With a consistent output and a defined creative vision, New York-based producer and DJ Alex Cecil is steadily cementing his place in the electronic music landscape.
Photo credit: Alex Cecil – Official
His latest release, ‘Deja Grooves’, out now on Nein Records, exemplifies his approach—merging textured production with melodic sensibility and rhythmic drive.
Anchored around a reinterpretation of the iconic ‘Mad World’, ‘Deja Grooves’ combines modular-inspired effects, pulsing basslines, and floating pads to create a hypnotic listening experience that travels across dancefloors, headphones, and late-night drives. The track also reflects a shift in Cecil’s mindset—one that embraces emotion, instinct, and craft over technical showmanship.
In this conversation, Alex opens up about the inspiration behind ‘Deja Grooves’, the process of finding the right vocal take, and the personal momentum fueling his next run of releases.
EG: Hi Alex, welcome to EG! How are you?
Alex Cecil: Thanks for the invite. Exhausted. Excited. Feeling so alive. I’m so happy to be here. I’m finally at a point where I know where I am and I know where I’m going. Been grinding non-stop for a long time. Ups, downs, more downs. Not gonna lie — it feels f-ing great to have a strong hold of myself and what I’m doing. I have releases coming out every two to three weeks for the next 4 months — that’s something I’ve always wanted to have.
EG: To start, can you share the initial idea or creative spark that led to the creation of ‘Deja Grooves’?
Alex Cecil: ‘Deja Grooves’ started in gridlock on I-95 in Miami. My wife and I were stuck in traffic, flipping through SXM channels — Pop Rocks, 80s, Chill, Studio 54 — when ‘Mad World’ came on. We looked at each other, both thinking the same thing: this could be such a fun one to flip. When I got home, I dove in.
EG: Can you walk us through how the vocal sample from ‘Mad World’ found its way into the track?
Alex Cecil: I spent hours digging through the internet for something unique, not a sample, but a reinterpretation that had real feeling. Eventually, I found this low-key French couple who recorded an acapella duet version 7 years ago. Their harmonies were haunting and honest, so I reached out and got permission to use it. That vocal became the emotional core of the whole track.
EG: Were there any particular sounds, synths, or instruments that defined the vibe you wanted for ‘Deja Grooves’?
Alex Cecil: Absolutely – gritty bass with movement, FM synth stabs, and pads that feel like they’re floating just out of reach. I used a few modular-inspired effects to give it that retro-future tension I’m always chasing. I wanted it to be simple and accessible. But twisted. There’s a little line between what’s underground and what’s above. It ebbs and flows like everything – I’ve always strived to remove that line.
“I’m finally at a point where I know where I am and I know where I’m going”
EG: The track builds with pads, risers, arpeggiators, and evolving textures—how did you structure the layering process during production?
Alex Cecil: It was like painting in motion. I started with a skeleton groove – first the vocals, then kick, bass, a couple of hats – and built out horizontally. Every 8 or 16 bars, I’d add or subtract something subtle. I think of it like DJing a track to myself as I build it – does it keep me curious? Is it a “mad world”? “Bad world”?
EG: How do you see ‘Deja Grooves’ translating across different listening environments? Have you had the chance to test it out in a live set yet?
Alex Cecil: Honestly, once I saw my vision for the track and knew what I was going to create–or die trying (laughter) – I knew exactly how it would translate across different spectrums. I thought it would be accessible to listeners that aren’t critiquing every sound and movement, thinking why didn’t he put a riser there, or he could have done this better, cut that part, etc – it’s for the majority of listeners.
I don’t think you have to have a deep understanding of music in order to appreciate it. I’ve been playing it out everywhere – from Floyd in Miami to peak hours at a Brooklyn warehouse – but it also works in headphones or on a night drive. It’s one of those tracks that can sit at the end of a set or the middle of a playlist.
EG: What was your approach to maintaining momentum throughout the arrangement, especially through breakdowns and drops?
Alex Cecil: I’m obsessed with contrast. If the breakdown is delicate, the drop has to punch. But not too obviously — more like a shift in gravity than a slap in the face. I also try to leave space for the listener to breathe. Let tension build naturally.
EG: How do you decide when a track like ‘Deja Grooves’ feels “finished”?
Alex Cecil: When I’m not bored with it after 100 listens. Or when I bounce it, walk away, and come back a few days later, and still nod my head. Also, when the mix feels alive but not overcrowded. It’s more of a feeling than a checklist.
“I’m less interested in showing off and more focused on making people feel something”
EG: How do you feel this track reflects your growth as a producer compared to earlier releases?
Alex Cecil: It’s more confident. I’m less interested in showing off and more focused on making people feel something. ‘Deja Grooves’ leans into emotion, groove, and restraint – all things I used to overthink. Now I just let them happen and don’t look back.
EG: Finally, can you share what’s on the horizon? Are there any upcoming releases or projects fans should keep an eye out for?
Alex Cecil: Yes. It’s taken a ton of work and sleepless nights that turned into days. One thing I think is really important to remind yourself—something you rarely hear—is that when you accomplish something, especially a goal that once felt crazy or so far off when you first set it… like, truly wild and almost impossible—you need to take a moment and enjoy it. Actually take 10 minutes, even before your mind jumps to the next goal. Take in what you’ve done and where you are before moving the goal post (I’m not a sports guy, but I believe I’m using that correctly!).
Alex Cecil’s ‘Deja Grooves’ is out now on Nein Records. Stream and download here.
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