A resident of the city’s ever-evolving club scene, Iso doesn’t just move between genres—he threads them together. Whether he's performing, curating, or organizing, Alex brings an intentionality to his work that resonates far beyond the dance floor. “I’ve always been drawn to connecting people,” he says. “To create space for curiosity, for listening, for learning.”
That desire to connect is what led him to 343 Labs, Berlin’s only Ableton Certified Training Center, where he currently serves as Head of Community. What started as an internship has become a multifaceted role—bridging artist relations, event programming, and educational outreach. “They offered me a chance to help with the studio and events,” he explains, “but over time, it’s turned into something bigger. I’ve been able to help shape how we show up for the community—especially through events that reflect what’s happening right now, on the ground.”
A New Era for 343 Labs: Moving to House of Music
Now, Alex and the 343 Labs team are preparing for a major move. Starting July 2025, the school will open its doors inside the House of Music, Berlin’s creative hub located in the historic RAW Gelände of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. With neighbors like Triangle Agency, MusicPool, and BIMM University, the space feels like a natural fit for a community-centric platform like 343.
The new facility includes purpose-built classrooms, a soundproof recording studio, and custom acoustic design by GIK Acoustics—designed not just for technical quality, but to foster experimentation and collaboration. “It’s not just about training producers,” Iso notes. “It’s about cultivating a living, breathing culture.”
To mark the transition, 343 Labs will host a Networking Mixer on June 17. The event offers a sneak peek at the new space and brings together producers, DJs, tenants of House of Music, and 343 students—an organic extension of Iso’s work to bring people into conversation.
Redefining Curation: More Than Club Nights
One of Alex’s most compelling contributions to 343 Labs has been his curatorial voice. Through both educational and artistic events, he’s helped shape a programming style that’s as informed by community needs as it is by sound. “We’re putting on shows where the focus is on live electronic performance—hardware, Ableton, hybrid setups,” he says. “But also, we’re blending genres in ways that you don’t often see in more traditional club formats. There’s so much that happens in the in-between.”
Take the upcoming June 21st showcase at Studio dB, where all artists will perform live electronic sets. “These are not just DJ sets—they’re performances,” Iso emphasizes. “There’s something powerful about seeing someone build sound in real time, with their hands and their machines.”
Bridging Knowledge and Creativity
With over five years in the scene and an ear always tuned to what’s next, Alex Iso is helping build a bridge between the tools of production and the cultural fabric that surrounds them. Through his work at 343 Labs, he’s reminding artists that education isn’t separate from creativity—it’s part of it. “Learning is not just something you do in a classroom,” he says. “It happens when you’re watching a live set, or helping someone troubleshoot gear, or listening to how two genres meet on a dance floor.”
As 343 Labs moves into its next phase, it’s clear that Alex Iso will be one of the guiding forces shaping what comes next—not just for the school, but for Berlin’s wider music community.
Frequencies with: Alex Iso
C: You came to Berlin with a background in both music and events. How did that lead you to 343 Labs?
A: Actually I found out about 343 Labs before moving to Berlin through the Ableton Music Producers Podcast with Dan Giffin. During my first week in Berlin I was reaching out to a few music companies who I had identified as doing something really interesting at the intersection of electronic music, events and education, including, of course, 343 Labs. I also went to one of their free monthly Open House Masterclasses to meet the staff and tour the facility. So I was aware of them right away.
My first year in Berlin was mostly focused on developing my live set, playing some shows around Berlin, and starting to carve out a little community. Then I saw 343 Labs was looking for an intern and applied. That was my foot in the door.
C: What’s unique about the events you are curating at 343 labs and other spaces throughout Berlin?
A: 343 Labs is very focused on the electronic music community and bringing people together in that space. I like it because it gives a space outside the context of the club for people to meet and share ideas. There are a lot of new musical collaborations starting when people meet at our events. I really love when our students, many of whom are quite talented, but also new to the scene, connect with someone established through one of our events and sparks fly! It’s a great exchange because there is fresh energy and perspective mixing with deep knowledge and experience.
I’m also lucky enough to get to curate some club and live events, such as June 21 at Studio dB. For these events, we are focusing on electronic live set and hybrid DJ performance. For the 21st I’m also very stoked to include live visuals through spontaneous collaborations between musicians and video artists.
C: Why focus so much on live electronic performance?
A: Live electronic performance is so interesting. People love to see how someone actually makes music, and live sets offer you the chance to glimpse the studio process in a club environment. The artists are always so engaged with what they are doing. There is no time to rest. It’s just constant energy and intensity throughout the entire set.
At 343, our students take a live performance course so they are equipped to be able to bring their music out of the studio and onto the stage. Our curated club nights and performances offer both a source of inspiration for people working in the scene to try something new as well as a place for our graduates to perform.
C: What advice would you give to artists just starting to explore production or performance in Berlin?
A: Firstly, go out and find inspiration. There is so much amazing music happening in the underground scene in Berlin. Producers pushing the boundaries of almost every genre, DJs blending unlikely music together to create something brand new, clubs with ridiculous sound systems and cool architecture. Support the scene you want to be part of and it will eventually reward you with opportunities of your own.
Secondly, never stop learning. Even if you are already an artist who is releasing, there is always more to learn. In Berlin there are so many opportunities to keep developing your skills with classes, workshops and networking events. Collaborating with other producers is my favourite way to get inspired. Setting up a jam session with some synths and drum machines, writing a song with a vocalist, or asking to remix your friend who plays the clarinet. And if you’re good at organizing, create an event where the type of music you want to see more of can thrive.
C: Since you are able to meet so many new aspiring artists at 343 Labs, how do you feel a platform can better support new artists?
A: I think there is so much room for niche platforms to fill in the void left by the big commercial behemoths that we all use. The biggest thing is for platforms to listen to their community and try to build the product that most aligns with what people need and what is not already out there. For artists who are already working hard and building an audience, there is definitely room for a platform, such as Peaches.xyz, to help them monetize and create a sustainable career for themselves.
In the education world, there are so many platforms offering on demand education already, but what people are really looking for is one-to-one mentorship with a professional and a community to join to help grow more quickly and find ongoing opportunities.
I’m waiting for a modern platform that really encourages art/music expression outside of commercialization and the attention economy. I feel like Tumblr and other blogs were really great for this back in the day, giving artists a blank canvas to express themselves online, and they have fallen out of fashion lately. A platform for artists with more freedom of expression, no visible viewer metrics and an easy tipping/pay-what-you-can support model would be cool indeed!
