Alex B

If there is a spare minute in Alex B’s life, it is spent in the studio working on music. Although he is classically trained on violin and an array of other instruments, he is best known as the outstanding bass player and guiding force behind Pnuma Trio, the live electronic band that in just one year played over 220 shows all around the world after breaking onto the scene to immediate acclaim and success.

As a solo artist, his use of a dizzying mixture of analog hardware and newer digital technology give him a signature sound that is difficult to pin down to just one (or two or three) genres. Layers and layers of synthesizer, bass and enticing effects are laid over broken hip-hop and down-tempo inspired beats to create rich textures with a jazz undercurrent.

The lush and dynamic quality of his music is a product of the time and care put into every element. Alex B takes sound design to the level of intricate craftsmanship, where every detail is scrutinized and refined.

With an interesting sound that is versatile yet reigned in, it’s not surprising that Alex B has been invited to share a stage with a diverse and accomplished group of artists including Prefuse 73, Flying Lotus, Telefon Tel Aviv, STS9, Nosaj Thing and Glitch Mob. Alex also adds an impressive component to performances by Lipp Service, the live project of producer Eliot Lipp, and Pnuma PA, where his production really shines.

His new found exposure has made him an in-demand remixer, collaborator, and solo performer, but most of all Alex B is a gear head and studio fiend. He never tires of experimenting with new devices or software programs, and left to his own accord, would probably never step outside the studio except to play a live show. His wide-reaching grasp of instrumentation and music equipment make him adaptable to fit a lot of bills. Adeptly switching from introspective head nodding to dance floor freak-outs with similar skill and enthusiasm, he maintains a certain appeal and resourcefulness as an artist.

With the first full-length Pnuma Trio album Character (Columbia Records Japan/1320 Records US) so well received in the summer of 2008, droves of convinced fans from his relentless touring, and an increasing popularity among other top producers, Alex B is just getting started. The untapped potential that comes with fast fame only adds to the intrigue that makes Alex B one to watch.