BASEMENT ALCHEMY: Turning emotion into something elemental

There’s a certain kind of artist who doesn’t follow the noise — they shape it.

For Shai Pelled, the mind behind Basement Alchemy, that shaping began in a tiny basement flat in Camden, London. What started as a necessity — a place to create without distraction — became both the name and the metaphor for his sound: taking something raw and turning it into something more. With his dual-album project In Spirals (Heads and Tails), Basement Alchemy blurs the line between light and shadow, solitude and connection, crafting songs that feel both expansive and intimate.

SNQLX: What’s behind the name Basement Alchemy? It feels both literal and poetic, like you’re turning raw emotion into something elemental down there.

BA: I was ready to release my first album In Spirals: Heads and had everything but a name for my one-man band. Back then I was living in a little basement flat in Camden, London. “Basement Alchemy” felt right — it captured the sense of transition, of taking something raw and turning it into something more.

SNQLX: You’re a one-person operation, right? How does solitude shape what you make — does it feel freeing, or does it ever get heavy carrying it all yourself?

BA: Yeah, I’m an introvert, so being a lone wolf feels natural. There’s a real freedom in being left to your own devices, literally, and being able to go anywhere you want artistically. I love that.

SNQLX: When I listen to your songs, I get this sense of layering — guitar textures, synth beds, moments of quiet chaos. How do you know when a track has reached its final form?

BA: Thank you for noticing. Knowing when to stop is one of the hardest parts. There’s that old saying, “Art is never finished, only abandoned,” and it’s true. I add, shape, and shift things until I reach a point where I know any change would make the track different, but not better. That’s when I let go.

SNQLX: In Spirals / Tails has this dual energy to it — like two sides of the same story. What ideas were circling your mind when you started that project?

BA: I had more songs than could fit on one album — all felt strong but different in tone and period. It felt natural to group them as two records under the In Spirals name: Heads for the brighter songs and Tails for the darker.

The fact that they came out ten years apart wasn’t planned — life just had other ideas. But looking back, it actually gave the project a deeper story.

SNQLX: Your voice sits in this space between clarity and atmosphere — close enough to feel human, distant enough to feel haunted. How intentional is that balance when you’re producing vocals?

BA: I love that description. I’ve always been drawn to the contrast of loud, intense music with softer, more haunting vocals floating on top — like in shoegaze, for example.

I don’t always use that approach, but it’s something I naturally come back to.

SNQLX: The visual side of your work feels thought out too — muted tones, abstract imagery, basement-light kind of intimacy. How connected are the visuals to your songwriting?

BA: For me, visuals should always feel like an extension of the music. I’m lucky my wife is a talented artist — she designed the In Spirals art and shot most of my early photos.

That personal connection makes the visuals even more meaningful.

SNQLX: You’ve been performing as Alive in the Basement. That’s such a fitting name — what’s the vibe of those shows? What do you want people to feel in that room?

BA: Alive in the Basement was a live set I performed in my own basement, playing everything as a one-man band.

I wanted people to feel like they were literally hanging out with me down there — sitting on the couch while I played them a full show.

It was intimate, raw, and really fun — and the response was incredible.

SNQLX: You pull from a lot of corners — indie rock, ambient, electronic. Who are the artists or albums that shaped how you hear sound?

BA: My music really comes from the meeting point of three main influences: 60s music (especially The Beatles), 90s alternative rock, and melodic pop.

Of course, there’s a lot more to unpack in each of those worlds, but those are the main stepping stones in my musical upbringing.

SNQLX: I’m curious how you view growth at this stage. Do you see Basement Alchemy expanding — maybe collaborators, a live band, more visuals — or do you like keeping it a contained experiment?

BA: My focus has always been on building a lasting musical legacy. I want to create a body of work that feels meaningful and will stand the test of time.

Growth, to me, means finding an audience that lets me share this music live around the world — and hopefully collaborating with other talented people along the way.

SNQLX: When someone stumbles across your music late at night, maybe headphones on, lights low — what do you hope they take away from it?

BA: First of all — that is exactly how I want my music to be experienced!

I always think about riding on a bus at night with headphones on, not sure why.

To answer your question — honestly, whatever they want. I just want to provide them with an intimate space that lets them feel whatever they need to feel in that moment — whether it’s comfort, reflection, or just the feeling that they’re not alone.

Music is essential to us as humans — it’s part of our survival and well-being.

For me, making it is therapy and redemption, and I hope listeners can share in that.

Basement Alchemy isn’t about spectacle — it’s about transformation. In Shai’s world, creation happens in the quiet corners, where reflection and distortion meet. In Spirals / Tails captures that alchemical process — not just of sound, but of the self. Listening feels like stepping into the basement with him: the lights low, the air electric, the feeling undeniable.

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Before we closed the door on the basement light, we asked Shai to stick around for a quick 60-second session — a few questions, zero pressure, all instinct.

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