London-based producer Breaka returns with his second full-length album, ‘Aeoui’, released on his own label, Breaka Recordings. Renowned for his innovative fusion of footwork, techno, and dancehall, he continues to expand the boundaries of contemporary club music. This 10-track project marks his evolution, weaving together his signature bass-driven sound with elements of South African Amapiano and jazz infused percussion.
Since 2019, Breaka has taken full creative control of his music, self-releasing most of his work and refining his distinct sonic identity. His 2022 debut album, ‘We Move’, was a pivotal moment in this journey, blending diverse influences into a cohesive, dancefloor-ready collection.
The idea for ‘Aeoui’ emerged during a bout of jet-lagged inspiration in late 2023, leading to the creation of key tracks like ‘Squashy Track’ and ‘Yolo Bass Rewind.’ These became the foundation of the album, which further explores a mix of Afro-Cuban percussion, fluid Amapiano grooves, and his early drumming roots – most notably in ‘Roundhouse’ and ‘Cascara’.
Breaka’s collaboration with photographer Jordan Core on the album’s cover art visually reflects his ability to balance organic and synthetic textures within his music. ‘Aeoui’ serves as a placeholder of where he stands creatively in 2025. Just as the album distills his evolving sound, the artwork mirrors this moment in time of the wider culture embracing the AI and nostalgic era. In this interview, we explore the creative process behind ‘Aeoui’, uncovering the influences and experimentation that shaped his latest project.
Where are you calling from today?
I’m at my house in Stoke Newington. I split my time between here and the studio. Even when it’s just for administrative tasks, I prefer being in the studio. It’s great to have that club-ready sound accessible whenever I want to listen to something.
Oh nice! Is your studio in Camden as well?
No, my studio is in Canning Town, at Fold. It’s a fantastic place to work. Knowing there’s this amazing cultural institution upstairs while you’re creating is inspiring. Plus, there’s a vibrant community there. It’s nice to step out of your room and bump into people you’ve always wanted to meet.
How has the start of 2025 been for you?
A bit chaotic, honestly. The ups and downs of doing music full-time can be unpredictable, and the start of the year often reflects that. This year has been more hectic than usual. However, I’ve been very inspired. Since finishing my last album, I’ve been working on various new projects. After completing a wide-ranging project, it’s always a challenge to push the boundaries even further. So, we’ll see where that leads. I’ve been working on remixes and possibly another EP.
Could you give us a brief overview of your background? We’ve heard of your drummer origins, which seems to influence the energy in your tracks. How has being a drummer shaped your music?
Absolutely. I was fortunate to have two musician parents with diverse musical tastes. My dad leaned towards jazz and rock, while my mom was into funk, hip-hop, and acid jazz. Essentially, I was influenced by P-Funk on my mom’s side and Steely Dan on my dad’s side, along with artists like Stevie Wonder.
They encouraged me to pursue music from a young age. After experimenting with a few instruments, I fell in love with drums and rhythm. I had a great teacher who kept things simple. Our lessons focused on basic rhythms and understanding their history – how they evolved across regions like Central and South America. We would lock in and play straightforward patterns. I owe a lot to him for that foundation, as it significantly influenced my sound.
Later, my introduction to electronic music was through sound system culture. It’s the same for everyone – you fall in love with music, get into drum and bass, some dubstep as a teenager, and then you discover sound systems, and that changes everything. It’s a whole different experience, and for me, a pivotal moment was attending SubDub in Leeds.
You have a strong connection with Leeds, right?
Yes, I lived there for a few years during university. That’s where I delved deeper into sound system culture. Wharf Chambers is where we started Stretchy Dance Supply.
Yes! Is Stretchy Dance Supply still active?
No, we’ve wrapped it up. We had a good run. I’m considering starting a new club project; I’ve had a specific idea for a while. Towards the end of my time in the north, I was primarily producing. I didn’t actually play in a club until after university; I mostly performed at house parties and made numerous footwork tracks.
Can you tell us about your creative process? How do your ideas evolve from an inspiration to a finished track?
