Alois – When The Heat Is On And The Vibe Is Right
Interview with Martin Schenker.
by O.D.M.
photography by Joan Seiler
The Swiss electro-pop quintet known as Alois recently released a record called Azul. It’s a collection of sweltering, moist tunes with something of a Balearic streak. It’s the type of music that sounds like it was recorded with deep-summer abandon in mind, which it probably was. And it definitely hit that sweet spot between analogue instrumentation and synths and drum-machines just right. The production is clubby and tight, but everything still swings nicely. If you’re in deep need of a sonic vacation of sorts, this record will take you there!
To find out more about the project we contacted vocalist Martin Schenker, see what he had to say below. Azul is available via Red Brick Chapel Records. Shoot over to Bandcamp if you want to get this one on a gorgeous slice of vinyl.
Your new material is very clubby, was this intended?
The idea for a dance-floor oriented record came from our experiences playing live, especially this energetic exchange with the audience. So with this one, we decided to create a record that will create this space for people so that they can let go and dance more at our gigs.
From afar, it seems like there is a lot happening in Switzerland, especially when it comes to electronica-based pop, what’s driving this new scene?
In recent years, everything started to feel more like a proper scene. There are way more collaborations happening between artists, more labels, too. Also, musician-led collectives like our label Red Brick Chapel changed the way that music is being released. Red Brick is literally run by musicians and for musicians! The roster is full of adventurous artists from all over Switzerland.
“We love to play long sets and improvise around our songs.”
What is the clubbing scene like?
Zurich definitely has a good scene! The programming at Zukunft covers everything from techno through house and more of what is considered left-field music. I think Matias Aguayo is going to play there real soon.
What can we expect at an Alois gig?
Energy! Lots of synths and bongos and groovy jams that you can dance to. We love to play long sets and improvise around our songs. Luzius, who plays keys with us, is a real synth wizard! He always surprises us with the type of gear that he brings to our shows. When the heat is on and the vibe is good, our shows turn into these never-ending jams. Recently, we recorded a live version of Light the Fire, you can find it easily on youtube. I think that this video accurately captures the spirit of how we perform our music live.
open.spotify.com/album/3UI32yCC55OrMSaF3tXJw7
aloisband.bandcamp.com/album/azul
www.alois.band
www.instagram.com/aloisband
www.facebook.com/aloismusic
