What So Not are Sydney DJ/production duo Flume and Emoh Instead. Although they differ in size, facial hair and physique, both began their destined path to DJ notoriety as humble paper boys with a keen ear for jams. United by a love of surfing and the sweaty corridors and dancefloors of nightclubs, they set out to create a project inspired by the most universal of feelings: fun.
This is not to say that there’s not a serious intent going on with their music-making. They first flexed their muscle in 2011 with debut EP ‘7 Dollar Bill’, scoring approval from the likes of Switch and Sinden. Their most recent EP release ‘The Quack’ (out via local legends Sweat It Out and internationally via Skrillex’s label OWSLA) dropped harder than that time Tony Abbott crashed in on Flume’s wave (true story). It featured guest vocalists/heavyweights Action Bronson, D Mac & Blood Diamonds, clocked up over 450k Soundcloud plays and garnered the attention of fellow electronic heavyweights Diplo, Bauuer and Flosstradamus.
Of lead single ‘High You Are’, Emoh says:
‘’High You Are’ was an experiment. We wanted to take the concept of groove-based house and push it to the extreme. Something that could hold its own, against the biggest ‘EDM’ hit, without compromising the feel and soul. The power to make people move, not just fist pump.’
And so it did. People moved their bodies to What So Not’s frenetic DJ shows (spearheaded by Emoh Instead, on occasion joined by Flume) all across the country, firstly on the 2012 triple j House Party tour, then on their own run of 30+ headline dates throughout regional Australia, NZ and various corners of Asia. Their mad energy and burgeoning fanbase was on hi-vis at their frankly mental headline DJ slot at this year’s Splendour In The Grass.
What So Not’s schedule for 2014 is jam-packed. They gave away a new edit ‘Touched’ for free download through their soundcloud in November 2013, it was the first piece of music that Emoh and Flume ever worked on together as What So Not and has clocked approx. 1.5 million plays on soundcloud to date as well as being a Hype Machine global #1.
Their current single ‘Jaguar’ dropped 10 December through Sweat It Out in Australia and Skrillex’s OWSLA imprint for the rest of the world. Having clocked over 2 million plays on soundcloud and pushing 700k plays for the official video as well as topping the global Hype Machine chart again, Jaguar is easily WSN’s biggest single to date.
There’s also been plenty of touring for What So Not over the Aus/NZ summer with a slot on the national Stereosonic Festival in 2013 as well as high profile sets at Field Day, La De Da Festival in NZ and Shore Thing and Beach Life with Skrillex in Australia. The next Australian dates are on the national touring festival Groovin The Moo in April/May alongside Disclosure, Action Bronson and Wave Racer.
What So Not’s first USA shows took place on the infamous Holy Ship cruise in Jan 2014 with a North American tour supporting GTA scheduled for Mar/Apr 2014 as well as some exclusive sets at SXSW and Miami Music Week.
