, electronic music found its way to me once again in the eighth grade when I was introduced to Angerfist and harder styles of music. Artists such as Benny Benassi followed up with his Rock ‘n’ Rave album, and the rest, as they say, would be history.

 

Who was the inspiration behind your career choice?

Once discovering the scene, a good DJ friend by the name of Chad first showed me Virtual DJ. I guess you could say he actually had a lot to do with my initial ambitions. Long after that, and losing interest for the sub-par computer program that I found it to be, my boyfriend Tanner bought me my current equipment, and I’ve been playing weekly ever since.

 

And what equipment is that?

The equipment I use now, Numark NS7‘s. Big, heavy, bulky controller, but it gets the work done.

 

What the first track you can remember that got your booty shakin’?

That’s a tough one. It’s a tie between Angerfist’s Dance With the Wolves and Benny Benassi’s Finger Food. Angerfist was a face-melter, while the sounds in Finger Food tickled my brain stem.

 

Who gave you your first gig?

My first gig was through Bass Bed’s open decks at Quincy’s in Calgary. I had been practicing my set for weeks beforehand, and promoted the crap out of it via social media. I threw down a swing electro/fidget set … With a little bit of nonsense thrown smack in the middle. It was only a half hour slot, but I managed to fill the room as though it was a Saturday night and miraculously didn’t make any mistakes or get nervous. I felt bad for the following DJ though, because everyone just up and left once my set as done.

 

Who in this industry do you look up to?

My main idol right now is ill.Gates. I’ve seen him live three times already and he always manages to top himself every single time, as well as top every other show I’ve seen in between. I also attended one of his Ableton workshops, which was another inspiring experience in that he has a way of explaining things so that they make sense, plus the fact that he’s just so amped on sharing his wealth of knowledge with anyone who wants to listen. There’s a certain amount of humility required for that. You see far too many DJ’s/producers who won’t share with anyone because their either afraid that they’ll steal their music or ideas, but what those people don’t realize is that everyone’s style and creativity is different. So, by proxy, what the person produces through the utilized knowledge helps to expand the music industry.

 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself definitely passed the initial production lines. I plan to attend sound production and audio engineering courses in Vancouver within the next year, as well as have a good grasp on actual musical theory. Although I know how to play guitar, I can’t read music whatsoever. Neither could Stevie Ray Vaughan though, and that man was friggin’ brilliant.

 

What can people look most forward to when you spin?

I bring a definite abundance of my own energy to the stage. There have been times when I’ve nearly stumbled off the podium I was standing on due to the flail factor. I love the music that I play, and I feel it’s important to show that to people. Nobody likes a DJ who just stands there and isn’t into it at all. Looks like they’re not having any fun, which other than the love for the music, is what I believe the experience all about.

 

What’s your go to ‘pump you up’ track?

I’ve been jamming to a lot of Opiuo lately. I’d say Robo Booty. It’s a booty shaker.

 

How have you grown the most since you first started out?

Mixing music gave me a sort of drive to constantly better myself, not only behind the decks, but in life also. It has given me something positive to work towards, instead of the usual, mundane routine of wake up, go to work, sleep, wake up, go to work, sleep, wake up, go to work, party, sleep.

 

Who is the artist you would like to work with most and why?

Anyone making their music on the spot, like Vibesquad or Longwalkshortdock. I love the idea of throwing things together during live PA, and the versatility that comes along with it. I feel it makes the connection between the performer and the audience more personal, because it’s not always the same song you listen to on your iPod. You can tweak it to your heart’s desire.

 

Describe your dream gig?

KaZantip for sure. it’s a balls-to-the-wall 60 day party out of the Ukraine and all the world’s biggest names play there. Hell, maybe Burning Man, EDC … even just Shambhala. Let’s just do it all, damn it. I’ll see y’all there.

 

What would people be shocked to know?

I spell my name different than it’s legal spelling because I’m sick of people mispronouncing it all the time.

 

What’s your ‘guilty pleasure’ track?

Anything by Die Antwoord. Their absolute strangeness bordering on the line of extremely inappropriate makes me smile.

 

What’s your favourite gig thus far?

The first set I played at Sal’s for Infamous Productions was a blast, partially because of the crowd, and partially because I was stoked on the way my set played out.

 

Happiness is: having a scratch for every itch.

 

What’s the biggest challenge for you when it comes to making it as a DJ?

Sometimes it’s keeping motivated. I have a tendency to become easily bored in some aspects, so when things aren’t constantly changing nor progressing, whatever I’m doing can start seeming like something I am expected to do, more so than something I want to do. Luckily enough for me, things have been going in a consistent rate of change, so I’m not bored yet.

 

One thing you couldn’t live without?

Probably oxygen. I hear that stuff is pretty important. Also bacon. Equally as important as oxygen.

 

What do you parents think of you becoming a DJ?

I’ve had big dreams consisting of music since I was very young. Although they mostly related to guitar, being a DJ still involves music and a passion for it. What I mean to say is, they actually want to come out and see me play one day (weird), although there is a certain amount of distain for the sometimes repetitive nature of electronic music. Mom digs the swing electro though. She’s let me throw parties in her basement with DJ’s before and she’ll come down and dance with us sometimes.

 

One word to describe your style: Hyperfellatious

  

What’s your description of a DJ?

You have to have something that stands out from every other DJ, local or not, that exists. In my city, it seems that everyone and their dog considers themselves to be a “DJ”, as if it’s some sort of popularity contest instead of an actual passion for the music. In the end, only the dedicated will survive, and those dedicated will begin producing music of their own, instead of always relying on someone else’s art to keep them going until they’re 40 years old.

SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/audioral

Mixcloud: www.mixcloud.com/audioral

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001012818248