DJ Joe—better known off‑stage as Joe Liao—has become a familiar face thanks to his playful dance clips alongside PinkPantheress, the breakout British pop star whose tours he helms as the official DJ. Beyond the spotlight, Joe’s reputation rests on an adventurous approach to mixing, where he fearlessly pulls from bloghouse sleaze, post‑punk austerity, acid‑washed techno, and even snippets of cinema. His latest FADER Mix embodies that eclectic spirit, delivering a pounding, dance‑floor‑ready journey threaded with dialogue from Edward Yang’s 2001 masterpiece YiYi. Below you’ll find a closer look at the mix, a peek into the artist’s mindset, and all the ways to keep up with his next moves.
Who Is DJ Joe?
Joe Liao first caught the internet’s eye with those viral dance videos that paired his energetic moves with PinkPantheress’s catchy hooks. Since then, he’s risen to the role of tour DJ for the chart‑topping singer, a gig that lets him shape the live sound of her shows while still finding time to experiment in the studio. His sets are known for weaving together disparate influences—think gritty bloghouse basslines meeting the stark, rhythmic edge of post‑punk, all washed through with the hypnotic squelch of acid techno. It’s this willingness to blur genre lines that makes his FADER Mix feel both fresh and instantly familiar.
Inside the FADER Mix
The mix opens with a low‑rumble that quickly gives way to a driving four‑on‑the‑floor beat, setting a tone that’s both urgent and inviting. As the track progresses, Joe layers in distorted synth stabs reminiscent of early 2000s bloghouse, then pulls back to let a sparse, post‑punk guitar riff breathe. Midway through, the tempo dips just enough for a spoken word excerpt from YiYi to surface, adding a cinematic pause before the acid‑laden techno surge brings the energy back to a peak. The result is a seamless narrative that feels like a late‑night drive through a neon‑lit cityscape—reflective, restless, and undeniably danceable.
Track Highlights
- “Bloghouse Bounce” – a gritty, bass‑heavy opener that sets the sleazy vibe.
- “Post‑Punk Pulse” – minimal drums meet jangly, echo‑drenched guitars.
- “Acid Wash” – rolling 303 lines that build into a hypnotic climax.
- “YiYi Interlude” – dialogue from Edward Yang’s film, offering a moment of introspection.
- “Final Surge” – all elements collide for a high‑energy close.
“I wanted the mix to feel like a conversation between different eras of electronic music, where each genre gets a chance to speak before we all hit the dance floor together.”
Stay Connected
- Follow DJ Joe on Instagram
- Listen to DJ Joe on SoundCloud
- Catch his latest clips on TikTok
- Follow DJ Joe on X (formerly Twitter)
- Like DJ Joe on Facebook
