DJ Dahi wants you to know his ears skew wide. Raised on gospel, the 30-year-old Los Angeles producer banged out benchmark tracks like Kendrick Lamar's "Money Trees" and Drake's "Worst Behavior," but confesses he's uninspired by rap. Dahi slips Lorde, Tink, and Jungle into his 30-minute FADER mix for a fun, scattered ride, and you're sure to hear something you dig at every stop. At home in front of the TV, Dahi told us a bit about how he put it together.
Where are you right now? I'm at my home studio right now, watching HGTV, Love It or List It. Love that show!
Describe your surroundings. I got my Xbox 1, my DJ controller, laptop, watching the sunset from downtown LA.
You have an ear fluent in many genres. Do you ever play non-rap stuff when you DJ out? Yeah, I love all types of music. I don't really get that much inspiration from hip-hop. I have to listen to everything outside of that to catch that spark. It depends on the crowd I'm DJing for, but I try to play stuff that I like overall.
What's the last book you read that had a major impact on you? The Artist Way by Julia Cameron.
What was your favorite transition on this mix, and why? Jungle's "Lucky I Got What I Want" into Breakbot's "Intersection." I just really love those songs. They are like updated disco records of our time.
Do you have any studio session rules? Like, "No Instagram pictures." Nah, not really. I just try to make my space as comfortable as possible for that artist. Just have them feel like they are at home making music.
What's your favorite dish to cook and how do you make it? Ummm, right now my favorite is really breakfast. Turkey bacon, hash browns with truffle oil, eggs whites, and fruit. It's a perfect way to start that day. Oh—and sparking water.
Tracklist:
Dej Loaf - "Try Me"
Kanye West - "Good Life"
Common - "It's Your World"
Lorde - "Tennis Court"
Jungle - "Lucky I Got What I Want"
Breakbot - "Intersection"
Lykke Li ft. ASAP Rocky - "No Rest for the Wicked (Remix)"
Jungle - "The Heat"
Schoolboy Q - "Man of the Year"
Tink - "Men"
Purity Ring - "Ungirthed"
Amy Stroup - "Back Burner (Remix)"