Herzel
̸
Biografía
- I remember swallowing art voraciously since my early age. From comic books to sci-fi, photography and visual arts, movies, always eager for more, music was the only passion that lasted until now.Aleksandar Grozdanovski who is better known by his alias Herzel is present on the international electronic music scene for more than 10 years. Starting off as a photographer and visual artist after gaining a degree in art and applied photography in Sophia, 2007. Aleksandar did not remain in one sphere only, but wandered around. From a very early age he had an interest in the arts. From comic books to sci-fi, photography and visual arts, movies - always curious - music was the only passion that lasted until this day. His music style is best described as an entanglement of many genres, from post punk, synthwave, ebm, indie electronic, as his early influences, to house and techno. Nowadays, Aleksandar mostly explores the nuances between techno and house. His first two releases that gave him international recognition were “No More Lies” EP released on Other Heights and “The Action Of Staying” EP released on Dubwax in 2012. His first solo vinyl release “Shades” EP with Palms Trax remixes on John Talabot’s Hivern Discs came out in February 2015. Another two vinyl/digital releases on Charlois “The way You Feel” EP with Cliff Lothar’s remix and “Days & Nights” EP with Nick Anthony Simoncino’s remixes on The Exquisite Pain just pushed him to grow as an artist. Two EP’s that came out in 2018 were “Arp Surfer” with Marquis Hawkes Remix via Biologic records and “Forms” EP via Uncanny Valley. A split vinyl release with Nathan Surreal was out on Biologic records in 2018. The track "Devoid" appeared on the cultish “Future Sound Of Jazz Vol 14” via Compost Records. He had done remixes on the following labels: Stem Records, Shift LTD, Nanda Records, Soundtracking the Void and Electric Shapes. His tracks were featured in the Watergate Mix20 CD by Matthias Meyer and Sven Väth In The Mix - The Sound Of The 20th Season on the legendary Cocoon Recordings. In 2021, he released the Herzel & Metropolitan Soul Museum – “Fairlight House” EP on Polymath, followed by remixes from Benedikt Frey, Yushh and Nøkken (303). Aleksandar’s last record “Bitter Tears” dropped out in 2022 on Massimiliano Pagliara’s Funnuvojere Records. In 2019 Aleksandar started to work as an editor for the Macedonian Telekom Electronic Beats and was featured in the 20 Years of Electronic Beats book. He co-runs a vinyl-only label Bran (БРАН). The idea behind the label is to utilize Macedonian jazz, funk and pop music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s in today’s context of electronic music. To broaden this idea on the international scale, BRAN invites artists from all over the globe to work on editing the original music. So far the artists that worked on these two releases are: Eddie C, Daniela La Luz, Uabos, Metropolitan Soul Museum, Flute Power and Herzel. At the moment their second release is out, distributed by Bordello A Parigi. In 2020 he started releasing more experimental and abstract synthesis works under the HRZL alias. First album is called “Subtopia” and was released on cassette by the UK label Soundtracking The Void. “Furies”' is the second mini-album that came out in 2020 as a self-release. The album “Exoteric” was released on TEOREMA/Diffuse Reality, 2021. HRZL tracks are featured in various artists compilations: “Coping Mechanisms (Electronic Meditations)” - Dimension of Being Human, “The Rising Sound Of Skopje” - Стотројка, “Year 1” - Kulture Galerie. Artists such as John Talabot, Sven Väth, KiNK, Pional, Boddika, Joy Orbison, Legowelt, Jacques Greene, Jori Hulkkonen, Matthias Meyer, Erol Alkan, Brianna B.traits, Massimiliano Pagliara, Anja Schneider, Kasper Bjorke, Midland, Ed Davenport, Iron Curtis, Brendon Moeller, etc. valued and supported his work. The records have also been reviewed and presented by renowned music magazines and blogs such as: Electronic Beats, Xl8r, Mixmag, DJ Mag, Resident Advisor, Inverted Audio, The Ransome Note, De:Bug, Igloo, First Floor, Endless Grooves, Phonologue and his music has been played on radio stations like BBC, Red Bull Radio, NTS, KMAH, Rinse, Mutant Radio, Refuge Worldwide and Ibiza Global Radio among others. He has dropped tunes on Red Light Radio and United We Stream. 2021-2022, Aleksandar had a monthly radio residency at Amok Radio based in Skopje, named “Herzel’s Crash Test.” In 2022 he started a radio show called “Traga” at Refuge Worldwide in Berlin. At the peak of his live acts were his appearances at Dimensions Festival in Croatia, Electronic Beats Festival in Skopje and Love International Festival in Croatia. Besides constantly playing at renewed underground clubs and parties around the globe, Aleksandar is a regular at Berlin’s most infamous clubs such as: Tresor, Griessmuehle, Sisyphos, About Blank, Ipse & Salon Zur Wilde Renate.̸Herzel: • Bitter Tears EP (Funnuvojere) • VA Sven Vath: In The Mix - The Sound Of The 20th Season (Cocoon) • Forms EP (Uncanny Valley) • VA Future Sound Of Jazz Vol.14 (Compost Records) • Arp Surfer EP w/Marquis Hawkes Remix (Biologic Records) • The Way U Feel w/Cliff Lothar Remix (Charlois) • Shades EP w/Palms Trax Remixes (Hivern Discs) HRZL: • Exoteric LP (TEOREMA/Diffuse Reality) • Subtopia LP (Soundtracking The Void) • Furies mini-LP (Self-release)
Discografía seleccionada