DMY MIX 020: AQUTIE
AQUTIE has never had to choose between her worlds. Raised between New York and South Africa, the DJ and producer has taken her "hot, sweaty, fierce and fashionable" sound to decks at Coachella, Boiler Room and Brooklyn Mirage, and has played on line-ups alongside Black Coffee, Keinemusik, Carl Cox and Skepta.
This year she gave her music a home of its own. PELE PELE, her label and cultural platform, is built around parties, experiences and the joy of the dancefloor, and its second release, the 'LATESTATE EP' with L3Ni, captured the feeling of chasing connection long after the lights come up.
Her mix for DMY carries that spirit, featuring a State OFFF remix of ‘AllTheTime’ and an unreleased PELE PELE record, ‘Grip’, alongside her own booty-shaking remix of Nelly Furtado’s ‘Maneater’. Here, AQUTIE talks us through the thinking behind it, what a PELE PELE night looks and feels like, and the February EP, ‘State of Mind’, that is all about growth, confidence and being unapologetically yourself.
What was the thinking behind the mix you’ve made for DMY?
The mood for this mix is like when the yams and the mac and cheese start touching on your plate. It's a mix of my worlds. When NYC meets South Africa.
Is there a track in the mix that captures the spirit of PELE PELE better than any other?
I played two PELE PELE records in this mix. One is a remix by State OFFF of my record with my girl L3Ni, called ‘AllTheTime,’ which I released earlier this year. The other is an unreleased record called ‘Grip,’ dropping in February 2027, featuring my homie and vocalist Dave Giles II. I think both records represent what PELE PELE is about: bringing different sounds, artists, and creative worlds together.
Do you plan the mix from the first track to the last, or do you prefer to let it unfold?
Yeah, especially with pre-recorded mixes. I approach them as a curation, similar to making a playlist for someone. Sometimes I'll switch things up along the way, like I did with this mix, adding a few extra tracks that I think might work better together. It's all about how the music flows and the journey it takes you on.
What’s the one record you play when you want a dancefloor to lose it?
My remix of Nelly Furtardo’s 'Maneater' called ‘ATTN WHOR3’ always gets the crowd going. Certified bootyshaker.
You launched PELE PELE earlier this year as a label and cultural platform. Why did you want to build something bigger than a label?
Because it's bigger than me! It's about uniting the dancefloor through music, culture, dance, and connection. We wanted to create a space where we can freely express ourselves while sharing that same space with artists and creatives who are shaping the sound of club culture. We're all club kids at the end of the day, and it's important that we don't forget why we're all in this in the first place. We want to bring that carefree joy back to the club.
You’ve described it as a space for parties, experiences and cultural exchange. What would a PELE PELE night look like?
Hot, sweaty, fierce, fashionable. A musical sanctuary and safe space where we can let loose and express ourselves while getting lost in sound throughout the night.
You’ve got an EP landing next February via PELE PELE. What can you tell us about it?
The EP is titled ‘State of Mind,’ and it's all about tapping into your higher self. It's about growth, confidence, staying true to yourself, and being unapologetically YOU. It's a reminder that you are exactly who you think you are.
You’re NYC-raised with South African roots. How do those musical influences from both show up in your sound?
They show up in many ways. I like incorporating sounds into my productions that make you feel like the ancestors are calling you to the dancefloor. Whether it's a hard kick, a drum, a siren, an alarm, or a strong vocal, I love using sounds that grab your attention and make you feel something.
Finish this sentence: the best nights in New York always end with…
Going to the afters :)
Tracklist:
James Burton - Breakfast Club (Dennis Ferrer Morning Mix)
Kitty Ca$h - AMEN [4DAHOES] (Unreleased)
Floorplan - What A Friend (Extended Mix)
Inner City, Dantiez, Kevin Saunderson, Steffanie Christi'an, Todd Terry - POSITIVITY (Remix)
DJ PP, Mark Knight, James Hurr - Miami Vice
Sainte Francis - Tell Them All About It
Todd Terry, Delistic - Control Your Body
Chainsnatcher - As Within So Without
AQUTIE - GRIP (Unreleased)
Sunnery James, Ryan Marciano - Du Du Dum (Extended Mix)
Aaron Sevilla, SENATVS, Lizwi, Brøder - Pump Up The Jam
Mr Hands & Rude feat. Rhodalia Silvestre - African Train (Argento Dust Remix)
AQUTIE, L3Ni - AllTheTime (State OFFF Remix)
Surreal Sessions - Hayabusa & Busta Rhymes - Dangerous (Acapella)
Submit music to DMY here.
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