Interview with Alina
Nuanced, with a darker tone than you may expect from Eora selector & 'club less' co-founder, Alina. Focused on subtle drones, commanding rhythms & stylish vocal samples.
Tell us about your journey into electronic music.
I think the very first electronic gig or artist I listened to would’ve been way, way back; The xx was my first exposure to the genre, I remember when I was like 17 or 18, I went to see them perform and remember the support was actually this very unknown DJ called Flume! Doors opened, he was the opening DJ and that was my very first taste of electronic music or seeing electronic music performed live. And then from there, I started going out to more things - Goodgod Super Club for example - but I feel like I didn’t know a whole lot about all the subgenres & artists out there (and still don’t!) I started listening to it more and more, then mixes & DJs and that led me to want to spend a year in Berlin.
That really kickstarted my dance music journey. I didn’t really know any of the DJs or artists I would go see when I was going out, I would just go to any club night or Berghain knowing it would be a guaranteed good time and then, from there, look up the DJs I saw and start learning more & more. I’ve also been really inspired by female DJs like Shanti Celeste, Peach, Moxie and Saorise and their epic 4-way sets they call SASS. They were a huge source of inspiration when I first started DJing (and still are!)
What was it specifically about the genre that captured you in those early gigs?
Oh, my gosh! So many things! I think it was definitely the first time listening to music, or any artistic expression in general, where I felt a physical response in my body. I think that really resonated most. Especially in extended DJ sets, I loved how many twists and turns the music could take throughout the night and seeing where the DJ would take the energy over the course of the set. My favourite sets are where the DJ has you locked in and you’re just like dumbfounded by the next track they play but it works so well and just draws you further in.
But I think the thing that keeps me drawn in, is the connections you make. It can be fleeting connections with people you meet on the dance floor that you’ll never see again, but you’re still bonding over the shared experience of listening incredible music & the experience the DJ is providing. Or it could be connections where you make lifelong friendships, which I really resonate with. All my closest friends I have around me today, I’ve met through these experiences of going to parties and being on the dancefloor with and sharing music with each other. So I think that’s why it’s so special to me: the connections & the community fostered around that.
What stands out as the best experience you had during your time in Berlin?
This probably is really corny, but hearing Ben Klock for the first time on the Berghain dancefloor as an inexperienced 21, 22 year old. I didn’t know anything about dance music or techno and then hearing the Ben Klock, resident of Berghain…THAT was really special.
How did ‘Alina’ come into the picture? Is it an alter ego? A middle name?
Alina is actually my real name, it's my first name, Charlotte is my middle name. My parents just changed their minds after they did my birth certificate so Charlotte is pretty much what I’ve been called my whole life, I’d never been called Alina. I’m half Thai so my mum chose Alina, because it’s a Thai name. I’ve always felt drawn or connected to the name but I’d never had an opportunity to share it with people so when I started getting more serious about DJing, I decided to use it. I guess it’s like the truest form of myself, being my first name, so yeah that’s how Alina came about - thanks to my mum.
Where does this fit on the timeline? When did you start taking things more seriously?
I didn't start DJing until a few years after Berlin. I first touched decks in maybe 2018 or 2019 and had a really silly name based on a meme because I never really thought that DJing was gonna be for me, so I just kicked back with a bit of a joke name. Then, when I started getting booked for gigs, I thought “okay I probably shouldn’t have a stupid little name based on a meme of a dog smoking weed.”
When you’re thinking about preparing a mix, is there a particular philosophy you follow?
So I am famously, or notoriously rather, awful at recording mixes. I think the mix I’m doing here is the second one I’ve ever done because I hate being perceived, which is so ironic, like, if I hate being perceived why have I decided to be a DJ, it’s one of the focal aspects *laughs* BUT YES, in terms of preparing for a mix or moreso a gig, I usually love getting lost in digging. I love going down wormholes, but sometimes get overwhelmed or lost in it. Usually I’ll pick one key song I’ve found recently and that will be the song that I focus on and curate the energy or vibe off.
That said, sometimes you get to a gig and the vibe or energy is completely different to what you expected so you’ve gotta think on your feet. But, generally, through the process of digging around I’ll have found other songs I like that fit the vibe or feel right for that moment.
What vibe have you chosen for the Upper Crust mix?
I feel like I’m typically known for bouncy, driving tracks. My friends call it ‘sassy tech’; it can be a little bit more fun and playful, but I don’t know, maybe it’s coming back [from Europe] to winter here and feeling a bit darker so I’ve taken more of a darker tone. I don’t know if it’s actually dark, some people might listen to it and be like, “oh this is euphoric”, but yeah, for me it’s a little darker than what I typically play. Not necessarily faster, but yeh, darker.
