Megamind Magazine http://www.megamindmagazine.com An International Clubbing and DJ Culture Magazine. Megamind Magazine Copyright 2002-2011 Megamind Magazine info@megamindmagazine.com (Megamind Magazine) megamind@megamindmagazine.com (Megamind Magazine) Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:03:50 +0100 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:03:50 +0100 60 en-us Megamind Magazine An International Clubbing and DJ Culture Magazine. http://www.megamindmagazine.com/megamind_rss.png 64 64 http://www.megamindmagazine.com Interview with Kevin Saunderson

Kevin Saunderson has an enviable dual reputation. To the dance cognoscenti he's one of the “Belleville Three,” the trio of friends who invented Detroit techno; a gifted producer and remixer under such aliases as E-Dancer; and a tireless international DJ. To lovers of great pop music he’s half of Inner City, who made regular visits to the Top 20 in the late 80s with jubilant hits like Big Fun and Good Life, paving the way for hundreds of underground-to-chart crossover records to come.

Now, Kevin Saunderson is back in full effect. Inner City have just released their first original material for over a decade in 'Future', while January month sees Saunderson release the first In The House compilation of 2012. We caught up with the legendary DJ and producer to discuss at length creating the first ever remix, how travel broadens the mind, and why this might just be the best mix he’s ever crafted…

2012 will mark 25 years of KMS… do you have any plans for the anniversary?
Yeah, we are going to do some shows throughout certain countries, with some of the artists that worked with me doing some of the dates. Derrick May and I are doing a tag team on four decks and Kenny Larkin will also be involved; it’s going to be KMS and friends. Inner City is going to do some shows and Reese Project as well. I’m also planning on doing an E Dance live I haven’t done an E Dance album in a very long time.

You’ve had a significantly longer career than compared to a lot of artists… looking back, what would you consider would be the proudest moment of your career?
Highlights of my career would include my first techno mix compilation. My manager, a guy called Neil Rushton came over to visit me at Detroit in late 1987. He came over and just hung out with us, listened to our music and told us about England. It came together because then in March ‘88 I was invited over by him to check out the scene. We met some record company guys like Nick Clarke who was the A&R guy at Ten Records at the time. I played my stuff, we discussed about some meetings, and before I knew there was this deal on the table to do this techno compilation, which was eventually released as Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit. Before I knew it, Faze magazine back in Detroit was doing this cover story; I had no clue what it was all about, but I was just going with the flow. This was definitely a highlight because this was the beginning of a significant impact that we had which consequently lead to bigger and better things.

Another pivotal point was when I heard ‘Big Fun’ played at Spectrum by Paul Oakenfold. I didn’t really know just how big the record had become until then, all I knew was that it was a good record and people liked it. In those days you didn’t have the Internet, we had faxes. There were no social networks and news spread way more slowly, so you weren’t really aware of the power a record had. I tell you, when he played that record, everybody just stopped. It was a truly spiritual moment, and as those chords came, the place just went crazy. It made me realise how much of impact my music and Detroit was having at that time.

The techno scene in Detroit has changed dramatically over the last few decades, arguably to the point that there isn’t really a ‘scene’ there at all nowadays. Is that fair? Do you think the hunger is still there for the music?
One thing is for sure, at the end of May it becomes alive because we have Movement Festival which used to be called ‘Detroit Electronic Music Festival’. That’s when everybody seems to come out, but it shows that people have the potential to come out and dance. The issue we have today is that we have no movement compared to where we started. In the late 80’s you had Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Eddie Fowlkes, Blake Baxter, Carl Craig, Mike Banks, Jeff Mills and myself.

Then a little later, you had a different wave coming though; people like Richie Hawtin and the Plus 8 guys, who weren’t necessarily from Detroit but were heavily associated with it. They were just tonnes of people bouncing off each other and being inspired. Now, a lot of these people live in Berlin and not Detroit; people have spread out. In Detroit, we don’t have all that many young people being inspired enough to do their own thing and to create a movement, so there isn’t continuous support of the music scene.

It seems like everybody wants to get out now instead of staying. It could be because they have seen us travel so much and never be there. That’s what happened when we became popular back in ‘88 and ’89; we’ve been touring for 25 years now, so I believe that plays a role in the matter. However, America is changing. I’m not sure about Detroit, but there are definitely pockets out there where the scene has improved and it’s pretty good. Cities like Seattle, LA and San Francisco are cities that are pretty much rocking now comparing to the past. Maybe there’s a chance for passion to return to the city.

You’ve recently spent some time in a studio putting together the ‘In the House’ mix for Defected... tell us about the process of putting it together and what people can expect from the mix…
Putting the record together was about trying to get a good variation of tracks that I play and tracks that I don’t get the chance to play as much, because sometimes I’m restricted by the type of event that I am playing at. I play at a lot of house, tech house and techno events, however I still like some deeper sounds too. I grew up on disco, soul, funk and other types of music that eventually became the ‘dance’ music we hear today.

So I tried to do start deep and build the vibe from there. I’m always using EQs and the faders; I like to keep my hands in action, rather than sit back and just let the record play. I have never really done a two CD set, so that gave me the opportunity to be more versatile and I’m really happy with the results.

Did you try to keep the mix contemporary or are they a lot of tracks from past decades?
There were some tracks from the past, but not that many. It is always inspirational to look back at something from the past, but here I concentrated more on the contemporary than on the old school.

Are they any tracks that you discovered in preparing the compilation?
I knew pretty much all the music that I used before I started, however there was one that was sent to me at the last minute; ‘Comin’’ by The Soulshapes It’s groovy, a deep, building track and the perfect opener for the mix.

This is the first mix compilation you’ve done in while…does this mark the start of a new phase in your career? Or would you say that this is something that sums up for the last few years?
I think it’s more of a summary of what I have been doing, I wouldn’t say this a new phase. It’s definitely not the first mixed CD I have ever done, but it could maybe be the best one I’ve done.

Touching on your new single ‘Future’… does it mark a departure from things you’ve done previously, or is a continuation of what you’ve been making for the last 25 years?
I think that it is similar to what we have done before, but updated for today. There is only one person who is going to sound like Paris, so that’s a big part of our sound too. I think another thing that has remained consistent is the writing; we write very spiritually in most cases and try to convey positive messages. Titles like ‘Big Fun’, ’Good Life’ and ‘Hallelujah’ aren’t just plucked out of nowhere. Ultimately you want to take the good, leave the bad behind and keep on moving. In order to be a survivor in life you have to persevere and keep moving on and we try to convey these messages with our songs. Musically, it doesn’t still sounds like anybody else because we are who we are.

I read a recent interview with Octave One in which they said that if you’ve ever been passionate about making music and dedicate yourself to it, there will have been a time where you don’t know where the next meal is coming from… is that a problem you’ve had to contend with?
No, because I had enough success with ‘Inner City’ early in my career that it was never a real issue. Financially, it’s different now than it was then because digital records don’t sell as they used to; everything is a lot harder. Today you have to make money from performing. When I was staring out, the music I created helped to get more gigs and increase awareness of me as an artist, and that much at least hasn’t changed for today’s artists.

Finally, you probably have more experience than anyone else in this game… what advice would you give to people that would like to succeed in a similar way as you have?
You have to work hard, you have to be passionate. You have to really love it and be truthful to yourself. You need to develop and you need to understand the parameters of what you are doing so you understand every part of the musical process. It won’t happen overnight, it you love what you do and believe in yourself it will take you a long way.]]> music entertainment Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:17:54 +0100 Interview with Inner City

December 7th saw the release of "Future", Inner City's first entirely original material for a decade. Anyone with even a passing interest in dance music will be aware of their legacy, with tracks such as "Good Life", "Big Fun" and "Pennies from Heaven" among the most celebrated tracks ever written.

Comprising of techno legend Kevin Saunderson and singer/songwriters Paris Grey and Ann Saunderson, Inner City's "Future", has been written and produced in collaboration with another Detroit legend, namely Kenny Larkin, with additional production duties provided by the very talented producer/remixer Orlando Voorn. Devastatingly catchy and highly emotional, it exhibits all the soulful flavours and qualities you would expect from these celebrated producers and singers.

It has been close to a decade since you last put out an original Inner City record. What have you been doing in the time that has passed?
Kevin: We have not released a lot we have been with our families, we all have kids now and just been taking a break. We had a big run over the years with what we have produced. It was about time to sit back, take care of our families and other parts of life. I have done some other things too, I have been DJ’ing. Ann has been writing, singing with plenty of other projects, touring and taking care of our babies.

Which are the other projects that you have been working with in the past time?
Ann: Going back 10 years I’ve worked on ‘Blackwater’ and ‘Artic Wall’. I have worked with Defected parties “Connected” and taking care of my kids.

So it’s not like Inner city never really went away anywhere?
Kevin: Yes the voices are here and the writing creativity is here. Sometimes with creativity you don’t push it, you don’t force it you just let it happen when it’s meant to be. When time allows it you just feel that inspiration, I guess that the creativity is the back then.

Its autumn/winter 2011, I believe this is the new embarkation, the new chapter of Inner City. What is the philosophy behind your plan? Why are you back now?
Kevin: Our philosophy why we want to come back now is simple, we love music. We are creative people we think that there is a void in music. I play all around the world and you don’t hear as many songs on the dance floor. We know that we had a great impact we believe that we can offer that again, inspire some people and we are re-inspired.

With the new track for the future, some people are saying that it seems slightly autobiographical with the lyrics can you tell us a little bit about it? How it came together and what it’s all about?
Ann: Paris and I got together Kevin had sent us some music. It was basically us feeling the music. We were all going through different things at the time, we were thinking of the economic situation and different things that are going on in the world today. We wanted to address that and we always use our lyrics in order to so. That’s why we decided to talk about what was going on.

The title of the track is very forward looking is there any relevance to a retrospective aspect down to it or is it totally something new? Or is it forward looking rather than back looking?
Paris: We want to go forward, it’s basically what we learned that we have taken from that and are taking it forward, in to the future just like the song says.

Over the last 18 months or so, there has been a surging popularity of tracks which looked back onto what you were saying, taking the old school sound bringing it up to date. Is that something that you have noticed or is it a factor in the time you are coming back too now? Do you think that your sound is becoming even more relevant today?
Paris: I’ve always known Kevin as being more forwarding ahead. What he takes from the past is usually something growing from his own experience and his own creativity. Imbibing those elements whit what he thinks is missing and puts out a new sound. I guess Kevin can speak for himself of how much of an influence the past has had on your music writing.

Kevin: I think the past with different artists, there’s definitely a lot of young artists that are taking old songs like our songs or other songs. They are either looping them sampling them at the end influenced by them and putting them back out now. I am conscious of it because I DJ all over the world and several of my records were done that way. I am definitely aware of it I believe they are looking for something.

They don’t know how to find it within themselves, so they go back because those times were some great moments and it’s always easier to back. Because if you keep going back then nobody might not even have a chance to know what those songs were all about, its’ in that age and within that generation. It’s like then the new word out there goes “did you hear that new sound”. However, it’s just a loop that has been modified and updated most of the time it sounds good.

That’s the way younger producers have done it, it’s when you get a sound in one record and it becomes a hit, then other producers start doing same then it becomes some kind of trend. We have been around since the beginning of this music evolution therefore, for us creating the energy and these new tracks its still us, we are from the past but we are also in the future.

In terms of the writing between you, obviously Kevin does a lot of the production and you guys contribute lyrically and the song writing. Does one come before the other or does it happen at the same time?
Paris: It always starts with Kevin creating some sort of beat, rhythm and idea. Then he gives it to us to take it too the direction we want to take it. After that he comes back in, it’s back and forth. There have been a few tracks from the past where we requested a clip track from Kevin, then suggested him a melody and lyrics asking what he could do with it. But mostly Kevin knows where the music is at, more than I say myself. I trust him as far of the direction of the music.

Touching on the seminal records that you have been involved with, that a lot of people knows you for as “Big Fun” and “Good Life”. They are some of the most enduring tracks in House music. Why do you think that those amongst others have endured so well and are so well recognized in the House scene now? Because a lot of tracks from that era were lost sadly as it sounds. However, these have not been at all, why do you think they resonate with people today?
Kevin: I think our music in the way it’s written in the melodies, its very hooky they are spiritually connected and they make people feel really good. It touches them from the inside.

Paris: They always came from a good place when they were written. I just remember being in a good mood listening to Kevin’s tracks when the lyrics and the melody came. It was not like a forced thing or a struggle, I was walking to the mall when “Pennies from Heaven” came to me and I was in my room dancing when “Big fun” came to me. At that time I just felt good when I heard the songs, what I felt is what other people feel when they hear the songs today. I believe that’s why it lasted for so long.

How about your plans at the moment? Do you have a tour as it is a large and significant part of a musician’s income as there are not enough earnings in actually releasing a track these days? Is that a plan for next year is that something you are going to be doing more?
Kevin: Touring definitely, we went out on tour just a couple of years ago just to get a tease and to slow down my mind. Performed for big and small audiences, I still enjoy it. The time is now therefore, that’s definitely something that will be a part of our plans.

In terms of your live setups specifically what is it? You guys are singing and doing other things as performing.
Kevin: With live sets it works in multiple ways it can work as well as in Ann and Paris just performing vocally a straight up PA. It can also work with me having my drum machines, using Ableton, my little computer setup controlling it with a percussion player. It can also work with two key boards and another percussionist it can be up to 8 people. We have done it in various ways the last two years usually when we do the big tunes with all the musicians in the U.S.A. We hope to bring some of that over here in the future.

A final thing that I would like to ask all of you is what the track means to you?
Ann: Hopefully it means that Inner City is going to be around for a long term into the future. That we have written a song that everybody can relate to something that everybody has gone through someway and somehow. I think that means so much because it is so real.

Kevin: It doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, anything that happened in the past, find a way to move forward keep a positive attitude on life and things will be better if you do.

Paris: What the future means to me is touring and I like the idea of getting to meet the people that like Inner City’s music, when we go out to photo shoots, perform and interviews. I like meeting the people that support us, it is probably one of the most fun things for me it always has been and it will always be all the way in to the future, see you all.

Official Video: Kevin Saunderson feat. Inner City - Future
]]> music entertainment Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0100 Interview with Marc Kinchen

Marc 'MK' Kinchen is an artist/producer who straddles boundaries as few others can, partly due to being the protégé of the legendary techno god Kevin Saunderson. On the one hand, he's revered by lovers of house and garage music worldwide. His classic 90s productions such as Burning, Always, K.E.L.S.E.Y's Boy and 4th Measure Men's For You remain floorfillers to this day, as do his 200-plus unmistakable remixes for artists ranging from Bizarre Inc to Blondie, not least his mix of Nightcrawlers' Push The Feeling On, which became one the biggest house crossover hits of the decade.

He's cited as an influence by countless leading producers - including, significantly, Todd 'Godfather of UK Garage' Edwards. This pre-eminent status is reflected in the fact that he's the latest artist to be featured in Defected's House Masters series. Here he gives Toni Tambourine a snapshot of what’s going down in his world...

Do you think that throughout your career you have learned pretty much everything there is to learn as a producer and DJ? Do feel like you have earned the title House Master?
As far as being called a House Master, when I look back at all my productions in one track listing I guess I can kind of see it, because there are plenty of records out there maybe 50. As far as DJing, I’m more of a producer than a DJ. I do enjoy DJing especially lately when I see people react to my tracks and sets. I did not really use go to house clubs all the time. Because I did not DJ in the 90s, let’s say 90 percent of my records, I’ve never heard in a club before.

Let’s talk about your background, how did you come about studying music, a lot of people have a classical background how did you learn?
I kind of got into music through the 80’s. I loved Depeche mode, Skinny Puppy and Ministry, a lot of weird types of music. I was always interested to learn how they made that music. So I taught myself, I bought books I read them and studied them. They were a few times where I thought of getting lessons. However, I thought to myself if I take lessons I might get cheesy, so I decide to go on a hundred percent pure feeling.

Going your own way meant you developed your own style, that MK style! How would you describe that MK sound ?
The key element in a MK record is by getting a good melody out of some type of vocal piece you treat it like it’s live or die. Most of the time I’m doing remixes I would start with a vocal piece, I would figure it out in any possible way I could. I would listen to my sampler, a vocal, load in my sampler and literally play the button.

How did Detroit and New York influence you?
Detroit influenced me because that’s where I grew up. Detroit is like dance music House music Mecca, no matter what type of music it is if you listen to on the radio every sound on the radio they play they “speed” up, pitch up so you can actually dance to it. And then hearing and meeting Kevin Saunderson influenced me then things started to happen. I moved up to New York and that sound mixed with what I grew up on gave me the perfect idea, I knew where to go. New York was known for being more mellow smooth underground type of sound and in some way I knew how to give it energy how to make the sound more alive.

Talking about Kevin Saunderson, how did he help you with your career? Is it true to say that you were his protégé?
Yes when I was in Detroit I was pretty much Kevin’s protégé. At that time working with Kevin I never really recorded in a studio before. I never really worked with somebody that knew what they were doing, a lot of times going in with Kevin I used to watch him and see how he did things. The funny thing was that it was pretty much the same I knew all that it was just different equipment. I felt more confident I felt like I was not so behind just because I was so young and starting.

Anything in particular that you feel you’ve learned from him?
Watching Kevin’s drums, he always had like the hardest hitting drums. I was not going to clubs in that age in 80s so I did not really understand why the drums’ had to be so loud hitting so hard. Coming from making alternative music those drums never had hit like that, the pressure of the drums sound good together. Then watching Kevin he used to kill the drums it used to hurt my chest, the drums had to kill you.

I would consider your signature tracks which are “Burning and 4 You” did these records change your life?
When I made “Burning” I don’t know if it changed my life it’s weird because I was so young when I made that record I was 18 I did not know the feedback. I put the record out myself and distributors kept calling back to reorder. I had nothing to gage it on, I did not know if those numbers where bad or good or average, I was thinking it was average it was not 10 million copies I had enough to buy a new car I guess it was ok.

‘4 You’ another beautiful record and tell me about the re-rubs of Maya Jane Coles?
I did a record called ‘4 you’ in maybe 1990. The way it came about I was living in New York at the time and I went back home to see my mum. I was asked to do a little remix for a Reiss project. Kevin had a new singer named Rachel with very good vocals so i was asked if could come and make a remix. I accepted and went down to KMS Records. A lot of times I just went there to record just by myself, there was no engineer and Kevin was not there. I did not even hear the original song I just got Rachel’s vocals, she is a really good singer excellent voice, so I started sampling her vocals. I realised I can’t give this to Kevin. I was playing it loud and really enjoying the drums. It got me that I couldn’t give it to Kevin, I had to have it. I called him and said Kevin I can’t come up with anything so I going home. That’s how that record came about.

There was a period you when you were not so active is that true? When did you decide that you wanted to get back into action?
There was a period around 1996 where I was getting bored with the remixes, because everybody wanted something that sounded like The Nightcrawlers. They didn’t really know about the real underground scene, they just knew about the success of that record.

Then eventually I met a guy called Jay Brown who was working with Quincy Jones. We ended up talking. I did not tell Jay Brown that I was MK he just thought that I was a producer living in New York. However, I had a $20,000 Dollar watch so I kind of looked like I was good at something.

I gave him a CD of my pop and r’n’b productions which he took home to L.A. The next day the president of Quincy Jones Music called and said “Quincy wants to sign you”. So Jay Brown started managing me, teamed me up with Jay-Z and I started to produce with him and did a couple of pop songs. Also through his connections I produced Snoop Dogg, Tevin Campbell, SWV and Dave Hollister. At that point I had no desire to go back to House music as there was nothing interesting out there for me.

