Punx Debuts First Track ‘Concentrate’: Steve Aoki and 3LAU’s NFT Initiative for Music Rights Distribution

Pioneering electronic musicians Steve Aoki and Justin “3LAU” Blau have unveiled their debut track as Punx, an innovative duo inspired by the CryptoPunks NFT collection. The new single, titled “Concentrate,” is set to be released this Friday, embodying the essence of CryptoPunks as one of the pioneering NFT collections.

Blau explained the duo’s creative approach to Decrypt, saying, “We really wanted the first song to sort of embody the spirit of what CryptoPunks represent—underground, kind of the first of their kind, and more particularly techie, tech-driven, [and] futuristic.” The track itself, a three-minute electronic composition, encapsulates these elements, offering an energetic auditory experience suitable for a nightclub or a festival.

The release of “Concentrate” is far from conventional. Half of all royalties from the track will be distributed to 99 NFT collectors. The recipients will be chosen from the holders of Blau’s NFTs, Aoki’s A0k1verse Passport NFTs, and CryptoPunks NFTs. The objective is to reward these collectors and democratize the ownership of the song.

Artwork from “Concentrate,” the first single from DJ duo Punx. Image: Punx

This initiative aligns perfectly with the duo’s philosophy, especially considering Blau’s role as the co-founder and CEO of Royal, a Web3 music rights platform. Royal’s mission is to allow music fans to support their favorite artists through NFTs that grant them a share in a song’s royalties. “Concentrate” will be released on Royal, with the 99 NFTs associated with the song being tradable on the platform post-issuance.

Both Blau and Aoki have been active in the Web3 world, making several strategic moves. Blau shared the common interest that led to their collaboration as Punx. “Even though Steve’s touring around the world, he still shares an incredible passion for this technology,” Blau said, referring to Aoki’s enthusiasm for NFTs. He added, “He was actually one of the first DJs to ever actually listen to me when I was ranting about it back in the day. He was the only one who really got it because he’s already a collector of all other types of things.”