Relive Steve Aoki’s 2008 Essential Mix for his birthday

Happy birthday to Steve Aoki! Born today on November 30, he has given the electronic scene so many hits and iconic moments in the years that he’s been active in the community. Constantly grinding to produce the finest work for his fans, he’s easily one of the busiest and hardest working producers around right now, and so we’re celebrating him on his birthday by looking back upon his iconic BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix from way back in 2008.

Since his 2008 Essential Mix debut, Aoki had gone on to do another one in 2012 which aired first on 27 October (which you can listen to here). Every artist’s first ever Essential Mix is a massive deal, and Aoki went big for his debut on the coveted decks. Kicking it off with Carl Orff’s ‘O Fortuna (Carmina Burana)’ he then went into Bart B’s More Secured Dub of Larry Tee – ‘I Love U’ which truly kicked things up a notch.

The 32-track mix delved into multiple corners of the electronic music world, entertaining fans from all walks of life. As we get into the middle section, the energy is cranked up to full speed thanks to tracks from The Bloody Beetroots, Eric Prydz and Felix Cartal. For the closing section, Steve Aoki reserves this for classics. Including his very own edit of Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’, he then goes into the Klaas remix of ‘Where’s Your Head At’ and finally, rounding things off, his own intro edit of MGMT’s ‘Kids’.

Overall, this was a brilliant Essential Mix debut and proved Steve Aoki as a mainstay in the industry all those years ago. Since 2008, his evolution of sound has been incredible and we have gotten to see him grow and adapt his sound and become a real trendsetter and inspiration for many budding producers. What’s your favourite memory of Steve Aoki? Do you have any favourite tracks? Tell us in the comments and don’t forget to wish him a happy birthday!

Image Credit: Aldo Carrera