On The Verge

Alaska in Winter

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.”