The DJ Sessions

“The DJ Sessions” is a Twitch/Mixcloud "Featured Partner” live streaming/podcast series featuring electronic music DJ’s/Producers/Industry Professionals via live mixes/interviews and streamed/distributed to a global audience.

The series constantly places in the “Top Ten” on Twitch Music and the “Top Five” in the “Electronic Music", “DJ", "Dance Music" categories. TDJS is rated in the Top 0.11% of live streaming shows on Twitch out of millions of live streamers.

"The DJ Sessions" is listed in the Feedspot directory as one of the Top 60 EDM Podcasts.

TDJS is also getting requests from some of the top electronic publications for interviews with articles already in 1001Tracklists, We Rave You Magnetic Mag, EDM Maniac, and DJ Mag Mexico.

TDJS was also listed in the “2022 Ultimate Directory of Podcasters” in the Music category. It has also been recognized by Apple twice as a "New and Noteworthy” podcast and featured three times in the Apple Music Store video podcast section. UStream and Livestream have also listed the series as a "Featured" stream on their platforms since its inception.

The series is also streamed live to multiple other platforms and hosted on several podcast sites. It has a combined live streaming/podcast audience of over 125,000 viewers per week.

With over 2,600 episodes produced over the last 16 years "The DJ Sessions" has featured international artists such as: BT, Youngr, Sevenn, Miri Ben-Ari, Hausman, Party Shirt, Jerry Davila, Superstar DJ Keoki, Martin Eyerer, Ayokay, Shlomi Aber, Plastik Funk, Robert Babicz, Elohim, Leandro Da Silva, The Space Brothers, Jarod Glawe, Jens Lissat, Alex Bau, Camo & Crooked, ANG, Amon Tobin, Voicians, Bingo Players, Coke Beats, MiMosa, Yves LaRock, Ray Okpara, Lindsey Stirling, Mako, Distinct, Saint Kidyaki, Piem, Tocadisco, Nakadia, Sebastian Bronk, Patricia Baloge, Toronto is Broken, Teddy Cream, Mizeyesis, Simon Patterson, Morgan Page, Jes, Cut Chemist, The Him, Judge Jules, DubFX, Thievery Corporation, SNBRN, Bjorn Akesson, Alchimyst, Sander Van Dorn, Rudosa, Hollaphonic, Khag3, DJs From Mars, GAWP, Somna, David Morales, Roxanne, JB & Scooba, Kissy Sell Out, Massimo Vivona, Moullinex, Futuristic Polar Bears, ManyFew, Joe Stone, Reboot, Truncate, Scotty Boy, Doctor Nieman, Jody Wisternoff, Thousand Fingers, Benny Bennasi, Dance Loud, Christopher Lawrence, Oliver Twizt, Ricardo Torres, Alex Harrington, 4 Strings, Sunshine Jones, Elite Force, Revolvr, Kenneth Thomas, Paul Oakenfold, George Acosta, Reid Speed, TyDi, Donald Glaude, Jimbo, Ricardo Torres, Hotel Garuda, Bryn Liedl, Rodg, Kems, Mr. Sam, Steve Aoki, Funtcase, Dirtyloud, Marco Bailey, Dirtmonkey, The Crystal Method, Beltek, Dyro, Andy Caldwell, Darin Epsilon, Kyau & Albert, Kutski, Vaski, Moguai, Blackliquid, Sunny Lax, Matt Darey, and many more.

In addition to featuring international artists TDJS focuses on local talent based on the US West Coast. Hundreds of local DJ’s have been featured on the show.

We have recently launched v3.3 our website that now features our current live streams/past episodes in a much more user-friendly mobile/social environment. In addition to that added an “Music” section, site wide audio player, transcoding, captions, and translation into over 100 languages. TDJS also has a mobile app (Apple/Android) and a VR Nightclub (Called "Beta" in VR Chat).

Listen on:

