My Playlist With… DJ Amazonica

My favourite genres are… rock and hip hop. I like really heavy, emotive music that’s quite extreme, but I also love super atmospheric and euphoric music to relax to when I’m not feeling up-tempo. This is obviously not what I DJ unless I’m touring and playing to a big crowd of people who love the same music as me. Most of the time, I’m DJing at high-profile events so spinning some AC/DC isn’t appropriate! A classic playlist is like a good mixtape – it should take you on a journey through different moods. 

The artist I’m playing on repeat right now is… Machine Gun Kelly. His new track ‘Maybe’ with Bring Me the Horizon is an emo banger. I toured with MGK in Europe and have a show coming up with Bring Me the Horizon this summer, so I love this collab. Those guys are the best. 

I listen to music on… every kind of platform. When I’m on the move I use streaming platforms but I listen to vinyl at home to prep for my Chiltern Firehouse gigs – I just bought loads of new vinyl in LA at Amoeba Records for those sets, including a Beatles reggae album which may be terrible or genius. I haven’t listened to it yet… I also love playing cool covers and original songs that have been sampled in 90s hip hop tracks.

When I’m on tour I always listen to… Tycho and Tourist. They really help me relax and touring can be quite stressful, so it calms me down. Right now I’m sat by the pool in LA having a few days off. To be honest, I’m giving my ears a rest because when you listen to music 24/7 you sometimes need to take a break to really hear it again.

I have too many favourite songs to pick just one, but I’m currently loving… ‘Tiny Dancer’ by Elton John. I’m also obsessed with ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ by Blue Oyster Cult, so much so I covered it recently. Other favourites include ‘Never Let Me Down Again’ by Depeche Mode and ‘Someone Great’ by LCD Soundsystem. I also love The Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ and ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ by The Rolling Stones.

This awards season I’ve been performing… my usual eclectic sets for the creatives. These playlists are perfect for celebrations and good vibes. I prep by rehearsing the DJ set at my residency gigs to see what works and what doesn’t. I can’t tell you what songs get the crowd on the dancefloor as I’d be giving away all my trade secrets, but some great disco tunes always work…

The UK has so many talented dance artists. Camelphat and Bicep are both great. Camelphat’s track ‘Constillations’ is an absolute banger, while Bicep’s ‘Glue’ is still a masterpiece. 

My favourite album right now is… ‘Can’t Buy a Thrill’ by Steely Dan. After hearing it on Euphoria, I like to play ‘Dirty Work’ in my sets. It’s so good. 

My favourite album of all time is… probably Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ because it changed my life so much when I was about 14. I think any album that comes out when you’re coming of age will always hold a special place in your heart. Nirvana was the cherry in the alt-rock tree at that time. It was all about great, timeless songs.

Over the last few months, I’ve been playing… every artist known to man! I’m constantly hunting for new music to add to my sets – it’s one of the best parts of the job. Right now, I’m really into The Mysterines – their debut album ‘Reeling’ is brilliant. Can I also say myself? I’ve got a new album coming out this year. I’m obviously biased but I’d say it’s pretty great and I’m very proud of it.

My top three old-school tunes are… ‘Gimme Some More’ by Busta Rhymes, ‘Slam’ by Onyx and ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ by Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

The tracks that always get me on the dancefloor are… ‘Killing in the Name’ by Rage Against the Machine and ‘Once in a Lifetime’ by Talking Heads. 

If you want to party, play… 90s hip hop, disco, Motown, or even some metal depending on how chaotic you want to be. Jackie Wilson’s ‘Your love (Lifting Me Higher)’ always gets the party going and makes we want to dance. 

For a great house party, play… the music you love. It shouldn’t be too serious. People always overthink their own playlists but if you love what’s on, the chances are other people will too. Just make sure it’s not too clever or too cheesy.

My top three start-of-the-weekend tunes are… ‘Ready or Not’ by The Fugees, ‘Maybe’ by Machine Gun Kelly and Bring Me the Horizon, and ‘Robbery’ by Juice WRLD.

During a road trip I always play… rock music. Give me all the Bowie and Led Zeppelin I can handle. 

My favourite unwind song is… ‘A Walk’ by Tycho. I usually finish DJing at 4am so I also like to play something super chilled like ‘For What It’s Worth’ by Buffalo Springfield. 

My guilty pleasure has to be… ‘Heat Wave’ by Glass Animals.

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