Local dubstep duo AFK has received plenty of recognition in the past year -- an original song remixed by United Kingdom DJs Rusko and Supreme and two label record deals, which include two EPs that will soon be released. But perhaps the most esteemed of their accomplishments came earlier this month when world renowned producer Kaskade -- speak of the devil! -- gave the duo his stamp of approval.
Kaskade chose AFK's "Lemonface" as best original song in a competition sponsored by the Identity Festival, putting the group in the running to earn a live set at the fest. AFK, which includes producers Kyle Nuss and Jimmy Blythe, was one of eight acts chosen by legendary electronic producers playing the festival such as Steve Aoki, The Crystal Method, The Disco Biscuits and Avicii.
Nuss and Blythe said they are honored by Kaskade's choice, but more than anything else, they're shocked and excited.
"I've been in the process of moving so I haven't been in touch with the Internet, and then I got a call from Jimmy at a bar at 1:45 in the morning," recalls Nuss. "I think people were probably looking at me pretty funny because I was freaking out."
"Lemonface," which started as a simple melody, evolved into a polished and sexy dubstep tune created in collaboration with Dallas producer Spenca. The beat is quick and uplifting and hardly heavy enough to feel like it's burying you alive. It's definitely a dubstep track, but in its most progressive and perhaps most appealing form. Give the song a listen after the jump.
Stream: AFK and Spenca -- "Lemonface"
Nuss says the collaboration used bass patches the three producers had
been working on for a while. They then melded them together with other blips
and womps.
"Our creative process is pretty funny," explains Nuss. "We'll send parts
and samples back and forth and kind of trade back... We're just trying
to make sounds that interest us the most and go from there."
As winners of a judge's vote, AFK and Spenca win a pair of VIP tickets
to Identity Festival Dallas on Sunday, a meet-and-greet with Kaskade, a pair of Skullcandy headphones and inclusion on the Identity
Festival playlist that will be used between sets.
Unfortunately, the duo didn't win the grand prize package -- the winner, some dude named Drivepilot, was announced earlier this week -- but, either way, its some nice recognition for these Dallas artists.
Congrats!