Summary
Anni and Aaron, the duo behind Late Aster, bring a refreshing perspective that bridges classical training with electronic experimentation. Based in San Francisco, they share how their artist name reflects a balance between the natural and the celestial - Anni’s love of flowers and Aaron’s fascination with stars. Together, they craft music they describe as “jazztronica with brass,” blending brass instruments with electronic textures in an innovative hybrid style.
Their upcoming debut album City Living showcases this fusion, created with a vintage Tascam four-track cassette recorder. The duo explains how working within the limits of analog tape forced them to embrace imperfection, often recording live takes that highlight raw honesty. Tracks like Ctrl-F Discipline emerged from this process, where constraints became opportunities to rethink production and storytelling.
Beyond their technical approach, Anni and Aaron discuss how their perfectionist tendencies find balance in collaboration, and how embracing “wabi-sabi” - beauty in imperfection - shaped their latest work. Their creative journey is also guided by influences ranging from Wagner’s Gesamtkunstwerk concept to the bold reinvention of artists like Miles Davis.
They speak candidly about the challenges of translating studio recordings into live performances, often requiring intricate synchronization between horns, sequencers, and loop pedals. Yet, they thrive on the tension of live experimentation, pushing themselves to deliver unique experiences. Looking ahead, they remain dedicated to blending tradition with innovation, whether through lo-fi tape projects or fully produced modern releases.
Topics
0:06 - Origins of the Late Aster name and natural inspirations 1:49 - Defining their genre as jazztronica with brass instruments 5:35 - The concept of Gesamtkunstwerk and artistic integration 11:07 - Creating the album City Living with a Tascam four-track 16:05 - Embracing lo-fi aesthetics and analog challenges 23:15 - Letting go of perfectionism through live one-take recordings 30:22 - Collaborating with producer Charles Mueller on final mixes 39:23 - Musical upbringings, classical training, and early influences 43:06 - Biggest inspirations from Imogen Heap to Miles Davis 49:15 - Translating analog recordings into live stage performances
Connect with Late Aster
Website: lateaster.com
Instagram: @late.aster
YouTube: Late Aster
About Late Aster -
Situated somewhere between post-bop jazz, electronica, and chamber pop, San Francisco-based Late Aster’s music has been described as producing “unprecedented sounds” (SF Chronicle) that “on paper [] shouldn’t work, but it does.” (Tape-Op) Their two previous releases, EPs “True and Toxic” (2021) and "Light Rail Session" (2023), articulate a kaleidoscopic theory of music grounded in the electronic processing of trumpet and French horn and supported by meticulous songwriting, instrumentation, and sound-sculpting.
Late Aster’s upcoming album, City Livin’, finds the group channeling their genre-bending sound through the vintage TASCAM Portastudio 414 MKII – a true do-it-yourself cassette recorder/mixer from the late 90s. The album whirrs through house, trap, and hip-hop beats as the foundation for the group’s distinctive and soulful performances of fx-pedal brass, vocals, and dark synths. Made up of ten impressionist sketches, City Livin’ is a nod to the “lo-fi beats” genre and to trumpet player/composer/producer Aaron Messing’s day job as an environmental attorney. With inspiration from jazz, alt-rock, and folk, the album is a journey through other-wordly, urban soundscapes featuring fully instrumental performances, a cover of “Miss Ohio” as a love letter to Gillian Welch, and the poetic sampling of Alan Watts’ voice.
Aaron Messing studied classical trumpet performance at Northwestern University before going to law school and becoming an environmental attorney. He routinely sends ideas for songs to long-time collaborator and mixing engineer, Charles Mueller, as he practices law by day and music by night. Charles jokingly came up with the album title when Aaron recently became obsessed with the lo-fi beats genre. The album is a fly on the wall in the artists’ home studio with endearing and raw performances of horns and vocals. All tracks were recorded in San Francisco, CA after work and on weekends with French horn player, Anni Hochhalter, and is intended to be played in the background of a dinner party, a night-time drive, or maybe a hip coffee shop. It is composed to be a vintage, yet contemporary wallpaper for the contemplation of our current geopolitical moment and the modern human condition.
Late Aster currently performs as a duo featuring Aaron Messing and Anni Hochhalter, integrating the electronic and physical elements of their recordings in a synchronized dance with their array of instruments and each other. The visual result resembles an analogue electronic DJ set, but with live instrumental performances.