How is your relationship with Pitbull?
In 2009 he was pretty popular on the radio and was more like a hip hop artist, I noticed he had a song coming out I heard on the Mix show though they were mixing The Nightcrawlers with Pitbull. A couple of weeks later I actually heard that Pitbull sampled it and my first reaction was that’s great. I called my brother Scottie D and asked him if he could call Pitbull asking if I could do a remix. He said yes, after I started to work with Pitbull quite often.

How do you balance making credible, underground records with huge pop anthems?
It’s a lot harder balancing the two styles than people may think, especially when on the one hand I’m working with Willow Smith which is more edgy kind of hip-hop, compared to on the other doing stuff with Pitbull which is more totally commercial. I keep trying to bring back MK, but it’s pretty hard to juggle which is why it has taken so long to do a new MK record.

Do you have any underground records in the pipeline?
The underground records are coming; it’s good that I DJ right now and am touring. Like I said I don’t DJ that much, but doing a couple of shows, playing certain MK records has shown me that people go mad when I play my tracks. I guess that this is the type of sound that’s ‘in’ at the moment, the ‘MK sound’. I have just done a remix for Morgan Geist under his ‘Storm Queen’ guise and I will be working on more material soon.]]> music entertainment Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:31:57 +0100 Interview with Orkidea

Your third artist album ‘20’ is out this week. What was your primary goal in recording and releasing it?
This year marks my 20 years of DJing so I wanted to celebrate that with a new album. Musically it represents what I call “retrofuturistic” vision of trance music where I have been taking lot of inspiration from the early sound of trance but doing it with the most current production tech and sound.

Trance has had more ups-and-down, ins-and-outs than any other electronic dance music genre. Why do you feel its appeal has ultimately proved so resilient?
I think that at best trance balances perfectly between grooves and melodies and between commercial and more credible music. I hope my music is accessible yet intelligent.

If you had to say which year in the last 20 trance had been at its most musically healthy, which would it be and why?
I have to say two here: 1993 was a great year for the early trance sound with labels like Eye Q, MFS and Superstition at their best and artists like Paul van Dyk, Oliver Lieb and Jam & Spoon all being in great form. 1999 was a great year for the big Dutch sound with Ferry, Tiesto and Armin all breaking through big time and simultaneously the more progressive UK sound from Sasha, Paul Oakenfold and Nick Warren delivering some amazing classics.

Pretty early on in the album there’s Hale Bopp, which is a very interesting choice of cover version on the album. Why did you settle on that track to record?
The original is one of my all time favourites, which I still play every year at some point. It’s one of those rare records you can drop in a pro, trance or tech house set and it always works. As the original is perfect as such I wanted to do something completely different with the remake. Me and JS16 wanted to create a version paying homage to the sound of KLF in early 90s. Rough, raw and energetic riff meeting today’s groove. There will be more trancey and hypnotic remixes coming up soon from myself and Solarstone.

You’ve shared a long-standing production relationship with Solarstone. How has he played a part in ‘20’?
We share lot of same thinking about music in general and with the Slowmotion series we are taking influence from sound of Jarre, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield and Tangerine Dream and making a 2011 club take on that. So everything is very melodic, hypnotic, driving, cinematic and atmospheric. In studio we’ve done three tracks together and seem to have exactly same vibe about how things should flow. Slowmotion II has a very unusual time signature of 7/8 (instead of 4/4) which was interesting to play around with.

There are a couple of remixes worked into the album’s tracklist. Tell us about why you chose those 2 tracks in particular to rework?
Simon Berry from Art of Trance asked me to deliver a remix for him. AoT is one of my all time fave trance artists so I was immediately up for it. Especially when the track is a cover version of Vangelis who is one of my biggest musical heroes. This remix doesn’t have a breakdown at all by the way! It’s a concept I’ve been thinking for a long time and finally got to do it. Killa then again is something I remixed back in 2005 and is perhaps my most successful remix to date. I wanted to make an updated version to play out on gigs but it turned out so well that I included it on the album too. Nick and Jody from Way Out West have also played many times at my events here in Helsinki so there was a natural connection through that too.

Orkidea seems to have set about his career in the genre in a very different way from 99% of other trance DJs. Was it a conscious decision to not go over-ground and if so why?
Hmm… not really! I’ve always been balancing between progressive house (from the Limbo/Guerilla times around 1993) and more uplifing trancey sound. I guess some of my sound is affected by that progressive background. I’ve also had Sasha playing at our event and we used to do the Renaissance parties here in Finland. Finland has also always had quite credible and “intelligent” trance scene.

‘Real trance’ is a term you often see attached to Orkidea’s music. What does that mean to you?
To me “real trance” is the original sound of trance from the early years (1991-1994) which was more hypnotic, less obvious and more “trance like” instead of very uplifting. I guess my sound is heavily influenced with that. But don’t get me wrong: I used to play banging 150 bpm rave in the early days and still enjoy very much playing a proper big room energetic sets so I’m definitely no genre purist. But in my music I try to reflect that old school vibe while sounding contemporary at the same time.

Tell us about the Lowland collaboration on the album ‘Blackbird’. How would you describe your production dynamic together?
Lowland is one of the most brilliant and versatile producers I’ve ever met. A perfect combo of classically trained musician (even doing orchestras) and a proper music technology futurist. He was involved in most of the tracks on my previous album Metaverse and has been collaborating on six of the tracks on “20”. I think he brings lot of musical and production detail and depth to our productions while I’m usually the one with the original idea and vision of what works on the dance floor. I always learn something from him while in the studio.

Vocals are very scarce on there. Tell us about why that is?
To me electronic music and trance has always been primarily instrumental and I like the beauty of instrumental music being more global and universal. But don’t get me wrong: I do love a breath-taking vocals myself too with the likes of Tilt’s ‘Angry Skies’, Oakenfold’s ‘Southern Sun’ and Sunscreem’s ‘Perfect Motion’ are some of my all time favourites. But as a producer I focus more on instrumental music.

With all the support it brought, did you ever think Unity was in danger of defining you?
Not at all. That track still represents very much what I stand for musically and I’m still very proud of that.

Every album has its ‘easy’ tracks to produce and it’s hard ones. What was the quickest track on ‘20’ to produce and which one was the toughest?
The new mix of Unity was over two years in the making so I guess that was the hardest. It holds such a special value to me that I didn’t take updating that lightly. Pacifique is the simplest production on the album and also came together super quickly. I did try to add some layers to it afterwards but that seemed to take some of the simple beauty away.

‘20’ is as much about your 20 years as a DJ as it is producing. Your taking the album on a club tour. What are you plans for that?
I’m doing a big 30-date tour to promote the album. It’s mainly around Finland but also some international dates in New York, London, Frankfurt and other places. Last album release tour was such a great experience that I’m definitely looking forward to this.

Check out Metaverse album release tour video below


If you had the power to remove mp3s from the planet and send us all back to a vinyl-only spinning existence, would you push the button!?
Nope. Forward Forever, Backwards Never.

As the man that’s considered to have been the one that introduced trance to Finland, how has it been to see the likes of Super8 & Tab and Alex Kunnari launch and build their careers in the genre?
Even if I’m considered to be one of the first trance DJs in Finland – I also had my heroes back then. DJs like Jokke, Ender and Yuhi's were playing the early trance even before me. Regarding the newer generation: I’m extremely proud to be one of the first ones releasing trance music outside Finland and hope that I’ve paved the way to many of the other guys. Always wanted to help the fellow Fins any ways I can. It’s quite amazing how many great artists have come from Finland.

Do you see any new talent in Finland that you think could break out that you’d like to tip us off on!?
Anton Sonin, Tom Fall, Marcus Maison & Will Dragen are all part of the nu skool generation who could make it big time internationally.]]> music entertainment Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:21:00 +0100 Interview with ATFC

ATFC - apart from being a legend - is one of the world’s hardest working DJ and uber producers. It is true he has been rocking dance floors since many of you were knee high to a DJ booth but that has just improved his skills. He is versatile and innovative, he constantly reinvents his sound and he simply rocks every time. His recent productions have smashed it at Beatport, look him up he has a discography as long as your arm from his historic chart topping releases like ‘Bad Habit’ and ‘Sleep Talk’ to download store No.1’s like ‘The Conversation’ and ‘Dazzle EP’ to his brand new ‘Shots from The Hips EP’. Here he returns once again to mix Nikki Beach In The House, an album that represents one of the most glamorous beach clubbing brands in the world. This is where he tells us all about it...

Hey ATFC. How are you doing? Are you somewhere sunny today?
I am most days as I live in Spain on the Costa Blanca. We've had a very long hot summer this year and it's still in the 30's even in late October.

Our ears have missed you…where have you been??
Ah bless you. Working and playing hard. Do you think these masterpieces are created overnight?? They take months of honing, sculpting and musical massaging to refine them into the faultless gems that they are. Seriously though, there have been a few tracks in progress which all seem to have taken shape recently and none have been quite ready until now. I've been travelling, DJing, producing, entertaining...the usual stuff. It's been a busy summer all round. I've gained more passport stamps from Asia, America, Canada and Europe since my last release and national stocks of Spanish Vino Rosado have depleted somewhat.

How has your year in beach clubbing been? Can you tell us about any places with a special vibe…?
It's been very 'beachy' this summer actually and it looks to be more of a trend as time goes on. Montenegro has a small but very beautiful coastline and an afternoon gig I played there was really cool. Ushuaia Ibiza is, of course, on another level with its festival sized stage and multi-million euro surroundings. Some of the most enjoyable times, however, were spent playing soul, funk, jazz and disco on the beach in my home town Javea. Friends, family, mojitos and a warm sea breeze all added to the perfect atmosphere.

What would you like to hear if you were lounging by a pool?
It's funny you should ask…. check my pool-side set from Vocal Booth Weekender 2011 out!

Why do you think Nikki Beach have been awarded the prestige of ‘Sexiest Place on Earth’?
Maybe I wasn't there the day the judges turned up?

You are about to release a new mix with them, tell us about any the vibe you went for and the tracks you included.
I tried to audibly represent the warm orange sunset glow that slowly dims into a mocha brown and ends with the fizzing darkness of midnight. I wanted to make the 74 minutes a perfect launch-pad to take you from pool to dance-floor and basically send you off into the night not wanting to stop until daylight. It's a little more chilled than a straight up club set from me but not noodly either. There are a couple of new tracks from ATFC, some current hotties like Ame's remix of Osunlade 'Envision' and 'The Tide' by Mark Fanciulli and oldies like Tropical Soundclash and Belo Horizonte.

ATFC

How did you turn ‘When The Needle Drops’ into a Nikki Beach anthem?
To me, the track just screams 'pool party'. It's a little disco, a little Hip Hop, a little R'N'B and totally feel-good so it seemed to sum up the ethos of Nikki Beach perfectly. I was a little presumptuous calling it an anthem ahead of time (and without them knowing about it!) but I hope come next summer it would have earned the title.

Another future release on the compilation is Geetah (exclusive to the comp I believe), can you tell us a bit about it?
It's just a good guitar led groove so I thought I'd be really clever, change a couple of letters and call it 'Geetah'. It'll be released as one half of the next Shots From The Hip instalment next year and I rather like it, it has a Harry 'Choo Choo' feel about it.

Is it a struggle to keep producing original material, or do you find it easier the more experienced you become?
Yes, with House Music you do feel like you're trying to re-invent the wheel sometimes but then something will snap into place and you feel as excited as you did when you made your first record. There's very little that's truly original nowadays but I find keeping one foot in the past and the other edging forward keeps me hobbling on the right track. What I am learning with experience is balance. Not to throw myself for too long into one direction and not be scared of making tracks that aren't meant to tear the roof off. These days I try to shake things up constantly with tracky EP's, quality songs and big room cuts.

From someone who was there the first time around, what do you make of the current trend of backward-looking productions, with old records from MK, Kerri Chandler etc.. currently representing the in-vogue sound?
It's great because I don't have to buy them again and I even have the B-sides to play! I've spent the past week recording and archiving old vinyl (something I've done many times before) and it's amazing how I can still find something that catches my ear afresh. There were, of course, other producers who were hot back then so it's nice to dig out something equally as good as 'Burnin' or 'Hallelujah' that can surprise people even more. Quality always prevails. These productions and their producers weren't popular by accident first time around and essentially the hooks and musical elements work just as well today as they did 20 years ago. All that sometimes needs a little update is the power and punchiness of the drums. That said the current trend even does away with that need as guys like Jamie Jones, Tensnake and others champion the retro in its entirety. 

Which artist above all others has impressed you this year?
What recently made me 'wow' was the announcement of The Swedish House Mafia selling out Madison Square Garden and Milton Keynes Bowl. That's a pretty big deal for any artist, let alone three DJs who not long ago were fairly happy reaching the Dj Top 100. Whether you're into their music or not it's hard not to be impressed by the machine that achieved that. Musically, however, David Herrero has a good groove as have UK young blood Grant Nalder and Roul & Doors.

Are you looking to collaborate with anyone on future projects?
I have a collaboration with David Penn set to drop soon titled La Verdad (Sentimiento) and I'd like to work on some more stuff with him. Also, The Shapeshifters and I have an idea we're working on which we're pretty excited about. There are others but nothing confirmed yet so I can't say more]]> music entertainment Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:36:00 +0100 Interview with Jaymo and Andy George

Can you give me an insight into how your successful BBC Radio 1 show came about and the first few chapters of the Jaymo & Andy George story.
We were asked to do an Essential Mix after our club night Moda started becoming really popular. It was recorded live at Moda (infront of 1600 people) and we got to know a lot of the Radio 1 crew from there. We made a joke about covering for Pete Tong the very first time we met someone from Radio 1 – and here we are a couple of years later, and we’re doing exactly that. Amazing really – but we put our all into it and like most things, you get out what you put in.

We now consider a lot of the people we grew up listening to on Radio 1 as our friends. They give us tips and advice and have always made us feel welcome – it’s a very cool place to work; it’s a building full of people who are obsessed with music, so we fitted in pretty well.

Now, as well as our show, we cover for Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Kissy Sell Out quite often, as well as doing various other things such as live events and even a bit of daytime radio for a laugh. It’s great to have the opportunity to share music you love with the world and have an affect on peoples lives in such a way. That was a massive part of our musical upbringing, so we understand the gravitas of such a responsibility and dedicate a lot of time to uncovering the best new music from around the world.

Your DJing has taken you all over the world, including the club mecca that is Ibiza, with Moda, this year, taking over the Sunset Terrace at We Love… Space. How does it compare to touring the UK and in particular your own Moda parties?
Playing in Ibiza often gives us a chance to focus more on the Disco and House records we love. Our sets can vary quite far, depending on when and where we are playing. A festival set, for example, will be more instant than a set on the Space Terrace, where we can build a vibe with more of an emotional feel. We are also big believers on respecting a clubs musical policies and those of the other DJ’s on the bill – so if we’re playing before Greg Wilson or Aeroplane, we’re not gonna end our set with the tougher records our bags.

Music should always flow properly of the course of the night, else you may as well be listening to your local wedding DJ playing the latest hit records. Anyone can do that.

When it comes to DJing what should we expect from you guys?
Our sound encompasses House, Disco and Techno, so we can be quite versatile in that sense. This can be anything from Deeper House sounds, to disco edits, Italo, French House, right through to the Techno end of electro, things like Geseffelstien and Brodinski.

They’ll always be a bunch of curveball re-edits in there too, from old Italo tracks to 80’s synth and funk stuff, even the odd Hip Hop cut. Some are more like tool, others are basically remixes.

Moda Volume 1 has an amazing line up of artists including Miami Horror, Tom Staar & The Black Ghosts to name a few. What was the idea behind the compilation and secondly how did you choose the tracks that are on the album – you must receive a hell of a lot of new music, right?
Yeah, we get a lot of new music sent to us – but we also love finding new music – there’s nothing like the feeling of discovery, after all. So we spend a lot of time on Soundcloud and blogs. The compilation is basically us showcasing the best new bands and producers we’ve discovered of the past 18 months or so. A lot of them we’re friends with, as these days when you find an artist you like you can reach out to them in a matter of seconds

Most of the music was made especially for the compilation, so it was just a matter of waiting for it all – luckily it all came together beautifully and although it spans quite a broad range of electronic music the entire album feels really coherent and we’ve had nothing but love for it.

You mentioned you’ve covered for many other people at Radio 1 – how did that feel?
We can both remember being 12 years old and hearing Pete Tong on a Friday night – his voice will be forever associated with the feeling of weekend freedom, partying and hearing exciting new sounds that make you want to explode. He is pretty much the reason specialist dance music at Radio 1 is world renowned and held with such high regard. So to now be part of that process is a huge honour and something we don’t take lightly.

We’ve covered his show several times and will be doing several times more this Summer – the power of picking the Essential New Tune is a big deal – it’s basically the gold medal of dance music. We’ve also covered Annie Mac’s show quite a bit – she kicks off the weekend at Radio 1. That slot can literally make or break peoples party plans – you have to get the vibe bang on.

Hopefully when we do their shows we bring a little something different to peoples ears!

As well as running Moda, doing the radio show and the record label, you also produce your own music. What are you working on at the moment?
Last year was heavily consumed with DJing and radio, so our aim for this year was to really focus on music. We released a four track EP called Night Music a couple on months ago, which got support from people like Erol Alkan, Brodinski, Djedjotronic and loads more. That was a kind of statement of intent for us – now we’re tying up our second EP, and we hope to have 2 more out before the year is out.

Favorite Moda Moment?
Such a hard question! Doing an Essential Mix live in our hometown was obviously insanity cubed. But then hosting the Sunset Terrace at Space this Summer is a massive milestone for us too. Then, of course, there was seeing Moda Volume 1 in record stores across the UK and looking mad pimp.

Although there’s been a lot of things that have made us really happy we don’t dwell on them for too long – it’s always about getting on to the next big plan!]]> music entertainment Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:02:00 +0200 Interview with Copyright

Copyright are Sam Holt and Gavin ‘Face’ Mills, the UK production duo that have emerged from the shadowy streets beneath the grey skies of London to beam rays of 4/4 happiness directly into the gratefully exultant faces of clubbers around the globe. Now, after years of an extremely fruitful relationship with, Defected they have been awarded the ultimate accolade in the shape of their very own In The House compilation.

Their success - at least in part - is due to the carefully nurtured and complimentary relationship their share within the studio and behind the decks. It’s a relationship that has seen their star steadily rise, resulting in Copyright now being one of the most in-demand production and DJ acts in house music. Here, we catch up with the guys to discuss their approach the mix, the re-launch of their Copyright Recordings and how fatherhood can - contrary to popular belief - really help you find your focus in the studio...

We’re more than halfway through 2011…how’s it been for you so far?
Sam: It’s been a great year. We are now in the middle of what we’d call the summer madness; two gigs, a day in the studio, another gig, a day in the studio. Its great fun, we get to see most of Europe, and get a bit of a tan along the way!

Gavin: It’s been a bit of a mad year because Sam’s had a baby very recently and I’ve got one coming. Before Sam’s baby came we just tried to finish off as much stuff as we could because we knew we were going to be very busy. Simon [Dunmore] said to us that we should have babies more often because we’ve never been so productive. It shows what we can do when we put our minds to it.

Sam: Having my daughter made me focus my mind on the little time I had to be in the studio, listen to and A&R tracks. I really had to make the most of out of every session.

