Features » My Studio » Alinka – “Sorry For Not Trending”

Alinka – “Sorry For Not Trending”

Berlin based Alinka shows us her playful but well-stocked studio.

Earlier this year, Alinka’s latest release on Rekids was included in Bandcamp’s best electronic round-up. Lists – you either love them or hate them – but it’s an impressive feat.

To date, Alinka has released over 100 tracks on labels including Rekids, Ellum, Pets Recordings, Permanent Vacation and her own Twirl Recordings, the label she runs with best friend Shaun J. Wright, former Hercules & Love Affair vocalist.

Like many of us, she started producing on a cracked version of Reason 20 years ago, before eventually settling with Logic. It’s a path well trodden.

And also like many of us, she didn’t like anything she made for the 10 years. So if you’re reading this, don’t give up. It’s common to feel this way.

Persistence can pay off, as her latest release “Sorry For Not Trending” shows. We asked her to show us around her Berlin studio.

Hello Attack

Hello Attack. I’m Alinka, and welcome to my Berlin studio.

I’ve kept my studio at home all these years because I’ve been fortunate enough not to have any noise complaints and just prefer working from home since I can sit down and write instantly whenever I’m feeling inspired.

Until 2019, I’ve always had a second job, so I made music after work and whenever I had any free time. Because of this, my priority was to have gear that let me get my ideas out easiest and fastest.

There’s been a lot of gear shuffling throughout the years, but I’m very comfortable and happy with the current setup.

Core Set Up

My core set-up is a Mac mini and Macbook Pro with Logic Pro, a Solid State Drive SSL 2+ Audio Interface, Native Instruments Maschine and a Komplete Control S49 midi keyboard.

I program all my drums using Maschine and Logic’s Drum Machine Designer. I’ve been travelling more the last few years, so a lot of my ideas start out on my laptop using plugins, and then I finish them when I get home to my studio and add the hardware bits.

I’m a big fan of Arturia and use their V-Collection and FX plugins on most of my tracks, along with Alchemy in Logic Pro. I also use Native Instruments TRK-01 a lot for kicks and trippy basslines. My monitors are Yamaha HS-8’s, they aren’t fancy, but they do the job.

Korg Prologue

My favorite synth in my collection is my Korg Prologue. It’s super versatile and always sounds amazing no matter what sound you’re looking for. I mostly use it for leads and pads, but I’ve also used it for layering basslines and making fills and trippy FX sounds.

You can hear it on lots of my tracks, like the lead and pad throughout my track “Sunday Morning”, the bassline in my track with Robert Owens “Midnight Ride”, and the disco lead that comes in at two minutes in my remix for The Juan Maclean’s “I Can’t Explain.”

Korg Poly-800

I’m a child of the 80’s and the Korg Poly-800 synth is a great affordable synth for that vintage sound. I’ve used it mostly for pads and leads. You can hear it as the pad throughout my track “Better Days” on Rekids.

Moog Sub-87

My Moog Sub-37 is my go-to synth for basslines. It’s just a beast and sounds really powerful.

You can hear the arpeggiated basslines and bleepy leads on my tracks “Control Transmission” and “Day Zero” on Crosstown Rebels. I’ve used it on almost all my tracks for the basslines since I picked it up. I’ve always wanted to own a Moog and this one never disappoints.

Arturia MicroFreak

My friend got me the little Arturia Microfreak synth for my birthday a few years ago. It packs a lot of cool sounds for a little synth. The robot vocal in my track “Numbers” on Rekids came from the Microfreak. It always surprises me and is really fun to play with.

Behringer TD-3

The Behringer TD-3 is a fun 303 clone. I like to create patterns with the TD-3 and export the midi to layer it with other sounds from my plugins.

IKEA for the win

Like many music nerds, I hacked Ikea furniture to make myself the perfect DJ table.

I wanted it to feel really comfortable since I record all my mixes live at home and still like to play for fun all the time. I’ve got a pair of Technics 1200’s, an Allen & Heath Xone 92, and Pioneer CDJ 3000’s and a pair of Adam T5V monitors.

Most of my records are still in America, unfortunately, but I’ve started a little collection here in Berlin just to play at home for fun.

Random Bits

The room is playful and colorful, like my music. It’s full of kidrobot toys and trinkets I’ve collected worldwide, and lots of pop art for inspiration.

My favorite toy of the bunch is my Acid bear, it was a gift from my old DJ mentor Justin Long and came with me when I moved from Chicago.