Berlin, Germany/New York, N.Y.
The Balkan Dance Party
www.myspace.com/alaskainwinter

“Where I am definitely influences my records,” Brandon Bethancourt says of his alter-ego Alaska in Winter. “Both in terms of my physical location – and where I am in my head.” Growing up in Albuquerque, N. M., Bethancourt was exposed to a wide variety of Romanian, Bulgarian and Byzantine music by his Eastern Orthodox parents, and later used those styles as the basis for his electro-Balkan dance music. After his art school scholarship ended, Bethancourt spent time both living in the Alaskan wilderness and traveling through Europe – and elements of those journeys can be heard on his 2007 breakthrough Dance Party in the Balkans. The record also features a guest turn by his old friend Zach Condon (Beruit). “I was really good friends with Zach’s older brother, so when he moved away, Zach and I started making music together,” Bethancourt reminisces. Shortly before releasing his latest studio album, Bethancourt traveled to Berlin and absorbed that city’s sound into the synth-happy Holiday. “When I was in Berlin I had no instruments, so Holiday came out very electronic and synthesized,” he admits. “For the past few months I have been living in New York, so I am sure whatever I do next will have some of that vibe as well.”