Traveling non-stop up and down Europe, Alessandro Kraus is a man, DJ and producer who is constantly on the road through the most refined clubs and events. Performing in England, Switzerland and Italy, he brings his personal “medicine” for every kind of trouble: Music. With a grandfather like Raffaele Paverani (renowned orchestral conductor between the 50’s and 60’s) and a strong passion for the fashion, ‘AK’ is definitely a interesting artist and person to deal with. Therefore, EDM Assassin is very glad to present you, Alessandro Kraus.
-Hello Alessandro, and welcome to EDM ASSASSIN!
Usually we prefer that music speaks for the artists, but today let’s kick off with some words. Can you introduce yourself for our friends in the US and all over the world? Who is Alessandro Kraus as person and as DJ/producer?
Ciao Ragazzi! I totally agree, the music should speak for it self, but sometimes words can help me explaining what are my plans and how the future will sound like.
I’m a 28 years old man who decided to make the word Music the solution for everything. I cannot live without music, even when I’m on “holiday” I have to do something: compose a melody, listen at tons of songs to get some inspirations, ideas…. Out of this you can understand that the Alessandro Kraus as person and the Alessandro Kraus Dj/Producer are strictly connect, probably symbiotic, one cannot exist without the other one. This passion came out of my grandfather who was an orchestra director. He taught me to make a living out from this passion.
-One thing that can tell a lot about an artist is his/her cultural heritage and its influences, which are you reference points concerning DJing and producing? Since you are in between the ‘classic’ and the new generations I suppose your idols aren’t only the ‘canonical’ ones like ‘Daft Punk, Justice, Frankie Knuckles’, can you focus on those who are currently still ‘on the road’?(didn’t mean to make you feel old man^^)
My references are several! It always depend from which genre I’m listening/producing. There are talented artists everywhere and everyday comes with a surprisingly new reference point. The classics are always good (Daft Punk,…) but what’s new is also interesting. To make a list it would be very long, but I think I can mention a couple: Tchami, Alesso, Skrillex (of course,who doesn’t talk about him?!?eheh), Eric Prydz, The Chainsmokers…
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-Seems clear that you’re are a fan of the ‘free download’ practice. I’m not surprised, but I’m very curious to know your motivations. In the last years I’ve heard tons of diverse replies to this question, most of which used to focus on the long and logo-rant labels’ timeline and about the narrowness of the gains from the direct sell of tracks nowadays. What prompted you to this kind of ‘ choice-of life’?
Well, I’ll be totally honest with you. The free download-choice came out from the fact that I’ve been DJing for a long time and in Milan I was known to play at some of the best party in town,nvery hip and glamorous. It came out that I didn’t need a desperate social-media life. I was not behind them, I was not posting anything about my parties, events and so on, people just knew where to find me. When I decided to come out with my productions, I realized that I had a very big lack under this aspect. The free downloads are a good way to increase my fan-base and as gift, to give them something back. This is a very nice way to reward them and to show them how do I work. Now that I’ve reached a certain level on the socials, I’ll start to release also under Labels. I have many many exciting news in the upcoming future and I won’t forget to tell you everything with a little advance.
-The fact that the internet is a double-edged sword is nothing new. You can find your life-time fortune
just behind a simple link or, more probable, you can inexorably fall in the cyber-oblivion. In order to stay afloat, or better, stand out from the mob, it’s pretty necessary to build around your name/activity a solid and attractive brand. To be able to aggregate people through a specific message. Does the launch of your new radio show fits in this? How important is this personal and independent space for Alessandro Kraus?
People during the day like to listen to many kind of songs, depending from what they are doing, their mood. My New Radio Show was born because, like any other person, my tastes are not focused on just one style of music, so after a while I was getting bored to listen to mixes with always the same kind of tracks. Every genre has amazing and terrible music and every person spends time looking for good songs. My show is a quick look on what I like, which includes many kinds of electronic music and it has to be a good place where people just can’t stop “shazaming”. The project Alessandro Kraus is pretty eclectic and, as my personal tastes, will release different genres of songs and you will listen to them very soon also in my radio show.
