Concert Close-Up: Ayokay Makes Music To Enjoy Life For The Moment At Terminal 5

I first learned of the magic of Ayokay through Quinn XCII. Their track “Kings of Summer” was probably my fave from the latter artist and his debut The Story of Us. Hence, it was no surprise that Ayokay’s sound and style on stage shared a similar energy of youthful fun.
ayokay – Kings of Summer (feat. Quinn XCII) (Official Video)

Sure, Ayokay does not grab a microphone, chat, and command the crowd to have as good a time as him, like Quinn XCII, but, sometimes, your art speaks for who you are better than you. Instead he bounces and dances in moved breaths, while he laser-focuses on mixing a set that sonically shines. If the whole point of music is to reveal something about ourselves, our listeners, and humanity then Ayokay’s music shows that being young is as fun as it is finite. His heavy baseline clutchs on to airy synths and twinkling to create an epic atmosphere that, of course, rocked Terminal 5. A three story warehouse filled with youth ready for escapism seemed like the perfect domain for the DJ because, in essence, there is something “end of the worldy” to a club/ Terminal 5. Now, I am not talking fire and brimstone, but instead the feeling of such euphoria that your life has practically reached a capstone. It is a if in that moment your life both ended and began again, which, in essence, is what a moment is all about; an instance where you step so far away from your life that you almost feel like you are living again. Ayokay served SEVERAL of those moments by give a mix that was popping in sweet energy but also gurgling with moody rhythms. It is as if he makes his mixes by pouring different synth-syrups and shaking them until they become one perfect batter.
ayokay – Awake ft. Mafalda

Reviewing DJ’s is difficult, in part, because artists have a performance style, but DJ’s are a music aesthetic. They are simply the scientists of music while you, the crowd, are the result of all their music experiments. In essence, we, the audience, are the performers, and we move according to how their music moves our hearts.  Thus, in terms of performance, Ayokay made sure the crowd had plenty to play upon and feel with music that felt right for NYC. Ayokay sonically captures the bright shadiness of being young with so much to go, but also living to stay in the moment. For More Information On Ayokay Click Here.
ayokay – Too Young (Audio) ft. Baker Grace