Artist Intro: Invader!

My friend turned me onto Alejo Gonzáles, aka Invader!, in May last year when he released his Alive EP. Since then, I've been voraciously awaiting each and every track he puts out.

I believe Gonzáles' greatest strength lies in his ability to just not give a fuck, while simultaneously caring deeply about music and his fans. He regularly responds to submissions on his Facebook and often strikes up controversial conversations that lead to a greater understanding of what he's all about.

I believe there is a war waging between the side of fans who just want the next Big Room House hit like the ones that Feed Me reviewed for Beatport not too long ago. And then there's the side that desperately wants innovation in their music. The side that is tired of the same bland VSTs and synths; tired of the same directionless productions put out by label-bound DJs. I believe that Invader! is the hero that we need.

His unique spin on electro, trap, dubstep and more makes me excited whenever he posts a new track. My favorite of all time has to be his remix of Goldman - Closer.



With such a fantastic house base, Gonzáles re-imagined the track as a gritty electro banger complete with growls and snarls that would make Kill The Noise shit his pants. With the sultry sweet voice of Hayley Daviss, the track lends itself to remixing - between the bubbly breakdown and the second filthy drop, this track is a classic dancefloor banger sure to get anyone to bang their heads along. Punchy kicks and restrained use of the laser-like synths in the second half show the skill that Invader! can bring to the table when he has the right motivation.

But Gonzáles isn't all about serious business. He's also done some off-the-wall remixes of pop artists like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus (both available for free download).




Putting his talent to making both trap and drum & bass, the Invader! name is not about avoiding disappointing fans - I really think it's about finding a way through all the bullshit that finds itself associated with EDM these days. Producers find themselves pigeon holed into a genre - I know that I've done it to acts like Camo & Krooked who came out with an absurdly out-of-character minimal album Zeitgest at the end of September.

Invader! has taken that possibility away by being unpredictable and always on top of his game. Just like the track below, when he hears something he likes, he tries it out himself (often to great effect, I might add).



What I think I like most about Invader! is how easy it is to relate to him. He's never too far removed from his fan base and always posts what he has on his mind. A lot of it is controversial and not everyone likes what he says, but it's cool that he has these feelings. He's only a year older than I am, and it's always incredible to see what everyone else is doing. There is very little about Invader! that isn't out in the open. Now, Gonzáles himself, that may be a whole other story. We'll just have to find out.

Keep in touch with Invader!, I'm sure he'll appreciate it.
Facebook // Soundcloud // Twitter