STRAINHOUSE: GLOBAL HOUSE GROOVERS KEEPING THE UNDERGROUND ALIVE

House music isn’t just a genre for StrainHouse—it’s a way of life. Brothers Alex and An D. have been deep in the game since the early 2000s, schooling themselves on the sounds of Derrick Carter, DJ Sneak, and Mark Farina while digging through stacks of underground house records. Despite living oceans apart—Alex in Los Cabos, An D. in Montevideo—the duo operates like a well-oiled groove machine, swapping beats across time zones and shaping tracks that drip with funk, soul, and raw energy.

Armed with Roland hardware, Akai MPCs, and Universal Audio interfaces, StrainHouse channels jazz, disco, and Latin rhythms into dancefloor-ready cuts that bridge past and future. Their latest release, Higher Partin’ EP, out now on Dustpan Recordings, is a testament to their no-nonsense approach to house music: deep, bumping, and built to make bodies move.

How did you both get into house music, and what were some of your earliest influences?

StrainHouse: "We started listening to house music back in 2000. A friend gave us a bunch of CDs to check out, and a couple of them were Ministry of Sound compilations and San Francisco Sessions: House of Om mixed by Mark Farina.

We used to listen to that album over and over.

That led us to dig deeper into similar DJs and producers of Chicago house music. Some of them were Derrick Carter, DJ Sneak, DJ Heather, J-Dub, Colette, Cajmere, Inland Knights, Lawnchair Generals, 1200 Warriors, among others.

At the same time, we started hanging out at the only electronic music club in Montevideo, Uruguay. It was a pretty underground spot— all kinds of characters frequented the dance floor.

It was awesome seeing DJs perform live, playing vinyl, and trying to make people dance. It felt amazing being on the dance floor, hearing new styles and different kinds of electronic music.

After a couple of years of learning about the different styles, we bought two turntables, a mixer, and some house music records, including some from Nervous Records, Strictly Rhythm, and many others.

In 2004, with the rise of the internet, we added CD players and digital formats to our setup."

StrainHouse live at Syriacus Bar.

What led you to start StrainHouse, and how did the project evolve over time?

StrainHouse: "The duo StrainHouse began in 2015.

By 2006, Alex had started producing house music using a PC and Sony Acid software. On the other hand, An D. got into production using Reason.

After a couple of years of experimenting and learning on our own, we both transitioned to Ableton Live, which we still use today.

In 2008, Alex moved to Mexico while An D. stayed in Uruguay.

Eventually, we realized we could still make music together despite the distance."

You’re brothers, but you live in different countries. How does that dynamic shape your music and workflow?

StrainHouse: "Yes, we’re brothers, but we live in two different countries—Alex is in Los Cabos, Baja California, Mexico, and An D. is in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Sometimes it’s not easy. We have different time zones, jobs, and Alex has a young daughter.

But that doesn’t stop us from doing what we love.

Sometimes An D. starts a project and passes it to Alex, and sometimes it’s the other way around. It doesn’t really matter because we both have pretty similar tastes in music. Obviously, we each have our own style, so we try to respect that while adding what we feel could enhance the track. Occasionally, we go back and forth on a project so many times that it takes weeks or even months before we’re happy with it."

Alex of StrainHouse in the studio, crafting new tracks.

An D. of StrainHouse in the production room, shaping their sound.

Can you walk us through your studio setup? What gear or software do you rely on the most when crafting your sound?

StrainHouse: "We both mainly use Roland hardware, Universal Audio interfaces, and Akai MPCs, among other gear."

Alex of StrainHouse in the production room.

An D. of StrainHouse in the studio, working on new music.

The house music scene varies from place to place. What’s the vibe like in Uruguay and Mexico right now? Are there any standout clubs, events, or underground movements that have influenced you?

StrainHouse: "Nowadays in Uruguay, the scene is pretty EDM and commercial—there’s a lot of mainstream techno too.

Big, massive events happen, but most of the kids don’t really know why they’re there.

There are only a couple of underground clubs where you might hear some house music.

In Mexico, the scene is quite different. It’s a much bigger country with a larger population, plus it’s right next to the U.S.

Depending on which part of Mexico you’re in, you can find many different DJs—both underground and mainstream."

What inspires your music? Do you draw influence from outside of electronic music as well?

StrainHouse: "We’re inspired by all kinds of music—jazz, blues, soul, R&B, disco, Brazilian music, salsa, cumbia, and many more. Mainly, we’re drawn to instrumental music with a groove."

Alex of StrainHouse in 2025, continuing his journey as a dj and producer.

An D. of StrainHouse in 2015, during the early stages of their music career.

How do you approach producing a track? Do you follow a specific process, or is it different every time?

StrainHouse: "Every time is unique for us.

Inspiration comes from anywhere—maybe from listening to random music or from producers we admire.

Sometimes one of us starts with a base, adding samples and synths. Other times, we start with a sample and then build around it—adding drums, kicks, hi-hats, etc. It really depends on the inspiration at that particular moment.

We don’t stick to just one way."

Do you have any rituals or creative habits when working on new music?

StrainHouse: "Not really. We both just try to enjoy the moment.

It could be in the morning, evening, or late at night. We just go with the flow, relax, and take our time—no rush."

How do you see StrainHouse growing in the next few years? Any goals or dreams you’re working toward?

StrainHouse: "We just want to keep making music and continue growing as producers.

As we improve our production, we hope to release on labels we love and respect.

We’re really happy with where we are right now—being part of many labels we never thought we’d get the chance to work with."

Are there any events or gigs lined up where fans can catch you live?

StrainHouse: "If you’re near Los Cabos, Alex plays at Mama Mia Beach Resort every Saturday night."

If someone listens to StrainHouse for the first time, what’s the one track they should hear first, and why?

StrainHouse: ""So Hi" – StrainHouse

Because it has the perfect balance and blend of both of us."

StrainHouse's latest release, Higher Partin' EP, is out now on Dustpan Recordings. Stream or buy it here. You can also check out the full EP on YouTube.