Nick van de Wall, better known as Afrojack, sat down with Beatportal ahead of his Coachella appearance to discuss his Control Records imprint, his techno alias Kapuchon, and his shift away from the EDM sound that defined his early career.
The conversation arrives as the Dutch producer prepares for one of electronic music's most visible stages, but his focus has clearly moved beyond the big-room progressive house that made him a household name in the early 2010s.
Control and Kapuchon
Afrojack's Control Records has become a platform for darker, more underground sounds than his Wall Recordings output. The label reflects his increasing interest in techno and tech-house, a transition he's been making gradually over the past several years.
His Kapuchon alias takes this further. While Afrojack maintains its separate identity, the project allows him to release straight techno without the expectations attached to his main artist name. The approach mirrors what other crossover artists like Carl Cox (who released as 69) and Sasha (as BPM) have done when exploring new territory.
"Control gives me the freedom to sign music that wouldn't fit the Afrojack brand," van de Wall told Beatportal. "With Kapuchon, I can play a four-hour set at an underground club without anyone expecting 'Take Over Control.'"
Beyond the EDM Label
Van de Wall addressed his relationship with the term "EDM," acknowledging both its commercial success and creative limitations. His production credits still include pop collaborations and festival anthems, but his DJ sets have incorporated more techno and house elements.
The shift reflects broader changes in electronic music since the EDM boom peaked around 2012-2014. Many producers who rose during that era—Steve Angello, Alesso, and others—have similarly moved toward deeper, less commercial sounds.
For Coachella 2026, van de Wall indicated he'll balance both sides of his catalog, though he noted that festival sets still require "moments" that wouldn't work in a club context. The challenge for artists operating in multiple lanes is maintaining credibility across different audiences while keeping each project distinct.
His comments about Control's A&R process suggest the label is actively signing artists rather than serving solely as a vanity imprint for his own releases—a practical detail that separates functioning labels from simple branding exercises.
Whether the Kapuchon project gains traction beyond the novelty of "Afrojack doing techno" will depend on the quality of the releases and whether he commits significant touring time to the alias. The interview suggests he's treating it as more than a side project, but festival headliners have limited windows for underground club runs.