I have quite a specific idea of what inspiration really means. For me as an artist, I really respect the fact that your influences are often kind of subconscious. It takes a whole lifetime of listening to music and not realising that it’s inspiring you to actually become your direct and indirect inspiration when you make a specific piece of music.
In the actual moment when you’re making your track, the most important thing for me is just to be feeling good that day and to have a bit of a spark of initial inspiration. It usually comes from an individual sound or a new process that I’ve just learned, and then the rest kind of comes from this catalog of inspiration that we all log over our lives.
I never really go in with the plan of, like, I’m going to get these Brazilian-sounding drums, and then I’m going to put them with a trance synth and make it swing, like it’s going to be a speed garage or something. It has to kind of happen naturally based on just what you feel is going to work with what you started.
The pandemic was a significant time for many artists. How did that period affect you personally and musically?
It was kind of everything for me. Initially, I was frustrated because I was just starting to get gigs, and then everything stopped. But about a year in, I realised it was the perfect time to step back and solidify my sound. I wrote my whole first album during that period with a lot of freedom. Coming out of the pandemic, I was ready to get straight back to it.
You’ve played both before and after the pandemic. What major changes have you noticed in the club scene?
I don’t want to be too depressing, but there’s been a significant shift towards consumer capitalism in clubbing. A small number of people now own much of the real estate for clubs, including ticketing companies and big venues. Additionally, people seem to treat music more as a consumer product, focusing on collecting experiences rather than enjoying the culture. This has led to disengagement within communities and financial challenges for small venues. On the positive side, the world has become more connected, allowing ideas to spread rapidly and influencing electronic music globally.
Continuing from ‘We Move’ to your new album, ‘Aeoui’, can you describe the evolution of your sound during this period?
‘We Move’ was about consolidating the sounds I’d been developing on my label, including the ‘Holding Hands’ material. It served as a benchmark for the slowed-down footwork and jungle influences I’d been exploring. Since then, I’ve delved deeper into my specific influences, notably South African music like amapiano, which I absolutely love. Even without intentionally incorporating it, that influence naturally seeped into my music. Additionally, I’ve been drawn to a more techno-like approach – not in the traditional sense, but embracing the raw, machine-driven vibe reminiscent of techno’s origins. This perspective led me to revisit old projects, aiming to make the machine ‘sing’ rather than merely arranging sounds. I’ve also been mindful of moving away from overused elements, like the ‘Think Break’, and currently, I don’t utilise many breakbeats.
You’ve been developing ‘Aeoui’ for some time. The album’s title, artwork, and production feel fun and thought out. Were there any key themes, motifs, or stories within the album that will resonate with listeners?
That’s a tough one. Although it may seem thought out, my process involves writing music over extended periods without a specific narrative in mind. It’s more about seeking out moments that feel genuinely beautiful. When assembling the album, I gathered works from the past few years that fit well together. In retrospect, I’ve tried to discern any underlying meanings or stories, but I don’t think there is one.
It appears you’re reconnecting with your roots, especially with the South African and amapiano influences. Was this intentional, or did it naturally reflect where you were at the time?
It wasn’t intentional. I like the idea that an album doesn’t always need a story, and it can just exist for the sake of itself. That’s why I was deliberate in its presentation – I wanted to represent all of the things I’ve been loving about music right now, and I tried to reflect that in the artwork. This intention is mirrored in the album artwork, which, while playful, was crafted by a very talented photographer.
Regarding the album cover, how was the experience working on that shot with Jordan? Was it spontaneous, or did you have a particular vision?
I love his work because it captures that balance between being silly and serious. I’m convinced that everyone takes themselves way too seriously, and I also like to poke fun at myself. But even in acting silly, there’s a level of overthinking how I’m presented, and I think his style reflects that perfectly. I also love how he makes subjects look almost like stickers against the background.
Additionally, I wanted the cover to represent a specific moment in time. For the vinyl cover, I extended the artwork using AI. While this approach might seem a bit clichéd, I did it intentionally to give it a distinct 2024-2025 feel. Like some nostalgic AI artifact that may not exist soon.
