Kaysin swung by to chat about his recent releases, his set at Day Trip Festival this year, what it’s like working for Repopulate Mars, and more!
If you want a glimpse at the future of the house music scene, then there’s no doubt that the artists coming out of Southern California should be on your radar. The genre has blossomed in the near-perfect year-round weather, and artists like Kaysin have been at the forefront of the next generation. This rising star has taken his talents to labels like Techne, Sink or Swim, Incorrect, Understated, and more while simultaneously working as A&R for Lee Foss’ Repopulate Mars.
This year has already seen Kaysin drop “Wildstyle” with DOUG! and “Your Fantasy” with Wenzday and Haylee Wood, but he wasn’t done yet. His latest release, “Sweetest Lines,” saw him team up with LOVRA and Tristan Henry. This tech house heater on Repopulate Mars is yet another example of his production prowess as he marries a bouncing bassline with vibrant elements and layered vocals to create a soundscape perfect for the summer season.
After releasing his latest tune and taking the stage at Day Trip Festival this year, we knew we had to sit down with Kaysin for a quality chat. Listen to his exclusive guest mix and read on for the full conversation!
Stream EDMID Guest Mix 431 || Kaysin on SoundCloud:
Hi Kaysin, thanks so much for chatting with us today. Before we get too far, let’s dig into your roots as an artist. What led to you developing a passion for electronic music and the scene in general? Were there any specific artists instrumental to this?
I’ve been a massive fan of music my entire life – I started going to rock concerts when I was around 8 or 9 years old with my parents. From there, I started playing guitar and violin, and I got into hip-hop as well. By the time I turned 15 or 16, I really liked electronic music and went to my first raves, falling in love instantly!
I decided to try DJing during college and also started producing music. After I graduated, I figured if there was a time to give it a real shot, it would be right then – so I dove headfirst into DJing and production as a career. It’s been a long ride with plenty of ups and downs, but It’s been an incredible journey, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
How did you first get involved in the scene on a deeper level? Was there a moment you realized you wanted to become a DJ?
My older sister and some of her friends started taking me to raves and introducing me to some pretty cool DJs when I was fairly young. I was able to gain some deeper insight into the scene and how everything operated pretty early on. I became obsessed!
I’m pretty sure the exact moment that made me want to start DJing was at EDC Vegas. I saw someone play at Neon Garden and remember looking at the DJ, seeing all the people vibing and having the time of their lives, and thought… maybe I should give this a try. So, I got back home the day after EDC and started teaching myself to DJ and produce music.
Moving to the present, your recent track “Sweetest Lines” saw you team up with LOVRA and Tristan Henry. What’s the story behind how this tune came together?
I’ve been pretty close with LOVRA for a number of years now. We’ve released a bunch of her music on our label, Repopulate Mars, and I’ve played shows with her all around the world – from Miami to New York to Amsterdam. We hit it off and became close friends pretty quickly, and we always talked about making a tune together.
I had a track that I had been working on for a bit with a Tristin Henry vocal. I’ve been a huge fan of Tristin Henry’s vocals ever since my manager first turned me onto him, and I had been playing with a bunch of his different toplines. For this record, I felt like it needed a bit more juice – so I hit up LOVRA to see if she wanted to hop on it with me. It ended up being an amazing decision, and it’s probably my favorite track to date!
This summer, you took the stage at Day Trip Festival and Loco Disco OC. What were those two distinctly different shows like?
Both of the shows were incredible! This is actually my third time playing Day Trip Festival, and it’s without a doubt my favorite as both a performer and a fan. The vibes at the fest are simply unmatched – something about being right next to the water and Queen Mary with perfect weather the entire day and night is just incredible. I got the chance to close out the Shoreline stage, and the crowd energy was insane!
Local Disco OC is also a really cool event. One thing that I love about summertime is that the weather allows for some really special events that might not work quite as well when it’s a bit colder. They had the venue set up right on the beach, and it was just so awesome to play with the ocean only a couple hundred feet away and everyone dancing in the sand. Definitely go check out their events in OC!
Beyond your work as a DJ, you’re also doing A&R at Repopulate Mars. Can you share how you came into this role and some of the biggest highlights during your run there so far?
I came into the [A&R] role fairly randomly – I met Lee Foss on Groove Cruise in 2017, and we hit it off right away. He had just started the label and was looking for someone to help out, and with my background in music, I pretty naturally fell into the A&R role. There have been a ton of highlights over the years – but I’d have to say some of the biggest for me is finding artists like John Summit and Cloonee before they blew up and signing them to the label. It’s so awesome to have an impact on an artist’s career early on and see them go on to blow up in a major way.
Do you feel like your A&R role has impacted your personal career? Has it made it easier to build connections, sift through tracks for your sets, etc.?
It 100% has impacted my personal career and definitely for the better. I’ve gained a deeper insight into the industry from the role and work with the label. I’ve gotten to know some incredible people through my work with Repopulate Mars too, and in general, being an A&R has made me a better producer and a better DJ. I get to see the trends in house music – which has served as a great starting point for understanding what resonates with fans and audiences.
I have to add – one big perk is that I get access to so many incredible unreleased demos and releases across our labels – which enables me to play some pretty unique sets!
What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give fellow artists who are rising through the ranks of the scene right now?
The biggest piece of advice I can give – be different. Try to stand out and create a sound that takes people by surprise. There will always be trends and popular sounds in music, and I’ve found that staying knowledgeable on those trends is important so that you can use them as an initial guide for what to do and what not to do. When everybody is going right – don’t be afraid to go left. You’ll stand out from the sea of demos and artists who are all trying to get signed to the biggest labels and get booked for the coolest shows.
Finally, what’s in store for you for the rest of 2024? Are there any upcoming releases or shows we should be on the lookout for?
I have a new track out in September that I’m incredibly excited about! I can’t share too much about it quite yet – but it’s a banger, and you guys should definitely keep an eye out for it. Otherwise I have some cool shows coming up – including my return to San Diego and debut in Philly! Hope to see you guys out on the dance floor at a Kaysin show very soon!
