Gesaffelstein on Tour
As a performer, the French-born Gesaffelstein takes his cues from the meticulous stage setups favored by peers such as Daft Punk. Although the techno- and electro-leaning artist has been known to wear a mask or sparkly jacket onstage — and a dazzling light show is also part of his arsenal — his sets are always full of slinky, mesmerizing music that's both thought-provoking and danceable. Gesaffelstein has appeared at Governors Ball and at Coachella in 2015 and 2019, although the latter performance especially stood out. The DJ performed in front of structures coated in the cutting-edge, light-absorbing material Vantablack, which made the stage look pitch-black and wowed the crowd.
Gesaffelstein in Concert
Gesaffelstein — real name Mike Lévy — had the good fortune of being born and raised in France, a hotbed for futuristic electronic music. As a teenager, Lévy started producing, and he released his first EP, 2008's Vengeance Factory, before age 21. A steady string of EPs followed before Gesaffelstein issued his debut full-length, 2013's Aleph, via Bromance Records and Skrillex's label, OWSLA. In November 2018, Gesaffelstein inked a record deal with Columbia Records, which released the 2019 full-length Hyperion and the Novo Sonic System EP. Both releases take a dark, slinky approach to his usual minimalist funk and techno.
In addition to nurturing his own work, Gesaffelstein also thrives on collaboration. Early in his career, he remixed songs for Cassius, Miss Kittin, Moby and Lana Del Rey. In 2013, he broke through into the mainstream by producing two songs on Kanye West's Yeezus ("Black Skinhead" and "Send It Up"). Two years later, he teamed up with Jean-Michel Jarre for the single "Conquistador." Gesaffelstein also featured on and coproduced/cowrote two songs on the Weeknd's 2018 EP, My Dear Melancholy. In 2019, the hip-hop/R&B star returned the favor and collaborated with Gesaffelstein on the gold-selling single "Lost in the Fire," which appears on Hyperion.
