Bombastic, charismatic. Alec Berlin takes listeners to a galaxy far, far away in Space Punk and Other Junk. Vivid sonic palettes bring an 80s’ futurism in a smooth smash of vintage aesthetic to life. Retro and fantastic world-building blossoming in the captivating riff of “ba ba lum.” Like a flavorful cocktail under a night of spontaneity leading to many unexpected encounters, there’s plenty of charm and intoxicating sparks in this fictitious world of sounds.

Berlin essentially builds a society in Space Punk and Other Junk. Heartwarming and eccentric, awe-evoking and distant, but somehow, there’s a deep sense of belonging. Memories are made, connections are formed. There’s so much to love and remember on top of the swirling otherworldliness under the disco lights. “Man’s Best Friend” is an heartwarming track filled with eye-opening flamboyance, humor and fun-loving. “Beat Confabulator (All Night on the Floor)“ gets under your skin with sensory solos that remind you of killer dance moves that never cease to impress. “LaNoise” retreats into laid-back, lounge mode with bluesy notes and bending notes.

“Life in the Bog” then ventures into the dangerous underworld full of unknown and egotism. Scenic dissonance and dramatic distortion brings a shift to the view. “Flatbush Jaywalk” brings a kind of urgency, coolness and tangle from Bond movies. “President’s Day,” on the other hand, feels most personal. With foot-stomping intimacy and heartwarming intricacy, the track is entangled in emotions and thoughts.

There’s a different scene in every track and its beauty awaits for you to discover.

Read our interview with Berlin where we talk about Space Punk.

Punk Head: I love how “Space Punk” is a smash of futurism and vintage aesthetic. Tell me more about this track. Are there any images that pop into your head while you were working on creating the track?

Alec Berlin: Honestly, I thought a lot about Star Wars - the first one, that came out in 1977. I was a Star Wars kid, saw it an embarrassing amount of times in the theater, completely ate it up. I was the target audience. And I think they did a great job of, to use your phrase, “smashing futurism and vintage” - ‘cuz there were all of these spaceships (futuristic), but they were all beaten up, dented, dusty, etc (vintage). I mean - “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away” - it’s vintage right from the jump, but we’re bombarded with images that we associate with the future - laser beams and whatnot.

So I had that in mind a lot when I was working on the track “Space Punk” in particular, and on all the songs on this record in general.

PH: Can you talk about any standout tracks on the album and what makes them special to you?

Berlin: Not really. They all surprised me, at each step of the way - writing, performing, recording, mixing. The thing I kept an eye (and ear) out for was if I found myself thinking “You know what would be cool? What if I tried THIS?” If that thought arises, that’s a pretty good indication that you are tuned in to your muse, you are reaching for things that feel true and honest and exciting to yourself. I definitely had that experience on the song “Man’s Best Friend” - the section in the middle that sort of references the Jackson 5. Or in the weirdo chord changes on LaNoise. Or the high-pitched, whistle-like melody on “Patchen Avenue”. Or the layered guitars at the end of “What I Wish I Had Said”. I could go on, but those are all examples of times when I listened really closely to my instincts - and it paid off!

PH: How does this album reflect your growth as an artist?

Berlin: Well. The previous 2 albums that I released both had lyrics and singing. And in fact I wrote a 3rd album that I didn’t actually record - it too had lyrics and singing. I might get around to recording some or all of that material some day. But for whatever reason, when I set out to write this music, I wanted to simplify the creative process, so I just bypassed the step of writing lyrics. I think a lot (most? all?) of these songs COULD have lyrics, but I wanted the challenge of creating a listening experience that is every bit as compelling and diverse as if there were a singer - except I didn’t want to have a singer.

So in that way, it’s completely different from the previous records that I made. (Well, I also made a jazz record, called “Crossing Paths” - that too is an instrumental album, but in that case I really approached it like a live performance. In this case I didn’t want to do that. And I didn’t want to adhere to a particular idiom.)

PH: Can you tell us more about you as an artist?

Berlin: Sincere. Either lazy or driven, depending on the day you ask me. I have a tremendous amount of faith in my taste. That’ll steer your ship through all kinds of rough seas.


PH: What would you like to tell your supporters out there?

Berlin: Listen to my music! Space Punk and Other Junk has 12 songs, they’re all available on all streaming platforms. Check them out, click “like”, “follow”, etc, and TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Thanks!