The Amsterdam superstar Breaking It Down…
Interview : Dan Prince
Hey Alex welcome to DMCWORLD. You are in the middle of another crazy ADE in your home city Amsterdam – this event just seems to be getting and better. What have been some of the highlights for you this week so far?
“ADE has been crazy up until this day of writing. One of the highlights for me has been the private Nervous Records party. Dennis Ramoon and myself signed to Nervous a while ago with our track “Rude Boys” which is doing really well at the moment. Nervous invited us over to celebrate the #1 spot in the tech house charts on Traxsource. Unfortunately we had to leave early because we had to play but it was really nice to meet all of them. Rude Boys was also charted in the Buzz Chart, so also a big thanks to you guys!”
What are the big, new tunes floating about?
“These days you hear a lot of tech house, seems like everybody is now making them deep tech house tunes. But this is maybe also because of the events I visit. Also the top 10 from beatport is well represented thru the speakers in the clubs !”
How has ADE changed in recent years, it seems to be more varied musically this year?
“Every year seems to get busier and busier. Dutch television is now broadcasting shows and more and more professionals attend the conference. I have been going to the conference myself for a few years now and I can see that all genres are represented in Amsterdam. Yesterday I saw Nicky Romero walking down the street and a few hours later I was at a party having a drink while Kenny Dope sat right besides me. The great thing about ADE is that everybody is here to meet new people, seek for new possibilities, meet old friends and so on! If you are just respectful to one another, who knows what can happen during ADE!”
What is THE event you are not going to miss this year at ADE?
“Well, that would be the whole of the Amsterdam Dance Event ! Hahaha! I am always looking forward to this because I am in touch with a lot of people who live far away and a lot of them fly in for ADE. It’s great to have a drink or dinner with them and catch up and later on seeing everybody playing at the clubs.”
What do you do more at ADE, work…or play?
“ADE for me is to meet all the people who I have been in touch with over the years. It’s just a whole lot of fun to see all the people again from all over the world in such a musical enviroment. This year I am playing at three different locations during ADE and even though it’s work, it doesn’t feel like work at all. I am doing what I love to do.”
You must be a very happy man right now, your new tune ‘Break It Down’ has just smashed it’s way into the world famous Buzz Chart. You been hearing that tune a lot this week?
“Yes, I am really happy to see that it’s in the Buzz Chart, thanks for charting it !! To be honest with you, the promo has not even been send out by the label (Adapt Recordings). I actually saw the post on twitter by DMC and sended it over. I have been in the charts more often with different tracks so there is a good relationship between DMC and myself. When I saw it popping up in the charts i was really happy. But you guys actually have the exclusive right now ! I did play the record at last night’s gig at Cinema in Amsterdam and it was received very well. The hands were up, the people were shouting and everybody was groovin’.”
Tell us the history of the tune…
“I am producing for a long time now and have been working in many directions when you talk about genres. I have always been kind of strugglin what kind of genre my music is, because when you listen to my track, its not really techhouse, its not techno, neither its house or whatever genre you can think of. Its a big blend of different genres together. Music is about connecting people and having a good time. Music is emotion. Thats exactly the reason i decided not to tag along with the hype and just continue to work on what I do, my own style, my own genre. So for “Break It Down” I wanted to put all in what I love. I did the vocals myself and when you hear the beat pump you will hear that it’s something different then the rest. For me, the drums has to go BOOOOM, the bassline has to MOOOOVE and the crowd has to GROOOOVE. Hope everybody feels the same way when its released. I signed the record to Adapt Recordings, the label by Dj/Producer Jorgensen. For a releasedate, goto www.facebook.com/AlexSandrinoLive – when I know, I will post it.”
Let’s rewind for a moment. You fell in love with music at an early age, you learnt the guitar and drums at the age of 8 and the piano soon followed. Were you from a musical family, were you pushed into learning an instrument or was it just something you wanted to do?
“I was never pushed into doing anything. Growing up, my parents allowed me to find out what I wanted to do for myself and I respect them for that. Funny you ask this question, because just the other day I talked about this with my mother, asking her what she thought I was going to do when I was younger. She replied with, i always though you would end up doing something with music. Music is something which makes me feel good inside and I just love doing it. Sometimes i sit outside of my balcony, playing the guitar and I must admit, i am not that good in playing it, but i just love it ! I have an older brother who is really into music, he also plays guitar and drums and back in the days we would jam together for hours, switching back and forth between instruments. So no, i wasn’t pushed into learning an instrument. I really wanted to learn to play guitar and the drums. The piano came later when I was building up my homestudio. I was always facinated about the keys but it’s very hard to learn but via a lot of practice and internet, there are a lot of possibilities.”
So when did the transmission into the electronic world happen, what was your first steps into the studio like?
“The transistion came when in the era when I was still producing hiphop, I kinda missed something, more speed, more “get into a vibe”. So I started to experiment with making house music. Back in the days I worked under a couple of different names but it just didn’t cut it yet. I produced a whole lot of stuff before I decided that the music I did was finally good enough to get out there and it all went from there; “Alex Sandrino” was born. My first EP got signed to Dirty Dutch Records and eventho my sound doesn’t go hand in hand with the famous Dutch Elektro sound, I was really happy and proud to be signed to Chuckie’s label when I started out.”
