QX Magazine

With a whole heap of new music ready to rock your dancefloor, PER QX is on a roll! Alan X talks music and clubbing with our favourite Swedish DJ-slash-club promoter-slash-music producer…

What is the fundamental idea behind GutterSlut? Who is behind it?

To create a platform for people who wanna be creative and have fun! Ralf Obgerfell, Nic Fisher and me are behind the club. It was a protest against the gay club scene, which back when we started almost four years ago was quite boring, with no alternative for club kids looking for underground club music.

If you were described as a Disco Slut how would you respond?

Thanks!! I’m a slut, I love disco, let’s have some fun, fun, fun!

What plans do you have for the future of the club?

D’Johnny is playing for us at GutterSlut for the Halloween Party this weekend. I’m soooo looking forward to having him back in the slut house! We are doing more parties abroad trying to find the craziest gays in the craziest cities. We just did a party in Berlin last weekend, it was mad! We even had the Pet Shop Boys turning up – they had loads of fun.

What other artists do you aspire to?

Alex Kenji always works, Pleasurekraft, UMEK and Sonny Warton always exited me.

Tell us about your production work and the direction you are taking…

It’s all about the house music, but with many influences. I’ve just released ’U Can’t Hide’ on Strictly Rhythm – very 90’s old school piano house, with Andrea Love of the Praise Cats’ classic ‘Shined On Me’ fame doing the vocal. I’m releasing two new tracks on Southern Fried records with a more hip-house and pumpin’ GutterSlut sound.

Describe the energy in your own style as a DJ and producer?

It has to have funk, good hooks, big build-up and an exiting drop.

Do you still prefer to work from home or do you use large studios?

Since I moved to Stockholm I’m working in the same studio as Steve Angello’s little brother AN21, Zoo Brazil, Sebjak, Tony Sengore, Klas Wahl and George Nakas. It’s great to sit in a complex with other producers, you learn so much more that way.

Do you see yourself as part of the Swedish House Mafia?

Nope, but I was working with Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello before I moved to London, and I know Axwell a bit; we where releasing records on Stonebridge’s label years ago. I really respect them a lot, but my sound is different to theirs!

To what do you owe your success?

Honestly, it’s hard work that pays off. I’ve been in the studio for 10-12 hours a day, I never took more than 2 days off this summer. These days you really have to work hard, and of course you have to have people believing in you.

What other vocal artists do you still want to work with?

I’m working on a track with Abigail Bailey, and I would love Candi Staton to do a vocal for me in the future.

Tell us about the new single ‘U Can’t Hide’ and how it came to life?

Seamus Haji really liked my single on Stealth ‘Ever Before’ feat Max C. He said he really wanted something similar to sign with Strictly Rhythm. So I made ‘U Can’t Hide’, and we both thought Andrea would be perfect, because she has a real strong credible house voice. She’s been amazing and we are really happy with the support from the DJs, including Pete Tong on The Essential Mix. I would love her to come over from the States to do PAs in UK and Europe.

What future projects do you have in the pipeline?

There will be two tracks out on Southern Fried records, ‘Thromboner’ and ‘Feelin’(I Said House Music)’. Both are co-produced with wonder kid James Hurr, and a collaboration with Don Tomasso called ‘Introducing The Bass’ out on Joia Records in December. After that there is also a collaboration with my No. 1 house hero ATFC coming out this winter as well!

Per QX’s So-Hot Top 5 Right Now Tracks

Gene Farris feat. Russoul ‘Dance Warrior’ (Sonny Fodera rmx) (Cajual Records)
Oldschool house is back!!!

Yanik Coen ‘Rain or Shine’ (Original) (Stoney Boy Records)
Nice but peak time disco house from the Stonebridge label

Trisco ‘Electric Soulside’ (Birdee rmx) (CD-R)
Watch out for Birdee, he will be massive!

BIMAC ‘UAP’ (Cube Guys mix) (Cube Recordings)
Wicked Ragga house

Slam ‘Life Times’
(Pan-Pot remix) (Soma Records)
Loved the original back in the day, this is even better!!!

• More at www.perqx.com
• Per Qx feat Andrea Love ‘U Can’t Hide’ is out now on Strictly Rhythm Records.