Get to Know SoCal-Based House DJ and Producer Yerik

1 week ago 18

Yerik sat down to chat about his thoughts on the community, how he developed a passion for house and techno, and what’s to come for his artist project.

The Artist Spotlight and the conjoined EDMID Guest Mix series at EDM Identity have consistently focused on rising talent in the scene since their debut over a decade ago. During this time, hundreds of artists have found a home in the series as they began coming up in the community, but for the 500th milestone in the mix series, we’re turning inward to one of our own: Yerik.

Yerik, real name Erik Nilsen, will be a familiar face to those of you who have read his takes on the scene as our House & Techno Editor here at EDM Identity. But covering global festivals and new releases, and interviewing artists in that role, are only one piece of his puzzle. He’s also got some serious chops behind the decks and in the studio under his artist project.

While he first developed a passion for electronic music in the bass scene, the pandemic pushed him toward house and techno. Since then, he’s fully embraced progressing in that realm, from taking production courses and networking with others at conferences to playing shows and more. On the release front, Yerik has already graced labels like Poker Flat Recordings and Reecords, and it’s clear that there’s even more in store from him as we dive into the latter half of the year.

In honor of this massive milestone for the series, we’re turning the tables and celebrating a rising star from our team who is pursuing his own path to greatness in the scene. Check out his exclusive guest mix and read on to learn more about Yerik’s roots, thoughts on the community, and where he’s heading next.

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 500 || Yerik on SoundCloud:

Hi Erik, thanks for sitting down with me today. Let’s start by diving into your roots. When did you first develop a passion for electronic music, and who were some of your earliest influences?

Hey, funny to be on this side of the questions. I grew up listening to all sorts of music, mainly classic rock, from my parents. I actually discovered dance music from a Blackberry commercial in the late 2000s, went down a rabbit hole, and was really into trap from about 2009 to 2019. Everything from Jack Ü, Getter, Troyboi, GoodTimesAhead, Quix. I always appreciated how the genre was really influenced by all sorts of cultures, too. I used to sit in r/trap every day trying to listen to concert rips of new unreleased music, or maybe someone would leak something on r/xtrill.

Then the pandemic happened, and the genre sadly died. I was never interested in DJing or making trap music back then; it was just fun to participate. It wasn’t until the pandemic that I developed a musical interest in house and techno, which led me to see how global that genre is, from its birth in Chicago to the UK, across Europe, and in South America.

Right now, my influences span multiple genres. From Sven Väth, Luciano, Huxley, and Ricardo Villalobos to newer names like Dr Banana, Wilba, Julian Anthony, Dungeon Meat, and Harry Wills, there’s a huge list. Collecting vinyl over the last year has really changed my perspective on dance music, too. It forces you to look at what is physically there in front of you, and from there, you’re really able to see patterns and influences.

Was there a specific moment where you realized you wanted to become a DJ and producer, or was it a gradual transition?

As I said, it wasn’t until the pandemic that I started exploring the idea of DJing myself. Then I realized that my passion had brought me to places I wanted to show others. I basically figured I could do it better. Music discovery is definitely my passion; DJing and producing just help facilitate that.

You’ve dropped tunes on Poker Flat Recordings and Reelow’s label Reecords over the past few years. Do you have any upcoming releases we should keep an eye out for?

I do. Soon I’ll be releasing an EP with a very good friend of mine, more on that soon. I am always working on music, sending demos, and so on.

While I know you love house and techno, you also have a passion for other styles of electronic music. How do you feel this has impacted your journey in the music industry?

It’s cool because I think I have a different musical perspective from most of the people who make music around me. That era of Trap mixed so many different genres together, and I try to keep that “no rules” ethos in mind when I make music myself.

As someone who has traveled the world and experienced the scene in different regions, have there been any specific communities that have stood out as favorites?

I do think, for me, Europe has a much more interesting dance music scene. Everyone is struggling with rising costs and the push for ever-larger productions, but there are still pockets of very authentic shows or festivals here that I really appreciate, whether that’s at Pikes or Akasha in Ibiza, or at a boutique UK camping festival.

What have been some of the biggest differences you’ve noticed in the global music scene while attending shows internationally?

Well, it’s two things. There’s a difference in taste across Europe, Asia, and North America. There are small communities for every genre in every big city, but the scale of London’s house scene is so different from the scale of Taiwan’s, for example.

Then I think there’s an ease in some places where people can experiment, whether that’s with the music itself or the venues. Sadly, much of what was available in the USA or Western Europe is slowly being priced out. Watergate in Berlin was sadly forced to close after 25 years because of a highway, and I know many local clubs across the UK have been struggling. Obviously, Ibiza has also changed a lot since the late ’80s, becoming a place that now almost entirely focuses on bottle service.

People adapt, but hopefully we get back to a place where everything is more authentic, grassroots, and built on community.

Turning your attention back to the US really quick, what are your current thoughts on the state of the scene stateside? Is there anything you feel we’re currently missing that you’d like to see more of here in the US?

I think the US has been a bit confused about what’s popular since the pandemic. We’ve been through tech house, afro house, hard techno, hard groove, speed garage, deep tech, minimal, and electro tech phases, all in the last six years. Pre-pandemic, I don’t remember things moving this quickly. I’m pretty sure big room was popular for like 15 years before that went away. A lot of that comes down to what gets promoted, or maybe what looks good in a fifteen-second TikTok. I do think the dance music industry in the USA is dying, which I kind of welcome. Hopefully that lets others step up, feel safer, and appreciate the music itself.

To answer your second question, I’d love to see more people take risks, whether that’s starting a label or running an event. It’s easy to go see Marco Carola and fill a 15,000-capacity venue, but the local parties, thrown by a local promoter with only local DJs, let everyone involved grow.

Something that’s been tough about LA is that there are very few residency opportunities. You hear about DJs in the ’90s and ’00s who would have a weekend residency in NYC every week and play fourteen hours a night. Danny Tenaglia is a good example of that. I do wish there were more opportunities like that. Space Miami does a good job of this with its residents, and I’m sure there are places in NYC that still do this, but it’s hard.

There’s a whole other conversation to be had about music choices in the US, but I’ll save that for another time.

Where do you see the house music scene heading in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027?

For the rest of the year, I mean, we don’t really have a song of the summer, and we didn’t really last year either. So we’ll see if that changes. There are a few artists I think are on the rise right now. Overall, it seems like the UK and Dutch DJs are going to continue to have a huge 2026, and with hip hop in a weird spot, producers who were making other genres are now experimenting with house music. I mean, T-Pain is making dubstep now. It’s a wild time.

Who are some artists you currently have your ears tuned to in the scene?

There’s a huge list, haha. If you’re looking for a bit more authenticity, I really suggest learning about your favorite DJ’s favorite DJ. Right now, Apollonia, Jane Fitz, Dr Banana, Dungeon Meat, Grant Dell, Heartbreak Hombres, Sweely, and Traumer never disappoint. Local US favorites lately have been Natebytheway, Neeko, and Claud.io. Sadly, many of these artists can’t come to the USA due to visa issues, so going to Europe or South America may be your only option.

Finally, is there any advice you’d like to share with other rising artists in the dance music scene looking to make their mark?

The thing I have to remind myself is that this isn’t something you rush, and it’s different for everyone. Some people blow up on socials, some with a global hit, some very slowly over decades. If you really just enjoy the music, I don’t think it matters how long it takes.