“As a producer and a DJ, I try to find the good in every song, but as I also run four labels I get some SHIT demos.” K’Alexi talks us through his favourites (and not so favourites).
What’s the first record you ever bought?
Man Parrish – ‘Hip Hop Be Bop’. The first time I heard electronic music was being at a friend’s house and his big brother played us the Man Parrish song and others.
Your favourite ever record?
This is such a hard question, but off the top of my head, I’d say in terms of a vocal track ‘Distant Planet’ by Fingers Inc.
For an instrumental, ‘Night of the Jaguar’ By DJ Rolando.
With vocals it is so hard because I also love, then and now, ‘Gabriel’ – Roy Davis Jr.
The guaranteed floor-filler?
This is another hard one because it really depends on where I’m playing, so for the club I’d say ‘Strings Of Life’ – Derrick May, but for a festival crowd, ‘Acid Tracks’ by DJ Pierre/Phuture.
The last track of the night?
Another hard one. For the club, The Rolling Stones – ‘Miss You’.
For a festival, it’s a tossup between Joe Smooth‘s ‘Promised Land’ or Frankie Knuckles‘ ‘The Whistle Song’.
The best chillout record?
Herb Alpert – Rotation.
The record everyone loves but you hate?
Hate is a strong word and it’s only because it was played to death but Cardi B – ‘Bodak Yellow’.
The best record for a family party?
Easy! McFadden & Whitehead – ‘Ain’t No Stopping Us Now’.
The soundtrack to a lazy Sunday afternoon?
The style would be classic old R&B and jazz. Some Miles Davis, like Tutu.
The worst record you’ve ever heard?
Well as a producer and a DJ, I try to find the good in every song and every bit of music, but as I also run three or four labels I get some just SHIT demos.
The record you’re proudest of?
‘Essence Of A Dream’ because when it was done it gave birth to that poetic style. We took a long time in the studio and the music was so good that everybody thought it was going to be instrumental and started packing up like that was it for the day. I told them “STOP” because I have to lay the lyrics down, but the engineer told me we had no time and that I could only do it if I got it right in one take.
I looked him in the face and said: “Put the mic on.” When I finished I asked: “How was it?” The whole room was just standing there with their mouths open! Plus another fact, like 90% of my music – especially back then – it seemed to be about women. Even now I find myself looking for my next muse…
The future classic?
A banger I’m working on called ‘LSD’. I’d love to have a Martinez Brothers remix on it, and a vocal project by me and 3Way, so keep an eye out??
K’Alexi Shelby’s So Chicago EP is out July 13th via Seth Troxler’s Play It Say It. Find him on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud.