A trained classical composer, the internal sonic realm of Aniek De Rooj soon revealed itself as an electronically-amplified demeanour of high voltage, woman and machine introspections through her meticulously curated alter-ego Alberta Balsam. Charged wires and knobs twist under her wizardly guidance, producing extraterrestrial sounds for a tense and technical, meandering and moody auditory experience.
Sparked by unpredictability, Alberta Balsam’s creative technique tightens the bolt and edges of textures in rhythm, with every rough curve ahead unknown. The clever synchronisation of clattering drum pads, hyper-beep squeaks, mechanic whirring drones, noise distortion and disruption exposes the enigmatic dimensions of her craft.
Stepping up to deliver IA MIX 385, Alberta Balsam’s carefully pieced-together mix weaves a winding tale of magnetic character. Dextrously manipulated synths, coarse beat patterns, and industrial disorder open a wormhole of multiversal music, complex yet cohesive by nature – dig in.
Interview by Asmi Shetty
"Life is hectic, intense, and sometimes you just need this high octane energy to draw everything else out. I want my music, and my sets, to reflect the full diversity of that"
Hi Aniek, Thank you for delivering this truly electrifying podcast. We are thrilled to have you contribute a podcast for the IA MIX Series. To begin with, please enlighten us about your thought process behind the mix?
The mix is an amalgamation of all my influences and interests at the moment, I have been listening a lot to ambient and slower music, being interested in sound design and the building of musical worlds. I also like to explore that intersection of where electro and techno can meet Bass music. To find that middle ground where IDM, all kinds of other left field sounds find each other. And then to find common ground in there.
Some people are great at producing a carefully raising upwards energy. But personally, and maybe that’s my ADHD, I love contrast, surprises and twists that are unexpected. I like to be kept on my toes a bit. I tend to play quite loud and aggressive music, and then sneak lovely, dreamy stuff in, which then serves as this little emotional moment.
The track list is lethal. Who are some of your favourite artists featured? What do you admire about them/their music?
I love James Shinra, his music always stirs some kind of emotional thin in me, I like including his tracks, they merge perfectly with banging stuff but stay true to my IDM roots. The same goes with that Solitary Dancer track, which I have been trying to sneak into something for a while. Besides that I really like what Verraco has been putting out, some of it is super experimental and IDM, but also very danceable.
What inspired your artist name, Alberta Balsam? Is this an ode to Aphex Twin’s track or the British brand of hair care products?
I used to use the Alberta Balsam as a name on electronic music forums, of course it was more of a joke then, and definitely a play on Apex Twin’s track. The word balsam also is reminiscent of something caring, nurturing, which is why I decided to use it.
I actually got some hate on the internet because it’s apparently ‘too much afx’, and I ‘shouldn’t steel such a name’. But well, even Radiohead named themselves after a Talking Heads song so I figured I don’t care about that.
As a classically trained musician, how does your knowledge of sheet music translate to the world of electronic music? Do you find your skills in acoustic composition reflected in digital productions? What’s the harmony you strive for between the two?
I think I am proficient at playing keys and this is definitely hearable on my tracks, I love crafting melodies and harmonies. However for a long time I considered it to be a disadvantage. I found all my tracks to be too ‘polite’ and lacking that big balls energy that I wanted. That’s why I transitioned to working out of the box and forcing myself to make very drum focused tracks for a while to get out of this mode. It’s nice to be analytic but you need to have a sense of that direct energy as well. I want it to be both, beauty and banging.
Your music has an ethereal sense of woozy yet static, tense energy. How would you describe your style? What are some elements of sound that are personal to you?
I would describe it as ethereal, dreamy and at times intense. Music and my musical taste reflect my personal experience and personality a lot. Music has a direct connection to our emotions, to how we feel. It’s pivotal to me in processing my sorrow. Some DJ’s or producers can stay in a specific realm, or a specific energy. But to me life, and thus music, is too layered for that.
Life can be an intense, overwhelming experience, where we can be sad, happy. Where we sometimes need optimism too and not just that dark energy all the time. Life is hectic, intense, and sometimes you just need this high octane energy to draw everything else out. I want my music, and my sets, to reflect the full diversity of that.
Released last year on Dub Recordings, your mini-album ‘15 Billion Elektrovolt‘ was an absolute heater. What was your thought process behind making this music? How long did the production process take?
Although I love to say I had a specific concept in mind, for this one I didn’t. I produce a lot of ideas and they go into a huge folder. Some of those are quite old, like years old. Or maybe just the initial idea is. Then I select the stuff that I find really says something and fits into a coherent story. I have specific visuals in mind for every track, kind of like an imaginative music video that I would make in my head.
