Alex Ridha started Boys Noize Records in 2005, mainly to release his own creations and be in charge artistically. The Berlin-based label has since gone on to define the modern sound of boundary-blurring German techno/electro with its consistently high quality of multi-artist releases, including the two Boys Noize artist albums 'Oi Oi Oi' and 'Power'.
Boys Noize has also released tunes on Kitsuné, Turbo and International Deejay Gigolos, but perhaps most surprising is 2011's 'Adonis' on Sven Väth's Cocoon.
"I make so many different styles of tracks all over the year and I was sitting on this one for a while because I didn't want to release it on BNR," Alex explains. "I thought it would fit perfectly on a classic house/techno label like Cocoon, and when I sent it to Sven, he was going crazy for it." Collaborations also play a large part in the Boys Noize story, most notably perhaps with Erol Alkan. This year saw a re-release of their track 'Avalanche' re-worked to feature a new contribution from Jarvis Cocker. "I've also made a couple of tracks with my hero Mr Oizo, some tracks with my Berlin homie Siriusmo, and of course new tracks with my UK brother Erol Alkan," he tells us.
So where next for the Boys Noize sound? "I can't really say where I'm going," Alex says, "but I know it will always be a bit rougher and 'rockin' in a way! And in 2012 I want to keep on releasing good quality electronic stuff." DAVID McCARTHY