Alan Walker Crafts the Perfect Playlist for Summer Sauce 2017

Alan Walker has been delivering nothing but ethereal gems since 2014, when his first official track, “Fade,” quickly kicked off his burgeoning career. His latest releases, “Ignite” and “Sky” with Skrindo, display the rising producer’s effortless technique between progressive finesse and electro house energy.

All his feel-good beats remind us of our favorite memories under the summertime sun, so we couldn’t think of anyone better to kick off the first-ever Summer Sauce, our brand-new event series dedicated to all the slowed-down, chilled-out, and blissed-out vibes you want out of a summer party.

Ahead of the inaugural Summer Sauce, which goes down this weekend (Saturday, August 12) at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, Alan Walker serves up a sun-drenched playlist for all your dancefloor needs. We also chatted with the Norwegian, who gave us his top tips on crafting the perfect summertime playlist.

Photo Credit: Rikkard Häggbom

We’re gearing up for Summer Sauce this weekend, and we need your DJ wisdom! What would be the first song to kick off the perfect summertime playlist?
There are a lot of great tunes that would be great to kick off the perfect summertime playlist. One particular song that has been getting its fair share of replays this summer is “More Than You Know” by Axwell Λ Ingrosso. It’s a great track by two of the most talented guys within the EDM scene.

What about song choice? How diverse should we get on our ultimate summertime playlist? Should we explore multiple genres?
Diversity is definitely great! It’s always good when you can explore several genres and curate a great mix of different music people might not expect to hear together in a certain context. I try to do that during my performances as well.

All right, we’re vibing now, and the sun is just about to go down. Should the vibes on our summertime playlist switch as we go from day to night?
Yes—once the sun starts to set and people enter a different mood for the nighttime, it’s the perfect time to switch up the sound. For instance, if you started off with something that’s more laid-back in the beginning, now would be the time to pick up the pace and experiment with something more hard-hitting and uptempo.

My friend also thinks he’s a DJ, and he’s begging for the aux cord. Should our playlist allow for improvisation? Or do we need to stick to the playlist from beginning to end—no shuffling tracks?
Improvisation is highly welcomed. It might open up for some external influences you maybe didn’t think of and allow for some other inputs to the playlist. And if the crowd doesn’t seem to enjoy it, there’s nothing wrong with adjusting your course and getting back to the original schedule.

OK, things are getting late into the night. Do we start cranking in the bangers to keep the party alive? Or when should the music start going harder and louder?
Now would be the time to get into some of the bangers and possible aces you’ve been hiding up your sleeves. As far as timing, you’ll just have to analyze your crowd and understand what they’re looking for. That’s one of the more important things for a DJ.

What can people expect from you and your set at Summer Sauce? How will you keep them partying into the night and all summer long?
People can definitely expect a variety of genres in my performance set. I like to take the crowd on a journey and not necessarily stick to a specific tempo or sound. They can expect a combination of my own music, remixes, and collaborations, as well as some gems from other sounds and genres they may not expect. Who knows—perhaps I’ll debut some new music during the show as well. People will just have to wait and see. Anyway, I can promise people will have a good time, and I’m really looking forward to my Summer Sauce show! See you there!

The first-ever Summer Sauce takes place Saturday, August 12, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 2, at noon PT. For more information, visit the official event page.

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