Alexander Aurel is one of the cutting edge new school producers hailing from Frankfurt. He has released on Anja Schneider’s Mobilee and Monika Kruse’s Terminal M label, among many. Alexander is about to drop his first collaborative single with Danny Serrano on Leena, his second personal release on the label which has so far received early support from John Digweed, Richie Hawtin, Monkia Kruse, Damian Lazarus, Nicole Moudaber, Nic Fanciulli, Claude Von Stroke and more.
Scheduled for Beatport Exclusive release on January 20th and full release on February 3rd, Collapse is a three-track EP containing a collab and a solo production each from Alexander and Danny. 6AM checked in with Alexander to find out more about his forthcoming work and more:
Can you tell us a little about how you were introduced to the world of DJing and music production?
When I was in school we were a group of friends doing music together. We teamed up as ‘Karatas House’ and produced experimental music from HipHop to Electronic. Besides that, I started to produce my own tracks using Propellerheads Reason 338. I’m sure there are still some recordings left from that time. It’s a good idea to talk to my old friends and have a look for them! Years later at university I studied architecture. I lived with a roommate that used to DJ. I was into electronic music since years and I wanted to play the tunes I fell in love with while dancing to in the clubs. Ali asked one of his friends to lend me some turntables and a few days later I started to learn mixing.
Crazy, this was more than a decade ago and music is now one of the most important things in my life!
What turned you on to producing House & Techno specifically? Have you experimented much with other genres?
With Karatas House we produced many tracks from Hip-Hop to Techno, but this was more about producing in a group than following other peoples ideas. I was always the part that had the biggest electronic influence in our group. Years later I started to produce solo. The basic to start with House and Techno was the interest in computers and technique, but the main part came out of my experiences in the clubs of Frankfurt.
You’re just about to release Collapse on Leena – your first joint collaboration with Danny Serrano, how did you find the production process working as a team instead of flying solo?
I’m usually not a big fan about producing together, because the most difficult part is to find somone that has the same feeling for music like yourself. With Danny it was quite uncomplicated. He send me an idea in Ableton and I finished the track, with arrangement, mixdown and mastering. The drums are 80% from Danny, while the bassline and melody 80% from me. I hope we manage to work together one day side by side in the studio.
How did the pairing come about, have you always been a fan of Danny’s?
I’ve known Danny’s music since years and I used to play a lot of his tracks in my sets, but I never met him personally. I got into personal contact with Danny because of a remix I did for his Transitions album on My Favourite Freaks Music in 2015. After he got the result he asked me about doing a collaboration together.
Tell us about Collapse EP and what to expect musically?
As we both stand for energetic, floor-orientated music, we deliver a great package with three peak-time tracks. ‘Collapse’ is from Danny and me, then two solo tracks – ‘Jupiter’ and ‘Twin Peaks’.
This is your second release after Pusher on Leena Music – part of the Mobilee family. You must feel quite proud to release on the same labels as giants including Solomun, Catz ‘n Dogz and H.O.S.H? How did your relationship with Anja Schneider begin?
Definitely. If someone would have told me this in the beginning of my career, I would not have believed it. I got in contact with Anja Schneider through the Mobilee Beatport-Remix-Contest. I remixed Anja’s track ‘Dubmission’ and she picked me to win the grand prize with a release on Mobilee in 2014!
You’ve also released a lot of tracks on Monika Kruse’s superb Terminal M label, how did you link up with her?
I met Monika because of Karotte. The moment he started with the ‘As You Like It’ events in Frankfurt, he asked me to be his resident DJ. This was definitely the turning point in my career! I met Monika Kruse the first time because Karotte invited her to play in August 2013. I had a nice chat with Monika backstage and after we’ve been back on stage to support Peter (Karotte), we started somehow playing a fantastic B2B together. I took the chance to show her 2 of my own unreleased tracks and a few weeks later I had my first Terminal M release!
Do you remember your first gig? Where was it and how did it go?
Yeah, I definetely remember – my first gig was a back-to-back with my roommate Ali in our university. On our 1st semester party and we were lucky to play on the second floor. I was more into Techno and he loved to play Disco-House. People freaked out, it was a crazy night and a lot ot fun – but it must have been a horrible mixture of our genres
What dream gig would you like to see yourself playing in 2017?
On the terrace of DC-10.
If you could play a back-to-back set with any DJ in the world, who would it be?
I like to play back-to-back with people that I know personally. And because I had a lot of fun playing with Monika Kruse, Karotte, Re.You or Gunnar Stiller in the past, I would love to do it again!
Who would you most like to make a remix for?
There is no one on my wishlist right now. But it would be interesting to remix artists that make a different sound, like James Blake and transform their sound into our floor orientated dance music.
Name 3 of your biggest musical influences.
The parties in hometown Frankfurt, my residencies and also some of the DJs playing before or after me.
Is Frankfurt a vibrant city musically, have you not felt the temptation to move to Berlin?
I love Berlin and it could be interesting to move to that city one day – but Frankfurt is my hometown, where my family and friends are. I’m happy to live here!
What do you prefer the most about your job: making productions or DJing to the crowd, and why?
Let‘s combine it – the best is to produce a track and get feedback on the next gig!
Which dance track holds the most precious memories for you?
Johannes Heil meets Danny Tenaglia ‘From Within (Music Is The Answer GTAA Edit)’. This is an edit I did after I heard my hometown buddy Gregor Tresher mixing the vocals live to Johannes Heils original track. I played my edit at the Thaibreak 2015 the first time – everyone freaked out to it and the track became also a Thaibreak hymn. And on top of that I met my girlfriend there. So this will ever be a very special track for me!
What are you currently working on?
A new release for Material, an EP on My Favourite Freaks and for sure more music from Danny and me. I’ve also started working on follow up tracks for 8Bit and Terminal M.
What are your interest’s outside of music?
Architecture, design and snowboarding .
The best things in life are… ?
Passion and Music!
Alexander Aurel & Danny Serrano ‘Collapse’ will be released on Beatport Exclusive January 20th / Full release February 3rd 2017 on Leena Records.
Connect with Alexander Aurel: Facebook | SoundCloud