We’ve both been in Europe recently, so I was curious to ask what you think it is that separates Australia from the reliability of the European scene? As an example, the longevity of festivals like Dek or Horst that are celebrating ten years this year vs Aus ones that come and go?
There's so many levels and layers to that question. I think it really comes down to being physically so far away from the rest of the world. There is that inherent hurdle of getting artists to Australia. In saying that, because of the distance, we’re so resilient & creative so our local scene is incredible. Sometimes you’ll go to a big festival or club night where there’s an international playing but then the local shows up and is the fucking star of the show. I think that’s what makes Australia so special: we’re somewhat isolated and because of that we’ve really fostered our own sound, creativity & scene, with some really amazing artists and labels emerging like Pure Space, Animalia, Oomycota, The Space Between Us, just to name a few. Being physically far away can be a bit of a blessing & a curse, but really we have so much to give, so much talent.
There are festivals in Australia that have had longevity though, Inner Varnika, one of my favourite festivals in Australia, ran for 10 years and chose to end the festival on a high note at 10 years which I thought was really beautiful. And bringing it back to what I said about the local scene, one of the best things about Inner Varnika was that they always had incredible musical programming with eclectic international acts but always coupled with a really strong focus on local artists as well. I discovered so many new artists through going to that festival over the years, it’s been a really formative part of my journey as a DJ. I think everyone shed a tear on the dance floor on the final night of the last festival.
But in answer to your question, I would say, keep feeding the local underground and your communities. There are so many amazing party crews and DIY parties in Eora that put so much love and care into creating events and our scene would be nothing without them, it’s the backbone of the scene.
On that note, is club less coming back for another season?
Yes ! Look out for us this summer….
Do you typically plan out the series from the start or book the artists a bit more on the fly?
I think it's half and half. Especially if we’re getting bigger, international acts, it needs to be planned a little bit further in advance. But we’ve had a few headliners come from Naarm before so that doesn’t need to be too far in advance.
If you could have anyone on the bill, local or international for the upcoming season, who would that be?
Internationally, I would say either… like, I’m on a huge female DJ / production trip right now…when I was in Europe I went to a festival called Waking Life and my favourite sets were upsammy and livwutang, so either of them would be amazing. I’m also a huge fan of DJ Fart in the Club so those three would be my personal picks.
And they're all very different so it would be interesting to see how they take on ‘club less.’ The series originated out of this idea of doing more with less but wide in mood, genre or tempo and exploring what that means to you, so it’s interesting seeing how each artist approaches that.
Ironically, our most recent was the exact opposite of that. We had our CLUB MORE event where we just went so hard, so big and had a full-on 12 hour party.
How was Waking Life?
It was amazing. The care and intention the organisers put into every aspect of the festival is incredible. It feels chaotic in the best way. It’s so hard to explain, but it feels like none of it should make sense, but it all makes sense at the same time.
The art installations and the whole aspect of discovering things for yourself is really special and obviously sprinkled with amazing artists - I think it’s the best festival I’ve ever been to. It’s also the longest at six days, but because of that there isn’t that typical, unhealthy Australian festival culture of wanting to go really hard or this pressure of not wanting to miss a second of the musical programming and stressing about set time clashes. Because we had 6 days, we could really take our time and explore everything the festival had to offer like the beautiful lake it’s built around and all the incredible art installations. We honestly had a couple of DJs we committed to, but then the rest of it was just seeing where the festival took you.
What have you got in the oven at the moment?
Club 77 is launching their new Sundays at 77. They’ve been fighting for ages to have the club open at these hours and they’re launching this new party that starts at 6am Sunday and goes until 4am Monday. I’m playing the debut party and they’ve got, like, six weeks of lineup announced.
I love 77, it holds a really special place in my heart, as a DJ, but mainly as a punter - I’ve had so many special nights there.
I’m really stoked & grateful about being booked for the first one.
What are you ordering from the bakery?
I am a sucker for a sweetie. I have to have my mid-afternoon, sweetie, to get me through the day. About 8 months ago, I moved around the corner from this bakery called ‘Goodwood’ in Marrickville. They do this danish called the Cardi P - I think it’s cardamom, fig and custard so I usually always go for that.
I love it because they have their standard pastries and breads, but then they often change it up and the way they do it every week is they announce their ‘playlist’. Very on brand for Upper Crust!
Throughout this interview Alina has selected her favourite songs from compilations and releases that are donating their profits to Palestinian organisations. If they’ve captured your ear, consider supporting by purchasing them for your library.