A conversation with Serbian electro producer Alavux, of E75 Records

I started off my series of conversations with electro producers, DJs and artists with DVS NME from the Dark Science Electro Show. With this second drop, I travel virtually to Serbia to speak with Goran Alavuk (aka Alavux) who's music I first came across for the May 2009 electro showcase for the Vocode Project. His track 'Pustinja' really struck me as a new type of sound for electro, a nice cross between the sounds of acid, electro, techno and even a touch of psy trance elements in that particular track. I was excited to hear what he had to say about his music and movement, with that intro, let's get to it!

Greetings from the mile high city. Tell the bassheads out there a little bit about yourself

Hello , my name is Goran Alavuk , but people know me better as Alavux. The music that I produce is electro, but not strictly that or that particular sub-genre. I dropped into the electro scene in 2003, when I was involved with 'G+Shame', Belgrade’s electro duo. As the first real electro duo in Serbia ever , we also were focused on techno/acid or better to say the underground sounds. Since I’ve always been attracted by synths and unusual sounds , techno then electro fit very well into my philosophy of expressing emotions , ideas, visions and thoughts.

How did you get involved in making music?

I dropped into producing in 1997 , hanging at a friend's house. He had just bought the Roland XP50; I also discovered Fast Tracker 2 and start to sample everything that I could , then got hooked into ReBirth 1.5 and finally in 1999 I bought my first piece of gear which is still the heart of everything, a Roland MC-505. Together with 4 friends we formed E75 records with aspirations to promote our electro sound and to offer something different.

Electro music and culture seems to really inspire folks and they rally around the sound. What's your first contact with electro?

Well , in 1999, some earlier crews here in Serbia got a TV show going and they broadcast the legendary video mix from Dave Clarke "Electroboogie 1”, the famous XMIX 7 and that was it.

I think that Dave Clarke did more to start the second wave of electro than people give him credit for, I still jam those records today! Speaking of current times, what do you think about the over all state of the electro scene and where it's going?

It's funny, because while we must admit the scene appears to be getting smaller and smaller in Europe, I'm very optimistic about the scene and electro culture over all , there's a lot of cooperation among crews and artists, and crazy compilations , new labels launching , and that’s a really healthy look for the scene.

It's interesting that you say that, because I wrote about this sense of things coming together in a recent drop, I definitely feel a more intense energy coming from the electro scene currently. Now when I first started doing the Vocode Project back in 1999 alongside my partner-in-crime Lex, the majority of records were coming from Germany, Detroit and Florida. Since those times, I've noticed a huge influx of artists from Eastern Europe. Can you speak a little bit about the scene from that perspective, as well as what it's like specifically in Serbia?

Maybe there is a sense of mysticism in Eastern Europeans , maybe it is curiosity ,  perhaps we are a little bit melancholic , lot of maybes...... maybe is the key in our mentality since we always like “harder” stuff/vivid kind of music . This area has always been impacted by (historical) wars, so people needs to steam out their negative energy :D, and art is the best way for that. Maybe we are close to that Detroit feeling of music in techno or electro or some other dance electronic music.

Who are your five favorite electro artists or producers?

There’s too many too list. A lot of them I know personally and we have performed together, so it’s not fair to exclude someone , but a major influence for me to start electro was from all the artists who are included in the Dave Clarke xmix 7 and of course Kraftwerk. I’ve always been influenced by them as a listener, and then as a artist , they are always in my subconsciousness.

Any newcomer's you'd like to shout out for other folks to look out for? Either a new artist or label that's caught your attention?

Uh , that's a really tough question , I’d like to skip this question. I suggest to all fans of electro music to listen and observe at www.electroempire.com. This forum/site is a really good resource about electro in Europe. I also suggest to check your favorite digital/12” store for new releases from new artists/labels, that’s all good music. And there's a lot of good stuff happening in Greece , Poland , former Soviet countries ,Croatia and of course Serbia but as I wrote it’s all about tastes.

Where can we find you on the web? 

Finally I have a decent website thanks to nice fellow Krcky from nish. There you can inform about my radio show , where I promote and play fresh electro/breakbeat music and of course my work and dj/live act gigs. I also have presence on myspace, as well as facebook group and fan pages.

Finally, what's the latest and greatest project you're currently working on and would like for heads to check out?

Uh there are too many :]

I'm most excited about 'Advanced Electro Funk Vol.1' from Binalog Productions in Greece

Alavux – Repetitor EP [E75 Records] is coming very soon

I've got remixes for Synthalien , Blurix , MagikBitum, Tellefunk , a few techno Serbian artists, a
sequel for the Lost Warehouse release , previously released on Twilight76. Also together with E.B.A.M. (Electronic Beats Advanced Music), I'm working on a down-tempo crossover/experimental electro project. Our first single “Nu Minimal Crackhead” is available as free download here

You sound busy! Thanks for taking the time to chat, looking forward to hearing more of your music and grooves mate, peace.  

Related: Conversation with DVS NME; Conversation with Drumatix Six

My blogs City of Bass [Dispatches from Vocode Project] · Template New post Overview Posts Pages Comments Google+ Stats Earnings Campaigns Layout Template Settings