From Monterrey with love. Our beloved postcard from Vlex, Alejandro’s alter ego, has just arrived – and it’s been received with love indeed. In this postcard, he shares how he got into music, what his favorite plugins are, what makes a good chain, what makes a sample great, and the hardest one of all: how to turn your music into a career. Not sure how he managed to fit all that into one postcard, but hey – the stamp is undeniably there. Enjoy this conversation with one of WAVS’ rising stars, a star on his own merit too, and check out his incredible catalog we host here on WAVS.
Q: First, a brief introduction: who’s Vlex, tell us a bit about yourself.
Vlex: Vlex comes from my nickname Alex. My real name is Alejandro Villarreal Miranda, born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico. My passion for music started when I was 13. I listened to lots of EDM and was fascinated by how they could bring those amazing sounds to life. So I downloaded Garageband on my iPod 5 and started making my own instrumentals.
Q: You’ve only been on WAVS for about six months, but your packs instantly connected and performed really well. Why do you think your work resonated so quickly with producers here?
Vlex: My good friend Ianobeatz introduced me to WAVS and gave me the confidence to start posting packs. To be honest, I’ve been in the sample-making game professionally for four years now, and I think the experience and knowledge I’ve gained during that time has played a big role in the impact my packs have had these past six months. Of course, my collaborators, my friends, and God have influenced my sound a lot. For me, it’s all about good taste.
Vlex’s collaborative sample packs: “$ome $exy $amples 4 U, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2” with Yuo and “corazón®” with Vision (both fellow spotlightees).
Q: You play instruments as well as produce. How does that musicianship shape the way you approach creating samples or full productions? Is there a specific instrument or sound you always find yourself reaching for, something that feels like a signature element of your work?
Vlex: I’ve been in love with guitar since I started. I think knowing an instrument is key to making progressions that emotionally impact the listener. I love transmitting what I’m feeling at the moment I’m making a melody.
Blxst, Joony – Thousand Hours. Co-produced by Vlex.
Q: What’s an underrated, sort of secret weapon production technique or approach you’ve learned that other producers might overlook?
Vlex: Learning instruments. It definitely gives you a different and cool perspective on production and even songwriting. In addition, I’ve been using lots of varispeed in my productions; it helps bring a new vibe to whatever I’m creating.
“Verano“, a sample pack by Vlex.
Q: What does your processing chain look like? Or rather, what are some must-have tools or plugins you love using in most of your work? Are you into pedals/analog stuff, or do you lean more toward digital tools and plugins?
Vlex: I don’t have any analog stuff, but right now my go-to plugins are Ambience (free reverb), Valhalla Delay, FabFilter Pro-Q3, and all the UAD effect plugins. I’m looking forward to getting some analog gear soon though – I love the warmth of it.
some of Vlex’s favorite VST plug-ins.
Q: You’ve already worked with some major names: Central Cee, DaBaby, Blxst, Vory, SoFaygo. Which collaboration has taught you the most so far, either musically or professionally?
Vlex: Musically, I’d say the record I worked on with Chase Shakur called I Know You’ve Been Lonely. I love that instrumental. Professionally, Now We’re Strangers by Central Cee definitely helped me understand a lot about how the industry works.
“i know you’ve been lonely” by Chase Shakur, a record Vlex co-produced. One of his favorites.
Q: Now We’re Strangers with Central Cee is a big record from his latest album. Can you walk us through how that track came together and what your role was in shaping the sound?
Vlex: I was feeling a little sad at the time, so I picked up the guitar and started recording on my iPhone 8 voice memos in 2023. I just added some reverb and EQ to clean the file a bit and sent it out as a sample. Then my friend Kabeh added his touch with some beautiful vocals and piano. That same year my friend Iano started the beat, then sent it to Jonas Lee and Kid Hazel who finished it. Fast forward to January 2025, the track was released: so you could say the song had been in the making since March 2023, when I started that guitar idea.
“Now We’re Strangers” by Central Cee. Co-produced by Vlex.
Q: How did the placement with Isaiah Falls and SiR come together through WAVS, and what did it mean to you personally to see that record out in the world?
Vlex: I posted the sample I made with my friend Enrique, then Isaiah Falls downloaded it through the site. Two months after I posted it, Isaiah shared a snippet using that same sample, and we started working after that. This record means so much to me. I’m a huge fan of both Isaiah Falls and SiR, they’re amazing artists and I love everything about the record. I’m excited to keep working with them both.
Isaiah Falls ft. SiR – Brown Sugah
Q: What makes a sample truly great? How do you distinguish one from the thousands we come across every day?
Vlex: For me, a great sample captures emotion. A sample you can feel and not just hear, that’s what makes it great for me. You can achieve that with a strong chord progression and good sound selection. You always have to remember that notes are frequencies, and music is science too.
Vlex’s “Familia” sample pack series, with two volumes so far.
Q: With placements already under your belt, where do you see yourself focusing over the next couple of years? More on building with artists directly, continuing to expand your sample work, or something else entirely?
Vlex: Honestly, for the next few years I want to keep focusing on melodies but also on songwriting. I want to build full songs from scratch, that’s always been fun for me. Of course, I’d love to keep building with Isaiah Falls and the artists I’m working with now. I also want to expand my musical knowledge. I’m currently taking guitar lessons to take my compositions to the next level. I’m excited for the future.
Vlex’s official “The Producers” Apple Music playlist.
