Alan Cerra shares 10 tracks which inspired his journey into electronic music

Hailing from Argentina, Alan Cerra first emerged in 2019 on the strength of early tracks such as 'Tovich' and 'Tura'. Equally adept at crafting progressive or melodic house, the rising phenom was touted as a name to watch going forward. Now nearly a half decade on, Alan lays claim to an impressive resume with Higher States, Hoomidaas, Juicebox Music, Siona Records and The Soundgarden all being landing spots for his vibrant sound, while progressive music tastemakers Cid Inc, Eelke Kleijn, Hernan Cattaneo, Miss Monique, Nick Warren and Tim Green have been steadfast with support along the way. With a 2024 that has already featured standout remixes for Mango Alley and Transensations, this week finds Alan making his debut on Forty Cats' recently launched PURRFECTION imprint with 'Upsala'.

To celebrate the release of 'Upsala', Alan has curated a collection of ten tracks that fueled his passion for electronic music in his formative years.

Tiësto - Traffic

As the first song, I would choose "Traffic" by DJ Tiësto. I still remember the day I watched the music video of that song from "Tiësto in Concert," and it drove me crazy. I was familiar with some electronic songs of the time, but the internet boom hadn't fully happened yet, so I didn't have much information. After that music video, "Love Comes Again" came out, and it completely won me over. By then, I had internet access, so I started researching and discovering a lot of music. I came across the "In Search of Sunrise" series, the Magik compilations, and encountered artists like Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Cosmic Gate, Johan Gielen, Rank 1, ATB and many more.

Guy J - Lamur (Henry Saiz Remix)

Another song that drove me crazy many years later was Henri Saiz's remix of the song "Lamur" by Guy J. I had never come across anything like it at that time. I always go back to listen to it every now and then; it's one of my favorite songs. It really expanded my musical horizons.

Cid Inc & Orsen - Ten

2018 was the year when I finally got to know progressive music and fell in love with the style. I've always been familiar with a wide range of musical genres, and I enjoy all kinds of music, but that year I had the opportunity to see Cid Inc perform live, and it was truly incredible. Henri was already well-known for his music at that time, but since I didn't consume much progressive house, I wasn't aware of him. That year, at "La Fábrica" in Córdoba, he made me love progressive music. He played incredible music, and I couldn't believe it. I remember thinking, "This is my thing." So, as the third song, I'll choose "Ten" by Cid Inc along with Orsen.

ARTBAT - Papillon

In 2018, I also came across "Papillon" by Artbat, and to this day, it remains one of my favorite songs. The melodic sequence is out of this world, and I can't count the number of times I listened to that song back then. They were a great source of inspiration. I do miss the Artbat from that time a bit.

Astral Projection - People Can Fly

While putting together this list, a song came to mind that I used to listen to a lot, and if I remember correctly, I heard it before "Traffic" by Tiësto. I remember finding it on the computer at my uncle's house. At that time, we didn't have internet or a computer at home, so whenever I visited, I would listen to music. The song in question is "People Can Fly" by Astral Projection. That song mesmerized me; I love it.

Subandrio - The Other Side

A song that was a great inspiration and motivation for me in my early days as a progressive producer was "The Other Side" by Subandrio. Subandrio, to me, is and will always be one of the best in history, a master of progressive house. This song is also one of my all-time favorites.

O'Rion & Vallice - Eva / Alex O'Rion - Avalanche

I also want to add Alex O'Rion to the list, another producer who, in my opinion, is one of the best in history. I knew Alex's music from several years before, at a time when he hadn't yet transitioned to the progressive style he produces today. That's why, if possible, I'd like to mention two songs here. One is "Eva." Encountering that melody was incredible; I listened to it on loop for many months. At that time, I never imagined that I would end up releasing my music on that label, Mango Alley. The other song I want to mention from the great Alex is "Avalanche." I truly can't put into words how much I love that song; it's absolutely on another level—the arrangements, the sound design. Unbelievable.

Tilt - Twelve (Dusk Mix)

Another old track that I'd like to include on the list is "Tilt - Twelve (Dusk Mix)." I came across this song on Tiesto's "In Search of Sunrise 4," and I loved it. It has those progressive vibes that I really enjoy. I always come back to listen to it from time to time.

Skrillex - First Of The Year

I'd also like to include Skrillex on the list. Despite my music being very different from his, in the early 2010s, I listened to a lot of his productions. He was one of those artists that, when you hear them for the first time, you think, "I don't know what's going on here, but I love it."

Dr Alban - It´s My Life

To finish off this list, I thought about a song from the 90s that I really liked, and I remembered Dr. Alban with "It's My Life." When I was a child, I was fascinated by that song. Whenever I went to my grandparents' house, I listened to the CDs they had, and there was that song. Nowadays, I can listen to it and distinguish all the elements that I loved and didn't know what they were.

'Upsala' is available now via PURRFECTION: https://tinyurl.com/3pz5stjj