Having had releases on PIV, MadTech, Talman Records, HouseOnWax, and many more-as well as being a co-founder of  SolvdMag– it  goes without saying that Slovenian DJ and producer Alex Ranerro has had a budding career in to electronic music world. Following the release of his Static EP on hedZup records in April, Alex Ranerro took some time out with us to discuss his early beginnings in music which has lead to his versatility as a music producer

Hi Alex, thanks for chatting to us today. Where did your journey with music begin? 

Ever since I was a little kid, I always played all kind of sports and at the same time, I was also involved in music as I started playing saxophone when I was something like 10 years old. That lasted roughly 3 years and I guess music was around me ever since. I started paying attention to electronic music when I entered high school and that’s when my interest for production kind of began. 

When did you purchase your first set up? and studio? what were they? 

I started producing music first and after a few years of just making beats, I started DJing as well. I remember that I didn’t have any gear at home so I basically came to party early to check out the gear and that’s how I learnt to use it. After a year or so, I bought some Behringer mixer and a pair of second hand Pioneer CDJ 200 players, which were perfect for me back then. It was pretty much the same with my studio. I was producing on my headphones and a shitty computer for quite a few years before getting some decent monitors etc. I remember that I had to bounce every part of the track as my computer wasn’t able to handle everything, it was a major pain in the ass.

What is the production you are most proud of so far? 

That’s really hard to say as lots of my tracks were special to me as some marked a certain period of my career. Music wise, I think my vinyl EP “In This Town”, which was released  via MyHouse YourHouse, was a kind of a turning point so this EP surely holds a special place in my heart. 

Your last release on HedZup saw a remix from the legendary DJ Steaw, how does it feel to have your work remixed by a vital artist such as this? 

I was super thrilled when I heard that DJ Steaw will be remixing my EP. I’ve been a big fan of his labels for a few years now and it surely felt great that he was joining me on the HedZup release. He delivered superb remix, which makes everything even more cool.

Can you tell us a little bit about your favourite ever gigs? 

I guess this is the same as picking out my favorite tune. Every gig was special in its own way. I’ve played in Luzern in December at a small club called Uferlos and I have to say that I wasn’t expecting such unique club and great vibe. On the other hand, all of our SOLVD parties at K4 in Ljubljana were amazing, especially this season’s events with Michael James, Varhat and Sanja! 

How would you describe the music scene in Slovenia to people who have never visited? 

The music scene in Slovenia is pretty much centralized to Ljubljana, the capital city. Overall, the scene is pretty solid, especially when you consider how small Slovenia is. K4 is probably one of the best clubs in Eastern Europe and hosts amazing artists week in/out. There are also some major warehouse events, which are slightly more commercial but overall, I do think we have a good balance of both worlds. 

You have a background of working in music also, maybe you could tell us a little bit more about your experiences?

I started producing music when I was somewhere around 17, 18 years old. That was back in 2008 when Youtube was just starting so I’ve learnt a lot by reading manuals and blogs online. I had my first release back in 2011 and it was quite funny because I’ve entered the Beatport top 100 with my first ever release. That was huge back then and I kind of lived in clowds for the next 3,4 years. I guess I’ve been really devoted to music and producing as much as I can for the last 4 years and I could say that these four years were surely my best ones so far. Looking forward to see what the future holds though.

How are you finding the effects of the current situation for yourself, colleagues and friends? 

Well, situation isn’t the best and I think most DJs and colleagues will agree with me. We had to re-schedule our Butik Festival and SOLVD events, I also “lost” few gigs but I guess we’re all in the same position. Luckily for me, I do have a part-time job, which brings me some financial calmness. I always try to look on the positive side and I do think that the whole “lockdown” situation will help us create smaller, more intimate scene in the future. I never really liked big fancy events without soul and I do think this will change a bit now. Maybe it’s time that music takes over again and business part of the scene backs off a bit.  

Last of all, three tracks to lift people’s spirits today?  

The Blues Brothers – Sweet Home Chicago


“I’ve been listening lots of funk/soul/jazz in the last few months and this track just makes me want to live in the 80’s.”



Lazare Hoche & S.A.M. – The GB

“I’m a house head and I can’t resist a funky sample-based groove. This track really brings me into the perfect summer festival daylight mood.”

Kerri Chandler: Rain (Atjazz Remix)


“Kerri Chandler was one of my biggest influences and Atjazz made an incredible remix of Kerri’s classic “Rain”. When the beat drops is just positive energy all over the place!”

Static EP: https://www.beatport.com/release/static-ep-and-dj-steaw-remix/2913737

Follow Alex on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexranerro/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexranerro/

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