Wassu [Interview]

Based in the United States, Wassu has emerged from New York's avant-garde electronic music landscape, staking his claim as one of the counties premiere organic house talents. Noted for his attention to detail, voluptuous grooves and emotive musicality, Wassu's craft shines through vividly, making each one of his creations an absorbing experience. A meticulous discography showcasing a consistent stream of superlative releases via All Day I Dream, Anjunadeep, DAYS like NIGHTS and The Soundgarden, have been well-received, earning play and support from genre tastemakers Lee Burridge, Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren and Tim Green. Also an accomplished DJ, the New York resident has performed across the globe, showcasing his keen sense of dancefloor dynamics alongside elite international talents Above & Beyond, Bob Moses, Jody Wisternoff, DJ Tennis, and Maceo Plex, amongst others. With 2024 being one of Wassu's most creative and prolific years to date, the American artist continues that momentum into 2025, opening the year making his Musique de Lune debut with 'Aerobic'.

Progressive Astronaut caught up with Wassu to learn more about the release of 'Aerobic', growing up in USA, moving to New York, DJing and much more. Enjoy.

Hi Weston, thanks for talking to us today. How has the start of the year been for you?

It’s been great! I mean, the winter in NYC has been, by far, - the most brutal I’ve ever experienced living here. Otherwise, it’s been refreshing and productive.

Let’s look back on 2024, what gig of yours stood out the most and why?

Really tough call, but I think Halcyon in San Francisco for my four-hour extended set back in July 2024. It was a nice challenge playing a longer set as I’ve recently just been doing two-hour sets (extended sets don’t come by very often). I had the chance to test all of my new music and I was thrilled to see the room rocking from open to close!

Now let’s look at tracks, what is a track or tracks which came out last year that impressed you the most and why?

Moshic – Love Made Me Do It (Guy J Remix). Absolute bomb. I heard him play this one live for the first time at Gjipe during Anjunadeep Explorations and the crowd reaction was electric.

After listening to the track when it came out a few weeks ago, I just loved every minute of it. The progression, mixdown, and production are all immaculate, to say the least haha.

What is a song/track you’ve never stopped listening to since childhood? And why has it stuck with you this long?

New Radicals – You Get What You Give – just reminds me of the simpler times during childhood. Anytime I’m feeling stressed or burnt out, I just put that song on and it takes me back to the 90’s.

I also did an edit of the song and you can find it here: https://hypeddit.com/yougetwhatyougivewassuremix

Would love to hear what people think of this remix!

How did growing up in the USA affect your music taste and direction into becoming a DJ and producer?

Growing up, I listened to a lot of alternative and classic rock, so a lot of the chord progressions and music theory from that genre are incorporated into my projects. Dance music calls for creative tweaks, because basslines and chord progressions in rock music may not be dancefloor friendly.

Ultimately, I’m trying to write music that’s memorable and has a lifespan of more than just a year or so. That’s what differentiates a song and a track. Alternative rock music does a particularly great job of executing on this idea of music longevity that stands the test of time.

Who from the United States inspired you the most early on and why were they inspirational for you?

From the US? For dance music, I’d probably say Kaskade – I listened to all of his music in the early 2010’s when I first got into the scene. If he’s playing a Redux show in town, chances are I’ll be there as I love his earlier releases from the 2000’s.

For music in general, John Mayer. I finally had the chance to see him perform live for the first time with my parents in September 2023 and was honestly blown away. Arguably one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen. Just him and an acoustic guitar on stage in front of tens of thousands of people at a beach music festival. His guitar playing and singing were top notch and arguably even better than what we hear from him in the studio.

I know you moved to New York after you graduated from University, were you already making music at that time? And if so, how did moving to the largest city in North America help your creativity as an artist?

This is a really great question. I started DJing in college at Johns Hopkins at our Track & Field parties (I was a runner) as a way to boost my social status (specifically with the ladies). This unfortunately did not work well for me and I got a lot of drunk angry song requests instead haha.

Needless to say, I continued DJing because I loved it and dance music was really just penetrating the US market at the time. After moving to New York, I landed my first official gig in September 2015.

Gigs then came and went and I was becoming frustrated with the lack of bookings. Then, circa 2016, my good friend Daivik Orth suggested I give music production a try, as the learning curve for DJing was starting to plateau. I downloaded a copy of Logic Pro then and the rest is history!

What are some of your best memories from first going to clubs? Were there specific nights or sets that really made you feel you wanted to pursue electronic music?

