Prolific producer Steve Aoki has added another feather to his already-diverse cap, teaming up with alt-rockers Taking Back Sunday for the new collaboration, ‘Just Us Two’.
Released today, the new single serves as something of a full-circle moment for Aoki, returning to the alternative and punk sensibilities of his Dim Mak Records label to branch out from his more prominent electronic sounds to combine both past and present in one composition.
The result is a punchy four-minute number that came from both Aoki and Taking Back Sunday hitting the recording studio to record the track “old school style”. Written by Aoki and the entire band, the single sees frontman Adam Lazzara adding in his signature vocal style across a cinematic instrumental that crosses genres and neatly ties the two acts together.
“I met up with Taking Back Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina and we recorded the song live in a physical recording studio, honing in on the group’s powerful instrumentation,” Aoki recalls of the collaboration. “I come from a punk background and it’s always so good to work with artists that share the same passion for live music.
“This record encapsulates both of our roots while maintaining the Aoki elements that bound the track together.”
“Getting a call asking if we wanted to write with Steve Aoki was very surreal,” continues Lazzara. “Steve comes from a very similar background as we do, house shows, DIY labels, the whole thing.
“We were listening back to different ideas he had, and one guitar part in particular caught our drummer Mark’s ear. We approached it in the same way we do our own songs, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Turns out our worlds aren’t as far apart as people might think.”
Steve Aoki last returned to his punk roots back in 2020 when he remixed English punk outfit Crass’ ‘Banned From The Roxy’ to raise money for a UK charity that aids those facing domestic violence.
