Welcome at Tanzgemeinschaft. Please introduce yourself.
My name is Ali Storm, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. I am a Tek house DJ/producer who has been around for over 20 years. I’m originally from London, England where I used to play Hard House and have my own promotions after going out to all the big London hard house parties and falling in love with the scene.
Now it’s all about making music and playing out throughout New Zealand, I’ve been lucky to have released around 40 tracks on 15 labels so far.
Connect with Ali Storm on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud | Twitter
Image courtesy of Gemma Wilson
How would you describe your sound and style?
I am trying to define the sound of tek house, a slight offshoot of tech house where several other genres get attached to the main tech house feel, with the tek giving far greater options of very different sounds mashed together.
What triggers the idea for you to begin a new project?
Recently it’s been collaborating with other artists, for example, Bryce Leigh, Lou Bizzle, NADARO, Omaha, Miri and Ruby Kush Music. Once I find a particular person who brings a new element to Tek house. It’s then working together to forge a mixture of sounds together.
Do you have a recent release to showcase? Tell us all about it and something about the process behind it.
On 28 June I get to release my first ever remix, “OMAO x NADARO x Xander Jones – Summer High – Ali Storm remix”. Not only that it’s with a label that’s very close to my heart “Evake Records”, who are one of the biggest up-and-coming labels in Europe.
The original “Summer High” track has been out for a few weeks and is absolutely smashing it on the European summer circuit. So, to be the first to remix it with a tek house flavour is very exciting for this wanting to showcase the originality of the track but throughout the clubs.
This week has also been special as “NADARO & Ali Storm – House Of Echoes (Evake Records)” has managed to gather over 100,000 streams on Spotify within a year of its release. A very proud moment for everyone involved in this project.
What other releases have you planned for this year that you can tell us about? Like when and on which label?
On 19 July I get to release “Left Right” on the huge USA label MK837. This is an underground rumbler which will hopefully get the crowd moving from, you guessed it “left to right”. Stay tuned.
I’m currently working on more collaborations which are planned for a release towards the end of 2024.
When searching for a label, what is it that you are looking for? What do you expect from a record label?
One that works with their producers. It’s important that the creators are not just a number. Not a label that takes a cut and no communications. I’m looking for a partnership that can co-promote and look out for each other and more importantly, have fun together.
What is one thing that would make your musical career more successful? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Everyone is different, but for me, it’s bringing more live elements into my DJ sets. Currently, I play 80%-90% of my own productions but to have extra layers makes it more exciting for the audience and a challenge for the performers.
Recently I’ve teamed up with Miri who places her original female vocals over the top of my DJing, all live! I’ve never seen this on Tek House, so hopefully we are pioneering something.
Another way is to team up with other like-minded DJs. I’m lucky to be part of a super important DJ collective called Speaker Freaker again based in Christchurch. This group is instrumental to the local 4×4 scene and has some super talented people involved behind the scenes and those who are performers. From here you can learn from each other and expand the knowledge throughout.
In 5 years, I would love to know. Hopefully, by then I would have some solid productions under my belt. Also to have played at some of the bigger festivals with others along on the journey.
Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?
So many. Lisa Pin-up gave me my first chance at DJing and taught me so many techniques. Fatboy Slim for his pure immense depth of music knowledge. And putting on a great show every time. The Prodigy for just being pioneers full stop.
Locally it has to be Aural Trash (Greg Churchill and Angela Fisken), some of the first people I saw DJ when I moved to New Zealand and still part of my favourites.
When it comes to your field, producing, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?
Due to my Hard House days in the early 2000s I find that a lot of my production influences have a lot of similarities. The genre I will probably always use as my reference as that’s where Ali Storm was born!
Thank you.