If you were to pick a couple of things over the last six months that really stand out for you, what would they be?
Gavin: Meeting Nuwella, who we did ‘I’m All Yours’ with, plus doing the video, was a major highlight because we’ve built a strong creative relationship. She’s going to be a major artist for us in the future, and we’re working hard in the studio with new tracks, with some great ideas.

Sam: Re-launching Copyright Recordings, with Simon and the team at Defected, because it’s one of those things where I thought ‘why didn’t we do this four years ago’. We’ve got some great artists who are creating some great music and we’ve had initial successes with our first round of signees.

Who are the new artists you’re bringing through and how do you feel about the progress you’re making?
Sam: We’ve got people like Born To Funk out of Holland who’s delivering some awesome music at the moment.

Gavin: He’s been around quite a while. We met him years ago, before we had a label and we passed a track he had made called ‘Di Bamba!’ on to Knee Deep USA, which they signed and released in 2004. They didn’t know about ‘Di Bamba’ previously, so we learnt from that lesson.

Sam: He’s just been touring in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and across Africa so his sound at the moment is perfect for the label. There’s so much more to come from him. We’ve also been working with our good mate, DJ Meme from Brazil, who absolutely smashed it with his debut single for Copyright Recordings, ‘Canto Pro Mar’. It’s been huge, so huge that David Morales remixed it because he loved it so much.

Gavin: We want to work with people the same way we’ve worked with Simon; building a team of producers coming up with records, and put out our own records. These guys’ records are doing so well that they’ve set the bar high, the pressures on. We didn’t have a plan, or so much a concept, our main criteria was based on whether we’d play the record, would it go in our record box –if so then we’ll sign it.

Sam: Copyright Recocrdings is starting to take on a personality of its own, because it’s become the place for the Nu Africanism sound, which seems to have happened organically. People are noticing that we’re putting a lot of afro-latin inspired records so people are sending us their take on Nu Africanism.

How do producers get their music to you?
Sam: Putting a CD in our hand will get you a listen! Send your records to myself or Gavin, ensuring that it’s a link we can download. I can 100% guarantee we listen to everything, especially when we’re travelling. We’ll listen on the plane, but we can’t listen to a stream link, we can’t download on a plane.

Gavin: We listen to every CD we’re given, we leave no stone unturned. The next demo might be our biggest record.

Sam: If you don’t have that kind of enthusiasm with House music, then you shouldn’t be doing it. There’s a great family of labels at Defected, and if it’s not exactly the sound of our label, we’ll pass it on to Simon (Dunmore), who’ll pass it on to Ricky Rivaro at Azuli Records, or Simon Marlin (The Shapeshifters) who’s running Nocturnal Groove. There’s a whole universe of other labels, so it’s worth sending demos to us.

A crux of your next album is Hong Kong, what have your experiences been like in regards to playing there, the clubs you’ve played at and the house scene in general?
Gavin: I like Hong Kong because it’s such a small place, everybody knows everybody, so it’s similar to life on a university campus. The core of the House music scene in Hong Kong might be around thirty or forty people, and there’s three main clubs; Kee Club, Drop, and Dragon-I where we play, but it’s a really strong scene.

Sam: Because of Hong Kong’s history with Britain, it feels like a little bit of London in Asia, in regards to the spirit of fashion, shopping, and brands. These days we’re a lot more sensible but in the early days it was easy to lose yourself on a shopping spree where you’ll end up thinking ‘Oh my god, what have I done? I’ve brought ten pairs of trainers and five Adidas leather jackets, I better take some of this back’.

Gavin: We’ve visited Mong Kok, famed for its row of sneaker shops – which is the length of Oxford Street – on many occasions. Gilbert, the owner of Dragon-I, got us tickets to see the Star Wars premiere too. There are a few places that we play that have become my favourite destinations, but Hong Kong is most definitely one of my top three. I always try and arrange a few extra days where I can catch up with all the many friends we’ve made over the years.

Your sound is ever-changing but recently it seems as if your sound has evolved sonically into something much bigger and elaborate. Would you agree, and if so how has it changed?
Sam: I think the essence of the sound is the same but the dynamics of have changed because we’re playing all over the world, experiencing different situations in different clubs, and that just follows us back into the studio. One week we could be playing a massive festival, and the next week we could be playing a small intimate club so it’s just trying to make our sound relevant to where and how we play.

Who was the last producer that really inspired you?
Gavin: Maya Jane Coles. It’s refreshing to hear someone so young coming with such a mature sound, she has the essence of house and every time she releases something I always go and listen to it. Maya’s tracks do not always work in our sets but her music is moving, taking you on a journey with each listen. She’s really stood out in the last year or two as someone to watch out for, and could easily be the new Dennis Ferrer.

Sam: We’re also massive fans of Frankie Rizardo, and I feel like he’s on an upward curve and doing some amazing things. We play his records in every set and I feel in time he’s going to develop into a producer to be reckoned with. He’s a great DJ and we love his sound, and for a young guy the sky’s the limit. Another duo we really rate is Roul and Doors. We’ve got to hang out and have some great times with them in Holland, but they’re some guys to really watch out for in the future. They’ve got a great attitude, some dope tracks, and I see them on a massive upward curve.

Gavin: I think it’s on the cards that they’ll have a big hit soon.

The tag line for the album is ‘Uniting the voices of Africa, Asia, New York, and London through House Music’, can you talk us through it…
Sam: We’ve always had a very global sound in terms of what we make, there’s always been influence from American House, and New York sounds, but then we’ve got another sort of sound which is the Afro Beat, and we’re from London. It’s like a melting pot of influences and our sole aim was for the album to captures the global dance sentiment and influences.

Gavin: When we DJ we play a wide spectrum of different sounds. We might play a really soulful old disco track, we might play something that’s really deep and techy in our set but that’s a major part of the appeal, where we can pretty much turn up to any party and fit in because we’re eclectic.

Sam: You might hear a Jamie Jones record in our set, you might hear a Dirty South record; if it’s good, it’s good and if it’s got the funk we’re after, we’ll play it.

How did you mix the compilation... was it live or an Abelton session?
Gavin: It was a mixture.

Sam: It starts as just us playing CDs, getting a vibe for CD1 and CD2, the next process is to mix both CDs to an ordered and balanced track flow...

Gavin: That’s where Ableton comes in.

Sam: Then there’s a next level of Ableton where we’re engineering, editing, and adding effects before it goes to the next level, entering the Copyright mainframe studio HQ...

Gavin: We add the sprinkles on top using Logic. Just the winds, DJ sounds...

Sam: Probably stuff you can’t even really pick out, but it does have an effect, it’s more on a subsonic level of consciousness so we can give these mixes a little bit of flavour. It’s a labour of love. We sometimes say that if you don’t hate something you’ve made, you haven’t worked on it hard enough. Having said that, we don’t hate the compilation, but we’ve definitely been through it a fair few times!

From inception to 100% finished, how long did it take?
Gavin: From us starting the actual mixing, it’s about four or five weeks but then there’ll always be a little curveball at the end where someone won’t licence a track.

Sam: The track that you absolutely love, the lynchpin of CD2, gone!

Gavin: Sometimes just taking out one track and having to fill it with another track is hard.

Sam: It’s good fun but to get the quality that we’re striving for takes quite a long time.

What else are you working on at the moment?
Gavin: Mark Knight, a great friend of ours, and a producer we really respect, came to Sam and asked whether we’d be interested in doing a mix of ‘Babarabatiri’ which is a Todd Terry record sampling Tito Puente. It was used in a Guinness advert a few years back and it’s one of my favourite old House tracks. We’ve been working on that for the past few days we’ve been in the studio, and its sound pretty good. I’m looking forward to road testing it and see how the crowd reacts.

Sam: We’ve also got a follow up single with Nuwella, but I’m not going to tell you the title until it drops. It’s another cover, which has come out really well, and what we’ve been able to do is find a tune which fits Nuwella because she has got bags of charisma. The song not only suits her, but also her artistic direction as an artist. We’re really excited!]]> music entertainment Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:20:00 +0200 Interview with Roger Shah

Roger, you’ve previously released 5 artist albums, but this is actually the first one under your own name, isn’t it?
Yes, that's right. It's my first solo album since I changed my name from DJ Shah to my full name Roger Shah.

Why has that been the case?
I changed it as I don't feel like a DJ in the original sense of the term any more. Since I began incorporating live elements into my shows, having singers along with me and playing keyboards, it no longer seemed a good fit.

Tell us a bit about your intentions for this album.
For the fact it's my solo album I wanted to show diversity as a musician and not just do another Balearic album. That’s is something I can still do under my Sunlounger alias. That's why I spent the last two years producing this double disc album with this wide range of music.

It’s called ‘Openminded!?’ Do you perceive it as a departure from what people have come to expect from you?
I don't see it as a departure, no. It's more that I’m extending my horizon and widening up the range of my music. First of all I'm a music lover and listen to a lot of different music. So I thought why should I stick to just one musical genre when I produce a solo artist album for myself? That said the way I compose the melodies is still 100% Roger Shah trademark style.

What’s the most strikingly different track on there?
I have a couple of tracks running at 128bpm, more in a progressive house direction and, for the first time, a song in Spanish on there. On CD 2 I composed the whole album more as a film score, with a lot of classical orchestra elements. But there’s also some rock-influenced tracks on there, like my collaborations with Chris Jones and Ira Losco.

On your previous albums you’ve established a collective of singers you regularly work with. What is it you look for in a vocalist for one of your tracks?
I always look for singers with a remarkable & unique voice and great song writing skills.

You’ve brought some new, fairly high profile vocalists in for this one. Tell us about how you came to work with Sian Kosheen, Moya Brennan and Carla Werner?
Actually my manager mentioned that we should do a next step and ask some high profile singers to collaborate. So I thought about it and wrote down my personal favorite artists. Kosheen is my favorite band and I'm a huge fan of Moya Brennan, even seeing her at one of her classical concerts. Paul Oakenfold's Southern Sun with its vocals from Carla Werner is my favorite Dance Track of all time. I couldn't believe it when my manager told me that they are all looking forward to work with me!

What do you have planned for release single-wise from the album?
This is a good question since we have at least 8 strong potential singles in my opinion. We picked ‘Morning Star’ as the first single, ‘Hide U’ will be the next one and my tune for this summer. Next single after that will be ‘Shine’, followed by ‘Dance With Me’ and ‘One Love’. In 2012 we’ll release ‘Porque’, ‘Obsession’ and ‘Save It All Today’.

What would you say is going to be:
- The biggest hit from the album?
I think ‘Hide U’ has been a huge Kosheen hit and could be again, especially in the UK

- The most popular track with your fans?
When I read the comments on the album so far, people's favorites are the collabs with Carla and Adrina. This though comes from the trance fans. It might end up being my Spanish song ‘Porque’, as I have so many followers in South America.

- Your favourite track from the album?
Hard to say for me since all songs are like my babies! But if I really have to choose one it's ‘Dance With Me’ with Inger Hansen.

Anything else you’d like to say about it?
I worked the past 2 years on it very hard with all my passion for music to deliver something new. So I hope that my fans are also open-minded and will take this next step with me!

So when is the album out on release?
The digital release was July 22nd on iTunes and the CD release was last week. At the end of August we will have a special album edition on Beatportwith all the Original Club Mixes.

Thanks Roger!
Pleasure! Thanks for taking the time!]]> music entertainment Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:38:00 +0200 Interview with Chocolate Puma

Chocolate Puma are the playfully named DJ duo from Amsterdam; Rene ter Horst and Gaston Steenkist. They have produced countless genre defying records under various monikers over the last 20 years and long may they continue. They have made an indelible mark on House music with their unique and unmistakable sound. These guys were there doing it and getting the T shirt when you were still knee high to a chocolate grass hopper. They are known in Holland as a national House music treasures whose classic records helped to build a scene.

These were the guys behind the legendary chart topper The Good Men 'Give It Up' and the anthem 'I Wanna Be You' as well as the more recent Beatport No. 1 'Tonco Tone' and countless other underground club hits. Here they tell us about how they discovered Laidback Luke, how they got their name and what you producers should be plugging into Logic.

You guys have been producing for 20 years now, how did your partnership begin and what is the whole theme behind Chocolate Puma?
Rene: I did a radio show 20 years ago and I did a shout out to some people who could produce music and send it to my show and there was only one sender and it was Gaston!

Then we went to his studio which at the time was in his bedroom and we did a jingle for the radio show, that jingle turned out to be 'Give It Up' by The Goodmen which was our first big hit, we started producing at that point and we haven't stopped for 20 years.

Gaston: Our Chocolate Puma Project started 10 years ago, and it is the only project name that we are using right now as we are feeling really comfortable with, we can do everything we want within the project. I think that 20 years ago the times were different, it was cool to have different names and situations with white labels and weird record sleeves. Now it is more about being visible and having a good name and good visibility.

So what are the other names that you produce under?
Rene: Names like the Klatsch!, The Goodmen, Rene & Gaston, Jark Prongo, + others...

How did the name Chocolate Puma come about?
Gaston: We did this track 'I Wanna Be You', and at time our record company did not know what to do with it so we decided to put this on our own label, which is now called Pssst Music (Rene: In England they call it PISSED!) At that time we had this other obscure label and we just needed artwork and a weird name so Rene came up with Chocolate Puma and I came into the studio and thought that is a brilliant name 'lets do it'!

You are well known for only playing your own records and remixes in your DJ sets, how does this work for you?
Rene: First of all we do not have a CD wallet anymore, everything we have is on SD card but still we only bring 50 or 60 tracks.

Gaston: Actually it is 150. We also play other peoples records but we first we will remix it, edit it or bootleg it so it becomes our own and it is really great to be able to do this.

Is it true that Laidback Luke was your protégé?
Gaston: Yes this is true. When I was really young and he was even younger, I played at a party at his school, and he was just a 15 year old kid, and he came up to the DJ booth with a cassette tape. Some older people might remember that format. I listened to it and it kinda sucked, but I heard he was very talented and he had a great musical ear, so I invited him to my home, we were listening to records together for around 2 years, and we taught him all kinds of tricks, like how to produce and the whole thing. After 2 years he released his first record on my label and the rest is history.

Are you working with anyone else at the moment, anyone else that you have taken under your wing?
Gaston: Yes we work with Bart B More and we kind of manage him.
Rene: But we don't take them under our wings anymore because they are already good.
Gaston: On the other hand you will be surprised by our own knowledge, we know things and we can pass that on.

So tell us about your single 'For your Love'.
Rene: For your love is of course a rework of the very old single from the Yardbirds in the 60's.

Why did you choose this record to remix?
Rene: Well we heard a very odd disco version of it by a German band and this inspired us to make a 2011 version.

British DJ Paolo Mojo says technology has rewritten the DNA of music production, what do you think about this?
Rene: I think he is right, a lot of things have changed since we first started, we had all these midi cables and stuff in the studio and we used to record on tapes.

Gaston: When we wanted to make a radio edit we literally had to take a tape and cut it with a knife, and stick it back together with glue. At a certain point we would lose a breakdown, and there it was on the floor somewhere and that would be the breakdown gone.

So what studio equipment could you not live without?
Rene: The computer, we do everything on this so we need on our Mac, we have a very simple setup, just a Mac and Logic, and a few plugins.

What plugins do you use?
Gaston: Logic itself has great plugins but the ones we use are but we use one particular plugin to do our bits, it’s a sampler called Guru, it is really fast and easy and simple, and it is like our main thing for the beats.
Rene: Also the plugins from Fat Filter.

How do you feel about being crowned 'House Masters'?
Rene: It doesn't feel real just yet, for me those guys on the previous House Master compilations are still amazing but I think that we have done something good and we are honoured.

The album features some of your best tracks, but which ones in particular are you most proud of?
Rene: ‘Give It Up’ is where it all started and we can still play it, that was in 1992! It still sounds fresh but we have done a little update of course.

Did you ever think that 20 years ago you would be here now?
Rene: No not really no!
Gaston: Actually when I met Rene he was already DJing, and he had seen it all and he was like maybe it is time to stop djing, and he didn't know that it was just the beginning! I never thought about it as a career, I just thought this is what I like to do, and I love to make music.

Do you still see yourself doing this in 20 years time?
Rene: If you knew my age you would realise that still being A DJ in 20 years time it might be a bit of a problem! But we are so far now, we are not going to stop, we will only stop if people do not want us anymore.

Do you feel that you are peeking now?
Gaston: No not yet, we are still growing.

I hear that you have 2 forthcoming tracks: ‘Go Bang’ and ‘Tragito De Ron’, what can you tell me about these?
Rene: We have done 2 collaborations with Grego Salto, It’s coming out on our own label, Pssst music, the other is ‘Go Bang’ that we did with Firebeats. They are two young talented producers from the Netherlands, also coming out on our label. It was very funny to collaborate with these guys, because they were like excited young puppies, they were jumping around and talking to each other really fast, just like we did to each other 20 years ago. They were excited by every noise, every sound it was really cool.

How does it feel for you knowing that people are coming to hear especially to see you play and to hear your records?
Rene: It feels very good especially because we play our own tracks now. When someone DJs they may play two or three of their own productions, years ago it was tricky to play your own stuff. For us now, because we have made so many tracks over the years we never had a chance to test them out on the dance floor quickly. Now we can make the records and test them directly on the dance floor instantly and it’s more fun than ever.

Gaston: Like he says we are having a lot of fun, we do not see it as a peak we still feel that we are slowly building, and we don't know where it will go. We treat it like a marathon not like a sprint.]]> music entertainment Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0200 Interview with Markus Schulz (Special)

You have mentioned before that in your early days you could hear drum and bass producers, techno producers, and many others from the studio you worked in, and subsequently your music today displays influences from a myriad of musical backgrounds. How important is genre-blending to you when finding your distinctive sound?
Oh, it’s essential. Approaching music that way was the foundation and making of dance music and what’s seen it endure for the all time it has.

Who were some of your earliest musical influences back in those early days?
Well it’s and eclectic bunch. Let’s say these are both influences and inspirations, as there’s a subtle (but important) difference between the two. So Larry Levan would be one. He was essentially ‘the bridge’ between the very final days of disco and the dawn of house. Late 60s/early 70s rock outfits too like Manfred Mann and Pink Floyd; they were the people who really got me into music in the first instance. Also Aphrodite, the DnB producer, who I shared studio space with too, he really influenced my bass-lines.

Your label Coldharbour Recordings derives from the street name of your studio in Brixton back in your earlier years. We hear this was a time in your life when you felt you had to take a step back from the scene to really find out who you were as an artist, and hence the Coldharbour sound was born in the hours spent in Coldharbour Lane. During that introspective period in your life, what did you discover about yourself and how did you define your role in the music industry?
It was more introspective in relation to the music as opposed to myself, I think, though the two are naturally joined in some manner. What I learned, I guess, was that without doing something markedly different from what everyone else was doing would mean that you only were ever going to get so far in the scene. There’s going to be a ceiling to what you can achieve. So I looked to find a different sound. What that tends to mean is that you’re going to spend some time out in the cold, which people adjust and (hopefully) begin to accept the path you’re going down. In 2009 I did a similar thing with Dakota and really looked to shake things up again.

We all have our ups and downs in our careers. What has given you the inspiration to persist through the darker times over the years?
I guess I’m quite lucky in as much as there’s now been too much in the way of darker times in my career. I guess around the start of the millennium, when I was trying to find the sound that was right and then hoping both the understanding and market would be there for it perhaps? But I think in all honesty I was just having such a good time making it, I didn’t think too much about that!

