AK ft. Joe Peng & Tita “Everything” (AK’s 808 Steppa Mix)

Aaron K, or AK for short, is up next to rep the no-rubbish mindset of Saucy Records. As one-half of Se7en Deadly Breaks, he sticks to his broken-beat guns with a bit that’s bedecked in UKG greatness. On “Everything,” he’s wrangled together Joe Peng, the frontman of Laid Blak, and K-pop phenom Tita Lau to blast out ragga-tinged bars that will resonate with the rudest of rude boys just as much as it does for the getters of garage.

While the original stays locked and loaded for late-night workouts, AK reloads the clip for chilled-out crowds through his 808 Steppa Mix. Calmer doesn’t mean you can’t get a good footwork sesh in, though. Yes, it may be dialed down to fit the dub range of the dance music spectrum, but the joint still lets the subwoofers do their job.

Available now via Saucy Records.
Were you impulsive on this track, or did you have a sketch in mind before you started?
With the 808 mix, I wanted to take it to a different level. I wanted to make it more chilled, but with a dubby feel still to keep with the vibe of the original. I love 808 bass. Being over in Miami for WMC the past two years, obviously the 808 sound is huge there, so I guess I wanted to bring that element into the mix. It sounds nice with the vocals. I wanted a more stripped-back version but with some cheekiness still on the garage front. I wasn’t bothered about making a crazy-ass mix with lots of sounds, etc. The original is a dancefloor track, so I wanted a more steppy version to complement the original.

Was there one particular moment in the recording or mixing process of this track that made you feel as though you were creating something pretty damn special?
Yes, when I was laying the vocals on the original and everything fell into place, I was thinking this track has just taken a serious turn. I’ve always used over-vocals, etc. on remixes I’ve done and used samples and stuff. But with the original and the 808 mix, I felt as though I just created something really special—to me, anyway—and I think that’s what it’s all about when making music. If you vibe and enjoy what you make, then no doubt other people will do the same. It’s been really cool working with Joe and Tita; they smashed it, and the lyrics Joe had written work really well with the tracks. Big-up to them.

Describe the best setting/activity to hear this track.
The best setting would be with a loud sound system, next to a beach with a beer in hand and the sun on your face. The 808 bass really punches through nicely. 🙂

How do you measure the success of a track?
On how it makes you feel and how it takes you out of ya self and into a happy place, regardless of sales and plays, etc. For me, if you play a track after work to get you hyped for going out, then I guess you’ve created a successful track. If people are playing it and enjoying it in their own way, I’m happy.

Creatively, how did the work on this track stack up to previous studio sessions? Was this more challenging to complete than others?
It was more challenging for me, in the sense that it was the first time I’ve worked with vocalists. After getting the vocals from Joe and Tita, laying them over the tracks, and hearing how it just made them sound so good and like actual tracks you hear, it definitely made me step up with the production and the overall sound. I made the track a priority, and it did take over for a little while, and other projects that I have going took a back seat—just because I think I was so exited to be working on this project.

If this song were a color, what color would it be?
A bright color, like orange or yellow that brightens up your day—one that gets you bopping around like a 16-year-old after school that’s about to go on a date. I like the cheekiness of the tracks; it’s happy, and a little rude boy.

Buy “Everything” on Juno Download.

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