Alix Alvarez

SOLE Channel, Swank

2007.05.25 ::: Words by Andrew Reid

As a respected talent from NYC, Alix Alvarez is blazing a trail for young and exciting producers. He has begun to create his own niche in the music industry by establishing himself through music production. Today at the age of 25 he has worked with some of the industry’s top artists and produced stunning musical gems for some of the world’s best underground dance labels. From working in the studio with Osunlade on remix projects to collaborating on new material with Lem Springsteen (Mood II Swing), this self taught musician has already made his own imprint in the world of underground dance music.

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, Alix grew up around a mixture of music. Hip-hop, R&B and salsa were a daily consumption of Alix’s musical diet. That appetite grew further when Alix was introduced to the turntables at the age of 12. He quickly abandoned sports and other activities so he could spend time blending and cutting up records, though he wouldn’t realize the full effect of DJing until being exposed to the club scene in his later teens. One party in particular was The Shelter at Club Vinyl where Timmy Regisford held court every Saturday night. This was Alix’s first taste of underground nightlife. The Shelter as well as other underground institutions played a vital role in shaping Alix‘s sound. Inspired by both the music and the DJ’s he began to promote himself by selling his mixed tapes on the streets. His determination to make a name for himself as a DJ was the first step in Alix‘s musical evolution. The next step would be to create the music he loved.

Alix began school at the Institute of Audio Research in Manhattan to study audio engineering where he graduated as one of the top students in his class. It wasn’t long before his hard work in school paid off. His interest in learning about the recoding studio eventually led him to an assistant engineer position at MAW studios owned by “Little” Louie Vega and Kenny “Dope” Gonzales (Masters at Work). It was his experience and training at MAW that helped him develop studio engineering skills as he was already beginning to produce and write his own deep house gems.

To date, Alix has produced and remixed records for some of the worlds most respected deep house labels. The underground smash “Rising into Joy”, which he produced and co-wrote with veteran singer Arnold Jarvis, was released on Blackvinyl Records in spring of 2002. It received critical acclaim for it’s sensual vocals and smooth glistening production. This is just one example of many records that has Alix’s deep, sultry, jazz influenced production style written all over it. Along side “Rising into Joy” his other original production work also includes the “Nu Breed E.P.” (Essence) and the “Reflections E.P.”(Dancetracks). Some of his remix work includes Tortured Soul “How’s your life?” (Central Park), House Headz “The Anthem” (Ricanstruction Label), Luna “Alone” (Distant), Alma Horton"Gimmie that Music" (83 West), Santos "Love made for two" (Yoruba) and Mr.V "Jus' Dance"(KenLou Records). He continues to add to that list as his production skills get tighter with each new release.

While Alix puts his main focus on production, his skills are just as sharp when it comes to DJing. He has rocked crowds all over NYC including underground hot spots like Bang the Party and Club Cielo as well as rocking in other cities around the globe such as Tokyo, Paris, London, Istanbul and Toronto. Alix and his partner Dj Mr.V, another up and coming talent, established a popular underground dance party in NYC named Sole Channel. The duo decided to put the party on hold in the summer of 2004 to concentrate on developing another project of their own, SOLE Channel Music. Armed with fresh sounds, new ideas and exciting new collaborations from artists' such as Franck Roger, Siji and Arnold Jarvis, SOLE Channel is set to lead the way in innovative and forward thinking music in the underground dance scene.

While continuously cultivating his sound, Alix has established himself as a force to be reckoned with now and in the near future. Maintaining longevity and credibility through his music are vital to his success. "My main focus is to keep making music that stands the test of time"says Alix. With so much accomplished we still have so much more to look forward to. Just imagine the possibilities?!

Nocturnal: How did you first come in contact with house music? Was there a pinnacle moment that made you realize you HAD to do this for a career?
Alix: I came in touch with the music through my family. My cousin and sister were heavily involved in the music. My sis was going clubbing in the NYC/NJ area and used to bring home records she was dancing to in the clubs. I think I realized I wanted to do this from the age of 13. I was buying DJ Times mag here in the States and just read up on DJs from around the world and thought that I could be there one day.

Nocturnal: What message do you try to provide with your music? How would you describe your sound?
Alix: I dont know if I try. It's more like I just do it. I might have an idea before I step in the studio or I might not. I just go with the feeling sometimes. If I would describe my sound it's more street than anything. Perfect example of that is Mr.V's "Da Bump" which I produced. That captures a bit of what I do.

Nocturnal: As a formally trained audio engineer, you landed a job with legends Kenny Dope and Louie Vega @ MAW as a studio engineer. How did that experience impact your career? What was it like working with two of the biggest legends in house music?
Alix: It was a dream come true. How much of a better foot in the door can you get than that? It was so exciting for me. They're great producers on their own and together they make magic. So witnessing it first hand was special. First time I stepped in that studio and listened to something new they were working on I got goosebumps.

