German producer Alexander Ridha (AKA Boys Noize) has released his second album, Power, late last year. In this interview he tells us everything, from his precocious beginnings to his upcoming plans for the future.
Maybe not so long ago, Alexander could be considered a young prodigy among the electronic music scene. He was just a fourteen years old boy when he began to produce music and has now almost fifteen years of experience in doing so. During that time, he has been compared to heavy weights of electronic music, like Daft Punk or Justice. Quite a career for a young man in his late twenties. Now, two years after the release of Oi Oi Oi, his second album, Power, hit the shelves.
This new enterprise finds him tasting new waters, in a sort of experimentation that mixes classical electronic sound with minimalistic touches to create, either, ambient tunes or heavy raving tracks. But I should shut up and let the man speak. During this long interview he’s been kind enough to tell us about his album, his upcoming projects, his teenage years, his label and his work. Quiet a chat from quiet a man with quiet a career.
Tell us a little about Power. What were your personal accomplishes with this album?
I think Power starts where Oi Oi Oi ends. I didn’t really have a plan; it was more about catching moments in my studio and looking for new sounds that excite me. When Oi oi oi came out I already had the main ideas for "Starter" (which was the first idea for my Snoop Dogg mix) and "Jeffer". When I opened these sessions 18 months later I still liked what I was hearing. I m always in the studio, during my shows every weekend, so I collected some new ideas and then I took some audio recordings of my drum machines or synths with me to India and I finished "Nerve", "Gax" and "Kontact me". Other tracks, like "Trooper", I did in 3 hours. For me the idea of an album doesn’t really work; it s more a package of "hey these are the sounds that I like and what I’m playing right now".
Songs like “Gax”, “Transmission” and “Heart attack” (specially this last one) are pretty powerful, but they also convey a particular atmosphere. What influenced you towards this new direction?
"Heart Attack" was an old track from 2004 that finally fit in the concept of Power. When I was working on "Transmission" I felt like I was going to produce a new form of classic "elektro", although I don’t like this word. The track has many classic electronic elements but it sounds modern techno. When I’m in the studio I always try to come up with something that is fresh in my ears. And that means that I have to go through a lot of sounds and bring them together in an unusual way.
We've read that you feel that now you're at the peak, awaiting for the backlash. How do you see the upcoming years?
Yeah, I thought that this whole "in your face" stupid noise sound was going to die last year, but it just took over to another dimension. A couple years ago, electronic music was only played by DJs and so when a DJ decides not to play a record anymore, some style was going to go away because other DJs did the same. But as this music is now in the bedrooms of young kids, it’s really hard to tell how long, what and where things will stay. So, I can only do my own decisions, but it’s probably not gonna be the best thing for everyone else.
Now that the album is finished, what are your plans for the upcoming months?
Erol and I are on some new tracks to come out in early spring. Also I’ve been working on a new album I produced and co wrote with Gonzalez. For me, that is the most beautiful thing in my musical doing. It s such a pleasure working with such an talented musician. Besides, I’ve been working on new BN ideas and I produced a couple of songs for Kano's new album.
What should we expect to see pop out of your label, in the next few months?
Oh man, there is some good stuff coming on! Next, my new single "Transmission", including Mr. Oizo, Tiga, Djedjotronic, Untold, James Ruskin remixes come out. Les Petits Pilous just finished their new EP with 4 new bangers. After that, there will be a new DJEDJOTRONIC that is pretty techno. For this guy is an inspiration too. Strip Steve will come with the remixes of his last Ep and there will be remixes for my song "Kontact Me".
Staying independent seems like a great deal to you. What do you think are the ups and downs of this aproach?
Ups: full creative freedom, no one can tell me how to release my music, releasing music I love and working with nice people. Downs: it takes TIME, lot s of paperwork, contracts here and there. You don’t have a cent, so you do it for the love of music (but that should go under “Ups” too).
You've been playing for more than ten years, now. How do you feel the scene has changed and how do you feel you have contributed.
Every 3-4 years there’s a change of generations going to the club. I think three years ago was a massive change, though. Young kids with a lot of energy, dressing up crazy, going to the club to see the DJ they know and to party harder than ever. Of course, that has something to do with the music and because rock music or indie music fans got into electronic as well as hip hop kids, who enjoy a phat 4/4 beat. Before that you definitely wouldn’t have seen a rock music fan in a techno club giving the DJ a lot of attention. Though, for me it was always clear that techno music is a way of punk too. In a way, I think I have contributed to that, because when I started my Boys Noize sound there was literally no one else who was playing that kind of stuff in a club. I was always the outsider and I felt very good being that. I remember playing shows with Justice and we felt like the riots; like something like us against the world, you know?
Going back to all those years, how was it like to be so young in a world so new?
It felt so great. I was a big vinyl addict spending all my money for them and because the information wasn’t everywhere (as today), I was going to the record shop almost everyday to see what new records come out. Everything seemed new to me because I didn’t know the old house, acid, techno, electro records, but so i discovered a lot. I was doing mixtapes at home, have had regular nights as a warm-up DJ for a couple of bucks. It was a real DJ culture. Also, at the time the warm-up DJ had a certain function: yes, to warm up, generate a good atmosphere, make the people dance without playing the hits and stuff. Because I was 16 years old at that time, everyone was telling what to do and what not.
Finally, what does New Berlin represent to you?
My friends, my studio and the place where I sleep in my own bed.
