Hailing from diverse roots spanning France and Singapore, French Chill House luminary Alex Keeper immersed himself in electronic music during his formative years, eventually unveiling his sonic creations to the world in 2020. Despite his youth at 24, he has maintained a consistent output, releasing music every month since 2021, showcasing his artistic flair. Notable entries in his discography include EPs like ‘Remember These Days’ (2021), ‘Waves’ (2023), and his most recent release, ‘Depart’.
After launching his latest EP, Alex presents an enthralling five-track live performance of ‘Depart’. Shot amidst the historic coastal town of Normandy, France, the visuals capture the essence of springtime by the seaside, featuring tranquil tides and calming sandbanks. This picturesque backdrop perfectly complements the introspective ambience of his latest musical endeavour, inviting viewers into a contemplative journey.
We’re delighted to welcome Alex to Undrtone as we explore his undeniably exponential rise and dig deep into the artist behind it.
Hey Alex, thanks for joining us. Where are you writing to us from, and what have you been up to over the last few weeks?
Hello, thanks for having me! I’m currently writing from Paris, France, where I recently moved to. Actually, I just got back from work: I have a full-time job as a software engineer for car audio.
During the past few weeks, I’ve been making social media content around my new EP “Depart”, explaining the influences and meaning behind the tracks. Also, the team from Get The Sound Records and I just recorded a live session where I play the 5 track of the EP on a loop machine.
Tell us about your journey into music and what led you to this point.
I have been producing for a decade and explored most electronic music sub-genres. By starting with dubstep in my early teenage years, during the skrillex/UKF/Monstercat era, then going different directions like drum and bass, future bass, psytrance, or big room house. For many years, I loved making music but never thought of releasing it. Like many creatives, the pandemic allowed me to spend more time on my art. This is when I finally decided to start making my music public with my chill melodic house project “Alex Keeper”.
Tell us about the vision behind your ‘Depart’ EP.
The main topic of this EP is exploring the idea of belonging. I have been traveling during my entire life and never felt like I was in the right place. I have lived in Dubai, France, grew up in Singapore, studied in Canada, and Ireland. This challenge has a lot of pros like being more open minded, and understanding how the world is, but it can be difficult knowing that there’s no home to go back to when you need to feel safe and understood.
How has the response to the release been?
The response on my EP has been amazing! I’ve received messages from other producers, and long-time listeners, about how this EP fits my project’s mood. I’ve seen that it’s mostly appreciated by people who need a groovy track to focus on work, or chill when starting a party.
What can you tell us about your creative process?
When making a new song, I always start by creating ambiences using textures, drones, atmosphere, or reverbed elements. It gives me a base and key note to start writing down the bassline. Using the bassline as root notes, I created nostalgic chords, and potentially add guitars. I use my go-to homemade chill/melodic sample pack for the drums. The last part, and most difficult, is writing and recording vocals.
Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
I actually have A LOT of advice for music producers who started their craft in their bedroom during their teenage years. Having more than 10 years of experience, producing a lot of different genres, and accumulated 100M streams over a few years, there a so many tips to guide other music producers. The most important one would be to connect with other people who love music. Not just comment on a post, but discuss goals, inspiration, and production techniques: growing with other people is one of the things I’m most proud of about my project.
Do you have a big goal for 2024, and if so, do you feel like you’re close to achieving it?
It’s easy to get lost in the statistics when you create digital content. I strongly feel like I need to focus on refining my art and making songs that truly reflect how I feel. I wish to explore new sounds like I did when I started making music, with the same enthusiasm and innocence. I hope to find my audience by being more authentic and sharing more about my passion.
What’s next for Alex Keeper?
I will be more selective about my releases in the future, so less songs, but better music!
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