Nocturnal: Your latest mix CD, VIP02, on Swank is a wealth of wonderful lush and deep house music. What did you try to convey with this mix? What gems should we look for on the mix?
Alix: I tried to showcase the best of what SOLE Channel represents. We are so diverse. Unfortunately there's alot of material that didn't make it on there cause of the vibe I was going for with the mix. I wanted to also keep the listener interested in the mix instead of just putting the songs together. I wanted it to flow correctly. There's so many jams on there that I know people request when I play out. So i decided to put them on the CD. Songs like Mr.V "Something Wit Jazz" and couple of songs I did like "What is Dub", "Boom Bip", and "Take good care of Me" featuring Arnold Jarvis. Along with other hot jams that Mr.V produced. It's a nice package of what SOLE Channel does.

Nocturnal: What singles and/or remixes should we be expecting from you in the near future?
Alix: I have a whole bunch of stuff coming... both remixes and albums. At the moment I'm working on my solo project as well as another project with Mr.V. Just expect even better stuff than what you've been hearing. That's my focus right now. To get better with each release.

Nocturnal: What are your production weapons of choice? Mac/PC, software/hardware?
Alix: I love my MPC 2000. Looking forward to getting the 500 now. It's a beast. Motif 6 has some great sounds. Can't live with out my Mac either. Need those. Those are my basic tools for creating. Of course I have some other weapons in stock but we can save than for another interview ;)

Nocturnal: In your opinion what other producers out there are really pushing boundaries or making a big impact on our scene?
Alix: For me it's consistancy. Two guys I look up to in our scene are Dennis Ferrer and Osunlade. They've been killing it for a minute now. Props well deserved for them. Not excuding any one else right now... but those are just 2 that come to mind.

Nocturnal: You're also behind the Sole Channel label. What's forthcoming?
Alix: Just picked up some nice material from Martino and Lem Springsteen (Mood II Swing) also projects such as Miss Patty's album and some new material from V and myself.

Nocturnal: Not only is Sole Channel a label, but you're also producing a radio show, Soul Channel Cafe. How has the show been going? What should we expect when we tune in? Where can we find it?
Alix: SOLE Channel cafe is doing extremely well right now. I'm consistantly getting emails about the show so it shows people are paying attention and tuning in for sure. It's only available in the States right now on XM Satellite radio every Thursday night from 9pm-11pm ET but I think you can get it on AOL as well.

Nocturnal: As the digital revolution continues to grow, how do you see it impacting our industry going forward?
Alix: Well like all things with technology when something new comes along and makes changes in the industry you have to adjust. Considering vinyl sales are down I think the industry is doing a good job at thinking of ways to boost digital sales. So we aren't where we were with vinyl a couple of years back but we are progressively getting to somewhere where we can still make a living creating music.

Nocturnal: As have most, you're hooked up on MySpace. How have you utilized that community to further your reach? Have you stumbled across any old faces you had lost touch with?
Alix: Myspace is bugged out. I put a couple of people onto myspace that we're reluctant at first but after a while they realize its a great tool for promotion. Granted there's alot of BS that goes on there. Some silly stuff sometimes but overall its a tool to promote and stay connected with people in the scene worldwide. Some business gets done on there even. Not a whole lot but enough to where the people who want to reach out to you are able too. I was even getting in touch with people from junior high school. Now that's crazy.

Nocturnal: Lastly here are some quick shots:
Nocturnal: CD, Vinyl, or MP3?
Alix: All of the above.
Nocturnal: What's more likely... vinyl making a comeback or a non-trance DJ being rated #1 in the DJ Mag poll?
Alix: I'd say vinyl making a comback ;) Just cause I'd like to see that lol.
Nocturnal: Favourite travel destination for vacation?
Alix: Any beach anytime (provided the wether is good).
Nocturnal: Favourite travel destination for performing?
Alix: Japan is always special.
Nocturnal: Favourite venue in the world?
Alix: Can't pick just one... played some amazing parties around the world. One of my favorites recently was the Fish Go Deep party in Cork, Irelend. Great crowd and great music. Simply amazing!
Nocturnal: Most indispensable item you travel with?
Alix: Q-tips. I likes my ears clean ;)
Nocturnal: If you weren't a DJ, you'd be a...
Alix: Model for mens hand products. Either that or a back up dancer for the Pussy Cat Dolls. Tough to pick :P

::: Related Links

::: www.myspace.com/alixalvarez

::: www.solechannel.com

::: www.swankrecordings.com