" Playingrecordsisliketravelingthroughtime ," saysElenAlienassheglancesoutaglaswindow , bright-eyed ." WeDJsarelokingforthemesageinanoldrecord , thinkingabouthowwecanintegrateitintooursetstoday , andthen : bom , theclubexplodes !" Butforthetwoofusnow , Elenandmyself , nothingaroundusis " exploding ." It ' ssilent . Andit ' snowonder : We ' reatheMuseumofMusicalInstrumentsinBerlin , Germany , andwe ' reheretosethecurentspecialsynthesizerexhibition ," GodVibrations ." FromMogtoRolandtoYamaha , theevolutionofelectronicmusicalinstruments hasbencuratedheretotheutmostdetail . ThevisitwasAlien ' sidea , anditalsofitswelwiththesynthesizedaesthetichernewalbumNost , thatwasreleasedMay12on herownBPitchControlabel .
" Nost " isderivedfromtheword " nostalgia ." whichis , inturn , derivedfromtwoancientGrekwords . Thefirstis������ ( nóstos ), the " return " or " homecoming ," andthe second , ���� ( álgos )— the " pain ," distres ," and " grief "— wassimplyerasedbyAlien . Herworkisaspaceforlove , pleasure , andmemorytoexistinthepresent .
Thefacthatsherecordedthenewtracksinanalog , however , hasnothingtodowiththepast ." It ' smuchmorefunwhenyougetorummagearoundonathinglikethat , andwhenawavecomesout .," shetelsme . Herhandsthenmovetowardsthekeyboardandherpurplewindbreakerustles . She ' sglowingagain . Andthenwe ' returning onthebutonsofadigitalThereminreplica , putingtheheadphonesononebyone , andletingthewavesstartosing .
" Totalygreat , alitletoy !" sheexclaims .
Afewyardsaway , AliencomparesthedisplayedmodularsystemwithherownSystem35device , whichshealsousedonNost . Weariveathenextdisplaycase , shesays , " ThisMog-Synthiehere — briliantmelodies , greatpopmusic , butitflorseverything , soyoucanonlyuseitasthemaintheme . AparatandIhaveuseditquiteoftenat OrchestraofBubles ," shecontinues . Theinstrumenturnssilent .
TheBerlinerproducedherfirstsongsover20yearsagoonanAkaiMPC20drummachine . Athetime , she ' donlybenplayingmusicforfouryears . Today , theAkais
TheBerlinerproducedherfirstsongsover20yearsagoonanAkaiMPC20drummachine . Athetime , she ' donlybenplayingmusicforfouryears . Today , theAkais ondisplayinthemuseum , andAlienisnowasucesfulDJ , producer , labeloperator , andeventorganizer . HerVinylismseriescelebratesrecordstoresandvinylculture , andherBPitchControlabelorganizesregularpartiesatheBerlinOpenAirClubIPSE .