"I know what you mean, LA is probably one of the least conducive places in the world for any kinds of artistic endeavour," laughs a pensive but upbeat Alvarado, "People can't believe it's where I'm from, but I think a lot of the angst in my music comes from living here, it's a result of the frustrution I feel, I love California, but I wrestle with LA."
Alvarado started out as a DJ in the mid Eighties playing to huge, mainly Latino crowds of up to 10,000 and slowly moved into production work. It wasn't until 1993, when his Worship white label was picked up by Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva for their house label Definitive, that his name escaped the confines of LA's Eastside Latin community. Since then he's produced over 20 releases of fantasticly deep, emotive house for labels like Stickman, Strictly Rhythm, Aquaboogie, Peacefrog, and Groove On, DJ'd all over the world and stil found the time to start his own Bomb label.
All of which leads us to his new album as Sunkiss for Plastic City. Made alongside sometime partner Kenneth Graham, it's smooth, effortlessly flowing mélange of Basic Channel-style dube, hypnotic percussion patterns, and atmospheric string parts that will hopefully see him reach a wider audience he deserves. Not that it's given him any reason to leave the plastic city and move to Europe.
"I think living here is a strength, " he chuckles, "I'm left to my own devices. I've had to reinterpret everything. For as much as I complain about LA, it's what helped me to create my sound."
words by Dave Mothersole