One of your great passions is your radio show ‘Shut Up & Groove’, tell us about the show…
“Shut Up & Groove started out when I was building up my profile. I wanted to start a radioshow for a while to show the world who I am and what I do. When I needed a name I started to think about what would be something for me to go with. The name “Shut Up & Groove”came up because when I dj or produce, there always has to be a groove. The groove within music is essential for me, live on stage or in the studio. When the first radioshow was recorded I contacted various radio stations to see if they wanted to broadcast the show. At the moment I got 8 radio stations broadcasting the show worldwide. From that point I figured that the name “Shut Up & Groove” could be more then a radio show, so I started up a record label by the same name. The first release on the label just came out and is doing pretty good. (Alex Sandrino – Feel The Music, 2013). In the future I want to expend the Shut Up & Groove concept with events, but that’s still on the drawing board.”
Who in your opinion has delivered the best guest mix on the show?
“I really can’t say that there is a “best” mix on the show. The people who are on my show, I personally asked them for a mix because I respect and appreciate what they do. Every dj’s has a different point of approach on playing and mixing tracks and I can’t say that there is a certain way which is right. I have been enjoying all of the guestmixes!”
Where have been some of your stand out DJ gigs this summer?
“Last night I actually played a really intimite party with my partner in beats: Dennis Ramoon and that was really a great gig to do. The people were into the music and loved the groove we were bringing. Dennis and myself are longtime friends and started out in hiphop together and now we are both doing housemusic. Earlier this year we teamed up in the studio and now also for gigs, ready to tear up decks with drums, grooves and beats! At this time of writing, we are playing tonight at a showcase at the Little Buddha Bar in Amsterdam(oct 19th) together with Marco Lys and Belocca, really looking forward to it. We will also record a guestmix for Roger Sanchez in December and we both are really looking forward to that too, to get our sound out there. So it’s Dennis Ramoon and me ready to take upon the World with grooooooooove, hope the venues and the people are ready to get their groove on!”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“I play a lot of my own records during my sets. Here are 10 records (from other producers) which I played during my last couple of gigs:
–
Bazu – Change The System
– Bass Kleph – Back To Funk – Robert Gaez Remix
– Mike Vale, Bagagee Viphex13 – Where The Funk
– David Herrero – Together – Hollen Remix)
– Miguel Bastida – Sunday Picnick
– Sergio Fernandez – Carioca
– Roland Clark, Dj Chus, Dj Boris – Soul Of A Dj – Rafa Barrios remix
– Jay Lumen – On and On
– Dosem – Avanta
– Albert Dei – Dark Traffic – Josh DaFunk remix
I also play a lot of edits, a couple of them, you can download for free on www.soundcloud.com/AlexSandrino …enjoy…”
Okay let’s find out something musical about you…
“Bring it on…!”
The record you wish you had made?
“Oeeee, that’s a tough one, because I like a loooot of records, but here we go:
Paul Harris & Alex Tepper – ‘Terris’ (Original mix) – I really love this record and I am still playing it ! And also: H-Foundation – h’Hear Dis Sound’, a classic record for me but maaan, I love them beats!!”
The cheesy pop song you always sing a long to in the car
“It’s definitely not a cheesy song haha: HEEY HOW YA DOING, SORRY YA CANT GET THRU… (if you don’t know this song….we will never be friends).”
Your finest record you’ve ever made
“I am really proud of my record: “The Beginning”, which got signed to Stealth Records. It was also on the Release Yourself 2012 compilation CD. The Beginning for me was my first record which really reflected my sound I like, that’s also why the title is “The Beginning”. Besides “The Beginning”, I am really proud on “Rude Boys”, which I produced with Dennis Ramoon and got signed to Nervous Records. That record always works on the floor and has a lot of different elements. Even Fatboy Slim played this record during the Carl Cox Revolution on Ibiza this summer!”
(Dennis Ramoon & Alex Sandrino – Rude Boys [Nervous Records] – http://www.beatport.com/track/rude-boys-original-mix/4549633)
The record that makes you cry
“Can’t really come up with a title, but a problem I always have is that when I buy my music (YES, I buy my music) I always buy one track which I never play and don’t even like…don’t know why that is, kinda of like a tick I guess! It doesn’t make me cry, but it makes me go like: Damn, why did I buy this…”
What is coming out next from you studio wise?
“Before I started to do this interview I had a studio session here in my homestudio. I am working on a new tribal/techhouse records with some big drums and deep basslines, combined with a vocal which I did myself. I am not sure about the vocal yet, but we will see how things turns out. Also Dennis Ramoon and me signed a new record to Nervous Records: “Social Misfits”. I just want say, keep an eye out for that one, because we all have high expectations for the release”
Not many people know this but Alex Sandrino is really good at…
“I can play ball haha – and I heard there is a basketball competition during WMC…Just sayin…. Would like to dunk on some fellow producers and DJs!”
It may not be good for image – but I really love…
“Not sure why this would be not good for my image, but I love boogiewoogie piano. Wish I could play it like the pro’s, I am trying, but not there yet!”
Who would be your dream collab producer?
“I would like to hit the studio with Jay Lumen or Chus & Ceballos. Those guys are bringing the drums like crazy.”
Who are some of the producers you are giving high fives to right now?
“Jay Lumen, Chus & Ceballos, Mike Vale, Rafa Barrios, Hollen, Dennis Ramoon and many more ! There are so many great producers out there and there are probably a lot of undiscovered producers who bring the groove like crazy.”
And finally – what is the best and worst thing about living in Amsterdam?
“The best thing about the city is that there are a lot of opportunities out there for you, you just gotta work hard for it. The worst thing is that you gotta work hard…haha. Thanks DMC for this interview”
Bookings: bookings@shutupandgroove-entertainment.com
www.facebook.com/AlexSandrinoLive
www.soundcloud.com/AlexSandrino