Coldharbour Recordings today is known for promoting upcoming, young and dynamic producers. What processes do you go through to find these undiscovered gems?
Demo's all the way! At lot of it comes in from my team. They’ll flag something up as hot, I’ll jump on it and if I’m hearing it too (which more often than not is the case) I’m signing it!

What are your top 5 qualities you look for when signing new talent to Coldharbour?
Originality, creativity, production polish and motivation. A reasonable understanding of how the industry works is always good too!

With that in mind, who are some upcoming names we should have on our radars this year?
From my stable, I’d say Aerofoil, Skytech, Klauss Goulart, Saint X, Rex Mundi and others. Outside of that I’m a big fan of what Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano are doing in the studio together at the moment.

With so many producers out there hoping to break into the scene, what is your greatest tip to stand out above the rest?
Easy! It’s the one I’ve always gone by. Make the music you want to make and the music that you think is good. Follow that and if you’ve got the talent to match, it’ll happen!

Can you tell us about your pre-gig ritual? Do you approach large festival performances differently to club shows?
Coffee! It’s my only major ritual/vice and it’s a serious one! In terms of approaching those two types differently, no. The only type that I’ll look at in another manner is if I’m playing a much longer set or an all-nighter (which I love to do!).

One of the most outstanding features about your live performances is your set progression and set development. Is this something you consciously consider while playing and if so, how do you go about ensuring you achieve such progression in your performances?
I mix harmonically/in-key, which essentially means that the music is doing some of ‘the driving’ when it comes to setting the overall mood/feel/energy level of a set section. It also means that your actual track-to-track mixes are that much more seamlessly, while also allowing you to cross over between established EDM sub-genre borders that much smoother. It’s basically the holy grail of mixing techniques; back when I started it took a lot of time to master!

What are the qualities that make a DJ performance outstanding in your eyes?
Music selection, mixing, and crowd interaction are all important. Ultimately though it’s an equation: venue capacity multiplied by feet on the floor multiplied by smiles on faces. The higher the count, the more outstanding the performance!!

Some DJs say that the role of at DJ should be 100% entertainment, others claim that education plays a very significant role. Where do you personally sit in the debate; do you feel a DJ should concentrate purely on delivering a set packed with tracks the audience know and love or do you feel education should be a priority?
Edutainment! Cross between the two. You’ve got to please the die-hards who know a track as soon as you’ve ID’d it in a set or on the radio for the first time. You’ve also got to entertain the more casual event goer, who is going to want to hear a ‘friendly’ or known track throughout the night.

With the technological evolution in mind, do you see the age of hardware-based productions behind us?
People were forecasting that as far back as 2005. It’s not happened yet, but that’s not to say it won’t. As things stand at the moment though, to me a track isn’t a track until it’s been put up on a satisfying large desk!

With so many tracks, compilations, artist albums and countless track reconstructions, do you ever suffer from writer's block or creative blockages and if so, how do you get your creative juices flowing again?
It might surprise people to hear me say ‘no’ to that question. It’s never happened to a degree that lasted longer than say a couple of hours (I know people who’ve suffered from it for weeks and months). The secret is to have an outlet (like Dakota) and constantly be listening to other music, old and new.

Your latest album is the follow-up release to "Thoughts Become Things" under your Dakota alias. Can you tell us a little bit about how this moniker compares to releases under "Markus Schulz" and is there one outfit you enjoy producing under more than the other?
The three unwritten rules of Dakota. There are (next to) no vocals on the tracks and the tempo range is tighter - running between 126 – 132bpms and they explore tech/house/progressive and occasionally electro-ish paths as well as trance. Dakota allows me to explore the club side of my mind (as opposed to the more radio-orientated side). In terms or preferring one or the other, no, but let’s say that a change is just as good as a rest!

What progression and changes can you identify between "Thoughts Become Things II" in 2011 and "Thoughts Become Things" in 2009?
Stylistically the album picks right up where the first one left off. The first three tracks could be the last ‘missing’ ones from the first album. It is a sequel in everything including name, and one I’m very happy with.

We notice a lot of the track titles on the album make references to places you have visited in your tours; from Cape Town to Brazil and beyond. What aspects of touring do you draw your inspiration from?
Predominantly the inspiration comes from the club and the people. That’s what I see most of. However when you name a track – as I have on this album – after a place it’s usually because I’ve had an incredible time there, both in an out of the club!

Your new track Sleepwalkers features a childhood hero of yours, Mele Mel. Can you see rap making a stronger presence in trance and techno productions into the future the way its done through electro recently?
Very hard to determine, but ultimately that wasn’t what the collaboration with Mel and Scorpio was about. I’m not trying to open up a new front here. It was about a guy getting to make a track with two people who he worshipped when he was a kid!

What is your favourite track on your new album and why this is such a stand out in your eyes?
I kind of shy from the ‘favourite’ thing. In the respect of the album I think it’s down to the people to tell me what their thoughts are there. I don’t want to accidentally prejudice anyone! From here on in, now the wrappers are off the music, I’ll use one set of tracks from the album to rock one kind of crowd and a different set to rock another. So it would be kind of hard to have a favourite; heh, I love ‘em all, that’s why they’re on there!

When and where can we pick up a copy of "Thoughts Become Things II" for ourselves?
It’s out on the 1st of July on CD and Digital Download

In today's highly competitive music industry, there is a growing belief that musical talent alone is no longer enough. Do you feel aspects such as effective marketing and branding play a significant role in today's international electronic music scene or ultimately, should your music should do the talking?
Musical talent will take you some of / a lot of the way. But every single person in the music scene started as a one-person operation. No one comes along and says ‘I think you might have musical talent, I’m gonna put a team behind you’ the first day you start making tracks. You have to go a good deal of the initial establishing distance yourself, relying on your own instincts for guidance. The industry has changed out of hand in the last 6 years. No one music producer, not even the brightest, smartest or most savvy could expect to have grasped everything that happened as it happened. So you need to have that team around you that will be able to successfully take to market the music you produce. Otherwise it’s in danger of under-reaching.

You are extremely involved and connected to your fans; from your online forum, to ongoing blogs, twitter and Facebook pages. What have you found to be the most effective way to connect with fans around the world?
Facebook, Facebook, Facebook! I love Twitter to death. It’s so personal! But in the land of social media, F.B. is king!

A major theme running through your music is spirituality; from the Title "Thoughts Become Things" to discussing in the past the significance of the book "The Secret" in your life. What role do you attribute to the power of the mind in achieving your goals?
Let me put it this way and quite succinctly. If you don’t at least think it could happen, ain't a damn chance it will! Positive thinking puts you on the playing field!

What connection do you personally draw between spirituality and the power of music, and how is your music a reflection of this relationship?
Music has the power to put us in a spiritual state/frame of mind. That’s one of the ways you open up your brain to new ideas and thinking, which in terms shapes the person you are... If that answers your question!

In your new DVD documentary documenting your "Do You Dream" tour, you mention finding out that your father was himself a DJ in his early years, despite not reuniting with each other until only recently. With that in mind, do you feel musical talent and musical inspiration is a product of nature or nurture, and what role do you sense destiny plays?
I don’t want to sit on the fence with this one, but I sense I might seem like I’m about to! Nature is the predominant factor. If it wasn’t the expression ‘musical family’ wouldn’t exist! No one gets seriously into making music unless they absolutely love it and has an affinity for it. That said I’ve met plenty of people who are they only musician from there tribe and it doesn’t seem to have hurt their careers in the slightest!

Finally, what is the biggest lesson you have learnt since breaking into the international scene that you wish you had known at the start of your musical journey?
It WILL all come out all right, just so long as you apply yourself hard enough!]]> music entertainment Fri, 08 Jul 2011 06:13:00 +0200 Interview with James Talk and Ridney

Think of Azuli, and the party island of Ibiza will doubtless be fairly high on your list of associations. Over the years the UK label has become inseparable from the White Isle, often leading the hedonistic charge with expertly programmed events and epic secret parties that in some cases go on for days at a time.

Hand-in-hand with this comes Azuli's annual Ibiza mix compilation. Seen by many fans as the label's flagship release of the year, the compilation is always forward-thinking and on point with current dance music trends, and often throws up a few tracks that go on to make it big in the clubs and on the beaches over the months to come.

This year's effort is manned by three artists, each of whom have made their indelible mark on the scene in more ways than one. First up is the south coast's finest James Talk & Ridney who join us to discuss early visits to Ibiza and the positives of the current musical revolution...

What were your first experiences of Ibiza?
Ridney: My first visit to Ibiza was probably back in 1999 or 2000. I actually didn’t like Ibiza the first time I went there. I went straight into the middle of the west end and saw probably the wrong side of Ibiza and it wasn’t until I got taken to Pacha and Space that I actually realised what it was all about and things started to make sense. I got taken to Salinas beach as well and I guess from there you start to realise the attraction that Ibiza has.

James Talk: My first visit to Ibiza was in 2006 with Nic Fanciulli and my management team, Nic was playing at space on the terrace so it was kind of a weird experience being up at the DJ booth on the Space terrace for the first time and seeing a sea of people going crazy. We were there for 48 hours I got to check out some the clubs and hang out on the beach for a bit but I haven’t been to Ibiza since and this is my first season DJing in Ibiza so I’m really excited.

Why do you think Azuli and Ibiza are so closely associated?
Ridney: When I first went to Ibiza, Azuli was one of the top UK brands and their EPs were the hottest property around. Whenever you went over there at that time they were a trademark part of Ibiza and their music was everywhere, so for Azuli, Ibiza is just an essential part of their makeup.

James Talk: For me Azuli is synonymous with big Ibiza records. They’ve released some the biggest tracks in dance music over the last decade, so that Azuli sound is synonymous with Ibiza as a whole. I’m really excited that they’re back and they’re going to be smashing it in Ibiza this summer.

What did you aim to achieve with your side of the compilation?
James Talk: I think we wanted to do something that was club-orientated but also friendly to a casual listener that would keep them interested for 70-odd minutes and not drag on. It’s quite heavily edited and tracks chop and change quite a lot. We also wanted it to have lots of different styles so it didn’t sound monotonous at any point.

We thought it should be a full journey from the pool side when you would be ready to go out right through to getting ready with your pals having a few drinks at a bar to finally heading to the club.

Who influenced you most when you started your career in music and have your music influences changed over time?
James Talk: From a DJ point of view I would say Pete Tong. Growing up listening to the Essential Selection on Fridays, getting copies of the track listing and hunting down all the big records and buying white labels and such, really was part of my teens. From a production point of view I suppose Josh Wink was a big influence, I’ve always wanted to write those records I think he’s a fantastic producer and someone I aspire to be like.

Ridney: I would agree with James, Pete Tong has a big influence because to a certain degree he dictates what you hear every week and gives you a great gauge on new records that are happening. For me personally it would be Daft Punk; Thomas Bangaltar and labels like Roule, Subliminal, Defected, all the labels that are a big part of house music today that were important then still are today.

Is there anything that you wish you could have featured on the compilation that you didn’t manage to?
Ridney: There were a couple of records that we didn’t get such as ‘Shiny Disco Balls’ remix by Thomas Flynn, maybe if we had a bit more time it might have been possible however we didn’t quite make the deadline. There are always records you find a week later where you think ‘I would love to have had that on the compilation’ but with all these things there comes a point where you have to cut it off.

To be honest, we were very lucky to get most of the records we wanted, we got about 99% of what we asked for, so in that respect I think we’re really lucky.

You’ve got some exclusives on the compilations as well...
James Talk: We’ve got a couple of exclusives on the compilation both of which Ridney and I have been involved in. First is a track called ‘Sunrise’, it’s a cover of an old Dave Spoon record which had a progressive feel originally and Ridney and I felt it was more suited to an Ibiza house style track so we replayed the piano and strings and put our own groove behind it and its turned out really well.

Ridney: ‘Sunrise’ was something that we wanted to put a new spin on and something that is much more housey and suited to our DJ sets. We’ve also included a Jay Wilder remix of our track featuring Max C ‘One For Me’. Jay has done a very Swede-style remix which we both love and has been working really well within our sets and we’re hoping everyone else loves it as much as we do.

Do you think there will ever be a musical revolution similar to the one that happened towards the end of the 80’s in the UK?
James Talk: I think we’re going through a musical revolution right now. Dance music is probably the strongest it’s been in the last decade in regards to the clubs and the music scene. Record labels are starting to wake up a bit more to dance music which is proved by the tracks in the charts at the moment; David Guetta, Beyonce using ‘Pon De Floor’ in a track really shows that it’s crossing over to the mainstream.

That benefits everyone because it means that more kids are going out to listen to dance music and record labels are looking at the upcoming talent to write the next big dance hits. Now I’ve got friends who only listen to pop records who are asking about my singles and hearing my stuff on the radio so it’s really positive, it’s great.

How would you best describe the Balearic sound of today?
Ridney: Everything from David Guetta to Cadenza and everything right across the board. There’s so much you can’t possibly put a label on it.

Over the years, Ibiza has faced more and more restrictions on outdoor clubbing, noise levels etc…Do you think that’s set to change this year?
James Talk: With the turnaround of the new mayor on the island and his more open policies, I think dance music is going to be far more welcomed on the island this year than it has been before. That has been proven by new clubs opening, new venues, new nights, soundsystems on the beach and so on.

A couple of years people were really worried things were going to fizzle out because of the restrictions but I think the authorities have been far more accepting of what is going on and how much the clubbing scene benefits the island over the summer and the income it generates.

What else have you got planned in the future?
James Talk: We’ve got a really busy summer coming up with gigs, remixes and the compilation coming out on the 27th June. We’ve got some singles to go along with; obviously ‘Sunrise’ and ‘One for Me’, we’re doing Sankeys in Ibiza in August and we’re still cracking on with our label Extra Dry. We’re doing a weekly podcast and had some great guests over the last few weeks we’ve got Shapehifters and Tom De Neef – check ‘em out!]]> music entertainment Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:35:37 +0200 Interview with Moguai
What got you into the music industry? Are there any specific people that really influenced you to become an artist?
It was the start of electronic music in the early 90s that got me into the music industry. Before that I heard a lot of handmade music from Skatepunk to Psychobilly to Ska. I felt that same energy in dance music and this revolution in the air. That was my main indicator for starting making music! One of my best friends, Phil Fuldner, helped me to become a DJ. He showed me how it works mixing two records together.

Musically, it was bands and singers like: David Bowie, New Order, Hüsker Dü, Depeche Mode, The Cure or German punk-bands like Die Toten Hosen, Slime... to name just a few!

What are some of the biggest changes in the industry that you have noticed in your time in it?
That was definitely the invention of Mp3. That changed everything. As that came up, we all jumped directly from the analogue into the digital world, and music was, from that very moment, reachable everywhere. No more vinyl, no more tracks which only you could play.

Do you feel you’ve come a long way since you first started out?
Yes, but I feel like it’s just the beginning ;)

What was it like having your music draw the attention of Deadmau5?
Oh that was great and such an honour for me. I sent him over just one track without any other remix and he signed it directly. Just awesome! This is how it started. Later on I heard that he looked for someone who was similar to his style, but in a different way! Now I'm happy that I'm this guy and in such good surroundings with Joel, Skrillex, Feed Me and SOFI.

Tell me about having your album “We Ar Lyve” be released on Mau5trap.
That´s just awesome. I have been in this business for 15 years and have done like 30 singles, but never an album. When I came together with mau5trap, and they were looking for an album I couldn't believe it, because I already had this album in my pocket. This is how it should work, being in "The Lyve" and doing things in that very moment. This is how I produced it and how it came out!

What are your favourite aspects of playing a live show?
The audience! For every artist it’s the most important thing to have feedback for what you are doing! That’s why we all make music. I always take this feedback back in my studio and put it in my new tracks!

Do you feel that you do things that set your shows apart from other artists? What are the things that set your shows apart from others?
I think every artist has to have his own style. I name my style "emotional, vintage, techno, electro, punkrock". I know that this is a wide range, but when I play live or a DJ set, that all comes together as one. Namely "The MOGUAI Style".

In addition, I play every venue differently, because every venue is different and has different people. But by the end of the night they all get a good musical conversation with me, and hopefully had a blast. That is what makes the difference.

Most of the tracks I play are my own productions and remixes, which I did for other artists. Because they are mine, I have the whole audio parts so I can mix a bassline from one track, with the melody from another, and add this to the drumming of the third one... and at the end, I have created a new track.

Will you be dropping any new tracks at this show?
Definitely. I´ll play some unreleased tracks, which will come out on my next album, and is planned to be released this autumn and also my newest remixes for Afrojack, Underworld and Britney Spears.

Do you feel that the show at this venue will stand out from other shows?
For sure! We are in Vegas and I'll have my own singer Fiora with me. With her I did my new single "Oxygen" for mau5trap, which is also on my currently released on the mix compilation "Lyve from Beta". When you hear her voice, you know, from the start that it's going to be special!

What are some of the most important things to do, during a live show?
Being aware of the audience and give them an awesome time! That's why they are all there and that's what matters, the crowd and the show!

What do you expect from this show? And what do you think your fans will be expecting?
Having a blast and the best début I can have in Las Vegas!]]> music entertainment Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:10:00 +0200 Interview with Roger Sanchez

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! How are you? You've been running the Release Yourself party for 10 years now! That's quite an achievement, what's the secret?
The secret is my ongoing love for House music and the support of my fans that continues to drive me,as well constantly reinventing the vibe of Release Yourself.

You're going to be celebrating through your Release Yourself, Flashing Lights European tour this summer with a few residencies, one being at Cavo Paradiso in Mykonos, what is it about Cavo Paradiso that makes it the right venue for you and your party?
Cavo Paradiso was the first club I played in Mykonos a long time ago (1997), and it's great to see it re-vamped and as always, still keeping the amazing vibe the club has. The view is spectacular from the club and I can't wait to play it!

You haven't been back since 1997, are you excited?
Definitely! I have the best memories of playing to an enthusiastic crowd while the Sun rose over the cliffs - breathtaking!

It's just undergone major renovation too, what do you think this means for the club?
I think the renovations have made the club current and relevant again and also will bring a new dynamic to the room. After a while, it's necessary to give a room a new look.

Any new releases out soon?
Yes! I have Release Yourself 11 compilation coming as well as new music for my upcoming "Flashing Lights" album, a remix of Danny Dove feat Abigail Bailey and many collaborations.

Sidney Samson, Far East Movement, Mark Knight, Chris Lake & Kaskade are all due to be joining you during the tour, do they represent the Release Yourself music policy well?
I am collaborating with many of them and I wanted to open the vibe of Release Yourself up this tour with different sounds and this reflected in my guests. They are all amazing DJs and artists!

You'll be performing classic house set's throughout the season, is this a reflection of your favourite sounds, or where you think music is going nowadays?
I am doing a classics set to remind the original house heads of that vibe and to re-introduce these tracks to the newer generation that haven't been exposed to these records and don't have the musical history that we do.

You are based in the USA, but what brings you to Europe? What do you like about it here?
Europe is fantastic during the summer! I love the summer clubs and festivals as well as the enthusiasm Europeans have for the summer. Also the Mediterranean is the PERFECT place to chill after a long tour!

Release Yourself 11 is coming soon, what can we expect from the compilation this year?
As always, my Release Yourself compilations are the current sound of my dance floor. The Pre Party is deep and techy, while the Party turns up the energy! The are LOTS of exclusives this year. I signed mostly unreleased tracks to make it truly special and exclusive, plus there is a new track.