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-Reading one of your latest interviews I was pleasantly surprised by your answer ‘a wise DJ always adapts himself to the situation, but he must to do it in a smart way‘. I totally agree with this statement. I’m personally fed-up of this global obsessive flatness. Do you think too that there’s an excessive standardization and monotony regarding the performances of most of the top (but not only) ‘DJs’ who attend the biggest stages worldwide?
Your sentence made me remember about a Tweet that Alesso wrote few weeks back: “The Dj before me tonight is literally playing the biggest hits of the last 15 years with an EDM drop”. I twas a little critic, but in the end he had a great time. Is always good to hear an old famous song with a new beat, it help to put the right mood on the dancefloor, but is necessary to give a personal touch (so I’m totally a big fan of self-made bootlegs) and to play something new that makes people “WOW”. To be sincere the best sensation for an artist is to play your song right after a big hit and to see the people jumping, dancing and screaming without interrupting. It is a confirmation that you did a great job as producer.
Talking about big stages, in recent years the general attention (driven by the American engine) has been catalyzed by megalomaniacs festival and events. Relegating to the mere background (except in exceptional cases) everything concerning clubs/ local realities which has always been the lifeblood of our world. I saw you’re an habituè of some exclusive and challenging environments where music isn’t the single protagonist but it’s mixed with other art’s forms, in these cases fashion.
First of all, can you talk a little bit about this experience? How it started the collaboration with ‘Just Cavalli Club’ and how you lived it?
My Clubbing Djing has been always great. Is a great school where to learn to become a real DJ and entertainer: is vital to make people to have fun without stop. For this Just Cavalli is the King: the music just never stop pushing you to move your feet. When you bring this experience on bigger stages, the result is just incredible. After this you realize that to be protagonist of a night like that one, your music just has to be incredible and that’s the biggest push that brought me to focus 100% in the production and my next releases will show you the path I decided to take. A fashion club attracts people also because of the fact that is trendy to be there, so to catch people’s attention, that 5 min ago was focused on what shoes that model is wearing, you have to be very energetic and to play a very good music selection. If you are not good at it, the day after you are out and someone else takes your place. It’s a great school
of life!
Secondly, your life is divided among England, Switzerland and Italy which means you have a fair complete view of the continent. What’s your opinion about Europe’s health (about electronic music industry in all it’s forms)?
Music business in Europe is mainly influenced by the huge phenomenon of Ibiza. The trendiest parties (expecially in London) are taken directly from the Balearic Island and follow very quickly the latest tendencies. Switzerland and Italy are always a bit late, usually what’s hip in London comes south 1 year later. What’s played on the radio (for example on BBC radio will be played in Italy min 6 months later. Italian and Swiss artists live this phenomenon with a bit of frustration, because most of the time to be successful (releasing music with futuristic sounds- that anticipate the new trends), they have to send their tracks to big indie labels, from the north Europe or US, which are consolidated as trend setters and that have the budgets to support new artists. This is a bit pity because sometimes to know an artist you need more than an email, it would be great a visit to the office with all your product range, but in reality your work of months is judged in few minutes (if you are lucky) and anyway, if you think about it, consumers do the same and in the end they rule! What I mean is that I would really appreciate a personal touch in a world that in the end sales emotions. It would just make everything more truthful and real.
Last but not least, what we can expect from you in the near future? New productions, residencies, and, maybe, a jump in the USA?
To be sincere in the last 6 months i worked really hard and I have tons of new productions! I will release Underground music (something between deep house, techno and progressive) with a nick name 😉 , then I’ll release 4 dance tracks very pop and thought for the radio. In the and I also produced an EDM/future/commercial track Basically I a have a lot of work this is just the beginning, that will start in the next few months so hopefully I’ll come soon also to the US touring, but music will speak first!
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