Max HeyraudA lifelong digger with a deep-rooted love for electronic music’s outer edges, Alienata has built a career defined by curiosity, independence and a refusal to stand still.
Berlin-based, Spanish-born Alienata has built her career through a fiercely independent, non-compliant attitude towards the music industry. Trends don’t faze her; if anything, they seem to pass her by entirely. Her path was forged in record stores and clubs scattered across Spain, particularly in Valencia, where she first began honing her craft. Yet it feels as though she found her taste, and, soon after, her own voice, remarkably early. It’s something many artists spend an entire career searching for, but Alienata has always seemed to have something to say.
Her sound is a steamrolling collision of techno and electro: a powerful blend that feels both classic and daring. She has a rare ability to uncover the new within the old and the old within the new, creating a sonic language that is constantly evolving, always moving between fresh discoveries and forgotten gems. It’s a sound rooted in curiosity, where dusty archives and forward-thinking experimentation exist side by side.
Over the years, Alienata has carried this approach across countless clubs and dancefloors, becoming closely tied to a number of influential scenes and collectives. Perhaps none more so than Berlin’s Killekill, where she has played a key role alongside Jamie Behan and others in shaping a distinctive musical community. From there, she has built a formidable international presence, performing regularly at renowned institutions including Berghain, Tresor Berlin and Fabric London.
Alongside her work as a DJ, Alienata founded Discos Atónicos in 2017, a platform through which she channels a broader and more personal sonic vision. Her debut solo EP arrived to widespread acclaim, further cementing her reputation as one of techno and electro’s most distinctive selectors.
We caught up with one of the scene’s fiercest selectors following her return to Ireland.
Let’s start at the beginning: what was your musical diet like when you were younger, and at what point did you first discover electronic music?
My musical diet was always quite eclectic. As a teenager, I listened to a lot of classical music because I was really drawn to its dramatic side haha; composers like Erik Satie and Wagner were among my favourites. I also listened to a lot of funk, which is something I’ve always loved. Like many people my age, I also grew up listening to acts like Massive Attack, The Prodigy, Underworld, and The Chemical Brothers. That’s simply what was around me at the time.
A few years later, I became friends with a group of older musicians who were complete music nerds, and through them I started discovering electronic music in a much deeper way. I’ve never really been attached to genres. If something catches my ear, I listen to it. That’s always been my approach, and it still is today.
Vinyl played a big role in how you first engaged with music. In today’s mostly digital landscape, do you think that experience of discovering and listening through records shaped your musical education in a different, or even better, way?
It definitely played a huge role in my musical education. When I started DJing, finding records wasn’t as easy as it is today. There weren’t many record shops where I lived, and you couldn’t simply listen to everything online before buying it. Because of that, discovering music required more patience and a bit of detective work.
A lot of my discoveries came through friends who already had collections. I’d hear a record and think, “Who’s this artist? What label is this?” and then I’d start digging from there. At the time I was studying Philosophy at university, and I was basically studying and working just so I could afford records.
One of my mentors worked with a record distribution company in Barcelona, and I helped him for a while, which gave me access to a lot of amazing music. Later, when I started travelling, spending hours digging through crates in record shops became one of my favourite things. Finding a record you’d been searching for, or one you didn’t even know existed, still feels magical.
Working at The Record Loft in Berlin for a few years kept that excitement alive. Even today, I think discovering music through vinyl is a very different experience from discovering it digitally. It’s slower, more intentional, and every record tends to stay with you for much longer.
You began DJing in the early 2000s. From there, what was the point where you decided you wanted to play clubs professionally, and how long did that transition take?
I actually started DJing around the mid-2000s, playing in bars and small venues in my hometown, many of them queer and gay spaces run by friends. I always felt very connected to that scene because it was open, free and incredibly welcoming. Those were the places where I could experiment and slowly find my own voice.
Things became a bit more serious when I joined the Overflow Collective around 2005 or 2006. That’s when I started playing in proper clubs rather than just bars, and I realised this was something I wanted to keep developing.
For me, though, it has never been about chasing a career. It’s always happened very organically and quite slowly. DJing became a language, a way of communicating through something completely abstract. You can’t see music or touch it, yet it can create such a deep connection with people. That feeling is what made me want to keep doing it.
You eventually moved to Germany; how did that move influence your sound and your approach to music?
Moving to Germany, especially to Berlin, had a huge impact on me, but maybe not in the way people would expect. It wasn’t that I suddenly discovered electronic music; I was already deeply into it. What changed was the environment.
For the first time, I was surrounded by people who were completely dedicated to music. I had access to incredible record shops, clubs, artists and promoters, and that constant exchange of ideas really expanded my perspective.
