From the new kid to the top

From nowhere does this creator of extreme noise come to the extreme stages of Speedcore Italia, and now he's one of the names of our main event. But who is he and what drives him to become the artist we now know? In this blog, EliceX reveals all of this to you. Elice, the floor is yours.

What's up y'all, I'm EliceX, beatmaker from southern Germany. Started in regular hardcore but lately turned very much into the speedcore scene.

For me it started one night when I was 14 years old. I was watching TV with my dad when the movie New Kids came on. We watched a couple of minutes, and my father was like "WTF is this". But I was completely glued to the TV-screen and watched the whole movie with big eyes. I become completely fascinated by the gabber lifestyle: the fashion and music the guys in this movie were into. From that moment on, I bought a lot of Thunderdome CDs, got myself some gabber clothes, and later, when I was old enough, I started to go to hardcore parties. So, for me, it all started with me wanting to become a 'New Kid' haha.

The ball was rolling

When I got more into the hardcore scene, I noticed another guy from my village that was also into this music. My good old friend Xaey. The hardcore scene isn't as widespread in southern Germany as in other parts of the country, so it was very special to meet someone with the same taste. This is how we got in touch and quickly became friends. And yeah, back then he was already listening to some faster stuff, which is how I got into the terror, and later speedcore, scene. In the beginning, Xaey also pushed me to sit down at the computer and start producing my own tracks.

My first interaction with Speedcore Italia was two years ago. I did an internship with Alex, the videographer at Speedcore Italia, where we shot the aftermovie for Deadtown 10. It was the first SCI event I attended and also the first one Xaey had to play. He used some of my tracks in his set and I noticed the crowd liked it. So, after Deadtown, I sent Valerio (Nekrosystem) a few of my tracks. He was convinced and offered me a gig at the next Deadtown.

To be honest, before I went to my first Deadtown, I was a bit scared of these kinds of events. The music is so extreme, and I had no idea what kind of audience to expect. But after this first time, holy shit, it's just a great atmosphere and a really friendly feeling. Only people that have the same passion as you are here. Even without talking, you can tell that everyone's on the same wavelength. It feels right at home at every Speedcore Italia event!

Composing of sound

I would describe my style as a mixture of dark and futuristic, with a touch of oldschool. My music has many influences from different angles. I listen to a lot of American music, including dubstep, bass music, and even rap in the sense of horrorcore. Sometimes these genres make their way into my own productions. I also draw inspiration from older German speedcore. Think of artists like Kreislaufstörung, who I see as the ultimate master of speedcore. Also, iGoA en DiscoCunt have a big influence on my music.

My sets are mostly made up of my newest tracks. I try out different things and use the audience's reaction to see what hits and what doesn't. When I make music with my buddy, we often sample really cheesy stuff, but then it hits you with a super intense drop. When I play something like that, it might sound a bit strange at first. But once the drop hits, people are convinced.

Being behind the decks, showing people my music, and seeing that they experience the same emotions I felt while producing them, is the best compliment I could get. It's like we're resonating together and I'm able to share the exact same feeling I had while creating the tracks.

Getting ready for the swamp

People that have never been to Deadtown before, I would like to invite you to my set. Of course, to hear my music and my newest tracks haha. I've done a lot of experimental stuff that, in my opinion, hasn't been heard in the speedcore scene before.

Besides that, it's also about experiencing the vibe in the tunnel. It's truly a unique experience to hear that one-of-a-kind sound system. Mikroport Club is a magical place in Krefeld, unlike anywhere else on this planet!

Finally, I want to tell you that I'm working on a ton of new projects, so stay tuned. I hope to see you all in the tunnel!

Thank you EliceX for this interview. Would you like to see him and the other heavyweights playing during Deadtown 14? Get your tickets at the Speedcore Italia website.