That’s an interesting approach. Regarding the album title, was there a specific reason behind the use of vowels?
It’s partly me poking fun at myself again. Friends often joke about how I focus on vowel sounds in my music. When collaborating with vocalists, its often they’ll ask if I’m going to trim their syllables down to just vowels. I also felt that spelling it as ‘Aeoui’ looked more nicer spelt that way and made it easier to find, avoiding confusion with nursery rhymes if it were spelled in the traditional manner.
As an independent artist, how do you balance the creative aspects of production with the business side of self-releasing and managing your career?
It’s a muscle you have to train. I find it useful to distinguish between creative endeavors and business tasks. When being creative, focus solely on that. When handling releases, try to view your music objectively. It’s also essential to get help. Self-releasing means missing out on the collaborative aspects a label provides, like A&R input. I rely on a few trusted friends for honest feedback, treating the project as if they were investing their own money. This collaboration helps for bouncing ideas off and refine ideas.
Do you often collaborate with others, or do you prefer developing ideas independently before seeking external input?
I value collaboration immensely and take every opportunity to do so. However, I often work alone simply because most of my studio time is solitary. It’s not a deliberate choice to work in isolation; it’s just how circumstances often works out.
With the album released and three tracks ‘Aeoui’, ‘Are We There’, and ‘Heartbreaka’ pre-released to give everyone a little sample, how are you feeling about the release?
I’m thrilled to see it all coming together and deeply grateful for everyone listening. One advantage of streaming is the immediate global reach; someone across the world can access my music as easily as someone nearby. On release day, it’s amazing to see listeners from places like Madagascar tuning in. Another positive is that I still enjoy the tracks, which isn’t always the case by the time I release a project.
Do you have a favorite track on the album or one that was particularly enjoyable to create?
I would say ‘Roundhouse’ and ‘Squashy Track’ are probably my favorites.
Okay, so now that it’s done, you’re already saying you’re inspired off the back of this. What’s next for Breaka?
Next for me is swing. Actually, I realised that I never make anything with swing. There’s only one track I’ve ever done with swing, and that’s “Pro Park.” I had this moment in the studio a couple of months ago where I was completely mind-blown. I made a couple of tracks with swing, and I was like, “Oh my God, what have you been doing this whole time?” So yeah, the next project is swing. .
I’m also working on some remixes as well. And, yeah, just wrapping one up now, actually, for a great label in Prague, YUKU.
At //SNCMAG, we love to dig into production. What plugin could you not live without?
At the moment, it’s ShaperBox. I generally try to suggest the stock plugins if you can, but yeah, the ShaperBox recently has been doing the bits for me. It’s got so many exciting, really fun ways to manipulate sound, and all with something really musical. Like I was saying about sort of letting the machine sing, my favorite plugins are ones where you can create something kind of random from it and then really hone it exactly how you want it to work. So it has, like, a real natural feeling about it, but you can also be precise with it too. So, yeah, I would say ShaperBox for multi-effects is my favorite for that at the moment.
Do you have any analog instruments that you use in your production? Or is it mostly- like, you don’t incorporate your drumming; would you like to do that at some point?
No, I actually don’t have a single bit of outboard gear. I realised when I changed from drumming to electronic music that I basically just keep drumming, but it’s just I do it through programming. And I really don’t feel like I need to prove to myself that I can do it. I’ll often do a little live percussion or I often record, like, some random drum or, like, shakers and stuff, but yeah.
We’ve seen that for this year, you’re down for the Outlook Festival. Are you excited to play the tracks this festival season?
Yeah, of course. And yeah, I’m playing with my team with Brushhrunner, which should be great. I mean, that’s always why you – that’s why I release it, you know? That’s like the best thing, really, about releasing music – just getting to see where it goes and just getting sent videos of people dancing to it. Yeah, there’s nothing like it.
And lastly, what are three tracks that have inspired you mostly with this album?
Sons of Kemet // In Memory of Samir Awad
Mosca // The Whole Place Was Crawling
Vigro Deep // Some Attitude