For the past several months, there have been many questions surrounding Gesaffelstein and the future direction of his music. The French DJ/producer has been active since 2008, but it has taken a full decade for him to start gaining some mainstream attention.
It all started with a pair of production credits on The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy EP in early 2018. By November of the same year, Gesaffelstein announced that he had officially signed a major deal with Columbia Records and two months later released “Lost in the Fire”, his third Weeknd collaboration and a bonafide radio hit.
While some long-time fans rejoiced at the idea of industrial techno and electro house being welcomed as “pop” music, others were a bit more skeptical. The first two singles off of Hyperion delivered the same familiar sound that Gesaffelstein is known for, but seemed to lack a lot of the intensity and darkness that defined his previous work. When the rest of Hyperion was released in March, several long-time fans were quick to voice their disappointment.
Comment after comment, Gesaffelstein’s fanbase seemed to turn on him. Hyperion was undoubtedly a step in a new direction, but those who were craving violent and relentless bass were left very unsatisfied by the records they received. As his Coachella performance grew closer, it was hard to know for sure what sort of atmosphere Gesaffelstein was going to create on the polo fields. Fans began to wonder, would he perform as this new and refined DJ? Or would the Prince of Darkness return to haunt the stage like he did back in 2015?
On Sunday we finally got our answer.
In what many are calling the best set of the weekend, Gesaffelstein returned to Coachella and threw down an unforgettable performance on the Outdoor Stage. Dressed from head to toe in all silver, Gesaffelstein stood alone, donning a full face mask as he quietly commanded a pair of decks in front of a blacked out stage display.
Any new fans who showed up expecting “Lost in the Fire” vibes were quickly and rudely awakened. Gesaffelstein wasted zero time as his set weaved back and forth between classic Aleph remixes and new, grimier remixes of Hyperion records. Aside from the two radio singles that he played, Gesaffelstein’s set was devoid of vocals and teeming with bass-heavy drops.
The most loyal fans were ecstatic to hear classics like “OPR” and “Viol” make their way into the set. These songs encapsulate everything about Gesaffelstein that made his core fans fall in love with him years ago.
Now that we know what to expect from Gesaffelstein in 2019, the real question is, where can you see him next?
Gesaffelstein has been committed to performing at Governor’s Ball in May for a few months now, but it wasn’t until April 22nd that he finally made a tour announcement. The “Against the Night, Across the Time” tour is not long and will only include nine stops between now and November 27, but this is one show you absolutely don’t want to want to miss.
Tickets went on sale Friday, April 26th and can be purchased by clicking here.