“There are at least a few people in this thing determined to keep House Music weird. Chicago’s Alinka is one of them.” – Terry Matthew, 5Magazine
Alinka is the kind of DJ other DJ’s will tell you about. She has a unique power on the decks that comes from lifelong passion and time served, with a focused devotion to her first love – house music. Raised on Chicago’s vibrant house sound with toes dipped into Detroit techno and Europe’s more robust approaches to bass music and the myriad of genre’s coming from cities like Berlin, London and Paris.
Born in Kiev, Ukraine, her early childhood included reluctantly learning the piano, her mother is a pianist, while trying to convince her parents to let her play guitar. Her exposure to Western music was limited, living in a communist country where censorship was common practice. Her family eventually immigrated to Chicago as Jewish refugees in the late 80s as the USSR crumbled. This was her first experience of pop music and she fell head over heals for the chart sounds of Madonna and Janet Jackson. Then came house music from local radio shows where you could frequently hear tracks by Chicago legends like Cajmere and DJ Funk, and shows like Sonic Boom helped expose underground music to the masses.
By the late 90s, music had taken over her life. Teenage Alinka immersed herself in the dance music scene spending her summer pulling double shifts at a local pool and moonlighting for rave promoters to build up enough cash to buy decks. After a year of skipping class to relentlessly practice her mixing skills, she began her full time musical pursuit. Working for various club promoters, doing odd jobs passing out flyers and helping with party logistics – anything just to get into clubs underage to see her favourite DJs – all while spending hours digging for tracks at Chicago’s legendary record shop Gramaphone. In 2001 Justin Long recruited her to be the opening resident for his .Dotbleep party at Smartbar where she honed her skills for the best part of a decade.
In 2012, an impromptu meeting with former Hercules and Love Affair vocalist, Shaun J. Wright, changed her life forever. Their evolving friendship resulted in what would be the first of many musical collaborations. The pair launched their Twirl parties and label, continually strived to inspire each other both musically and spiritually, the result has been an impressive catalogue of material for both of them collaboratively and individually on the likes of The Classic Music Company, Jackathon Jams, Crosstown Rebels, Leftroom, and of course Twirl, where as well as their own material the duo have welcomed renowned artists like Spencer Parker, Virginia, LA-4A, Kim Ann Foxman, and Jason Kendig onto the label.
The past two years Alinka really hit her stride as a producer with successful releases on world renown labels like Rekids, Crosstown Rebels, Need Want, Permanent Vacation, Harry Romero’s Bambossa Records, He.She.They, and her newly launched second imprint Fantasy Life. She also turned out a standout collection of remixes for labels Me Me Me, Live At Robert Johnson, Lone Romantic, Keinemusik, and Get Physical.
Now living in Berlin, Alinka has well and truly found her feet and her inspiration. Alinka has used this base to throw down at parties across Europe from Berghain/Panorama Bar to Circoloco, with regular visits back to the US to play standout clubs like Smart Bar, and she was a regular at Ukraine’s infamous ∄ club in Kyiv. Her evolution continues with 2023 promising a packed schedule of releases, new dance floors to enchant and new dance floors to enchant and new material on Twirl Recordings landing soon.
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NTS: Alinka
“Endless thanks to Moxie and NTS for having me and all the support. Had the best time. And many... Read more
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Edgewater: Alinka
Alinka returns to her resurgent Twirl imprint with three cuts of star-gazing acid house. DJ Mag premiered ‘Weather The... Read more
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Bside Incoming: Alinka
“For our 186th show we take a trip over the Atlantic ocean to Chicago and warmly invite Alinka to... Read more
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GuduMix: Alinka
The GuduMix series heads into 2024 with a screamer of a session from Twirl head honcho Alinka. Read more
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Attack: Alinka
“Had the pleasure of showing Attackmag around my little studio sanctuary. Thanks for having me. I love my studio,... Read more
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BIS: Alinka
“It’s always been a dream of mine to be a guest on Beats in Space I’ve been a fan... Read more
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∄: Alinka
∄ are starting their fourth-anniversary countdown with a special set played by Alinka on the 17th of September at... Read more
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Twirl 30: Alinka
“Alinka’s fortchoming EP, ‘Sorry for Not Trending’, is a tongue-in-cheek nod to influencer culture. ‘Neon Fantasy’ is a cosmic... Read more
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The Lot Radio: Alinka
Eclectic house jams from around the globe by Alinka on her latest The Lot Radio stream. Read more
11 Aug TBA, TBA (HU)
10 Aug TBA, TBA (DE)
03 Aug TBA, TBA (PL)
27 Jul TBA, TBA (DE)
30 Jun Fusio, Larz
28 Jun LARJ at Gewölbe, Cologne
16 Jun Panorama Bar, Berlin
08 Jun Smart Bar, Chicago
07 Jun Public Records, New York
01 Jun Pegasus Pride, Los Angeles
18 May Schmutz at Ulster Sports Club, Belfast
10 May K41, Kiev
05 May ELSE, Berlin
04 May The Yard, Manchester
03 May NAR, Utrecht
27 Apr IfZ, Leipzig
19 Apr Mustang at À la folie, Paris
13 Apr [sic], Mexico City
11 Apr Public Works, San Francisco
31 Mar Robert Johnson, Offenbach
30 Mar He She They, Naples
15 Mar Macadam, Nantes
09 Mar Unipol Arena, Bologna
02 Mar K41, Kyiv
17 Feb Sass, Vienna
10 Feb Praga Centrum, Warsaw
03 Feb Club Six, San Francisco
02 Feb Marble Bar, Detroit
27 Jan Lux, Lisbon
20 Jan Panorama Bar, Berlin
12 Jan Opium, Vilnius
2023
31 Dec Battle Hymn vs. No Frills, NYC
27 Dec RSO, Berlin
09 Dec Pornceptual, Berlin
26 Nov Selina Takeover at The Rooftop, Athens
18 Nov K41, Kyiv
04 Nov House Of Yes, New York
13 Oct Ear\Wax at Audiodrome, Turin
09 Sep Audio Club, Geneva
04 Sep Piknic Electronik, Montreal
13 Aug Wecandance Festival, Brugge
12 Aug Panorama Bar, Berlin
11 Aug Macrame, Monopoli
29 Jul Elrow at Monegros Festival, Huesca
23 Jul Contrast Fest, Swidwin
14 Jul ELSE, Berlin
15 Jul XOYO, London
05 Jul La Virage (La Mona x Mercredi Soir), Paris
24 Jun Robert Johnson, Offenbach
18 Jun Panorama Par, Berlin
02 Jun Bassiani, Tbilisi
27 May Nitsa, Barcelona
22 May UNDERfestival, Riga
12 May Disco2, Mannheim
01 May Aeden, Berlin
22 Apr Robert Johnson, Offenbach
15 Apr Golden Records, New York
25 Mar Cromie Disco, Castellaneta
16 Mar Berlin Club, Madrid
12 Mar Thuishaven, Amsterdam
04 Mar Panorama Bar, Berlin
03 Feb Übel & Gefährlich, Hamburg
28 Jan Robert Johnson, Frankfurt
21 Jan Fabric, London
20 Jan A La Folie, Paris
13 Jan Shelter, Amsterdam
07 Jan PWR at Casa Cobra, Guadalajara
06 Jan PWR at Funk, Mexico City