Which artists have really been doing it for you recently?
I produced with Baggi Begovic and Mitch Crown that I am premièring on the compilation.

What do you hope for during your residency with Cavo Paradiso this summer 2011?
I hope for an amazing crowd, a fantastic vibe and energy and rocking party, Release Yourself style!

Thanks very much Roger! We'll see you on the dancefloor]]> music entertainment Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:49:00 +0200 Interview with Alex O'Rion

Hi Alex, It's a pleasure to grab a chat with you today, how are things going?
Hi Rachel, nice to meet you and thanks for this interview. I can only say that things are going really well at the moment. Very well actually, today I received the first copy of my new album. It's great to see the result after all those months and months of hard work.

Can you quickly introduce yourself and tell everyone at home how you came to be on the road, heading towards a musical career?
Sure, my name is Alexander van Schooneveld and I live in Nijkerk, a quiet little town in Holland. I joined Black Hole Recordings about two years ago and recently signed with Integrity (Bookings Agency) in London. Besides all this I also do A&R for Terminal-4 records, which is really great, cause I get the chance to meet a lot of new producers from all around the world.

When taking the first steps in to the industry as an upcoming DJ and producer, many challenging hurdles present themselves along the way, which for an artist can be rather counter productive, not to mention confidence shattering at times. Can you remember any of those challenging moments, and if so how did you combat them?
I know exactly what you mean, but gladly I didn't encounter an awful lot of obstacles. I think it's important to see things in the right perspective when you start to release your first tracks. Even when you receive amazingly good feedback from many top-jocks like Armin, Tiesto, Above & Beyond it doesn't necessarily mean people will also accept your music right away. So don't get too disappointed if you don't see your track landing into Beatport's top 10 chart. People have to get acquainted with you and your sound before they accept you.

Whilst the Alex O'Rion sound was beginning to take shape, were there any artists in particular that you took minor influences from?
I usually am inspired by tracks rather than a particular artist. I like to listen to other kinds of musical styles in my spare time as well and I'm finding a lot of inspiration in more alternative kinds of music. But you want to hear some names, right? I'd say Glenn Morrison, Eric Prydz, Mat Zo, Henry Saiz, Marcus Schössow and Sasha have always been really inspiring to me.

In addition to the above question, many would say that you are very much a protegee of Richard Durand, as Richard Durand is a protegee of Tiesto, would you like to share your thoughts on this?
I think the term 'protogee' is really a bit too strong for me as well for Richard. For sure, he's always been there for me when I needed advice on all sorts of things, but we grew up with a totally different style of music. I remember years ago when I just started making trance music I sent a lot of tracks to him as a demo for his label. With high expectations I waited for him to answer, until he rang me back to say: "Sorry Alex, it's just not good enough". Hahahah… he was never really good at giving feedback. All I want to say is, he did his thing and I did mine and we've just started to grow towards each other music wise for the last two years. But I must admit that it's definitely not cool to see people writing that Richard is the producer behind my music. Trust me, it's all coming from my own disturbed little mind.

You've been gathering a sizeable amount of support on your releases from the Black Hole Recordings label, how does it feel to have so much backing from such a well-respected label?
Black Hole really is a great label. It has always been about the music at Black Hole and I think it's great they gave me the opportunity to release my own album so soon.

Let's talk about your most recent releases. Firstly 'The Jabberwocky'. I couldn't help but feel as though this track combines a little mischievousness about it, not to mention it sounds very different to anything you've produced before. Where did the inspiration come from?
You've pretty much caught me with this question, cause I have actually borrowed the melody from an entirely different song. Did you really have to pick out this one? Hahah.. I'm a really big fan of 'Future Sound Of London' and I really like a song of them that's called ‘Everyone In The World Is Doing Something Without Me’. I got really inspired by the melody of the opera vocal they used.

The track 'Changing Pace' is to be featured on your new album 'The Bigger Room.' It's a delightful uplifting track that seems to harbour a lot of emotion in its core, was this intentional?
It's usually up to the listener to sense this, but I always try to get a certain amount of emotion inside every track. Otherwise it's just meaningless to me. But, it does get more noticeable when it's really dramatic and sad. I do remember people telling me that Changing Pace made them feel sad. Well, without wanting to sound like a narcissist, that really made me smile.

Moving in to more detail about your début album 'The Bigger Room' the first curious question that springs to mind is why the name?
The title is derived from the trance genre ‘big room’. Aside from that I like to consider my tracks as separate spaces, rooms if you will, which I can furnish to my own taste. With this album I’ve tried to really capture the bigger room sound by working with loads of different layers and big sounding effects.

When developing the albums theme/storyline if you will, did you have a firm plan of action on how the album should sound, or was the album created from sheer imagination and lots of mused moments?
Well, first of all I wanted to make something really special with loads of variety and different sounding tracks. Not a few big ones and some easy leftovers to fill up the gaps. I usually produce and mix my tracks in a way so they can directly be played in the clubs, so I also needed to find a good balance for the album, cause most people don't own their own club. But I didn't write down some sort of a plan. The last thing I want is to create boundaries when I'm making music. I like to be led by the song rather than by a plan.

Upon hearing a promotional copy of the album, my ears pricked to attention as the track list began to unfold. Notably worth a mention is the breathtaking 'Dragons for Breakfast' – A very atmospheric start! How did you go about selecting the tracks for your album, furthermore how long was it before you were completely satisfied with the final track listing?
That actually went surprisingly well! I can only say that I'm really happy with the final result, but that's obviously up to the listeners to decide.

Can you kindly choose three tracks that you feel represent the albums sound the most and give them a brief description for the readers?
Sure, first track that comes to mind is 'Introduction'. Funnily enough the first track on the album is the track I produced at the very end. I was looking for a short 30 second intro with some progressing sounds, but as usual things got out of control and I ended up making a complete track. It has quite an emotional melody and the beat sounds pretty different than most songs. I used the same kind of groove I used in 'Changing Pace'. For the producers amongst us, it's all in 1/24. It turned out to be one of my personal favourites.

Than we have 'Inside The Music Box'. It might sound kind of strange but with this track I always get the feeling I’m stuck in some kind of music box. The tune is very melodic and new elements keep on appearing. I actually released it a while back on one of my earlier Bigger Room EP’s but I gave it a good extra polish before putting it on my album.

Another track that comes to mind is 'Rise Up Again'. Just like 'Craters of the Moon' it's also featured on ISOS9. It's a pretty rough track, with an ever rougher bassline. I spent a lot of time on this one to find the sound I was looking for. Later on the track it goes a little bit more into the uplifting direction. Haha... it's just so difficult to translate your own music into words. So I think I'll just leave it with that if that's ok with you.

With the album finished, wrapped and almost ready to be released through Terminal-4 on the 30th May 2011. What do you hope to achieve from 'The Bigger Room'?
Most important thing for me is to reach as many people as possible with my album. Sharing music, that's what music is all about for me.

What can we look forward to for the rest of 2011 from Alex O'Rion? Any exclusive information you'd care to share with us?
I'm also starting a new radio/podcast under the name 'Bigger Room Radio' this month. Besides that I'm having some pretty cool collaborations lined up and I'm working on some cool bootleg remixes as well.

And finally, do you have a special message for close friends, co-workers and fans, for the on-going support you have received thus far?
Yes, I'd really like to thank everyone for all their support. Things have really taken off over the past few months, that sometimes it's just hard to comprehend it all. I hope you guys like the album and I'd also like to thank you Rachel for this interview.]]> music entertainment Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:28:00 +0200 Interview with The Shapeshifters

Simon Marlin and Max Reich are the Shapeshifters, the globetrotting DJ duo that are colourful characters, so colourful in fact that there newest photo shoot see's them drenched in real paint from head to toe. It’s not the photos they are pleased about, they are also over the moon with their blossoming friendship with the Godfather of House Frankie Knuckles who is releasing tracks on their beloved Nocturnal Label. They have travelled the world playing at glamorous events and fuelling the soundtrack of many a legendary party. Here they tell us about Nikki Beach, the elegant and sophisticated beach party brand that plays host to every big DJ worth his (sea) salt. They have just produced a specially commissioned soundtrack which is a representation of their sound should you be lucky enough to hear them play by the pool or at the beach.

So guys we’re almost half way round the year, what have been the highlights of the year so far?
Simon: God what have been the highlights so far? To be honest I feel like we’ve done loads already!

Max: It feels like a year has already passed; Gig wise we’ve done India, Russia and others and been very productive in the studio.

Simon: I think for the label as far as releases go working with Frankie Knuckles again has been one of the big highlights on the label. I think gig wise; your right India was pretty sic actually.

Max: It was a new experience that’s for sure!

Simon: A really different experience with a different feeling and atmosphere so it’s always good in this game to experience new things after so long. New Years Eve in Croatia was amazing.

I understand you’ve just taken a trip to Amsterdam recently where you did quite an extraordinary photo shoot, can you tell me about that?
Simon: Yes we were shot by the infamous Ruud Barn! Do you know what’s really funny is when we were introduced to Ruud’s work, you could instantly see he was a pretty cool cat. But when we got to Holland all our Dutch friends were like ‘You’re working with Ruud Barn Oh my god?!’ and we were like ‘Yeah we are, ok cool!’. It was then we realised he was basically the dogs nuts. When we got to the studio we were introduced to the Studio Rar guys, who Ruud works with quite closely, who are like the art directors they were brilliant as well. We just ended up doing this really mental shoot.

Max: Well apart from the end! Basically Ruud got us in this small specially built studio set; we dressed up in white suits and they literally threw loads of different colours of paint over us while taking pictures. Initially we thought ‘Yeah this is great’ but then gradually were like a rainbow of colours.

Simon: As it started to dry it was quite interesting.

Max: it was really cold actually, we then realised afterwards that they didn’t have any showers so we had to go round the back side and get hosed down with cold water.

Simon: Be careful how you phrase that! Being hosed down on the back side sounds more like an enema to me!

The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan

So let’s talk about your nocturnal label, rumour has it have some new releases and forthcoming releases with the Godfather of house do you want to tell us about that?
Simon: A few really exciting things really, the label itself with the help of Mr Hawes (Nocturnal Grooves label manager ) has been going from strength to strength and I think we’ve released more than we’ve ever released. We’ve got a pretty exciting project with Mr Frankie Knuckles which we’re over the moon about. We’ve been wanting to work with Frankie on the label for a good number of years now. We’ve got this project with him called the Directors Cut which is a project he’s doing with Jamie Principle, a few other vocalists and Eric Kupper!

We’ve released the first track called ‘I’ll take you there’ which has done really well and has climbed high up both the Traxsource and Beatport charts. The next thing we’re going to do is a re-issue and remake of his classic house track called ‘Your Love’ which is off the scale obviously everybody knows the record, we’re going to have mixes from Belocca and Sonique from Sunny Warton and I think we’re going to do one as well and that’s coming up very soon in the summer months so watch this space it’s a big record!

We’re here to talk about your Nikki Beach Compilation, what can you tell me about Nikki beach and its location?
Simon: I’ve got some really fond memories of Nikki Beach, my first experience of Nikki Beach was WMC in 1996 which I think was a Masters at work party. Every DJ worth their salt has played at Nikki beach in Miami and most other places around the world, they’ve got them all over the place.

Max: They’ve opened up one in Croatia, Croatia is one of our favourite places to play at any way so it is quite exciting that they’ve opened one up there. I think they have opened up one in Vegas which sounds pretty awesome

Simon: Apparently the Vegas one, which is a hotel, has something like a thousand rooms or something ridiculous with an amazing club and terrace. I think we might be going there at the end of June so very excited to see what that’s all about, of course Vegas is Vegas! So it should be really interesting.

Max: Koh Samui Which I went to is a bit smaller but is really nice.

Simon: There’s one in Mexico which I’ve also heard is great. The long and short of it is that Nikki beach is one of those places where the glamorous and the normal lifestyle people go to and the mix is what makes it somewhere special, you could have Jade Jagger sitting in the corner along with a guy from Essex who’s gone out for a party so it has a very similar vibe to Pacha which is a good fit for us.

The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan

I understand you have played at the Miami venue what was your experience like there, tell me about the set up they have there.
Simon: We have played at Nikki Beach in Miami before; Miami in itself is an amazing experience so to be playing literally on Miami Beach with lots of people in swimwear dancing around was amazing. The atmosphere was incredible and really busy as it always is. But it was a really cool party and it’s just a mad mix of people but when you’re in Miami everybody’s there to party so unless you’re really crap you’re hard pushed not to have a good time.

You have now mixed the Nikki Beach compilation do you want to tell me a little bit about what you have done and what kind of moods you have created?
Simon: CD one is a much deeper and pool experience; we purposefully made it 120 BPM so it wasn’t something that was going to angst you whilst you are drinking a mojito and basically chilling out. There’s tracks on there from Maya Jane Coles, Shonky, one of our favourite tracks at the moment ‘Human Life – In it together’ even random pieces such as ‘Crazy P – Mid Lounge Crisis’ and an old Knee Deep record and so on. Its stuff that we felt we would like to have in that environment too; if we were sitting by the pool, in our villa or hanging out at Nikki beach we would like to have that as our soundtrack.

CD2 is a bit more what you would expect from us on a peak time basis lot’s of upfront stuff; our mix of ‘Frankie Knuckles – I’ll take you there’ there’s also our mix of Michelle weeks and JC Chance, ‘She freaks’ , ‘Waiting for you’ , stuff from Sergio Flores, stuff from Copyright, David Penn and DJ Chus. There’s pretty much a whole spectrum of what we would like to play, the first CD has a lot of stuff that we would love to play in a set but obviously when doing a 2 hour set you don’t get a chance to but would do if we were doing a 5 hour set so it’s pretty much across the board of what we would play.

The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan The Shapeshifters by Ruud Baan

The first mix is a much more relaxed vibe, it’s not like your usual set do you enjoy playing a much more relaxed vibe and do you wish you could play that more?
Simon: Yeah it’s quite hard when your booked for a lot of the shows that you do you’re booked for a two hour set, usually the guy before you has ramped it up to a point where if you go back down too far you’ll never get away with it and you’ll lose the energy in the room. What’s really cool about our club night, Nocturnal, was that we could play for 5 to 7 hours and the CD is pretty reflective of what we would do in that time. We would go from uber deep house up to peak time stuff so it’s nice to have been able to express ourselves again in that way and to put tracks in there about that people might not expect from us but they should know about and that we’re into.
As far as Idyllic locations go, where is the best place for you to relax?

Max: That’s a tough one ...I like Thailand a lot; I was there for the first time last year and had a really good time and funnily enough I went to Nikki Beach in Koh Samui which was pretty amazing. I like the calmness, the people and the food so definitely Thailand for me.

Simon: For me it’s got to be Barbados, I’ve been there recently with my gorgeous wife and a friend and it’s very very nice!

You’re gigging a lot at the moment, can you tell us your plans of where you’re going to playing over the summer?
Max: Yes we are gigging a lot your right, we will be playing again for our seventh season in Ibiza playing our fifth Season with Defected at Pacha after having done two seasons at Amnesia. Obviously Croatia is going to be massive for us this year as well again its one of those countries that we come back to and we always have an amazing time. We’re doing a few festivals in Holland and Belguim as well.

Simon: Tommorowlands in Belgium for Defected In The House which will be pretty special. We’re also playing in Portugal and Asia we love going to Asia, we will be going to Zouk again which is one of our favourite places to play in the world; we will be hitting Japan and also Bangkok in Thailand. As usual we are still lucky and privileged enough to be able to travel the world and play these places and every year touch wood it will be the same.]]> music entertainment Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:05:00 +0200 Interview with Paul Hazendonk

Thanks for taking your time! You’ve just released your album “Sound Shifting: Versatility", we have listened and it makes us curious where you get your inspiration from and what was your goal to create a compilation album like this?
There are actually no deep thoughts behind creating this compilation album. It’s basically a collection of tracks and sounds that shows what you can expect when you see me perform as a DJ. So if you’ve never see me perform before, you will know how it sounds after listening to this double CD.

As the subtitle "Versatility" says your album is versatile. This is also clearly seen in the different styles of music per CD. You called CD 1 Body and CD 2 Mind, why did you choose for this? Does it have a special meaning for you?
I’ve always been a little bit schizophrenic when it comes to music haha. A lot of people seem to enjoy categorizing music into boxes and put a label on it, I‘m not like that. For me there are only two kinds of music: the music I like and the music I dislike. For this compilation I could narrow it down to the music I’m playing during my DJ sets only, however it would still be a big problem to jam all the tracks on one CD without letting it sound messy. So I’ve decided to make it a double CD with ‘Body’ stands for as more easy going funk fuelled stuff, and ‘Mind’ stands for the more intelligent melodic stuff.

You have your own multi-faceted music company "Manual Music" with a few sublabels. Can you tell us more about it?
I used to work at the Basic Beat record company (and record store) in Rotterdam, where I’ve run a techno label called ‘Technique’. At some point I’ve got some very interesting demos which I desperately wanted to release, but simply didn’t fit in the sound for Technique. So I decided to start a sublabel called Manual Music, this was back in 2005. The first release ‘Robotfood’ by Petter became an instant classic and soon after that Manual Music became the main label I’ve started to work on. After many years at Basic Beat I’ve left the company in 2009, taking Manual Music with me and next to that I adopted the name for my company, simply calling it ‘Manual Music’. Nowadays my company has six in-house labels, takes care of the distribution for dozens of other labels, we have our own publishing fund, managing some artists and we are hosting events (beach parties, areas). We also used to run our own bookings agency ‘Manual Bookings’ but decided to stop that part of the company, due to time pressure issues (you can’t do it all!)

In 2009 you also started to produce and perform together with Raymond "Qbical" van Baal under the name Furrr & Hazendonk. How did you two come to the idea to work together? And where are you guys working on right now?
We know each other for quite some years now, Raymond is also recording under the name ‘Qbical’ and is a regular artist for the Manual Music label. The sound of us both Qbical and my solo stuff stands on itself, but we both have big interest in other music too. So we decided to start a project together a little bit less serious, 100% focussed on the dancefloor and fully focussed on having fun. Getting a break from all the purists whining and moaning that’s going on. We’re having great fun playing together and our productions seems to find their way to the right labels and deejays too, as we are working with labels such as Diynamic, Neurotraxx, Einmusika, Little Mountain / This Is, SK Supreme, Witty Tunes etc.

You have been producing music for over 10 years now, what were the high and lowlights of your career so far?
I’ve been DJ-ing for over 10 years, but didn’t start producing until approx 7 years ago. I’m still mainly a DJ who started producing music because at a certain point you had to get your name out there to get more exposure and keep the number of gigs on a solid level. In the early years I’ve got gigs because people liked me as a DJ, nowadays you get them because they know your label and your productions. I do understand it from a marketing point of view, but still think that a good producer is not necessarily a good DJ and vice versa. I’ve had many gigs I consider highlights. Playing for infamous venues and organisations such as Awakenings, Dance Valley, Paradiso, Melkweg, Nighttown, Las Palmas, Studio 80 and Doornroosje in The Netherlands are things you can only dream about when you’re just starting out. I feel blessed to have been able to visit and play in many different countries and get the experience in the scenes and cultures there. Lowlights? Yeah of course there are always those gigs where there are hardly any people, or people that come and ask for R&B music... Then you know you are in the wrong place.