I find it important that there is something that strikes me every time I listen to a song. That it’s special. Then I start to finish the song, and then some of them just turn into great tunes and some of them you just can’t seem to get right, and then I ditch those. In the end I tried to make it into a coherent piece by selecting songs that really go together, in this case in collaboration with Serge.
"Music has a direct connection to our emotions, to how we feel. It’s pivotal to me in processing my sorrow. Some DJ's or producers can stay in a specific realm, or a specific energy. But to me life, and thus music, is too layered for that"
From your releases dating back to 2018 until now, including releasing “Cosmic Runner” under your record label Terra Atomika last month, how has this journey been? What are your plans for the record label?
I see myself mainly as a producer, and it took me a long time to really love, to really like what I am making and fine-tune my skills. That said, I really love doing it, geeking out on gear and playing. I am very proud of where I am now, although I feel like there is still so much to learn and do. There is such a huge diversity of music and I like so much of it, not just electro, or bass, or IDM; I love pop, experimental stuff and classical music.
I launched Terra Atomika to have more freedom for my own releases, and to be able to release music that ‘doesn’t fit’ anywhere, because it’s somewhere in between. Maybe it’s not club, but very club related, maybe it’s something else. Good music should be released and there’s more to it than just ‘can it move the dancefloor’.
‘Cosmic Runner’ also highlights two exciting remixes, one from French II and the other from Peder Mannerfelt. How do you approach collaborations?
For me working with other people is hugely inspiring. I find it important to have people around me that I admire in terms of their skills and musicianship, and most of all, their way of supporting each other. This line of work is not easy, and it’s great to have people around you who are both supportive and critical (in a good and positive way). That way you can really get each other to a whole other level.
When working with the guys on music, the way we play together is without ego, there’s no showing off. We complement each other very well in terms of our sound and specific strengths. It’s about being precise in sound, in what we want to achieve, but also loose and playful, and having fun.
I am also currently working with visual artist Timaeus. This process has been so insightful, as he comes from a completely different background and we are very complementary to each other, it has felt much more like making art and is hugely inspirational to me.
How do each of these experiences differ for you? DJ-ing at a club, a festival or playing live? When do you feel connected to your audience?
I think DJ’ing at a club can be so much fun, you play differently, a little darker maybe, in a club. Often it’s a bit more intimate. I really like the feeling of the night evolving. It’s like everyone was at a different frequency when entering and then slowly they start to sync up.
DJ’ing is free, it’s curating, it’s fun. Playing live is incredibly hard, it’s very taxing on your brain, you have to focus. But I love doing that, I love the tech nerding over the gear. And when I really lock in with the audience when doing my liveshow, it’s like I am a puppeteer. I turn off the kick and the crowd goes wild directly. They see and have immediate visual feedback that when I turn a knob something changes. It’s so immediate, and then when it doesn’t work it also does not connect, so that’s scary as hell.
Thanks for taking the time to chat, Aniek. What else do you have lined up for 2024?
I am actually embarking on one of my most ambitious projects to date, a Live A/V show. I am going to premiere this show early September in Melkweg Amsterdam. The audiovisual show features a huge inflatable object, designed by Zalan Szakacs, on stage that we can control in terms of lighting and it will grow and shrink live. Visuals are by Timaeus, who I mentioned before, and it has been really fun to work on this. I also have an EP lined up on GARMO, a label by Priori and Ex-Terrestrial, and I am very excited about that music!
Before we part, please name a classic electronic track that has continued to inspire you since your first encounter?
While it’s so hard to name a single one I would say Autechre ‘Eutow‘. I still listen to Autechre a lot! It just never bores me. It is so beautiful without being too complicated and has such a great groove.
Photography by Simone Michielsen
TRACKLIST
1. B12 – Gimp
2. Dima Disk – U R A Gem
3. Transits of Tone – The Computer
4. Berg Jaär – Rar
5. Hassan Abou Alam – Basha ft. Ziad Zaza, Ismail Nosrat, Aly B
6. Stenny – Onda
7. Verraco – Sí, idealízame
8. Sepehr – At the Gates of Heaven
9. Waajeed – Memoirs of Hi-Tech Jazz (Jensen Interceptor & Assembler Code Remix)
10. E-Unity – Avray Link
11. Phost – The Mutant
12. Dj Stingray 313 – Dynamic Instability
13. Syrte Their World
14. Karenn – When Lutes Were A Thing
15. RBI – Vault Ultra
16. Solitary Dancer – Will U Meet Me?
17. Trois-quarts Taxi System – Rat
18. Xen Chron – A Fireside Chat
19. Alberta Balsam – Unreleased
20. Global Goon – Metal Glass
21. Arad Acid – Koch Metish (excel remix)
22. Sully – Eraser
23. James Shinra -drift.wood
24. Shurupakk – Le Perche Oreille
25. Yamouriddim – Lastrack