My god I am so glad you asked. I’ll keep this short and sweet:

-No guestlist
-No phones (or limited phone recordings)
-No BS

Just people living in the moment and connecting with one another on the dance floor.

New York is highly regarded for its organic house scene, how does the scene there compare to other cities you’ve performed in?

Being that NYC was the birthplace of organic house powerhouse All Day I Dream, I’d say it’s pretty booming! I do think, however, that organic house has shifted over the last several years and what would be considered organic now wouldn’t be back in 2017. Genres and sounds are constantly evolving, and I think All Day I Dream does a great job with being at the forefront of that.

The scene in Montreal is also vibrant, one that feels closely similar to NYC. Miami is obviously thriving as well, but I think they’re more well-known for other genres like techno, tech house, among others.

What is it about New York which makes it such a hub for organic house?

It’s the birthplace of organic house music. The first All Day I Dream parties were hosted here in 2011. It just became known as the hub for organic house since then, as All Day I Dream pioneered the genre.

You’ve been releasing music as Wassu for just over six years at this point, when you look back on your releases up to now what would be some pivotal ones to the success you’ve achieved today? If you had to single out a release or two which really helped your propel career what would they be?

I definitely think the collaboration “Like You” with Marsh on Anjunadeep was the first release that put the Wassu artist name on the map. Following that release, I noticed an uptick in remix requests as well as bookings.

I think I also caught Lee’s attention with a few releases on sister organic house labels like Lost Desert’s Souksonic. When I first emailed him in the fall of 2020, he had already heard my name by then. Forever thankful that I’ve had the chance to release on his label!

Can’t believe we released that one almost six years ago now!

For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you?

I don’t think I ever tried to “emulate” anyone else but, when I first got started, I certainly used reference tracks for arrangement purposes. If I ever felt stuck on an idea or track, I would use references to get a sense of where I should take the track.

It’s super cheesy but in the movie “We Are Your Friends” starring Zac Efron and Wes Bentley, Wes tells Zac, “Any successful artist, they have this moment, when they stop being an admirer and they find their signature” – that quote really hit home for me.

You have a new EP ‘Aerobic’ out now via Musique de Lune, tell us a bit about the release and what sort of vibe you were going for on the two tracks.

I think this was a turning point in my music production career. I started to up the BPMs a bit and began writing clubbier stuff. I finished this around 2022, right around the time I started headlining shows. I found it difficult to play out stuff that was at 120 BPM or slower, hence the higher BPMs with this EP.

How much play have the tracks gotten in your sets and where do you generally program them?

A good amount! I think “You Make Me Feel” works really well for day parties. Aerobic is a bit more mysterious and one better suited for clubs. I’ve been playing these out for the last 2.5 years or so.

Let our readers inside your studio for a moment, what is your current setup and what studio tools are featured heavily in your recent productions and more specifically on ‘Aerobic’?

Lol. My setup is literally a laptop, an audio interface, and a midi keyboard on a plastic, foldable table. I mix and do everything in my headphones (Sennheiser HD-650s). It’s not worth the trouble nor hassle to try and build a home studio in an apartment like this (shout out to my friends Mike Cupino, Moya, Aquariox, and longstoryshort for building their own). I am not a handyman by any means haha.

With this being your Musique de Lune debut, please tell us why the label was a good home for ‘Aerobic’?

I think MDL’s catalog is quite diverse. Yes, it’s primarily known for organic house music, but it doesn’t at all shy away from progressive sounds. I think with the promo campaigns I’ve seen from the label lately it’s the perfect platform for these songs to have a home.

How does working with a smaller boutique label compare to say working with Anjunadeep or All Day I Dream?

I think there’s more transparency around the process and a potential release date. This is really only because big labels have so much influx of new music that it’s hard to schedule it all in a given year.

There are tracks that I’ve released on both All Day I Dream and Anjunadeep that were finished 3+ years prior to ever getting released! That’s normal, and something you should expect with some of the most well-recognized and established platforms in dance music!

How important would say networking is in making it as an artist in 2025? And what role (if any) has it played in your own success?

I think it’s incredibly important. My friend Jon Gilman over at The Racket House did a great interview with the A&R at Repopulate Mars on this exact subject. When you’re first meeting someone, whether that’s a fellow music producer, label A&R, or promoter, don’t try to sell yourself or push your brand. Get to know the person first!