Can you tell us where you see yourself in 10 years?
I hope I’m still actively working in the music industry in some kind of form, maybe as a DJ/producer, but maybe behind the scenes. I’m not the kinda person who has a year-to-year planning to be honest. I used to plan ahead a lot, but when my father died one day without warning I realised that it’s better to capture the moment and don’t worry too much about what the future will bring...

What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a solo remix for a new Giorgos Gatzigristos release which will be released on Eelke Kleijn’s Outside The Box label. Just finished up on a new release I’m doing together with Luke Mandala on my Stolen Moments label + there are two releases coming up on big (German and Dutch) labels, but I can’t mention it yet (aaarrgggh!). On one of these releases I work together with Tundra. With Furrr & Hazendonk we are currently wrapping up remixes for Strom Recordings (James Nidecker’s label) and Jeroenski (for our own Melomane label). Our new single on Melomane is coming up too, which will include remixes by Love Girls and Leonardo Gonnelli. I’m doing a monthly solo show on Proton Radio called ‘Hazendonk FM’ + together with Robin (Cinematique) and Qbical/Furrr I’m hosting the monthly Manual Movement radio show on XT3 Radio. Next to that I’m running my Manual Music company on a day-to-day basis and looking forward to playing at numerous clubs, beach parties and festivals this summer, including my debut in Canada which I’m very much looking forward to!

Finally, is there anything else you want to share with us?
It might sound corny, but I want to thank everyone who’ve gave me the chance to make a living out of my hobby. I feel blessed to be able to do the things I love to do and hope I can keep on doing this for a long time!

On a less corny note: be sure to follow me on the mighty Twitter and hook me up on Facebook and Soundcloud too. And of course, if you like my sound, be sure to buy my brand new mix compilation ‘Sound Shifting: Versatility’ (limited editions also available on 2-CD!)]]> music entertainment Thu, 26 May 2011 17:51:00 +0200 Interview with Hardwell

Tell me what you've been up to lately?
Actually a lot of stuff I have going on in the studio right now. I am working on a new track with Tiesto as we speak. During the tour we're working like in hotel rooms on record and working on some new Hardwell remixes and some original stuff so yeah a lot of touring. There is a lot of stuff going on.

Been keeping really busy. How is it working with Tiesto in Hotel rooms versus being in an actual studio?
It's actually totally different because we're both touring that much and there's no opportunity to make music so ever second we have we decide to make music and try to work something out.

You started DJ'ing at the age of 13, how did you get into it so young?
Actually in Holland we have on MTV in the evening a dance program. They filmed a lot of DJ's and parties. When I was young, I was like "Wow, I want to be the DJ, I want to play the music" and I was obsessed because it looked so big, the vinyl's and all the stuff. Actually I was always into music. I was six years old when I started to play the piano and so yeah. Music has always been there in my life as I grew up. The DJ'ing was really fascinating for me. I wanted to do this when I saw it on MTV. I told my parents and I started playing little parties for friends, and getting money so I could buy my first vinyl. I bought my first vinyl and went from there.

Did your parents get you into music and influence you?
My parents were into music but not into making music. Just listening all day. When I was young I can't remember one day without music playing in the house.

When you started out, what kind of music were you spinning?
More Trancey. I was really fascinated by Tiesto, Armin van Buuren and Ferry Corsten.

They were like your idols as a child and now you're playing with them?
Yeah, I saw them on TV, it was actually quite funny. I started playing because of Tiesto and now we're working together and touring together. I think it's like a dream come true.

At what age did you start getting a lot of attention towards your music? How did it feel?
I was 14 years old when I got my first record deal in Holland. I released my first compilation, so in Holland it started quite early. I think two or three years my records were becoming bigger outside of Holland. Then I've been touring two or three years outside of Holland.

Is it common in Holland to start DJ'ing at such a young age? Or were you an exception.
No, I was an exception. Now days I think because there are so many young producers, especially in Holland. We inspire a lot of kids to make music and play music and it's so easy now days to download the cracked program and just figure it out. How we make beats and stuff. You can check tutorials on YouTube. It's really cool actually.

Did your experience with music at a young help shape you to become who you are now?
Yeah I think so, especially because when I started playing records in Holland, the Dutch sound really started to get on and just getting evolved, evolved and now a day's it's so big. You see the biggest American rock stars and producers are influenced by the Dutch sound. If you take Chuckie and Afrojack it's unbelievable they're working with the biggest stars right now.

You've done work with them?
Yeah, yeah. It was really cool working with them. Afrojack is a really cool story. I signed his first record on my label when he was also a young kid. He's still young. We're actually the same age. When he was 16 he came to me because I was playing in clubs and gave me his CD. He was like "Hey Hardwell, can you listen to my track please?" If you look at him now, he's so big.

Because I was very young when I was 14, I signed my first record deal. When I signed the record deal, I also worked at the record company at the time, just to gain experience about business and what's going on, contracts, and producing. So for me it was a big dream as a kid walking around a professional record company. That's why Afrojack gave me his first CD and I signed it. So yeah that was really cool.

Have you developed a friendship with Afrojack since then?
Holland is so small. We see each other like every week. So it's like all DJ's know each other like Chuckie, Afrojack, Laidback Luke. Now days everybody is touring so much that we only have contact by cell phone or e-mail.

The past 5 years you have built a very envious discography. What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment with all your releases and everything?
Umm, it has to be Zero76 because of Tiesto and all of that stuff. It was so big now worldwide, it was my first number 1 hit on Beatport for two weeks. So it's like wow. Actually I can still go like, it's a dream, don't know how to describe it, it's just wonderful you know? That so many people appreciated your music.

Was that the first track you ever did with Tiesto?
Yeah, it was the first track. Actually, I did a remix of Lethal Industry for his Tiesto - Magikal Journey (The Hits Collection 1998-2008 - Remixed) album. Were he only had remixes of his best tracks and I did a remix for that and later we just got in touch by e-mail. And that's how Zero76 was born.

Do you feel that it's necessary to first be a successful producer before you can become a successful DJ?
It really helps, yeah. Actually when you make records and people like your music, you get booked because people know your music and they know what to expect. If you're only a DJ there are so many DJ's these days and they book you because of your music. So it's really necessary to make good music and start producing.

A lot of people call their selves a DJ but don't produce music, and then there are artists like you who produce music and are DJ's. Do you think there's a difference between whether or not you can call yourself a DJ?
Yeah, DJ is like if you play records on the radio your also a DJ, you don't have to be a club DJ, it's like DJ is so big the name. That everybody is a DJ. If you play with your I-pod you're a DJ because you're shuffling music you know? So that's cool actually. But a producer is more like... I know a lot of kids making music but in another way they're not mastering it themselves, so they are not an engineer. You have so many different names of things you can do. If I look to myself, I'm making my music by myself, I'm mastering all my stuff by myself, remixing all by myself, DJ'ing by myself. I think then you can call yourself a DJ/producer if you're doing all the stuff by yourself and you have to make a lot of hours in the studio to become what you are, you know? So I think that's really important.

What are some things in your eyes that make you unique compared to other artists?
I think I make music with a different twist. More like people call it the "Hardwell Sound" or the "Hardwell Twist." It's like it's not "Dutchy" "Trancy" "Progressive" "Techy" it's between all those genres, it's out of the box, it's like what people call "next level" Its new, it's refreshing. I always when I'm in the studio I try to make something new that people have never heard before. So that's what I'm trying to do, and I think quite unique.

It seems like now a days a lot of successful producers will follow up with starting a label. Do you think this is a necessary step to get recognition on a larger level, or is it a preferred route to get your own creative outlet that you manage?
It's not because that it's become more about getting more recognition. It's because of, the reason I started my label is because of, and I'm like literally in the club every day. So I see exactly what the crowd wants, I see exactly what the crowd needs with music and instead of the biggest, if you look to the biggest record companies in the world they've got an A&R manger. It's like an old guy who's never been in the club, or like maybe 10 years ago and he's telling me what I have to change in my records, you know? That was my biggest problem; I was like "come on man." An A&R is telling me what I have to change in my record to become a major hit. I don't make major hits, I make music that my fans will want me too. They want the "Hardwell sound" and I don't need one A&R to tell me to "change this, change that." If I wanted to change it I already did it. So yeah, for me it was like a creative outlet making music that I really want to make and just release it whenever I want to. Instead of making a release schedule because of the record company has so many record deals.

Have you ever taken any big risks in your career?
Not really actually, maybe sometimes when I'm in the studio I'm trying to just flirting with a bit of commercial twist but you know because of a lot of people are so really purest in the trance music, they don't get it sometimes when I do remixes for Flo Rida, for example Kelly Rowland. Some people are like "Wow, don't get commercial, don't become the new Guetta." With all the respects, you know? They want me to be pure and make really good progressive records, instead of making commercial club records. So for me sometimes that's a big risk. But actually, I make music, I really love to make music, and in the end it's all the same Hardwell stuff.

At what age was your first tour?
My first tour I was 14, when I did my first tour in Holland, together with Chuckie. I was 14 and we played at the biggest clubs in Holland. It was because when I signed the record deal, I released mix compilation and that mix compilation ended up in the number one spot in the Dutch album charts, so because of that we did the whole tour and that's how it all started for me in Holland.

Are there any smaller up and coming artists that you have your name on?
Yeah! Really in Holland we have so many up and coming DJ's and producers. It's actually unbelievable! But also with my label that's a good one to get back to that question. It's good because now I have my own label its good for me to sign new artists because bigger record companies don't want to take the risk to release stuff from unknown names, and I'm like if the track is good, and is working on the dance floor, why shouldn't you release it? So names like Jordy Lishious, he's just been picked up by Deadmau5, Deadmau5 is playing his tracks. JoeySuki is another guy, also from Holland; he's making really big tracks at the moment. Nicky Romero, Franky Rizardo, is big. Yeah, a lot of new upcoming guys!

Are you a mentor to any of the smaller upcoming artists?
Yeah, like JoeySuki! Not like mentor, but more like they call me when they are working on a record and are like "Hey Hardwell, what do you think about this?' and "What should I change?" or "How's the mastering on this?" "Can you play it this weekend just to check it out, and how the crowd reacts to it?"

How do you feel being an inspiration to the next generation of artists coming up?
It's really cool! That's the best thing; I think you can do, inspiring other people. It's really cool because I'm pretty young myself. I started so early, in Holland I'm not with the generation of DJ's my own age! They are just now coming up, so I'm like one generation earlier. I've played for crowds that are now like 30 years of age. So it's a bit different, but it's really cool if you can inspire people, I think that's the most wonderful thing you can do!

Clearly you've been in the pro-circuit for a while now, and how do you feel about describing yourself as the "new kid on the block" in house music, but you've been doing it since you were 13 years old?
Yeah, I understand that, it's actually in my autobiography that line, "there's a new kid on the block and he's here to stay." It's more like I'm here to stay, you know? I've been here like 10 years in Holland; I headlined all the festivals and big events for years now. For me it's just like I'm just starting abroad now for the past 2 years, so yeah, if you look to Canada and the United States...there is a new kid! And that's Hardwell! People don't know I've already been working in the industry for 10 years, so yeah, I am the new kid for those guys.

You're playing Sensation in Prague along some of the world's best artists, what are your thoughts on playing this event and being so young compared to the other artists?
When ID&T called me about the gig and wanted me to play at Sensation, it was like wow! I have no words for that you know? I think it's one of the biggest accomplishments you can get as a DJ, to play at Sensation, the world's leading dance event. They also call it that! Sensation is the biggest, not even the biggest but the best show, the best crowd, it's amazing! I'm going to be playing prime time. I thought maybe I was going to have to warm up, but I'm playing prime time, and it's so cool! I'm playing with Sharam, Fedde le Grand, AN21 & Max Vangeli, Joris Voorn, it's so big! I think when you start out as a DJ; Sensation is one of those gigs that are like a dream, that you will work towards if you are a DJ, you have to play there. It's one of the biggest things you can do as a DJ. I'm really happy with that! I hope one day to play, of course, Sensation in Amsterdam cause that's the only festival I haven't played at in Holland!

What direction do you see dance music headed in the future?
Now days if you look to the dance music, everyday is getting bigger, bigger, bigger, and bigger! If you look at 2 years ago, the whole United States was into the Urban, and Hip-Hop stuff. Now Swedish House Mafia is one of the biggest acts, and David Guetta, it's unbelievable! I'm not talking in a commercial way, I'm talking about, and I don't think David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia are commercial. I think the crowds are getting more into house music. So I think house music overall is getting more main stream, instead of the DJ's becoming more mainstream. It's so cool to work with DJ's like...if you look to DJ's like Swedish House Mafia their working with Pharrell Williams, and Wolfgang Gartner just released a record with Will.I.am. So there are no boundaries anymore!

How important is it to have a good management team? And could you tell me a bit about your management team and what they do for you?
I think it's good to work with people that you really can trust. It's really important that you can trust your people and your all working on the same mission. That you don't work with a record company or label manager who doesn't feel the same passion as you with the music. For my team I've got a Label Manager, a General Manager who's dealing with all the contracts and remix deals, and I have a bookings agency. So yeah, that's the whole management team around me!

How long have you know your management team for?
Actually, since I started! My General Manager is the one who signed and gave me my first record deal! So we are still together! They share the same passion as me, and one of the most important things that they have always believed in me! Even when I was 14! They still believe in me and still support me! It's so great to be working with such a great team! In the end we do all the work together. I can make music, but if the manager is not doing his job right then it's not getting on iTunes and Beatport. All the stuff you have to do it takes a team to make it successful!

You said you had a unique twist to your music, "The Hardwell Twist" How would you describe it?
It's out of the box, if you have to pick one genre its progressive, because of the breaks, I'm using big synths. It's also a bit trancey maybe... in the beats it has a more techy twist, and a bit of a techno twist. You can still hear that I'm a Dutch producer because sometimes you can hear a bleepy beat. Like Laidback Luke, you know? It's not Dirty Dutch Music, or whatever you call it, Dutch House music. But I get my influence from there and just flow with all those genres and making one big record!

How do you feel about being a label head and having your own label?
You're feeling free. That's the best description that I can give. Nobody is telling me can you make that kind of music, can you do that, can you do this! You know, I'm working on music; I'm getting together with my label manager. Also he just e-mailed me a track that he just picked up from a demo and said "Have you heard this?" and I said "No." Because I'm touring and I'm really busy! So he signed a record for the label and that's cool you know! We really work together, we share the same thoughts about music, and we have the same ideas. He's my label manager and also one of my best friends, so he's really great to work with! We're more friends than colleges.

How did your music career at such a young age affect your studies?
No! My parents wouldn't let me stop my school! So I started touring at 14, so I had to take the same class 2 years in a row, because I failed! So I had to do the exam twice! So I finished school, and after high school I went to the Rock Academy. It's like dance, rock-bandish-school, and I did one year, then decided to start my label. It was a good experience, but I had to go and move on so I could focus on my music, instead of reading books on how I have to mix my tracks!

Do you feel that people view you differently now that you've made a name for yourself?
I think my friends still see me as the guy Robbert. But when becoming a DJ people know your music, and a lot of people are going to pay attention to you because of your music and that you're a DJ! Before they didn't know me, it's crazy! But it comes with the job; I have to deal with it! You get to meet a lot of people which is really cool! Some people act cool but you know some people are really back stabbers, so you really have to deal with that! The bigger you are, the more people want a piece of you, you know?

Do you have any special surprises you can let us in on?
Not really…actually I play all my stuff in my sets. If I made a record the day before, I will play it to test it out! The records I'm working on with Tiesto I'm not playing them because you never know if people are going to be recording them, and because of his management, we can't deal with that! So we have to wait till it's finished, the record deals signed, and all that stuff. Then we can play the record, but for now I just finished the follow up for Encoded, and I don't have the final name for the track. The track is there but I'm just playing it out, and testing it out on the crowds, which has been good! So I think I may release that before the summer, in June or July.

Are you stilling using Logic Pro on your Macbook apogee duet and access virus?
Yup I'm still using it. Actually I've been using logic for three years now I guess, before I worked on windows with Cubase. So Yeah, I switched not that long ago. The access virus is working so well. It's unbelievable. The sounds are so big! The stereo widening is so good! Even if you scroll through the presets, everything already sounds big and cool. I just bought a universal audio card and SSL compressor, so it's a bit more hardware. Just to get that warmth in the mix. I'm thinking about buying the native instruments machine. The drum computer. The only thing for now that I really want to have.

Would you integrate that into your live DJ set? Or use that mainly for production?
I think mainly for production because I'm not playing with my Macbook or Tractor so it's a bit difficult. I just playing with CD's and the new pioneer CDJ's.

How do you feel with using digital plug-ins when a lot of producers have their feet stuck in the analogue world?
Yeah, I think it's an endless discussion. If you look at Wolfgang Gartner, he's the best example. He's making music only with digital plug-ins and it sounds so analogue. Just because he really knows how to use his digital plug-ins. With the plug-ins nowadays you can compare them to analogue. I think, but I can't say for sure, some digital plug-ins sound better than the original analogue. Because its digital. You know? Digital is always better than analogue. In a way of mastering. Actually I'm only using digital stuff, except the SSL compressor.

Thank you for taking the time to sit down with us!
Yeah! No problem, it was a really good interview! I really enjoyed it! Sometimes I have interviews, especially lately, and it was like "Okay, Hardwell How you doing?" "Yeah, I'm fine" "How's working with Tiesto?" "Yeah, it's good!" "Yeah, alright, how is he? Do you know when his upcoming album is going to be released?" "I don't know! Ask him!" They ask me all kinds of stuff about Tiesto.

Hardwells Manager Robbert adds: One interview they asked "Miami week Ultra Festival, what are you going to be playing there?" "I'm not playing there..." "Oh shit!..."]]> music entertainment Fri, 20 May 2011 14:00:00 +0200 Interview with Simon Dunmore
House has been - and for the foreseeable future looks like remaining - the cornerstone of the Ibiza scene. Ever since the island first gained notoriety at a hedonistic, music-lovers paradise it has the music of choice for the millions of visitors who now flock to the island’s shores each year. And while in recent years the arrival of alternative nights, such as those hosted at the infamous Ibiza Rocks hotel have become more prominent, house has endured, riding out the genre-splitting storms and club-closing catastrophes of the last few years.

For the last eight of those years, Simon Dunmore’s Defected has held down a summer residency, initially at El Divino before moving to Pacha in 2005 where they now command an enviable Saturday night slot. And for all of those years, Dunmore has dedicated himself to providing what he belives to be the true house sound, eschewing flash-in-the-pan trends for something he truly believes in. So it’s fair to say that house music is your things, there’s no-one who better equipped to give you want you want.

Now, with the start of the 2011 season just around the corner, we caught up with Defected’s founder to discuss the island’s new developments, creating the perfect Ibiza experience and how a trip to the White Isle can help you cope with the pressures of modern-day living.

What’s your general feeling about this year’s season? What are the things that are going to stand out for you? Is there any part of Ibiza that’s tailing off?
Simon: Very positive feelings for the season coming up. People make the effort to go out and enjoy themselves when times are a little bit tough. I think that we’ve had two years of tough recession and I think that letting off steam is ever more important to people so Ibiza is one of those destinations where people feel that they may be able to forget about the crap that they have to deal with in their life.

So they make a real effort to go out there and blow off steam as with last year everyone was saying ‘it’s going to be tough’ but it wasn’t it was an amazing season. I think that were kind of coming out of the recession now so people have the need to party but they feel a little bit more confident about spending money so I’m predicting a bumper season.