https://lateaster.com/
https://www.instagram.com/late.aster/
https://www.youtube.com/@lateaster
https://open.substack.com/pub/lateaster/p/city-livin
About The DJ Sessions -
“The DJ Sessions” is a Twitch/Mixcloud "Featured Partner” live streaming/podcast series featuring electronic music DJ’s/Producers via live mixes/interviews and streamed/distributed to a global audience. TheDJSessions.com
The series constantly places in the “Top Ten” on Twitch Music and the “Top Five” in the “Electronic Music", “DJ", "Dance Music" categories. TDJS is rated in the Top 0.11% of live streaming shows on Twitch out of millions of live streamers.
"The DJ Sessions" is listed in the Feedspot directory as one of the Top 60 EDM Podcasts.
It has also been recognized by Apple twice as a "New and Noteworthy” podcast and featured three times in the Apple Music Store video podcast section. UStream and Livestream have also listed the series as a "Featured" stream on their platforms since its inception.
The series is also streamed live to multiple other platforms and hosted on several podcast sites. It has a combined live streaming/podcast audience is over 125,000 viewers per week.
With over 2,700 episodes produced over the last 16 years "The DJ Sessions" has featured international artists such as: Matt Staffanina, The Midnight, Felix Sama, Jens Lissat, BT, Plastik Funk, Redman, Youngr, Dr. Fresch, Ferry Corsten, Robert Owens, Darude, Herbert Holler, Meecah, YORK, Martin Jensen, Sevenn, Amber D, Joey Riot, Drove, Martin Trevy, Thomas Datt, Siryuz & Smoky, Simon Shackleton, SurfingDJ's, Jacob Henry, Rïa Mehta, Vintage & Morrelli, Joachim Garraud, Mizeyesis, Drop Out Orchestra, Dave Lambert, Tom Wax, Kenn Colt, Nathassia aka Goddess is a DJ, Joni Ljungqvist, mAdcAt, Wuki, DiscoKitty, Handshake in Space, Thaylo, Moon Beats, Barnacle Boi, IAMDRAKE, Spag Heddy, Scott Slyter, Simply City, Rob Gee, Micke, Jerry Davila, SpeakerHoney, Sickotoy, Teenage Mutants, DJ Mowgli, Wooli, Somna, Gamuel Sori, Curbi, Alex Whalen, Netsky, Rich DietZ, Stylust, Bexxie, Chuwe, Proff, Muzz, Raphaelle, Boris, MJ Cole, Flipside, Ross Harper, DJ S.K.T., Skeeter, Bissen, 2SOON, Kayzo, Sabat, Katie Chonacas, DJ Fabio, Homemade, Hollaphonic, Lady Waks, Dr. Ushuu, Arty/Alpha 9, Miri Ben-Ari, DJ Ruby, DJ Colette, Nima Gorji, Kaspar Tasane, Queen City Hooligan, Andy Caldwell, Party Shirt, Plastik Funk, ENDO, John Tejada, Hoss, Alejandro, DJ Sash U, Arkley, Bee Bee, Cozmic Cat, Superstar DJ Keoki, Crystal Waters, Swedish Egil, Martin Eyerer, Dezarate, Maddy O'Neal, Sonic Union, Lea Luna, Belle Humble, Marc Marzenit, Ricky Disco, AthenaLuv, Maximillian, Saeed Younan, Inkfish, Kidd Mike, Magitman, Michael Anthony, They Kiss, Downupright, Harry “the Bigdog” Jamison, DJ Tiger, DJ Aleksandra, 22Bullets, Carlo Astuti, Mr Jammer, Kevin Krissen, Amir Sharara, Coke Beats, Danny Darko, DJ Platurn, Tyler Stone, Chris Coco, Purple Fly, Slantooth, Dan Marciano, Johan Blende, Amber Long, Robot Koch, Robert Babicz, KHAG3, Elohim, Hausman, Jaxx & Vega, Yves V, Ayokay, Leandro Da Silva, The Space Brothers, Jarod Glawe, Lotus, Beard-o-Bees, Luke the Knife, Alex Bau, Arroyo Low, Camo & Crooked, ANG, Amon Tobin, Voicians, Florian Kruse, Dave Summit, Bingo Players, MiMOSA, Drasen, Yves LaRock, Ray Okpara, Lindsey Stirling, Mako, Distinct, Still Life, Saint Kidyaki, Brothers, Heiko Laux, Retroid, Piem, Tocadisco, Nakadia, Protoculture, Sebastian Bronk, Toronto is Broken, Teddy Cream, Simon Patterson, Morgan Page, Jes, Cut Chemist, The Him, Judge Jules, DubFX, Thievery Corporation, SNBRN, Bjorn Akesson, Alchimyst, Sander Van Dorn, Rudosa, Hollaphonic, DJs From Mars, GAWP, David Morales, Roxanne, JB & Scooba, Spektral, Kissy Sell Out, Massimo Vivona, Moullinex, Futuristic Polar Bears, ManyFew, Joe Stone, Reboot, Truncate, Scotty Boy, Doctor Nieman, Jody Wisternoff, Thousand Fingers, Benny Bennasi, Dance Loud, Christopher Lawrence, Oliver Twizt, Ricardo Torres, Patricia Baloge, Alex Harrington, 4 Strings, Sunshine Jones, Elite Force, Revolvr, Kenneth Thomas, Paul Oakenfold, George Acosta, Reid Speed, TyDi, Donald Glaude, Jimbo, Ricardo Torres, Hotel Garuda, Bryn Liedl, Rodg, Kems, Mr. Sam, Steve Aoki, Funtcase, Dirtyloud, Marco Bailey, Dirtmonkey, The Crystal Method, Beltek, Darin Epsilon, Kyau & Albert, Kutski, Vaski, Moguai, Blackliquid, Sunny Lax, Matt Darey, and many more.
In addition to featuring international artists TDJS focuses on local talent based on the US West Coast. Hundreds of local DJ’s have been featured on the show along with top industry professionals.
We have recently launched v3.3 our website that now features our current live streams/past episodes in a much more user-friendly mobile/social environment. We have now added an "Music" section, site wide audio player, transcoding, captions, and translation into over 100 languages, There is also mobile app (Apple/Android) and VR Nightclubs (Beta in VR Chat).