With 2015 drawing to a close, now is the time for artists to make a final push make a lasting impression. Many, like Alex Klingle, have spent the year making quality music while defining their sound. After releases like ‘Cerulean’ and “I Run to You,” Alex was entrusted with mixing duties for Enhanced’s ADE compilation, alongside labelmate Thomas Hayes. Today, as he releases his final original of the year, “Epilogue,” Your EDM sat down with him to discuss the highlights of his year, his inspirations, and more.
Okay, I have to ask: your last name is Klingle. How many jokes do you get around Christmas because of your name?
(laughs) I actually have a cousin named Chris and he’s born on December 25th, but he’s from the other side of the family. So close to being the perfect joke though..
2015 was a big year for you, as well as Enhanced. What were some milestones and important lessons you learned while being apart of such a great team?
A big thing was my standard for music, my critical thinking when producing. I’ve been a producer for 10 years. Late 2014 was the first time I went for a reputable label for official releases, only because I thought it was time. I’d send the team at Enhanced something, then we’d go back forth 10 times and I’d ask, ‘Why wasn’t it good?’ Then they’d point out all these little things, and over time I developed a strong eye for details and started working at a higher level.
Enhanced works with so many newer artists and they have such a great eye for talent so they give you that chance. If something’s 75% there, they’re willing to go the extra mile, whereas a lot of other labels, if it’s just short of the mark they’ll say, ‘take it somewhere else.’
Other milestones? Global radio shows and just an overall recognition of the music within the dance world is something I didn’t have before. Back when I was in university, I’d listen to Group Therapy while I was studying and I’d think, ‘what if my music was on there? oh, that’ll never happen,’ but this past week I have the Guest Mix on ABGT.
I know it’s a little early, but what goals do you want to set for yourself in 2016?
I want to release something longer like an EP, at least a few tracks to have a concept and not just a bag of singles. I want to get into playing music live and I’m trying to figure out what that means to me. It’s too bad that a lot of these artists get to go around the world, but they don’t push the envelope with their art and performance. That’s not to rip on DJing or anything.
But it’s hard to take a live act on the road. DJing is cost-effective way to reach all your fans on tour.
Exactly, that’s why I’m stewing over it. It has to be that balance of efficiency and doing something cool, like when Madeon did his first tour and he had the launchpads. I’m a big instrument guy. I came from the more traditional background of music – that’s how I got into producing. I’m starting to figure something out to make a genuine impact, and using different types of art too.
You have a new single out today called “Epilogue,” Is there a reason behind the name of the track?
A few weeks before I made it, my fiancé and I were having a conversation. We talked about the feelings and emotions that one may have at the end of their life with a loved one. It’s a painful acceptance, a gut-wrenching feeling, knowing that it could be the last time you feel their touch, the look in their eyes, the rush of memories flooding your mind and numbness knowing it may be your last conscious moments of thought.
You fondly look back at your life with them by your side. You wish more than anything you could go together, but there’s no guarantee, and that’s one the most bittersweet aspects of life – that it’s finite, and it makes it precious in a way. So with all that in mind, I landed on the title as it’s meant to represent all the thoughts and feelings once might have at the end of their story of their life.
Where does a thought like that come from? How do you make a track like “Epilogue” from such a definitive feeling?
When I usually start a track, some of them are built off of me finding a cool groove and then I find meaning within it. Some of them like this one are planned a little bit beforehand and I’ll sit down and work overnight and bang out something that really captures the feeling of what I was thinking in the same way one might score a film. That’s why I don’t want to be a ghost producer because I want to capture those thoughts an feelings in my mind in the studio myself.
Your music, especially “Epilogue” have these massive sonic landscapes without the use of vocals. What drew you to progressive trance over all the other genres?
Personally I was drawn to this style of music because it was the mash of genres I like. I like to have aggressive parts of my tracks. I was a total electro, drum-n-bass, dubstep fan; each had these delicate and emotional moments. Progressive trance is a free genre, so I don’t go for a style because of the rules that govern it. I just landed on this as a matter of taste, but I’m a general music lover.
In your opinion, who were some Enhanced artists that had a big year, and who’s someone to watch in 2016?
Wrechiski is definitely a cool guy. I met him in Amsterdam and he’s so modest, humble, and so smart. He makes such cool music; we may be working on something in the next few months, there’s Cannavo & Nesse. I kinda take credit on their first single (laughs). I found them on Soundcloud doing a drum-n-bass project and I reached out to them and they hit me back with ‘Push’ which was so different so I sent it to Will (Holland) and he signed it. All their stuff since has been well received. They’re pushing the envelope.
What song were you most proud of for releasing in 2015?
I would say ‘Cerulean.’ I felt that it was my most ‘out-there’ song. I didn’t care about where it’d be played I just wanted to make soemthing that captured a certain emotion and it was a different thing of seeing the beauty of sadness and beauty of the natural world and breaking away from everyday life. I felt that I got to combine a lot of elements of different music I like. I have some cinematic elements I started to integrate my guitar with that as well. But that was one of the first steps to solidifying myself and finding who I am as an artist.
“Epilogue” is out now on Enhanced Music.