What are the things that are going to stand out?
If you are really bling and you have pocketfuls of money then I think the new restaurant in Ibiza harbour which was El Divino and now been taken over by Pacha, I had a look at it s construction it looks pretty phenomenal. It’s the best vista on the Island at night where you are looking at the Dalt Villa in the port in amongst some yachts that cost literally millions of pounds, so if you’re feeling a bit flush that’s definitely the place to check out. Also I think the buzz on the Island is the Ushuaia hotel, they’ve spent a phenomenal amount of money, rumour has it something like 22 million Euro on the hotel.

The pool looks absolutely incredible and I think that they’re going for the daytime VIP jet set kind of crowd. They’ve got some great DJ’s playing I know Luciano’s doing the opening party which gives it great credibility and I think it’s going to be a great place to go and visit. I think they’re the two stand out new things that are going to have people buzzing and talking about the island.

Is anything tailing off?
No I don’t think so in fact I think everything is just getting better.

Is there a lesson that you learnt last year that you’re going to put into practice this year?
Yes think Big! It’s a really competitive island and if you go into your shell your going to get squashed so think big and compete, have the balls that you know your there for good reason and compete.

Is there any one story that is political or environmental to do with DJ’s or clubbing that is dominating everyone’s conversation at the moment?
Yes there is, apparently there’s a war going on between Space and Amnesia and I just think that people should focus on their own strengths and believe in themselves rather than trying to undermine someone or disrespect someone. Just focus on the positives of what you do rather than having your eye on everybody else.

Have you heard any tracks that are particularly standing out for you already this year?
As with most other people I’m only going to talk about our records, I think we have a few records and producers that were working with that I think are really going to come to the fall this season. We’ve signed an act called Human Life from Los Angeles who have got a track called ‘In it together’ they have delivered a great record and a great video, not many acts have the conviction to do that so I’m really excited about that.

We have signed a track called ‘Beat Me Back’ by Supernova it’s been in the Beatport top ten for almost four months and its one of those records that’s cross genre; House DJ’s will play it, Techno DJ’s will play it, Cheesy DJs will play it and I reckon that’s going to be the surprise across the board anthem in Ibiza this year.

Were working with Bob Sinclar he’s got a new record called ‘Far L’Amour’ yet to see whether it’s going to be released on Defected but I think its Bob’s best club record for several years. And then all the producers: ATFC, Chocolate Puma, Shapeshifters, Copyright, Rae are all super productive all with records coming out all going to do great they’re all playing at the party and they represent our sound really well musically and as DJs.

DJ’s and Venues or promoters that will draw the most attention this year outside of Defected in the House at Pacha?
I don’t know if there is a new producer or a new night that looks set to challenge the status quo, I just don’t see it. There are a lot of established nights around the island and the successful nights from last year are probably pretty safe in the knowledge that I don’t think that anything is biting at their heels. On the electro tip there’s nothing going to challenge Deadmau5 and on the Techno tip I don’t see anything challenging Carl Cox on the Deep House Tip I don’t see anything challenging Cadenza or the Swedes and Guetta who are so established. I don’t think there’s anything challenging Cocoon who have their place if you are into that minimal and techy sound. I don’t see anything else challenging those nights. I think the only real positive change is Pete Tong going back to Pacha on a Friday night.

Simon Dunmore

You will return to Pacha this year, how many seasons have you been there? What do you have in store for this year? What other nights are programmed around you?
We’ve been there 6 years. Every night at Pacha is a roadblock partly because it’s an amazing destination. I think it’s the most consistent and glamorous club on a night by night basis and also over the years it has the most heritage in the history of any club in Ibiza.

Would you say it’s the closest we’ve got to Studio 54 the Garage?
In as much as I think it’s a mixture of VIP, creative fashion people and pure clubbers. I think it’s the club with the most extreme mixture of people; Space is an amazing club and its well subscribed and attended but it’s one type of clubber, Amnesia again I think is another type of clubber. I think Pacha is a lot broader in the people that walk through the door so I think that gives it a lot more variety and makes it personally for me a lot more interesting.
We’ve got Tongy on the Friday night, Cadenza on the Sunday, Guetta on the Thursday, Swedes on the Monday, Morillo on the Wednesday and were in the middle of all of that!

To actually succeed is really tough and I think musically we give something a little bit different than the other nights and I think that’s our calling card and it has to be about the music on our nights. We have a great selection of artists and a great selection of DJs that know how to rock a crowd on a Saturday I always say this; ‘we are a great Saturday night out’ that’s our calling card.

Where can we get a slice of the Defected sound before we try out your night in Ibiza? Do you have a radio show in Ibiza?
The Defected in the House radio show is syndicated around the world so you can check us out online and in many of the countries where the show is aired. For the Ibiza show on Global radio it goes out at a very specific time I think 6 to 7 o’clock on a Saturday night and that’s when people are leaving the beaches and just getting ready to go to sunset. We don’t want a show that’s going to bang the ass out of house music and trying to get people to dance, it’s just not an appropriate time to do that.

We do a tailored made show where we have it a little bit laid back, you get a little bit of the flavour and a little bit of the vibe without trying to force people into dancing. It’s a listening experience and we have to make it appropriate to the moment in time. The Sun’s going down people are chilled, had a few drinks by the beach they’re in that frame of mind so the music suits. When you go to the club it’s a different experience we want you to have a good time and get your freak on or whatever so it’s a tailored show in Ibiza and I don’t think many people do that.

Your Ibiza mixes are legendary and you’ve done many what can you tell me about this years mix? Tell me about the overall vibe and feeling of the mix.
I’ve always said that house music is not a specific sound, labels that just release a specific sound or a specific genre of house just limit themselves and I think DJs that play a specific sound limit themselves. I think that the best and most experienced DJs are way more eclectic, take way more chances and are far more comfortable doing that. You can’t just go on and just play the fifteen biggest records, that’s not what DJing is all about that’s just being a jukebox and anyone can do that.

The albums reflect the diversity of the labels that we are involved with, the producers we are involved with, our taste in music and the different scenarios in which house music can be played. Sure it’s meant to be played in a club and to make people dance and go crazy. It also transcends that it can be a bit more deep and melodic and a little bit more sensual and moody like I mentioned on the beach as the sun goes or at a pool party or it could be full on drug induced mayhem on the dance floor and everything in between and I think that’s reflected on the album.

I’ve outlined a few producers of tracks on your mix. Tell me a bit about each producer and track and what your feelings are on them.
The Guti and Luca Buccetti track is interesting because they have very strong ties with Locodice and the Desolat label, they sent us the track I was very happy but surprised to receive the email. I downloaded the track and loved it, I think it has real soul and it’s great because we have our great roster of DJs that make great records for us and we only interrupt that schedule for special moments and I think this is one of those moments.

‘KOT feat April’ a follow up to a record that was Sandy going back to what I think he does best which is soulful house and this is a brand new track probably being released later in the Summer. April has got a great voice and is a phenomenal song writer and Sandy has just made great house music records for 15 years. What I think about Sandy has already been written many times before, he’s a cool dude and you’ve always got to keep your eye on him.

4th Measure Men one of the all time great house records from the early 90’s produced by Mark Kinchin, MK was absolutely the man when this record came out. We picked up this catalogue and I think we’ve shown him great respect with the producers we’ve chosen to remix. Maya Jane Coles a real buzz producer at the moment did a great job and it hit the Beatport and Traxsource top ten a classic record with some great remixes.

Frankie Knuckles one of the originators there are very few people that can say in any kind of walk of life or genre of music that ‘I was there’ and I was one the one of the people that made it happen and for that he gets total respect. He has consistently made great records for over two decades and ‘I’ll take you there’ is him almost going back to his Chicago roots and making a record with Jamie Principle, it’s an amazing emotive soulful house record.
Osunlade...his name and his label all evolves around him being a very spiritual person; he IS a very spiritual person! He’s really a cool dude and a great DJ; he makes music from his soul, plays music from his soul and lives his life from his soul. I’ve always got time for him and he’s just one of house music’s more interesting characters.

Guy Robin is a new kid 21 years old he makes music that’s way beyond his years he can make disco records, rock records and so on and is very eclectic. We need to define what his future is and where he can be best served musically but he definitely has a big future.

I also want to mention this kiddie Frankie Rizardo who did the remix on the Danism and Rae record called ‘You Will Remember’. He reminds me of DJ Gregory in the early years, in Holland they have a very close link with the Surinam and his beats have a real Caribbean vibe, he also has the influences of a kid growing up in today's scene with touches of the Dirty Dutch sound, the trance scene, the Swedish House Mafia and he’s blending all of that in. For me that’s all pretty exciting he’s 22 years old, he’s got a good look and a great sound and I’m loving what he’s doing.

What’s your ideal day out in Ibiza from start to finish how would it go?
For me its best if you can wake up early to get the early morning sun when it’s really fresh and not peeling your skin off. All of the beaches around Santa Eulalia where I stay I think are amazing, they’re all really under exploited not touristy and still have some sort original Ibiza Flavour about them.

Cala Martina, Cala Pada, Nublau are all amazingly great beaches and you can just kick back and enjoy yourself and not be surrounded by thousands of people trying to find a spot on the beach, there’s just room and everybody’s kind of chilled and I love that. There's plenty of restaurants and places where you can just go grab some sangria and Paella at any stage!!]]> music entertainment Thu, 19 May 2011 15:00:00 +0200 Interview with Marcel Woods

How did you come up with the Musical Madness idea?
Originally Musical Madness stood for all the madness that goes around in the whole international dance scene. I still think it’s madness that I’m asked to play some records at the other side of the world, drink a few beers and get paid! So that’s the madness I think, and it’s also insane that people sometimes think you travel everyday by helicopter or private jet. It’s just a weird world…!

For the uninitiated tell us what components go to make up Musical Madness the style and Musical Madness the label.
It’s a big mixture of music, I like all types of music but I would like to see it in one big blended genre, for me Musical Madness was a way to put a genre to my sound. Just so that people stop tagging me into just one genre. And the same goes with Musical Madness the label.

It’s certainly very different; do you find its much commented on?
Since the end of 2010 it seems that finally most DJs are starting to spin a wider range of music and this reflects my struggle for years in this scene to cut down those barriers between genres. So with part 3 it feels more that I reach my point of success of no more genres but just good music!

Did you need any persuading to don the ‘half-mask’ for the second album or the straight-jacket for the third? Or was it a case of you needing to persuade others?!
Ha ha… no, this is an easy one as it comes with the name and the Madness beyond the concept! It works very well for both me and my fans!

You’re ‘pairing’ artist’s tracks a fair bit on the album, with two tracks back-to-back from Ellez Marianni, Wippenberg and Chris Seed. Any particular reason for that or is it just that they worked so well together?
It just worked very well together, and I would like to make a statement with it that these guys are definitely on the right track. Mostly on CD’s they will separate the same names on disc 1 and 2, but that wasn’t possible with 1 disc. So I liked them enough to use them, so why not use them combined.

On the album, which track do you consider to be the most...
House: Marcel Woods with Questionary?
Trance: Marcel Woods with Champagne Dreams
Techno: Baggi Begovic with Sumo

Will there be a Musical Madness 3 tour and if so where do you hope it’ll take you?
I’m on tour for 7 years already and it seems it will never stop?! So I hope it continues me taking around the world for 7 more years.

Do you feel the urge to ‘let the crazy out’ when you’re behind a pair of CDJs?!
Mwoah…! I’m not the crazy kind of DJ behind the decks, but I try to speak and react through my music. And the big mixture of genre’s so it makes the floor go crazy. And that’s more then enough for me… ?

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen whilst standing behind the decks?
I guess that’s some sexual handling's in front of me! That was pretty weird. But in a weird way I always forget these! Believe me it’s a frequently asked question, and I just can’t remember one memorable one.

What are your feelings on the concept of Trouse? Would you be happy to fall under that term?
To be honest I always tried to knock down walls, and some years ago I was in the front line of the whole tech trance movement. I built that genre together with guys as Marco V… To be clear I didn’t like trance that much, so I mixed it up with other sounds. Before you knew it you are typecast into that genre and you can’t escape anymore. So at this point I feel like a fish in the water with trouse and I think I was one of the artists that started to use this term first together with Tiesto. If you listened to some of my older tracks such as “Don’t tar me With The Same Brush” the track and the title will speak for them self.

What would you say is the one key ingredient that confirms a track as ‘Trouse’?
It has to fit in a HOUSE set and a trance set, but you use it in the house set as last track and in a trance set as a track to build your set on. And the beats have to be different. I think if you run to my catalogue and check tracks such as The Bottle you know what I mean.

Who do you see as the primary artists that are successfully bridging the house/trance divide?
That’s Marco V, Tiesto, Sander van Doorn and me….

In 2011 what’s the first aspect of a track you listen out for in a track that makes you think ‘I’d play/sign/compile onto an album?
The quality of the production has to be solid, then comes the groove/beat and later the synth/stabs. It’s on this line of thoughts I decide on.

How did ‘Don’t Ditch’, your collaboration with Tiesto come about? Who sought who out!?
Ha ha… MR T. tweeted me and the ball start rolling when we met in Ibiza. It took some time in both our hectic lives for us to get down together in the studio. So the first files where done on the road and we send each other ideas. In January we recorded it here in Holland in my studio.

In terms of vibe and feel did it turn out as you expected?
Yes it was an honour to work with him, he certainly knows his way around and he know what he wants in a track and what he doesn’t want.

When’s it coming out?
It’s already out there and it entered the top 10 in the progressive house chart on Beatport... so happy days there

Thanks Marcel! Anything else you’d like to say?
Yes...? I will become a daddy for the very first time at the end of May, so if my eyes start looking a bit tired, you know why... :-)

Congratulations on that!]]> music entertainment Fri, 13 May 2011 12:21:00 +0200 Interview with D-Nox & Beckers

Tell me what you guys have been up to lately?
D-Nox: I have just come back to Berlin; I have spent the last 6 month in Argentina and Brazil. This is where I became father, built a house and escaped the European winter.

Beckers: I have finished the album, all the engineering part. Beside this I have taken a little break from business to spend time with family.

What is it like working with each other? Tell me about your relationship.
D-Nox: Without Beckers I probably wouldn’t write music, he is the mastermind. We combine our ideas, experiences and moods - the result is what you hear, is our music.

Its been 4 years since your last album, how do you feel having your second on be released?
D-Nox: First of all I am very happy with the result, I like this album much more than the first one - It is a perfect reflection of what goes on inside us and outside in this world.

Beckers: It’s hard to say what I feel; I’ve been working on this album for a while so I need time to understand and feel, let’s see how it goes and ask me again when the album is a year old.

What was your main inspiration with Distance?
D-Nox: We want to make music that makes people dance; I don’t need any more inspiration than that.

Beckers: I can’t point out a specific inspiration. Everything in life is a source of inspiration. Of course my musical background helps a lot but this time we had plenty of time, no stress and we were less caught in genres.

Are there many new things that your fans can expect from Distance?
D-Nox: Compared to our first album 4 years ago, yes - we have become deeper and more diverse.

Do you feel that “Distance” represents you guys really well?
D-Nox & Beckers: Yes 100%, this is how we play as DJs. We can’t stick to the same genre all the time; we need to walk from House to Techno and back.

What was it like releasing your first album [Left Behind]? Do you think it’s going to be the same feeling with 'Distance' or a totally different?
D-Nox: Our first album did really well but we know that times have changed. It’s almost impossible to sell music these days but we believe in our fans.

Beckers: It's really hard to say before the album is released. Tronic is a well respected Techno label and we hope to reach more people with this album.

What are some of your personal favourite tracks on the album? Tracks that have a story behind them, or have a deeper meaning to you?
D-Nox: I like all of them depending on my mood; I can always pick a different one. ‘Jacaranda’ is the most interesting one for me, it’s one of the tracks that wasn’t meant to be but I wouldn’t want to miss it now - I can’t get enough of is tune, Jazz tech space House. ‘Follow Me’ is another interesting tune, it gets better and better. It’s full of details and tricks, I just love it.

Beckers: Same as on our first album, I like the vibe of the last track mostly (I will rise) and ‘What I Have’ because I did it with my wife. She did the vocal part and made me work differently on sound and arrangement.

Were there any big obstacles that you guys ran into with the production of this album? What did you do to work through it?
D-Nox & Beckers: We had plenty of time to work on this album; we would never run such a project with deadlines. There was a period were we thought we would never have enough tracks to complete this album but in the end we had written too many and we were forced to take some off. The only real obstacle was and still is that we live 500km away from each other, which is why we called this album ‘Distance’. As you can imagine it isn’t easy to meet but it also open new ways of producing together. We have both worked on some of the tracks separately, which was a new production method for us as before our music was made 100% at Beckers studio, nowadays it’s done in two studios but the final mixdown still comes out of Beckers studio.

Tell me about your new single “My Voice” and the Christian Smith remix of it. Do you have a good friendship with Christian Smith?
D-Nox & Beckers: Yes, we do have. We became friends a couple of years ago. We spend lots of time in Brazil and this is where Chris lives these days. We like his music and his label and we’re very happy to release on such great imprint. The single ‘My Voice’ is the most heavy track on the album, its 100% pure Techno.

Will you be doing anything different in Switzerland than you would normally do in a show?
D-Nox: I come to DJ and therefore I never know what I will play. I need to get in the club, read the crowd and decide by the time I start my set. I never play the same set so, yes, the set for Switzerland will be different and totally tailored to the environment where I will be performing.

Beckers: Same here.

Are you going to be dropping any new tracks in Switzerland?
D-Nox: I always play new tracks in my set. Not only but many.

Beckers: Yes, the right mix of new and old tracks is important.

As you may or may not know, you guys are an inspiration to the next generation of up and coming artists. Does this give you a sense of accomplishment? How does it make you feel, and what are your thoughts on it?
Beckers: I rather feel accomplished by young producer that started to write music because of us than by thousands of kids that like us because it is fashion or we are hyped. I prefer to be a true inspiration and I feel honoured to give such energy to other people.

The album Distance is out now on Tronic Music.]]> music entertainment Tue, 10 May 2011 17:02:00 +0200 Interview with ETC!ETC!

ETC!ETC! started making music at the early age of 16. He has been producing music for the past 6 years. He started to officially release tracks in 2008. His first EP was called Mediaboy and was released on Rot10 Musik. Ever since the release of Mediaboy on Rot10 Musik, he has been pumping out original tracks, EP's, and remixes. ETC!ETC! is an artist unlike others with a style of music that is not like anything else you've listened to before. From dj'ing at a young age developing his skills to perfection, this man knows what he wants, and how to get it done.

It his hard to tell where he gets his inspiration from since his music is unlike any artist’s music out there. This tells you that his inspiration comes from within, wanting to change music, and be different. Instead of following the music, ETC!ETC! has become a leader from doing things his way. He has proved that he will give any artist a run for there money when he remixes a song. He is currently the VP of Rot10 Music, and is continuing to produce fantastic tracks!

What's the biggest factor that has led to you being were you are now?
Well there are a lot of factors to be honest with you. Main one is being able to sign to rot10 early last year and releasing tracks out to the public. Being signed to rot10 switched my mentality from just pumping tracks out on a weekly basis, to making tracks, full tracks knowing they would get heard everywhere. Second is just being consistent, putting out as music as I can and sending them out to blogs, playing gigs, getting my name a little out there. Word of mouth also did a huge part.

