Introduce yourself? Preferred pronouns? Where do you currently reside? 1 fun fact about yourself?
I’m Alyce (they/them). I live in Ocean Hill, Brooklyn. My first AIM screen name was “euphony remix” which I took from a trance remix of some anime song, not realizing [x] remix meant the artist who made the remix so I thought it was just a cool descriptor.
How is everything going with you right now?
I feel lucky in a lot of ways considering everything that’s going on. I’ve regressed a bit in the last year and turned to a lot of comforts of my teens – internet friends, solitary creative activities, reading.
Any fun predictions for 2021?
I wish! I have hopes, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so uncertain about what’s next.
How did you get your DJ name?
Some friends and I were throwing house parties back in 2012 or so that were meant to feel lighthearted and tropical, so I named myself Lychee because it felt like a fit for the housier music I was playing then and had a “lyc” in it like my first name “Alyce.” Now it feels a bit silly but it’s kind of become part of me.
Who currently inspires your music-wise?
Inspiration has come in unpredictable waves for me these days. Making music feel like an “occasion” outside of the club always helps. Treating a stream like a party at home alone or in the group chat or with my partner, or deep listening to albums and making them the center of attention, is always revitalizing. Breaking the habit of feeling like I need to keep up with every new release has also been healthy for me; digging deep into old releases on Discogs usually gets me out of a rut.
4 djs you would want to see on a lineup for the first party post covid asap?
Honestly what I want most is to see all of my good friends DJing at their best again, I really miss DJing side by side with them or just being part of their audience. I’m also feeling particularly long overdue for a real wormhole spiral a la Dozzy/Nobu/Wata or Interdimensional Transmissions, the kind of raw exorcism I can’t really replicate at home.
What other activities have you dipped into with a break from djing?
Gardening and dabbling in production for the first time have both been nice because I know it will be years before I’ll feel “mature” at either of these, it’s nice to do something without much external pressure or deadlines and approach it more playfully.
Let’s play a pipipi game… I give you a situation & you give me a track
Gregorian chant festival in 2035
Lost in the rainforest with your BFF
Meteor shower in your shower…
https://claudeyoungjr-celestialbodies.bandcamp.com/track/signals-from-amor
Track to sum up 2020 to the future:
https://severedmercies.bandcamp.com/track/do-your-part-new-york-city
If you had to describe yourself as a vegetable what would it be and why?
I want to think I’m a tuff and spicy chili pepper but I’m probably not a vegetable at all but a soft and squishy fruit.
Favorite weird drug/mind-altering experience?
Cooking taco dinner for 20 people at a cabin getaway while tripping on mushrooms could have been a disaster but turned out to be really fun (maybe not favorite but definitely a standout).
What was your first gig? How did it go?
My first ever was at the “Crafts House” at my university (probably around 2009/2010) – I played HypeMachine era tracks straight out of iTunes.
Describe your favorite thing to drink and how it makes you feel?
Love any and all fizzy / sweet drinks, they make me feel effervescent ✨
Why do you think it’s important to share music?
Music – our own or music made by others – can communicate things we don’t have words for. It can collect meaning over time based on shared moments, it can break down mental barriers, it can be both deeply intimate/personal and powerfully communal.
What do your parents think about the music you make?
I’m not sure if my dad realizes the DJ sets I’ve shown him aren’t all my own music despite my best attempts to explain… I think he generally thinks it’s cool though, he loves music and will listen to just about anything.
What would you like to see in the future for the dance community?
More sustainable, smaller “microeconomies” and communities that offer deeper, more holistic support (material and otherwise) for artists. More intentionality, more long-term thinking, less disposability – things that feel difficult sometimes in a scene sometimes driven by capitalism/the worst sides of social media.