“I Was a Tumblr Bitch”: DJ Avalon Made Us an Electroclash Playlist

This is SOUND ADVICE, a weekly destination for playlists curated by Interview’s friends, enemies, and lovers. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gathered playlists from Fab Morvan, MERLOT, and VTSS. This week’s installment comes from Los Angeles-based DJ and it girl, Avalon, who recently got off from opening for The Dare on his US tour. When she’s not collecting vintage dresses and bopping around L.A., she’s producing the hottest rave tracks for you to dance to all night. After gracing the pages of our Winter 2024 issue, the Xicana princess made us a 50-song playlist featuring Aphex Twin, Lou Reed, and Gucci Mane while telling us to stop trauma-dumping to her at the DJ booth.

———

Where do you dance? All places at most times. A club called Rhonda. Various warehouses in questionable neighborhoods. The car. My cribbo.

Who do you trust most with the aux? Sean Lee Bowie. Dese Escobar. Jasmine Johnson.

What song is your national anthem? “B/M/F” by Dosha (House of La Dosha).

Who’s the best dressed music icon? Hard to choose… Courtney Love, Atsushi Sakurai, Martin Gore, Sade, Nico, Gwen, Stevie, Madonna.

What’s your pre-show routine? The LBRP and a Turkish Royal.

You just arrived at a party, what drink do you order? Casamigos on the rocks. Maybe a lime.

What’s your djing pet peeve? Someone I’ve never met telling me their life story while I’m mixing.

Fuck, marry, kill: venues in L.A. Hell no. You’re trying to get me in trouble.

Where’s the afters? Hopefully, a modernist house in the hills.

What does your notes app look like? Extremely private profane thoughts and to-do lists.

What album was your coming-of-age soundtrack? Caramel by Connan Mockasin. What Would You Say by Part Time. Extra Extraña by Neon Indian. Visions by Grimes. Before Today by Ariel Pink. We Must Become Pitiless Censors of Ourselves by John Maus. The entire Smiths discography. I was a Tumblr bitch.

Three things you always have with you at the function? USB, lipliner, someone extremely cunt.

What’s your dream b2b? I saw a video of Courtney Love DJing recently, so probably her. As far as “real” DJs: Stingray, Helena Hauff, Bobby Beethoven (FKA Total Freedom), Danny Daze.

Name your favorite artist nobody knows about. Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement. My top artist on Spotify for like 3 years consecutively.

The world is ending, what are you wearing? If I’m trying to survive, some crazy Japanese gore-tex archive shit. If I’m trying to die, the most beautiful vintage dress in my closet. Probably something from the ’30s.

Do blondes have more fun? You can have fun at the DMV when you’re blonde.