Dimitri: Can you mention your biggest achievements in your music career in 2015?
Alex: The biggest achievement in 2015 is definitely 'Blizzard' - the collab with my friend Reiklavik, which was released in one of my favourite label - Slideways Music. Getting an amazing remix from one of the hottest guys in the industry - Solid Stone is another dream which was reached. 2015 was marked by 'Blizzard'.
Dimitri: Do you like to cook? What is the best recipe that you cooked this year? If you don’t usually cook who is cooking it for you and which is your best food for 2015?
Alex: Hah, I'm really good at cooking to be honest. I really like trying new tastes, using recipes from my girlfriend. It's like pushing your boundries every time, especially if you are a man, because we are not practising it too much!
Best of 2015 by Alex Rusin
1) Best Track:
So many amazing tracks this year so it's really hard to choose, but one of them really stands out for me. Tim Penner feat. Amber Long - Everything to Everyone - loved it from the first listening. The tension, the story behind it, the darkness, the voice by Amber. Everything makes it so memorable.
2) Best Artist (Dj & producer):
Tim Penner , Sorry again, but Tim won this year in my opinion
3) Best Remix:
Max Graham - Airtight (Tim Penner Remix) - how to remix a classic and make it even better? Work as hard as Tim did and you can see the result. So many changes in that track, but the pace is so consistent and you feel like driving on highway at night, speeding and watching the lights.
4) Best Remixer:
Martin Roth - he did few remixes, but I love his works. So atmospheric and deep.
5) Best New Talent (Dj or producer):
Thomas Vink
6) Best Electronic Music Album:
Hard to choose, but Kolsch - 1983 or Guy J - The Trees, the Sea & the Sun with amazing Forever & Ever piece which always takes me to the city of Lyon, where I spent the most magical time of 2015. So the choice is Guy J, sorry Kolsch! :)
7) Best Electronic Music Compilation:
Anjunadeep 07 - so many awesome tunes, if you haven't heard it yet, please buy it and just listen!
8) Best artwork/cover of an Album or Compilation:
WSTLNDR - Atmostopia
9) Best Lyrics in an Electronic Music track
Whilk & Misky - Clap Your Hands(Solomun Remix) / Kölsch feat. Tomas Høffding – Bloodline
10) Best Vocalist/Singer featured on Electronic Music track:
Lucy Iris from 16 Bit Lolitas tracks. I love hear voice so much, so delicate and romantic.
11) Best Electronic Music Label:
Anjunadeep
12) Best Electronic Music Video:
WSTLNDR - NYC - so sexy!
13) Best Online Social media for communication with your fans:
twitter.com
14) Best music composition software:
Ableton Live
15) Best Dj set of the year from other fellow Dj:
Tim Penner or Solid Stone set from Cycles 200. Both are amazing.
16) Best Radio show:
Cycles Radio - Max is delivering amazing episodes after changing his direction to more techy/housy and the show is always inspirational for me. But I want to tell also about Slideways Music by Tim Penner, because I found his speeches at the beginning of the shows really helpful. And followed by amazing music every episode is worth listening.
17) Best Radio station:
Di.fm
18) Best Online Record shop that you purchase your music:
beatport.com
19) Best tip that you learnt this year for your Djing techniques or music composition:
I've learned some tips from Tim Penner and it's about knowing how to destroy the sound to make it sound even better and interesting in the track. Thank you man.
20) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career in 2015:
Work hard, never give up and work on your sound to make it more professional and interesting. Stand out and remember that every artists has worse and better times. You're not alone in that.
21) Best hobby or activity that you spent a lot of time in 2015:
Honestly, making music. It's my hobby and passion and I love every second(believe me, there were a lot of seconds in 2015) of working on my stuff!
22) Best holiday destination for 2015 that you manage to visit this year either to relax or to perform in a club or festival:
I visited Albania this year and the time was magical. Mountains surrounded by the sea is something worth driving 2000km!
23) Best Movie of the year that may inspire you to compose a track:
Lost River - a direction debut by Ryan Gosling. The movie has 'that' dark vibe, haunting and mysterious feeling which led me to create a track with same groove. It's not released yet, but who knows what will happen in 2016? :)
Dimitri: Finally, 2016 is ahead of us would you like to tell your plans with your future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, Dj gigs.
Alex: As 2015 was a huge year for me in terms of change, I'm trying to get accustomed to high load of work, running between university and office and what is the most important, find time for my woman and for the passion. I'm working on some EPs for the beginning of 2016 with amazing Guy J prog house vibe which includes track about Lyon and all my memories from there and another summery EP with the tracks inspired by my woman, Anna. Also I started working on secret project, which maybe will be unveiled in the late 2016. Another collab with Reiklavik is going to happen also, and we'll be working with Andromedha to release a little bit Prydish/Olander/Rusin/Andromedha feeling EP. I'm also trying to create a new series of events in Cracow which will be all about progressive/techno.
I feel really motivated and want to use the beginning of the New Year to recreate my sound, change samples and make my tunes sound better.
Be sure to follow me on social pages, because I a lot will happen in the near future!
Thanks to Alex Rusin for finding the time to reply in this interview
Thanks to Basil O’Glue for organising this interview
Additional info:
www.alexrusin.com (under works)
