With so many DJs and producers trying to break onto the global electronic music stage, you know someone has talent when they find success without really trying.
Half-British, half-Turkish artist Aleksandir is one of the rare few who managed to make a career out of music by accident.
In 2018, a track called Yamaha—that he had already been playing for his friends for a couple of years—got picked up by major music selectors, including Dixon, Tycho, and Kiasmos.
ByeByeDisco and Dada are teaming up to bring Aleksandir back to Beijing on January 24.
We caught up with him before the show to chat about his experiences as a cross-cultural musician and what he’s looking forward to about being back in the Middle Kingdom.
After your trip east last year, you made a mix that you said was “inspired and fueled by memories of my Asia tour, especially the good moments I had in Beijing”—what experiences were you referring to?
The most memorable part of the trip was definitely the people I met and the friends I made—as is the case with most touring.
Pei and Chao at ByeByeDisco—and so many other people I met—took such good care of me and made Beijing feel instantly welcoming.
The energy on the dancefloor was incredibly positive and intimate, and from the moment I arrived to the moment I left, I felt at home.
Beyond that, seeing the Forbidden City, climbing the Great Wall, and experiencing the incredible culture, cuisine, and art in Beijing was unforgettable.
How did you first get involved in making music, and what would you say was the greatest challenge you faced in making a career out of it?
I’ve been making music my entire life.
It started as a hobby—I learned piano as a kid, then played the drums in bands during high school.
I never really felt a huge challenge turning it into a career, because I never planned for it to become one.
I was making music for myself, and as people started listening, it slowly evolved into a job.
The bigger challenge has been the last few years: sustaining the creative drive and lightness it once had while pursuing it as a career.
Music doesn’t feel like a hobby in the same way anymore, and that can make inspiration and joy harder to access than they were when I was younger.
I can still find it, but it now takes a different approach, as well as more intention and work ethic, to create the right conditions for it.
How do the differing music cultures of Britain and Turkey intersect in your work?
Growing up in Istanbul, electronic music wasn’t a huge part of my life.
There were a few artists I was deeply into, but it was still a fairly niche world to me.
Moving to the UK for university became a big shift in my influences, and it’s ultimately what shaped the music I’ve made since.
I’ve moved back to Turkey at different points in my life, and reconnecting with the scene there helped me build a bridge between what I discovered in the UK and my roots.
But honestly, I don’t see it as two separate cultures.
There’s something very primitive and universal about nightlife and underground music—those same instincts exist everywhere.
Growing up around multiple languages and cultures, and living in different places, it’s always been important to avoid viewing art through national clichés.
If anything, the core of my music is that it aims to feel universal—beyond the place where it was created.
What made you move to Madrid from London? How would you compare the electronic music scenes in these two cities?
Madrid has some spectacular promoters and crews doing amazing things, and I’ve been lucky to play here quite a bit since moving.
I’ve also made friends running great parties—shout out to my good friends Miqui Brightside, Blasé, Gazzi, and La Luz!
That said, it almost feels unfair to compare Madrid to London.
My heart will always beat for London’s nightlife—the amount of music coming out of the city, and the clubs that continue to operate at that level, is extraordinary.
I don’t miss living in London much, but I definitely miss the nightlife.
I think there are two ways to exist in a scene: being fully immersed in it, surrounded by people doing the same thing, and stepping slightly outside of it, giving yourself space to live and create at your own pace.
At different moments, I’ve craved both.
Right now, I’m really happy in Madrid, where I feel a bit more removed from the intensity of the scene than I was in London.
What do you think makes your music stand out, and what would you say is your seminal track?
I think what makes my music feel like mine is the emotion I try to communicate through it.
I’ve always wanted it to be an honest vessel for my inner world—to tell a story that feels layered and human.
The music I connect with most often holds subtle, seemingly contradictory emotions at the same time, and that’s what I’ve always aimed for.
‘I Used to Dream’ is probably my favorite track I’ve made, and I think it resonated with people for that reason.
It feels nostalgic and bittersweet, but also hopeful and romantic.
WIN!
Two lucky That’s Beijing readers can win tickets to the show!
For your chance to win, share this article on your WeChat moments, and send us a screenshot of it to our WeChat account (ID: ThatsBeijing), along with your WeChat ID and phone number—so we can notify you if you’ve won.
The winners will be selected and contacted by Friday, January 23.
Jan 24, 10pm
RMB90
Dada Beijing, B1 Ritan International Trade Center Block A, No.17 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang
[Cover image via Xceed, all other images courtesy of Aleksandir]