Do they like to travel? What shows have they been watching lately? Are they into sports? Are they into a specific sports team? Build the connection with them first and support them. Once you’ve developed the relationship over the years, they will then think of you and help you with future opportunities. Networking is really an art, however, not a science. Focus on developing not just any relationship but genuine relationships. That will go a long way. Trust me.

You’ve accomplished a lot across your career with releases via All Day I Dream and Anjunadeep highlighting your discography. What goals do you have going forward? Or a better question might be do you think about the future?

Just keep writing bombs. Continue building on my brand that connects and resonates with people and makes them feel a part of the Wassu journey – that’s the most important thing for me. The rest will fall into place.

Shifting to DJing for a moment, you’ve played alongside some all time greats in Above & Beyond, Bob Moses, Jody Wisternoff, DJ Tennis, and Maceo Plex, so please tell us your approach to DJing and how you go about programming your sets.

It depends gig-by-gig. Is it a day party? How long am I playing? Am I headlining? Am I playing in the US or internationally? Honestly, I do all of this entirely on the fly, usually the day of the show.

I do not build certain playlists for gigs and I don’t hand pick tracks one-by-one. I do, however, try to play exclusive material so that the set can’t be reprogrammed elsewhere. I try to give the listeners a unique experience that takes them on a journey from start to finish.

PS – as some may know, I’ve found that edits of old, classic tracks have worked quite well and can be used as secret weapons for some of my longer sets!

What is it about DJing, compared to producing your own music, that makes it interesting for you?

I think the ability to make unique transitions and mixes between 2,3, or even four tracks at once. When I first got into this, I would just mix from one song into the other, but I’m now finding that I’m mixing 2-4 tracks live at any given time. Makes for a unique challenge and gives the song extra flavor that you wouldn’t hear at home or in the studio!

Can you tell me a bit about how your work as a DJ has influenced your view of music, your way of listening to tracks and perhaps also, your work as a producer?

I think this goes back to my previous point about reference tracks. Sometimes you’ll play a track that’s in your rotation and you’ll really like the way the track breaks down or how it’s arranged. These can all be used as building blocks for new music you’re working on in the studio. I mentioned this earlier, but I’m finding myself writing at a certain threshold of a BPM given the music I’m playing.

How important is it for you to have gigs to be able to test your own unreleased music?

It’s important - the only way to really know if you’ve written something special is to test it out a few times and see how the crowd reacts. Eric Prydz actually played Pjanoo once many years ago and the crowd reaction fell flat. Years later, he tested the same track again and now it’s arguably his biggest record that stands the test of time.

Current Top five tracks in your sets?

Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Wassu Edit)
Chris Malinchak – When The World Stops Turning (Wassu Edit)
Wassu – ID
Nicolas Viana & Wassu – ID
Wassu – ID

Yes, I’m serious. Haha

If you are not DJing, producing or socializing at clubs, where do we find you? And doing what?

Running.

Most of my time outside of the studio is spent running. Otherwise, drinking beer, watching sports, and playing Call of Duty with my friends haha.

If you could set up an event with a line-up of five artists of your choice, who would you book and what set times would you ascribe to the artists?

Eric Prydz
Guy J
Gorje Hewek & Izhevski (RIP)
Simon Vuarambon
Nils Frahm

If you were not a DJ/Producer what do you think you’d be doing with your life?

Probably what I do for work – cashing checks and snapping necks, haha.

Nah – just kidding – probably something artistic or creative to take my mind off of the day-to-day. Photography? Video editing?

What’s something people do not know about you?

I get burnt out from social media, full-time work, and making music just as much as anyone else does.

It’s something I’ve been dealing with a lot as of late. For those struggling, hang in there, be persistent, and remember to take breaks and to take care of yourself. I truly feel like my image is happy-go-lucky all the time but that, in reality, it’s just social media’s portrayal of “Wassu”.

What TV series have you been enjoying recently and what are some of your all time favourites?

I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries on MAX and Netflix. There was one just released about Luigi Mangione. Obviously a very controversial subject, but an interesting watch nonetheless.

Greatest TV show of all time is Breaking Bad and I don’t care what anyone says, haha.

What can we look forward to from you across the rest of 2025? Any releases or gigs you are looking forward to?

Yes! Next release is coming on a major label in April. Can’t say too much about that yet, but my release schedule is already booked up for the rest of the year. I can’t wait to share the new music with you all!

'Aerobic' is available now via Musique de Lune: https://tinyurl.com/yc3hy6x6