Page 14 - Zone Magazine Issue 014

In the western world of heavyset wobbles and bass-filled 808s, a subtle house producer finds himself making waves as fanatics cling to his ever-progressing sound. Alejandro, better known as “Croatia Squad,” is a Swiss-born nu-disco specialist whose incisive kicks, brisk hi-hats, and rolling plucks have set fire to the American dance music scene.
Beginning in 2009, Alejandro initiated the European faction by hosting an annual compilation series, “Croatia – The Opening.” The anthology contained an array of relaxing, down-tempo tracks created by artists who have since ballooned in name recognition such as Dinka and Jerome Isma-Ae. Published by Goodnight Kiss Productions, the collection of international talent foreshadowed Alejandro’ ability to identify potential stars within the industry, as many have gone on to find their niche in the overly expansive dance music scene.
Later that year, Alejandro signed his first release with Enormous Tunes, as the Electric Masquerade EP launched. The three-track collection featured two original productions and a remix by Swiss notable, Daniel Portman. Jungle-styled drum lines and relaxing piano chords were a mere taste of what was to come from Alejandro as he continued his path towards stardom.
A collaborative effort with fellow Swiss producer “The Conductor,” also known as Calippo, was inscribed to the UK’s Ministry of Sound in 2013 and drew substantial attention on Beatport. Topping the indie section for three straight weeks, Alejandro’ single “Be Good To Me” was considered a major success for both Croatia Squad and the nu-disco genre alike.
Building on the affluence, Alejandro followed up his shared release with another multi-track publication, “All Alone,” on December 7, 2013. Continuing the familiar, yet differentiating theme, Alejandro pushed boundaries of progressive house by combining
urbanized vocals with techy basslines.
After years of dubstep and trap music dominating the charts, EDM was reborn in 2014 with the rise of artists such as Oliver Heldens, Tchami, and Don Diablo leading a new sub-genre named future house. This pluck based, hi-hat ensemble would thrust dance music further into mainstream media and revive an ailing house genre from being overtaken by heavyset wobbles and bass-filled 808s. An opportunity to expand marketing reach for nu-disco was presented to Alejandro simply by continuing his unique sound and riding the new wave of popularity brought through the comparative future house.
Stability and consistent growth became normalized for Alejandroas more dance music followers began to discover nu- disco and it’s minimal, yet efficient sound design. Name recognition skyrocketed as original productions worked their way into the hundreds of thousands of play counts, proving nu-disco can compete on a massive scale. Celestial hits such as “The D Machine” and Torres’ remix of Me & My Toothbrush’s “Living For The Moment” approached nearly three-hundred thousand plays on platforms such as SoundCloud and Spotify.
Witnessing close friends go on as features to mix shows such as Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1, Alejandro began his own podcast in response, the aptly named “Squad Goals.” Primarily focusing on nu- disco and tech house, Squad Goals showcased Alejandro’ taste in familiar yet newly developing sounds. Longtime fellow producers such as EDX, Heiken, and Nora En Pure all have placements in the quarterly released mix series, as well as international superstars Lane 8 and Pete Tong.
The Groove Cruise, has not shied away from incorporating Alejandro, as his presence on board is nearly a right of passage for guests seeking uplifting vibes.
A significant achievement for Croatia Squad will be hosting an Enormous Tunes pool party at the W Hotel during upcoming Miami Music Week. Acts like Milk & Sugar, Redondo, Frey, and Federico Scavo will all be headlining The Producer Company’s yearly event and can be a guaranteed haven for tech house and nu-disco addicts alike.
In addition to the pool party, Alejandro can be observed as a featured performer at the legendary Nikki Beach during the 17-hour long event, Miami Massive. An endurance party of sorts, Miami Massive has brought fans from every corner of EDM together for the past nine years to celebrate the scene from dusk till dawn. Headlining the gathering, Croatia Squad will share the spotlight with incredulous acts such as Plastik Funk, DubVision, and FTampa.
After a busy stretch in March, further tour dates have gone unannounced by Alejandro’ management until the end of summer. Although unconfirmed, speculation states perhaps the creative mind behind Croatia Squad needs time to rest; whereas, others believe a new EP may be in development. Torres is expected to bring his incisive kicks, brisk hi-hats, and rolling plucks back into the touring circuit when performing at Electric Forest on June 29th. Whether or not Croatia Squad will be spending summers abroad is no concern to his fan base, as many will gather in Michigan this June to witness his urbanized vocals with techy basslines coming back to America.
Connect:
http://www.croatiasquad.com
pic by HelveticNerds.com
Words By Jon parker
In recent months, Alejandro has begun to hit his stride as releases are doing better than ever and bookings have become more frequent. Once a dream, international performances are now a hard-earned reality as Alejandro headlines venues from Europe to South America and dozens of nations in-between. Renowned travel entity,
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feature
Coming to America: Croatia Squad