In an old interview with Resident Advisor, you said: “There are plenty of experiences which have made me learn a lot about the language of music and showed me how much I still have to learn.” Can you expand on that, and does that still feel true for you today?
I think it still feels completely true. If anything, I feel it even more today. The more time you spend with music, the more you realise how endless it is. There are always new artists to discover, forgotten records, different scenes, new ways of listening and understanding sound. I don’t think you ever reach a point where you can say, “Now I know enough.”
For me, music is a language, and like any language, you’re always learning new words, new accents and new ways of expressing ideas. That’s what keeps it exciting. I also think staying curious is essential. The moment you believe you’ve figured everything out, you stop growing. I still spend hours digging, listening, reading and learning from other people, and I hope I never lose that feeling. It’s one of the things I love most about music.
More recently, you released your debut EP Quantum Skin on your label Discos Atónicos. Given you’d been producing for quite some time before this, would you say you’re a perfectionist when it comes to releasing music?
I’m not sure perfectionist is the right word. I think I’ve always been very self-critical. After spending so many years immersed in music, your ears become quite educated, and sometimes that means you’re much harder on yourself than anyone else would be.
For a long time, I struggled with the feeling that my music was never quite good enough. I think that’s something many artists experience. It has a lot to do with imposter syndrome and self-doubt.
Another challenge was that I spent quite a long time thinking about what other people expected me to make, instead of focusing on what I genuinely wanted to create. Of course, I’m still learning. I know my technical limitations, and I’m always trying to improve. But the biggest change wasn’t technical. It was learning to get out of my own way and finally allow myself to release music that felt honest to me.
It’s also the first release in the “Deep Cut” series. What inspired you to start that series, and why did Quantum Skin feel like the right way to launch it?
The idea behind Deep Cut came from a very natural place. I’ve always been drawn to the deeper side of electronic music. As much as I love electro, EBM and the more upfront energy that defines Discos Atónicos, I’ve always had a strong connection with deeper, more hypnotic sounds.
After almost ten years of running the label, I feel its identity is very clear, and I want to keep it that way. But at the same time, I was starting to feel a little limited. I wanted a space where I could explore techno, breaks and more immersive club music without changing what Discos Atónicos already stands for or confusing the people who follow the label.
When I sit down to write music, I naturally tend to go in that direction, so creating the Deep Cut series felt like the most honest solution. It wasn’t about creating a separate identity—it was about expanding the universe of the label.
How are you feeling about electro and techno in 2026? Are you still finding as much exciting music as in previous years?
I still find a lot of exciting music, absolutely. The difference today is that you have to invest more time in looking for it. There’s so much being released that finding music that really resonates with you takes patience.
I’m also constantly discovering older music that somehow passed me by. That’s one of the things I love most about digging. It never really ends. There are always forgotten artists, hidden gems and incredible music waiting to be discovered. For me, that’s one of the most exciting parts of electronic music. The search never stops.
As someone who plays both older records and newer cuts, do you think DJs today are too focused on new music and current trends?
I can only really speak for myself. I’ve never thought of music in terms of old versus new. Good music doesn’t have an age. Incredible records are being released every month, and there are amazing tracks that were made 15 or 20 years ago that still sound completely fresh today. For me, it’s about finding the right balance.
Of course, when you DJ a lot, you’re always excited to find something new to play. But “new” doesn’t necessarily mean recently released; it can also be something that was produced years ago, and you’ve only just discovered. I’ve never been very interested in following trends. If a track catches my attention because of its rhythm, atmosphere or originality, I’ll play it, regardless of when it was made.
You we’re back in Ireland this month with two dates across Dublin and Cork. Do you have any particular memories or experiences from Ireland in the past?
Yes, I have quite a few memories, probably too many to tell in an interview, and maybe a few that are better left untold! I’ve always felt a special connection with Ireland, and I’ve always enjoyed playing there. It’s been a while since my last visit, but I have very fond memories of spending weekends with my Killekill family and Jamie Behan. We always had a great time, as far as I remember (lots of tequila always!)
One thing that has always stood out to me is the energy. Because clubs have to close relatively early, people make the most of every minute. From the very beginning of the night, the dancefloor already feels intense. I always remember Irish crowds as having a particularly wild and passionate energy.
And finally, what advice would you give to artists who are aiming to build a long-term, sustainable career like yours?
I always end up saying the same things, but I really believe they’re important: be patient, stay curious and keep an open mind.
When you’re starting, it’s easy to become attached to one genre or one scene. But the more you learn, the more you realise that every style has something to teach you, and that there are connections between them that you might not notice at first.
I’d also say: be consistent, stay humble and never stop learning. I think humility is a real strength, especially in a world where it’s so easy to focus on image or recognition. At the end of the day, curiosity and a genuine love for music will take you much further than trying to follow someone else’s path.
