Many lay claim to notions of originality and diversity in electronic music, but in the case of Alex Dolby it is truly justified. The Italian DJ and producer has been steadily perfecting his craft and 2010 will see him step into the limelight with several exciting new projects coming to fruition.
The Alex Dolby story begins in the beautiful countryside of Ciociaria in central Italy where the young Alessandro Salvatori was born and raised. Being a country boy didn’t stop... Read more
Many lay claim to notions of originality and diversity in electronic music, but in the case of Alex Dolby it is truly justified. The Italian DJ and producer has been steadily perfecting his craft and 2010 will see him step into the limelight with several exciting new projects coming to fruition.
The Alex Dolby story begins in the beautiful countryside of Ciociaria in central Italy where the young Alessandro Salvatori was born and raised. Being a country boy didn’t stop the young Alessandro becoming immersed in the explosion of house music and checking out the neighbouring clubs. Inspired equally by Italian house legends like Massimino Lippoli, Flavio Vecchi and Ricky Montanari as well as leading names like Sasha, Steve Lawler and Danny Tenaglia, it wasn’t long before he had set up his own studio and was making music. Things really stepped up a gear, however, when he hooked up with fellow countryman Santos, and the pair have been firm friends and collaborators ever since.
A prolific production career began in 2003 with the release of ‘Psiko Garden’ on the ‘From Ciociaria with Dub’ series released by Mantra Vibes. As well as becoming a big hit in the clubs, ‘Psiko Garden’ became a favourite with many of the UK’s top DJs including Pete Tong with plays on his Radio 1 show and Sasha who did his own re-edit. Further releases followed on Mantra Vibes including ‘Hazy Way’ with the Evil Nine remix nominated as ‘Best Remix’ in the Breakspoll Awards 2004 and championed by Pete Tong as an ‘Essential New Tune’.
Other highlights include the Alex Dolby remix of Infusion’s ‘Girls Can be Cruel’, while many of his tracks were licensed to mix albums including Steve Lawler and Nick Warren on Global Underground, Hernan Cattaneo on Renaissance and John Digweed on Bedrock. With such support it wasn’t long before Global Underground signed Alex’s debut album and the 10-track ‘Psiko Garden’ released in the summer of 2008, while ‘Long Beach’/‘Cairo’ soon followed on Hope Recordings along with the ‘Neutra Session’ mix album on Hell Yeah Recordings featuring Alex at the controls.
His skills as a DJ have seen Alex play at the some of the finest clubs in the world including Pacha Buenos Aires, Noite in Mexico and Sazae in Japan, as well as numerous dates across Europe. There’s been plenty of action in Italy too, of course, including residencies with Brancaleone and, most recently, Neutra in Rome along with regular appearances at the city’s famous Fiesta Privada after party.
2010 has seen Alex get off to a flying start with the John Digweed-supported ‘City Shark’ featuring a 16 Bit Lolitas remix on City Lights Music; the ‘Neutra’ EP in collaboration with Giorgio Roma on Hernan Cattaneo’s Sudbeat imprint; and a remix of Tomas Hedberg’s ‘Sleeper’ on Flow Vinyl. Meanwhile, Columbian label Progrezo Records will be releasing the ‘Parallelism’ double CD compilation mixed by Alex and Gare Mat K in April with a tour of South America to follow. Further releases with Giorgio Roma include the ‘Sound of Love’ EP on Monique Musique due in May, while Alex has joined forces with Tessa n Calvieri for the glorious ‘Freacks Chant’ on Cromate Recordings.
Alex Dolby and Santos have worked together many times and with the latter also Timo Maas’ production partner, it made perfect sense for Maas to make them part of the team for his new Rockets & Ponies label. A longtime supporter of their music, the trio collaborated as Mutant Clan on ‘Kenesai’ released by Connaisseur Recordings in 2008. Rockets & Ponies is a natural progression, therefore, and some exciting plans are being hatched starting with the label launch party at the forthcoming WMC in Miami. Michel Cleis and Riva Starr are among the other DJs playing.
So what is the Alex Dolby sound? House, progressive, breakbeat and tech house have all been incorporated into his music without limiting it. His recent productions may be underpinned by a deep techno groove but there’s much more involved as he weaves elements of jazz, Latin and leftfield electronica within his sublime rhythms. Think more in terms of shape and colour and you’ll get a sense of what Alex is all about.
The same applies with his DJ sets which sweep from house to techno; the longer the set the better as far as Alex is concerned and everything is in the journey. Santos once remarked, “You know where an Alex Dolby track starts but you never know where it’s going to end” – an appropriate comment to describe the work of one of dance music’s true individuals. Show less
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