Interview: Alexiandro

Alexiandro has become a permanent recurring part of the Wout ecosystem. So it is with deepest pleasure that we enjoy his new musical offspring: the "Lost City" EP. The main track rummages through your feelings with its soft to oppressive passages. Alexiandro plays with modulated synth pads and skillfully opens and closes the theme melodies. You can literally feel how the artist puts us under his spell. For a structured remix of "Lost City" we have get Pisetzky on board. He disassembled the track into its individual parts and gives it more straightforwardness. The EP also features "Explore", which is in no way inferior to the other tracks. We were especially convinced by these clear electronic drums and the steady build-up of this composition. We had a chance to catch up with Alex for an exclusive interview just prior to the release. Enjoy!

Hi Alex, thanks for joining us. What is your current mood and what was the last piece of music you listened to?

Hello guys! Thank you for this, it will surely be a real pleasure. At the moment I'm a bit tired, I went to the Theater Antique d'Orange for the Afterlife event which totally took my strength away. At the same time I am excited for the release of my new EP on Wout Records. I can't tell you just one song, I listen to a lot of music every day.

What are your plans for the coming week?

After a month off, I will dedicate myself to production again. I feel very inspired and I really want to make new music that I can release asap.

Tell us a bit about yourself, how did you discover electronic music and what led you down the path of wanting to be a DJ and producer?

I have always loved music, I started producing a few years ago, then I stopped because of other interests. But I felt the lack of producing and creating something personal because it is the only thing that makes me feel good and that is why I have started again for about a year, and I will never stop.

Can you name five tracks that were important in your musical development and why they are so significant for you?

These are the 5 tracks that accompanied me during the making of the EP.

1 Space Motion & Sassa - Prism
2 Miss Monique, Sean & Dee - Valhalla
3 Veljko Jovic - Axiom
4 OIBAF&WALLEN, Mia Mendi - Edda
5 Hunter/Game - Hidden Spaces

What struck me about these songs are their structures and melodies which have given me a source of creative inspiration in my compositions.

Talk to us about growing up in Italy, how did it affect your musical taste and direction?

Since I was a child I have always loved music, I grew up with my brother a musician who taught me the basics to start producing. I felt this strong emotion when I started going to the first clubs with friends, and seeing many artists perform I realized what dream I wanted to pursue.

You’re now based in France, what prompted the move there and how does the nightlife compare to Italy?

What prompted me was the desire to grow and with the awareness, unfortunately, that in my part of Sicily I would have no outlet for my ambitions. Here in France it is different, the way of life and mentality change. After 8 years of living on the French Riviera, I have managed to settle in and integrate, which is why I like living here. Where I feel at home and free. Regarding the nightlife, what I think is that people want to have fun everywhere, especially in big cities.

What are some of your favourite venues to play in France?

I know and have been to many clubs and festivals in France, it would be a dream one day to be able to play in clubs like; Rex Club, Rooftop Marseilles, La Plage Electronique, Riviera Electro Festival a Nice.

You have a distinct astral sound in your music, what do you want it to convey to the listener?

I can't tell you. I believe that my music has a mental impact that tries to lead the listener to create their own abstract reality, giving an adrenaline charge and strong vitality to the audience with the possibility of freeing themselves from their daily problems.

You have a new EP entitled ‘Lost City’ out this week on Wout Records, tell us about it and how it showcases your sound?

I am happy that I will finally be able to share my work with the public. This is my second EP on Wout Records, for me this is really important because I have learned so much in the last few months trying to define my personal sound more and more. I hope it will be danced in the best clubs. In my working process I love to create dense layers that build harmonic structures with soft and oppressive moods, and with synths and pads that usually open and close the melodies of the theme.

Also included on the release is a remix from Pisetzky who has past releases on Just This and Oddity Records. How did you reach the decision to approach him for the remix and why was he a good choice to do the project?

I didn't think there would be a remix in my EP, one day Gabriele of Wout Records told me that there would be the possibility of having a remix of a great producer. Until one morning the good news came that Pizetzky would be doing the remix. I am really happy to have him in my release, for me he is an excellent musician and I thank him for this collaboration. It was an excellent choice because with him I believe we will be able to get the EP to a wider audience.

All the music you’ve released thus far has come courtesy of Wout Records, what is it about the label that makes it a great home for your music?

The first contact with Wout Records was last year, from there together with Gabriele Mineo (Dinkis) a relationship of friendship and daily work was born to expand and grow the label.

Wout Records is the first label that gave me trust and I am grateful to it, and working with Gabriele I am becoming more and more passionate about the music industry as well, discovering a complicated universe.

I believe that my presence on Wout Records will never fade, lately I've been working on new projects that I would like to propose to other labels.

What does your set-up look like? Do you favor physical gear over digital? And what studio tools featured heavily in the writing of these tracks?

I honestly don't have that much. I produce with Ableton Live, I recently bought a Roland TR-8 which I honestly don't use that often yet. Obviously I would like to have a professional studio with a lot of hardware, the right soundproofing etc .. but I am confident that over time I will be able to do it. Currently I only compose with Virtual Instruments, such as Serum and Diva.

What has the last year and a half been like for you? Have you focused more time on making music? And has the pandemic affected your creative spirit in any way?

Staying more at home because of this situation, I took advantage of it by dedicating myself a lot to the development of my projects.

What is the current situation with the pandemic in France?

It seems to be stabilizing, even though there are new infections every day. I honestly do not want to express myself so much on the subject, we will see what will happen in the coming months.

Current five favourite tracks?

Stephan Bodzin - Boavista (Innellea Remix)
Avidus - Prometheus
Jares - All Eyes
VNTM - Deceiving Tendencies (Original Mix)
Monophase (IT) - For Better Days (Massano Remix)

What is your favourite food?

I eat everything, but my favorite is Sicilian food, I can't wait to be able to go down to Sicily to my family and eat Lasagna, Arancini with Pistachio and Cannoli.

Those who are not Sicilian cannot understand what it means.

Iphone or Android?

iPhone

Apart from music, what makes you happiest?

Knowing that my family and friends are fine.

What does the remainder of 2021 hold for you? Anything you can share with us?

At the moment I don't want to say much, we are organizing events with Wout Records to start as soon as possible the Tour that we had suspended due to the pandemic. It will be quite tough months, there is a lot of work to do but also a desire to mature and experiment.

'Lost City' is available for pre-order now via Wout Records: https://bit.ly/2XqoytP