German producer and DJ Alex Ridha is more commonly known under the guise of Boys Noize. Over the past few years he has firmly established himself as one of the major players in dance music. With two albums – 2007’s ‘Oi Oi Oi’ and last year’s ‘Power’ – completed and a string of remixes for the likes of Justice, Depeche Mode and N*E*R*D*, Ridha has built a wealthy output since 2004. Recently Ridha has been getting heads together with influential UK DJ Erol Alkan, releasing two double A-side singles ‘Waves/Death Suite’ and ‘Lemonade/Avalanche’.
As well as playing DJ sets around the world, Ridha also runs Boys Noize Records – home to the likes of D.I.M., Housemeister and Siriusmo. The label has recently announced it will be starting a sub label – BNR Tracks – as an outlet for digital only releases, ensuring Boys Noize will be responsible for pushing some if the freshest tracks around.
We managed to grab a few minutes out of his hectic schedule to discuss the new sub-label, his plans for a new album and if he’ll continue to collaborate with Alkan.
After the success of their previous collaborative single, Erol Alkan &Boys Noize return with their latest double A-side ‘Avalanche’ & ‘Lemonade’. As to be expected with these two acts, the record aims at those who like their dance music hard and fast; clearly delivered with the dancefloor firmly in mind.
‘Avalanche’ is the calmer of the two, but that doesn’t mean it’s a mellow listen. Opening with an eerie sampled line “To begin at the beginning”, it starts with a creeping, deep pulsating beat but soon builds up with the help of some brutal keyboard riffs.
On the other side, ‘Lemonade’ is a full on aural assault that promises to deliver the killer blow when played in either of the pair’s – already frantic – dj sets. Based upon a twisted synth line that combines perfectly with an uncompromising beat, the track will no doubt be unleashed by many over the summer.
Both tracks are currently available through Beatport and vinyl purists can get their hands on the 12″ – released through Alkan’s Phantasy imprint – next week.
While 2009 has been fairly quiet for Late Of The Pier, 2010 looks set to bring good things for fans of the Castle Donington four-piece. The band have been locked in the studio with producer Erol Alkan, the man who helped craft their astounding debut album, and the first fruit of their labour comes in the form of the audacious new single, ‘Blueberry’. The track is available now as a download through Alkan’s Phantasy label and will also be released on 12-inch vinyl in February – along with another new track, ‘Best In The Class’. ‘Blueberry’ is a slice of radio friendly cosmicness that again shows the bands penchant for fusing weird and wonderful sounds with their natural pop sensibility.
‘Blueberry’ is available to download through iTunes and Beatport now.
Fan Death cropped up on our radar at the start of the year after their delectable Erol Alkan produced single, ‘Veronicas Veil’, started appearing in the CD wallets of some of Europe’s most discerning DJ’s. Since then, despite some promising live shows, we’ve heard very little from the band in the way of new music. Thankfully that’s all about to change with the releases of a new EP coming soon on Pharmacy Recordings.
The lead single from the EP is set to be ‘Reunited’, a stirring electro pop number which has equal shades of Italo pop, Pet Shop Boys style voiced synthesizers and Yazoo-esque vocals. It may be yet another repackaging of the 80’s synth pop that La Roux and co. have been peddling but when it’s done this well it’s far from unwelcome.
The video for ‘Reunited’ is also a bit special. Resembling something of a hallucinogenic drug trip through the British countryside, the video features a mind melting array of freaky characters – including an unconvincing Prince impersonator, a random long haired kilt wearer and a group of sexually ambiguous characters that look as though they’ve escaped from the most ill conceived fancy dress party imaginable.
You can check out the video above and download the track for free here.
‘Waves/Death Suite’ is the much anticipated collaboration between Erol Alkan and Boys Noize. For two artists firmly in their scene’s elite it seems only natural a collaboration would work so well. ‘Waves’ opens with a dark disco loop that gives way to a sinister melody. The tracks key is that it keeps building whilst never becoming stale, switching between melodies with a rhythmic breakdown of almost tribal proportions. While the flip side, ‘Death Suite’, is far more frantic affair. A heavy acid drenched track that will either frighten the life out of you or inspire deranged movements.
As their output shows, this pair’s production skills cannot be questioned. While we have seen an artist album already from Boys Noize, 2007’s ‘Oi Oi Oi’, does this track mean that we may yet see an album from Erol Alkan? Let’s hope so.
‘Waves/Death Suite’ is out now on Boys Noize records and is available on Beatport.
The latest release on Erol Alkan’s Phantasy Label is collaboration between the increasingly prolific producer/DJ Riton and rising star Primary 1. After releasing the krautrock inspired Eine Kleine Nacht Musik, it seems Riton has a sights now firmly set on the dancefloor. The track has been described as “the finest paranoid classic since Geto Boys ‘My Minds Playing Tricks On Me”; which sums it up perfectly. Riton’s irresistibly filthy production couples perfectly with Primary One’ sketchy tales of fear.
The video was directed by James Connolly, also known as emerging producer L-Vis 1990. Whose raucous sets at Night Slugs are fast becoming the toast of the underground club scene in East London. The track is now available on iTunes
