OAKK produces dynamic and infectious bass music that is impossible to resist. His high-energy DJ sets display his commitment to diversity and flow while telling a cohesive story that covers a vast musical range, captivating audiences.
No stranger to Bass Coast Festival, we caught up with the Canadian producer ahead of his 2022 sets on Main Stage and as part of the TW/TW LDN showcase with Ivy Lab, Sicaria Sound and Tim Parker.
OAKK, you've been building your fanbase outside of Canada and touring a bit in the USA. Where is your favourite place to perform outside of Canada and why?
Cole, you're performing as part of Bass Coast's TW/TW LDN showcase and you've released music on the label. How did you get connected with that crew in the UK?
I first connected with Ivy Lab back in 2019 when I brought them out to play the club night I was running at The Hifi Club in Calgary. Funny enough I connected with them and Deft again at Bass Coast that same year. Since then I'd seen that they had been playing some of my music out, so I sent them demos periodically but nothing ever really landed. Fast forward a couple years and a whole pandemic.. where I self-released a track called 'Canary' which they really took a liking to, and asked if I had anything else similar to it. Sent them very very rough demos that eventually became the Butter & Gold EP that we put out last Fall.
You are a Bass Coast Festival veteran. What are your tips for someone who is going to the event for the first time?
One of my favourite things about Bass Coast is how intimate of a festival it is. It's a perfect size... Big enough that the production and performances are impressive and full of energy, but small enough that you have enough room to move around the grounds and on the dance floor and never feel overwhelmed by the number of people. Because it's such an intimate vibe, I always urge first-timers to not be afraid to go and explore on their own, because it's so easy to find your friends later and you'll likely even just run into them again. This way you get to go see everything the festival has to offer besides the amazing music and you don't need to be tied down to what your group wants to do. Some of my favourite moments from my first couple Bass Coast's were wandering away from my group and rolling solo and meeting so many friendly people, some of who I still see every year and keep in contact with.
See OAKK live during the TW/TW London Showcase from 3pm - 6pm at Slay Bay on Saturday, July 9 and on the Main Stage from 8:30pm - 10pm on Sunday, July 10.
