Alessandro De Tuglie, alias Ale De Tuglie, born and raised in the Apulian city of Bari, starts to show interest in music at the early age of fourteen. His strong love for music lets him discover DJing art. Time after time, he begins to follow clubbing culture in the local clubs and venues, making techno his lead genre and starting to perform in the clubs he used to visit such as Ushuaïa (Ibiza), Soho Garden DXB (Dubai), Printworks London, Clorophilla, Mandarino, and more.
We sat down with the Italian DJ, producer and Music On resident to discuss his affiliation with Marco Carola, his hardware, the dynamic behind his sets and much more…
WWD: Hi Ale, a pleasure to have you with us. How has your 2022 been?
Hi guys, nice to meet you. My pleasure.
2022 has been a great year. I started playing around the world on a frequent basis and this led me to see so many new places, deal with different dancefloors and make so many new acquaintances which is something I love, as well as having had the possibility to make myself known a lot from the artistic side and also to make new connections.
WWD: How did your affiliation with Marco Carola and Music On come about?
I have always attended Music ON parties. When I had a chance to go there or even when Marco was playing as a guest at the events, I would go and listen to them. But my relationship was born by chance. I met the team with whom a good friendship was born right away, and slowly I got a chance to be known on the artistic side as well, and that led to a chance that has led me to my current position today.
WWD: We’ve seen you’ve been playing a lot b2b with Calvin Clarke. Tell us about the energy you two bring when playing together?
I get along well with Calvin. We haven’t known each other long but we’ve bonded a lot. I get along well both on the friendship side and the working relationship. When we share a console, I think there is a good chemistry between us. When we play, I think we both manage to connect with the dancefloor and convey what we want while keeping a line.
WWD: How does it differ from your solo sets? Which do you prefer?
Definitely, there is a difference from when I play solo, because when I’m alone I tend to be much more daring and also range more musically. I build my set differently, in short. I feel freer. In fact, although there are people like Calvin with whom I have a good time playing, I prefer and will always prefer to play alone.
WWD: How do you plan your records to get the crowd locked in for peak time? A warm up set is an art and you seem to have it locked.
I don’t have plans for the peak time, as well as for my DJ sets in general. I simply “read” the crowd, the dancefloor and, at that moment, I decide what to play. So just start browsing the folders and pick the track(s) that I think are best for that moment.
As for the warm up, yeah, I love it, also because I grow up doing it since when I was a youngster. I started DJing and opening for the guests, so, as you may know, the warm up is the key part to the success of a good party, and I had to master it. That’s why it seems I’m “good at”, lol.
WWD: What tracks are you playing the most at the moment? What’s currently in rotation in your bag?
Honestly, in every DJ set I always try to play different tracks. I like to try new promos that got sent, new releases or maybe dust off some old records, but definitely, depending on the periods, for some DJ sets there are records that I put on more often. At this time, I can think of:
1. Ammo Avenue – That’s OK
2. Catz’ n Dogz – I Bought It All
3. Mason Collective – Down Like That
4. Sally C – Downtown
WWD: What has been your favourite venue to play so far? What crowd has had the most energy?
Location-wise, the Printworks (London) really impressed me. A CRAZY location! I was enchanted the first time I walked in there. The crowd was there for the music and had an amazing energy and desire to have fun.
What crowd has the most energy?! It’s hard to define one in particular. In every part where I played the dancefloor conveyed something to me and they were always charged. I honestly can’t name one in particular.
WWD: If you could headline one venue, where would it be?
Clorophilla Club. The combination of music and nature drives me crazy!
WWD; And what software do you use to produce? Are you a gear head? If so, talk us through your favourite machines.
I use Ableton. I find myself very well. It’s a world to discover, every day I learn new things. I find it quite intuitive, though. I use both VSTs and analog machines. Definitely my favourite is the MOOG SUB 37. It never disappoints me. For bassline and sub it is a certainty!
WWD: Do you plan your sets or go with the flow to match the crowd?
I never plan a set. That’s something I don’t like. I listen to music every day and sort it into my folders. Then when I go to play, based on the track, based on what I see, what I hear, at that moment I adjust what to play and what direction to go. I think you can maybe select music, prepare some folders, but you always have to be ready to twist your “plans” because maybe what you’re facing is different from what you thought.
WWD: Where’s your favourite place to relax and take time away from the booth, to recover, reflect and recharge?
Bari, my hometown, with my friends and my family.
WWD: What’s coming up in 2023 that you’re excited about and can share with us?
For sure some intercontinental gigs that are about to happen and I’m going to announce soon, and a few releases lined up that will be out in the next few months.
Instagram / Facebook / Beatport