By Rebecca Hext
Staff Writer
While most Costa student’s simply listen to music in their free time, senior Luc Alexiades, spends his time making his own music under the name “Aqua Hunger.”
After getting interested in music producing HOW?, Alexiades spent some time playing the drums for bands such as Courage Wolf, Tongues in Trees, and Edens Bliss. However, for the past two years, Alexiades has been producing his own music through a music producing software called ‘Logic.’ This software allows him to program virtual synthesizers and compose his own songs. He makes songs with noises he creates on the software; therefore, creating a unique sound because of their originality.
“I have always played [drums] in bands, but a collaboration with four to five other artists takes a lot of coordination,” Alexiades said. “I wanted something I could do on my own time, so I started making dance music on my computer.”
Alexiades spends anywhere from 20 to 25 hours a week working on his music and creating new songs. Whether he is producing his own songs, doing production for other bands such as West Swell, Niki Black, Tongues in Trees, and Edens Bliss, or helping with band recording, he is working on his skills daily. Although it takes up the majority of his time, Alexiades still finds a way to maintain his grades and have a social life.
“It’s given me good time management skills,” Alexiades said. “I spend almost all my free time at home doing it and i wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Alexiades is greatly inspired by a fellow electronic dance music producer and Dj, Porter Robinson. Robinson’s career took off when he was still in high school and emphasises heavily on maintaining integrity in his songs by only making music that he loves.
“It’s good to know that there are artists that chose to make the music they want to hear and not what they think others will want to hear,” Alexiades said. “It’s respectable when someone would rather do what they love than be famous and popular.”
Similarly to Robinson, Alexiades’ career is already starting to take off while he is still at Mira Costa. Last year, he won the “Kerli- Army of Love” Remix Competition in which contestants were asked to do a remix of the song “Army of Love” by the artist Kerli. In addition to remixing Kerli, he has also done popular remixes of artists such as Rebelution and West Swell.
“I thought it was a big step in his path to success in the music industry,” senior friend and manager Connor Mathews said. “It really showed that he has potential to produce good music and be a popular musician.”
Alexiades would like to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in the fall. He is planning on majoring in electronic production design, which involves music remixing similar to what he is doing now. He has an audition in early February with the university to present his talents.
“My experience will definitely help me a lot,” Alexiades said. “I love making music, so I’m going to continuing doing it and just see what happens.”
In addition to having an album come out in late February, Alexiades is also planning on doing some public performances of the songs from his album shortly after. In addition, he will be opening up for one of his DJ friends named “Tyeze.” Alexiades’ music is available to listen to and download from his Aqua Hunger facebook account, and his Aqua Hunger soundcloud account.
“I am the first person that I know who has done this before,” Alexiades said. “So I’m really just doing what I love, going with the flow, and playing it by ear.”
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