id005: Alex Hanly ‘ALX’
With venues in Dublin being limited, we are overly excited for UNCERTAIN’s debut event next month with an eight hour special in the heart of Dublin city. A solid line up with a selection of Ireland’s finest DJs and headlined by Riot Code and Scalameriya, this is going to be a night to remember. Meet the brains behind it!
Tell us a bit about your self, where you’re from? Where you went to college?
My name is Alex Hanly and I am the founder of UNCERTAIN and a proud member of SYNC Collective, I also DJ and Produce Techno music. I have been DJing and Producing since 2019 as part of a duo named LEX & HAROLD with my mate Harry Bouchier who now goes under the alias Elliot. In early 2021 I began my solo music career and took it from there!
I am originally from County Leitrim and went to college in both Inchicore and National College of Ireland where I studied general business for 4 years so I guess I could say I am no stranger to Dublin City.
How did you get into the club scene originally and event management?
When I was 17 after attending local underground raves and seeing DJs from my local area perform, that’s when I began getting into the club scene. After purchasing decks and getting some practice in I bagged some gigs in my local pubs and eventually at some local nightclubs. Having built up a following and some views on our productions and mixes on Soundcloud and social media accounts, Elliot and I eventually got offered to play at more prestigious nightclubs in Ireland such as Electric Avenue in Sligo and Electric in Galway which we were and still are very proud of.
At these events, we would meet new people in the scene and come across some DJs that would play similar music to us but who were also living very close to us in bordering counties, from here SYNC Collective was later founded.
With experience in hosting our own events and putting on shows since 17, I gathered great experience and decided to utilise all I have learned and apply it to my new solo project which is now known as UNCERTAIN.
Talk to us about the idea behind Uncertain as a brand?
The idea behind UNCERTAIN is to offer intimate and desirable club nights with the primary genre of music being strictly techno on the heavier side of things. My aim is to hand-pick the finest local and international DJs/Performers to bring people the hardest and cutting-edge sounds in the genre. I believe UNCERTAIN has something for everyone whether you’re a seasoned clubber or new to the scene.
I hope for the brand to be viewed as a staple in the Irish Techno Community for ensuring techno remains like concrete in our culture but also for having a strong and reputable reputation for ourselves in the fast-paced competitive industry. Booking both local and International DJs/ Performers and providing them with top-notch production to perform is what we are all about. One of our core values is ensuring our attendees and acts leave our events craving more carnage but also ensuring their safety throughout each event.
We plan to offer acts opportunities they may not have gotten before but are deserving of them, and give them the chance to prove what they are capable of. We desire our events to have an underground industrial feel in venues that offer intimate spaces and allow people to express themselves freely.
The 8th hour special next month, tell us about the line up! How did you select each artist?
The 8-hour event next month is our debut event and I can not wait to unveil all that is planned for February 18th. The line-up consists of artists who I know for certain will provide us with a 10/10 show and performances to the highest calibre for our debut UNCERTAIN show.
We have a double headliner featuring Italy-based but Serbian-born; Scalameriya who is making his Irish debut in February, which personally I think is such a privilege to be the first brand in Ireland to book such a prestigious artist whom I am also a big fan of.
The second headliner is RIOT CODE who are no strangers to the small island of Ireland and have been absolutely killing it recently selling out nightclubs and events not only in Ireland but also internationally. It was a no-brainer to have them headline our first show and grace those who attend our event with a fast-paced, heavy-hitting performance from the get-go! Their talent in both DJing and Producing has been acknowledged by some huge performers such as DYEN, 999999999 and Rebekah.
Having carefully chosen our headliners Scalameriya and RIOT CODE I had to ensure the support acts were equally as good and talented and turned to no other than the local talent of Aero, Sam Greenwood, SYMØNE, Elliot, INTRUDER and MELTX. I have also squeezed myself (ALX) into this stacked line-up which is a privilege to play alongside great artists and be on the same line-up as them.
What about the venue, The Complex in Smithfield?
The Complex in Smithfield is such a great venue as it is so spacious and offers an industrial feel, not only is it in Dublin but it is located in the heart of the city and only a 4-minute walk from Jervis Luas stop which I found bizarre how central it was. The management and workers at The Complex were extremely helpful and welcoming so I must shout them out for their help as they play a major role when it comes to the launch of our first event.
To characterise the venue in 3 words I would say it is industrial, intimate, and extremely spacious which is why our event on February 18th is going to be absolute carnage and a place for people to let go and embrace the underground vibes. In order to ensure the production is top-notch I have sourced lighting, visuals, and sound systems from local enterprises that are some of the best in the game in what they do. Not only is the venue a spacious place for people to rave and enjoy both themselves and the music but The Complex also offers a bar where alcohol can be purchased.
The visuals for the night shall be controlled by none other than Malika Maria who is from the Netherlands and is going to put one hell of a visual show on for us to match the intensity of the DJs.
How would you describe your own style of music?
My personal preference for music would be tracks that are fast-paced and hard-hitting that bring you on a journey from start to finish. I aim to produce music that is exactly how I described and is something I am still working on and know have a long way to go but I also feel I have come a long way since I started making music in 2019 which is nice to reflect on. My style of music at the moment would be heavy techno ranging from 143 to 150+ bpm with driving kicks, uplifting basslines, and hard percussion. I would not say I produce one style of music in particular as each track seems to be different from the next which allows a greater audience to listen and enjoy my music.
I take inspiration from artists such as Scalameriya, Tommy Holohan, SNTS, Perc, Keepsakes, Alt8, Mickey Nox, Svetec and Klangkuenstler. Some rising talent in Ireland I would like to mention and whose music I am really enjoying recently would be of Ethan Veseli, Blokes45, Elliot, INTRUDER, Cult, ROWDIBOI, MELTX, BODY SNATCHERS and Aero.
Tell us about your latest track ‘Dance Off’ that just dropped!
My latest release has dropped on Echo Recordings which are a Dutch-based label and have released music from some major artists in the scene, so I am privileged to be a part of the label.
‘DANCE OFF’ is an old-school rave-inspired acid track that brings you on a mesmerising journey from start to finish. The combination of stabbing synths, a massive 303 bassline, and a driving kick should keep the dance floor alive. Alongside all the elements I have mentioned I have included a vocal which I found in a sample pack and thought the sample fit the track really well.
I have lots of new music I am buzzing to release in 2023 and have my eyes on some hardcore labels I would love to feature on, fingers crossed!
What else have you got up your sleeve for the start of 2023?
As well as offering club nights UNCERTAIN will be offering those who are a fan of the brand the opportunity to rep some merchandise of ours such as hoodies, t-shirts, tote bags, and stickers with some killer designs imprinted on them. UNCERTAIN has many more ideas which we cannot wait to unravel down the line but for now we are taking things step by step and ensuring success in our current projects.
THE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN.
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Next up in our iD interview series is the hottest event photographer in town right now, Kodak Dan. His work has been causing a stir as he has been recognised by some of Ireland’s favourite electronic artists and clubs to capture intimate nightlife moments.