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Written by CGNY   
Tuesday, 16 October 2012 15:03

We're spoiled in NYC and we know it! It's a great city for all kinds of music right now. However its not often we get to hear  a live act who's music sounds good at home and on the dance floor! Such is the case with Brian Suarez - Allies for Everyone. I caught Allies recently at the Paper Box in Brooklyn and fell in love with the dreamy sound and super cool visuals. Here's our quick catch up ahead of Allies CMJ Music event this Friday at Ella Lounge on the LES!

CGNY: I recently caught your set at the Bushwick Film Festival Fundraiser! Really liked it! It’s great listening and dancing music! I love hearing live electronica. But how would you describe for those who may not have heard you the Allies for Everyone sound?

AE: It's dance music that you can listen to in your living room. The songs are all pretty vocal heavy but with more of a night time vibe so they work on and off the dancefloor.

CGNY: When did you start the project?

AE: I've been making different sorts of electronic music for about a decade. Allies for Everyone is just sort of where the whole process is at right now.

CGNY: What kind of music did you listen to growing up and who would you say influenced your sound the most?

AE: Everything I've ever listened influences what I write. The first intro to electronic music I had was from aunts and uncles. One uncle was a DJ so as a kid it was alot of good 'ole house music, acid, hiphouse and freestyle. Another uncle was heavy into new wave so I have lots of New Order, Depeche Mode and Erasure cassettes. Highschool was all raves all the time so that sort of late night smokey room aesthetic is usually present in my tracks.

CGNY: You had a simple (yet lots of wires and cables) set up for your live gig. Tell us what you use to produce and play?

AE: I use Ableton Live to produce, perform live and to DJ. I streamlined my set up a bunch but still.. wires are the bulk of it! All those wires are for the midi controllers I use, some vox processing and a powered usb hub.

CGNY: When you’re working with technology as opposed to say a live piano or guitar – do you ever worry about things going wrong?

AE: I've learned to accept that things will go wrong... whether it's the equipment or me knocking something over or missing a cue... fk ups are good though..like forced improv. At one show I hit a really bad button on a controller that stopped everything... silence! So I immediately did some synthwork and some sampling and brought the beat back. After the show.. someone told me they loved that I screwed up because until that point, they didn't think I was actually doing anything up on stage;)

Brian Suarez from Allies For Everyone DJ MIX 07 2012 by Allies For Everyone

CGNY: That's funny!  So when you’re not working on your own material – who or what do you like to listen to?

AE: Hmm. It shifts all the time but this week I've been listening to The Mighty Wind soundtrack, Crass, Finnebassen, Tesla Boy and Suede.

CGNY: You’ve done some interesting collaborations with different people including the Elle Magazine JPG retrospective. How did that come about?

AE: Some of the people involved in that project saw a show of mine and asked me to do the music for the video. It was a really fun project since the track was pretty 'dubstep' in style which is not my genre at all. So it was a lot of research into creating wobbles and such.

CGNY: You’re performing at the CMJ Music Festival on Oct 19th.  Tell us about that gig and what other ones you have lined up?

AE: I'm excited for the CMJ show...I have some material I have not played out live yet so I'm anxious to try the songs out.

CGNY: “Scavenger” was released earlier this year to some really nice reviews. Any plans for the next release or taking a little break for a bit?

AE: The next release will be a remix record for the Scavenger EP coming out this fall on KID Recording. I have a lot of tracks in progress for the next release.. could be an EP or an LP.  I just did a remix for Blue Foundation which I believe will be released this fall on their remixes record.

For more information - check out Allies for Everyone Facebook page!

Also click see Alllies for Everyone this Friday - October 19th at Ella Lounge, 9 Avenue A at 7:15pm - NO COVER - CMJ Music Showcase!

 

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 October 2012 17:13