How did it come about to you becoming part of Rot10 musik?
Early last year Josh (Mr. Vega) found me on soundcloud and wanted to release my tracks through his label. We hit it off pretty good releasing “drop like a seizure” which was pretty big for us and the label and since then. It’s been an awesome ride. Josh asked me if I wanted to become VP and I agreed and together, we are making the label a little more known artist by artist and track by track.

Do you have a close relationship with other artists on the label?
Yes, josh and I have a close bond. Weather it be on the business side (label) or outside of work. We communicate on a daily basis. So it’s safe to say he is one of my best friends and someone I can confide in, also with Merchi (Kid Cedek) he has been a good and loyal friend and humble most of all. He is definitely someone I can trust. I have two close friends who we just signed (Que Serock) they are L.A. Fam and they have also been there with me from the beginning to the end also great dudes and people I confide it. We like to keep the label friend based / everyone asks each other ideas / questions etc. It’s a small family.

Who are your favourite artists to work with? Why do you enjoy working with them so much?
Everyone I work with is a great experience. To see how everyone works and how they implement their style on a track we work on always amazes me. And I learn something from them.

What has been the biggest event/release in your career to date?
Currently is San City High. But I’ve had the pleasure to release with a bunch of labels, all big in a different way.

Are you currently working on new stuff?
Yes I am. Just finished a new single with J-trick (AUS) and its called “heavy hustle” should be coming out soon and working on a new track with Paul David (CAN). Other than that just normal remixes here and there. I always try to stay busy and in the game.

How do you feel about the release of your new EP “Renegaide” on Rot10 musik?
I am very proud of Renegaide. First the first guitar riff on that track I knew it had to be massive EP. It lived up to its promise everyone who is on the remix (Crystal Vision / Que Serock / Electric Soulside / Dj Kue) everyone did an amazing job and I couldn’t ask for me. It’s safe to say that Renegaide has been my proudest moment as a producer to date.

Tell me about the artists that remixed your track on your new EP Renegaide.
Ok, well let’s start with crystal vision. I knew I wanted them to remix my track since I’ve started listening to their production they are a duo from Oklahoma and their tracks all are solid. All different in a way that it makes to floors pound, speakers bang and people shake their rumps. Que Serock is upcoming producers from LA and long time friends. Their way of interpreting a track is beyond belief, their synth work is off the charts so there was no way I couldn’t have them on it. Dj Kue is a legend; no one can make the electro pop tracks that he makes. He takes every track he works on and puts his stamp on it, poppy, radio friendly, but most of all banger, and he did that. Electric Soulside some of my favourite producers out there right now. Their space / electro tracks make every dance floor shake. If you listen to all their originals you’ll know why I had to ask them to be part of this release (I recc moonroller) these guys are low pro – but big on the dance floor. I was fortunate that all these artists made time for this release and I am in their debt.

Can we expect more EP's and tracks in the coming months?
Yes. Probably another ETC!ETC! single but later this year. I have a few collaborations coming out that will be EPs too, but as ETC!ETC! probably not till later.

What are you most excited for in your career?
To see where this takes me, I’d like to make this a full time job. Currently I am working an actual full time job, but if I can produce & tour and make this a living, Why not? I’d like to tour, and to work with a lot more artists. I’ve been fortunate to release a remix on San City High and am thankful that Kissy Sell Out has supported my tracks on BBC radio 1 and in his live performances. I’d like to be on their on a constant term and played in everyone’s car stereo.

You're first EP was released in 2008 called “Mediaboy” do you think you've grown as an artists since your first release?
Oh yes. If you listen to media boy and listen to Renegaide you can see how my sound has grown and how I have found my style.

With the success of your past two remixes “Kissy Sell Out - Redrinkulous” and “Crystal Vision - Pickled beets” can we expect more remixes coming from you any time in the near future?
Yes! I have tons in the vault that I play live that are yet to be released. Soon they will all see the light of day, and who knows maybe some big artists such as the guys you named will pick me up to do a remix for them.

You must have a lot of surprised in store for your fans, can you give us a little hint on your latest one? Well we (rot10) are currently setting up “dance harder” events in different cities. So we are organizing that at the moment and hopefully a tour soon! I don’t know ?
We like to keep surprises as such, but I spill the beans a lot so if there is a surprise, you’ll know.

Tell me about Dynasty and what's it like working with Mr. Vega.
Working with Mr. Vega as Dynasty is amazing. Only because we both know what we want and how we want it to sound. We think alike in a way and we know when something isn’t working or is. We have never sat in a studio together. Just network, I start a track / send it to him and back and forth, it works for us. I guess we found a loophole in some way, which works perfect for us.

Are there even bigger things in the works with Dynasty compared to your personal projects?
Yes. Dynasty will be releasing their first EP on Topbillin sometime this year. Our tracks are already supported by Steve Aoki and Mustard Pimp. So this should be good for us. Soundcloud has some snippets of it!]]> music entertainment Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:31:00 +0200 Interview with Solarstone

So Richard, we’re talking about an “evolution” here… For you, what’s evolved with Electronic Architecture since the first compilation two years ago?
The evolution in the strictest sense is the enhancement of how the EA series is presented to the listener. With EA2 we brought in the interactive website which gives people the opportunity to de-construct and reassemble the album’s artwork in their own bespoke design. The in-club visuals have been ramped up in terms of their visual impact; the online trailer for EA2 is bigger & more powerful giving a clearer insight into the music on the album. As for the music itself, I underwent a solid 6 month A&R marathon to discover the brightest producer stars of the future from across the world, in a more determined fashion than with EA1. I guess with an album like EA1 to live up to I felt the pressure was on to deliver something exemplary with No. 2.

The series is now clearly defined as Music vs. Art. What drove you towards that concept in the first instance?
For too long artists and labels have shovelled out the direst compilation fodder imaginable. When dance music was in what many would consider its zenith (in terms of sales at any rate) artists and labels put far more time and artistic thought into the packaging of their releases. Labels such as Renaissance were in fact proud of the aesthetic qualities of their releases. I felt even though the financial rewards may not be so great from sales in the current climate, the marriage of brilliant music and beautiful artwork should be an integral element of releasing an inventive compilation album. I wanted the EA series to shine like a star of hope to lovers of aesthetically pleasing releases.

Who are some of your favourite artists and what specifically appeals to you about them?
Electronically, one of my favourites is currently Konektiv, a producer I signed to my experimental label Molecule. His music is progressive house meets trance with a warped twist in it. It’s inventive and unexpected elements are a breath of fresh air in a largely formulaic scene. Another one is Nick Stoynoff; his production has all the qualities of early G.U releases, expansive and intricate without becoming beard-stroking. On the non-edm tip I love Hurts – they remind me of one of my favourite bands Pet Shop Boys at their most stylish.

The cover art of Electronic Architecture² is very imagination-inducing and evocative. What do you see and think about when you look at it?
I’m not sure really, it’s more about what it suggests than what it actually is. In some ways the curious geometric shapes represent the musical pieces of the grand structure of the music on the albums, the way they slot together in complex ways. But it’s probably more abstract than that. In fact that is probably what I like so much about the styling of the EA series, the abstract nature of the images used on the sleeves and in the visuals; it’s open to interpretation really.

Your stated intention with EA² has always been to kick back against the throwaway nature of the modern day compilation album. Do you think you’ve achieved that and if so how?
I do. Sometimes I think that many labels don’t treat their fans as sophisticated listeners, I’m 100% convinced that making an aesthetically beautiful package in addition to the fabulous well-thought out music is a fight back against the illegal downloading problem. Part of the reason people dislike downloads is because they are not ‘tangible’ – the EA series is the opposite. Even with the download version of the album we include a stunning digital booklet for the listener to peruse while the music is playing.

The first compilation sold very well, over a sustained period of time (something that’s very rare these days) and exceeded your expectations. It was also nominated for an IDMA at the Winter Music Conference last year. How much pressure did you feel really going into ‘Electronic Architecture²’ because of all that?
I felt a certain amount of pressure largely due to the ‘Part 2’ syndrome. In my own experience, when you find something fabulous by an artist such as their first album, you’re less open to accepting the subsequent albums, because you mentally prepare yourself to be disappointed. In the same way when a record by a particular artist is your absolute favourite track, nothing they ever release afterwards can top it, so, to you, that artist is never again ‘at their best’ It’s pure perception. EA1 was so well received that it was going to be difficult to match it. But having said that, as the album is 90% other artist’s music, I saw no reason at all why EA2 could not be as good, if not better. So what I decided to do was detach myself from that pressure and just find the best music that I could from new, exciting artists, and mix it in the best way I knew how. I reckon that if you give 100% you’re going to please more of the people more of the time anyway.

There are a few artists whose first tracks debuted on EA1 returning with ones for ‘EA²’, who’s come back for more?!
Jahawi for one, Kenya’s finest export! I love his style of progressive trance music, understated melodies that pluck the heart strings. Also there’s Majera, from Australia, he pulled another winner out of the bag with ‘Escapade’.

Paradoxically it now feels quite ‘familiar’ to look at the back of an Electronic Architecture album and see a lot of artist’s names we’ve not heard of. Take a cross section of 3 of them and tell us a bit about how you came across them and what attracted you to their music?
I came across Piotro via Dj Mag Poland, he produces this ‘Microprog’ music which totally presses all my buttons, and I struggled not to put more than 2 of his tracks on EA2. He really is a one off and a future production star. Daniel Mahuad also releases as Konektiv on my Molecule label, he is another producer who thinks outside the box, his tracks have unexpected twists & turns that are just wicked. He was another discovery via the ‘Unsigned Track of the Week’ on my Solaris International’ show. I plucked his demo from a big pile and it hit the spot. A 3rd would be Ozo Effy – I have no recollection where I picked up his track from, I think I was randomly browsing myspace or soundcloud pages and there it was in an early format. To discover new music you do have to go a bit out of your way to look for it, just sitting there waiting for amazing demos to come in isn’t going to work, because you can guarantee the artists will have sent their track to 50 other labels. You need to get in there at an earlier stage and be prepared to work with the young artist and give them a helping hand to turn a great idea into a brilliant track.

Again there are a handful of old progressive greats on there too. How important do you think it is to tie the old to the new like this on the albums?
There are many classic tracks out there sitting gathering dust, crying out for exposure to a new generation of listeners via a fresh new remix. Electronic Architecture is the perfect vehicle to try this out. The tracks I pick for the re-rubs are personal favourites of mine from the trance archive.

If you could bring one old progressive classicists out of retirement under his/her/their original guise and in their original form, who would it be?
Eat Static. They changed the way I thought about Trance music, they were incredibly inventive at the time, their best album (in my view) ‘Abduction’ still sounds fantastic today. Modern producers should take note of how expansive their music was – without VST and plug-ins and hundreds of finely tuned soft synth presets. I get sent so much music which is incredibly lazily produced, acts like Eat Static set the standard for attention to detail - there really is no excuse for sloppy production these days with so many tools at your disposal!

Gathering together so many compilation-worthy tracks for exclusive use is a task. In relation to the previous A&R process though, how did you find this one?
Finding the music is really good fun, randomly browsing soundcloud and myspace sites that I wouldn’t ordinarily spent my energy doing for pleasure, there are no genre restrictions with an EA album (within reason) so I sometimes find myself on some bizarre nerdy websites scouring for half finished demos that might just be the next ‘big thing’. I love it!

Were there any major hiccups along the way?
Yeah – a few. I spent ages working on one track in particular with an artist for the album, and then it just didn’t fit with the other tracks at all. In fact there were 3 tracks like that – it’s incredibly frustrating when that happens. But I can still release them as singles in their own right. It’s very disappointing for artists when they receive the ‘sorry but your track hasn’t been used’ email from the office staff, but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your angle) it’s all about the mix. Even if a track is incredible, I’m not going to force it into the mix for the sake of it. There was a Solarstone track of my own called ‘Fire Island’ that didn’t make it on because it didn’t fit, so it’s one size fits all with that rule.

By all accounts you’ve used some fairly advanced next-level techniques to mix the album together. Tell us a bit about those?
I just treat the mix like I would treat the production of a track. All the same tools are used. It’s totally not a case of intro-to-tail mixing. I request the stems for all the constituent tracks and construct the mix from there… it is a massive exercise but it’s ultimately worth it I think. Re-pitching software is incredibly valuable on an album like this… Electronic Architecture would have been physically impossible 10 years ago. When I mixed ‘Chilled Out Euphoria’ I would have killed to have had the tools then which I now have at my disposal – and that album was hailed as ‘technically brilliant’ at the time. It’s just a matter of utilizing the best tools that are available and not confining myself to the traditional ‘mixing’ tools. Some of the tracks were signed for the album because they were so malleable and understated – one track was signed just because it had a rhythm section at the start that I wanted to use with the break from another track. It’s all about the mix.

‘Big Wheel’ is the new Solarstone track that features exclusively on Electronic Architecture². It has a vocal, the types of which we’ve never heard before. Where does it originate from and how did you go about using it?
I sampled it from an old obscure folk record actually, I heard it on the radio when I was in the car and it struck a chord with me immediately. It’s weird and hypnotic. I sampled lots of instances of the ‘little wheel spin’ line and joined them together with filters and FX... I think it’s wicked. The main melody in the record was based upon a little guitar arpeggio I kept playing over and over again in the studio, it just got into my heard like an ear worm. The rest of the production on the record is very restrained and smooth, there is no snare drum or anything on the 2 or the 4, I remembered that early trance was all about the kick drum and wanted to nod my head to that in some way. I think it works really well, especially with that enormous side chained riff in the break – that sounds huge on a big system.

‘Big Wheel’ also comes with a Solarstone Pres. Smashing Atoms remix. Something new there – how’s that come about and what’s going to define a Smashing Atoms remix?
‘Smashing Atoms’ is my showing my teeth a bit more. I love the deeper progressive side of things, but of recent times the harder, tougher side of my production has been yearning to get out. ‘Smashing Atoms’ was actually an early title for the ‘Touchstone’ album, but as ‘Touchstone’ turned out a more ‘listening at home’ record the Atoms title seemed inappropriate for it. I wanted to flex my muscles a bit more in the studio and do some harder, tougher more kick arse trance for peak time sets, but at a groovy tempo, and I’m really enjoying a return to that side of the Solarstone sound.

Aside from Electronic Architecture² for a moment, you have some big remixes currently out and on the horizon. What have you been working on and after quite a long time away from that particular field, what’s prompted you to come back?
Remixing lost it’s sheen for me after a really long run of remixes in the early 2000’s, I was totally remixed out and preferred to just write my own stuff rather than be on the remix treadmill as I felt towards it at the time. But after a long time away I forgot what is great about remixing great tracks – the artistic freedom you have in that the tricky bit – the hook – has already been written – you just get to do the fun bit which is production. Some artists forget that it is the original riff which is the key. Producers ‘remix’ a classic then play it in a club, and they perceive that when everyone cheers, they are cheering that producer’s remix. They are not. They are cheering the ‘classic’ which they already know! I decided that I wanted to remix again so that I could have the fun of production on other people’s tracks, and it’s also a good profile boosting exercise! The tracks I’ve picked to remix are personal favourites, I’m definitely not interested in remixing any old rubbish just for the money – there has got to be something attractive about the Original idea. Remixing ‘Yeke Yeke’ was a dream come true, and in the past few weeks I’ve remixing ‘Girl Panic’ for Duran Duran, ‘Still for Aly & Fila’ and also done 2 mixes of the new Tiesto pres. Allure record – it’s been fantastic fun and they are all wicked remixes too.

You’ve upped the ante with the Electronic Architect tool on the album’s microsite, tell us about that?
Think I answered that one already in the 1st question!

There’s also a competition related to that, I think?
Yes – The person, who sends in the most inventive, imaginative version of the album’s Art, gets the grand prize, a whole host of Solarstone goodies and their own version of the artwork on a big poster, framed.

Ok, so finally is there still mountains left for the series to climb and if so - given that the second album is evolution – are ready and able to climb them?!
Definitely. I’m eager to get to work on EA3 – but it will have to wait until the next Solarstone artist album is complete, so watch this space!]]> music entertainment Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:46:00 +0200 Interview with Paul Newhouse

Purchasing your first set of turntables at the age of 21, what brought you to become a DJ?
Well, I remember in 1988 watching about the illegal raves in the UK, sitting at home in Dublin, before I left school at 16, and wondered what it was all about. I was never into commercial pop really. I liked Erasure, Bronski Beat, Depeche Mode. I was very much into the early rave indie bands too who really kicked off the rave culture, Happy Mondays, The Farm, and The Charlatans, all the more electronic, and the more dance stuff. I did a couple of parties at friends’ houses, with my dad’s record player, a tape player, a microphone and really enjoyed it. I never thought I would want to do more with it; it was more like just something to do, while drinking, when I'm not at the legal age to drink with friends!

I left school in 1989, and moved to Berlin to work with a family member. I met a lot of English, Irish and Scottish people working there. After about 3-4 months of going about to the ex-pat places, a couple guys and I went to see the prodigy in a club in Berlin converted from a cinema.

I remember being asked, at the front of the stage, while the crowd was going mad. Charlie says, “what have you taken mate”, I remember thinking. ”eh, 6 bottles of becks!” With a response of extreme laughter, and a quick, “come with me mate!” I followed him to the toilets, which I thought was very strange and remember feeling a bit freaked out at this, but I bumped into one of my mate's and he followed on too. That's when I was truly introduced to the party, and from then on, we searched for the best parties and raves in Berlin! We found Tresor, and lived in the place, meeting the likes of Moby, Underground Resistance, and DJ Tanith, danced with the Prodigy, and chilled out with “The Face” magazine photographer one night. Who was doing an article on techno in Berlin. I even met the owner of Mute Records, outside Tresor one morning about 10am. We had seen this large well dressed guy walking about in the club with a body guard earlier in the night. He spoke to me and my mate outside the club, while we where stressing about how to get home and a little worst for wear! He must have guessed we where a little stranded, and offered us a lift back to the city. I asked after a chat and waiting a while where his car was, and he said he was waiting for it, just after that a black stretch limo pulls up, and he says hop in.

While in this limo, we get bombarded with questions about the club and the music, which was industrial techno, something that was not heard of really in the UK at the time. After a good chat and a short distance we pull up outside a very grand hotel in Berlin, and he says “good bye thank you for the chat!” Of course at the time we did not know who he was, just some rich guy in a suit, but the driver put us right, and we where quite happy that we had time with him! About 6 months after Mute Records went underground and released the first Tresor album, which I still have today on vinyl. Sometimes I wonder, maybe we had an influence on his decision to sign the guys in the club, and make Tresor the icon it was and is today?

I have very fond memories of this time in Berlin, and from meeting DJs, and the people I did, I started collecting vinyl, about 1 year before I got home and set upon getting my first set of decks!

Do you feel that attending a Dance Music Business Program really set you in the right direction with your career?
Yes, at the time I was trying to set my own dance magazine up in Ireland, it was 1995, I think, and Ireland was very anti-dance, and it was seen not to be good, still very underground. So the venue failed on funding grounds. So I really had to add to my knowledge of the business. I feel it answered a lot of questions I had, and introduced me to points I'm using today.

What is the best knowledge that can be given to a DJ who is just starting out?
Ah! That's hard, because even after all my years doing this, I'm still not where I want to be. It’s very hard, and a lot of people bow out, and to be honest, I would not blame them. Keep at it if it’s what is in your heart. I have tried the 9-5 and shift work jobs, and just don't get it. It is okay to bring in the funds to live fine; we all need to do that, as a career no. Even though I don't make lots of money, and never really have. I keep going, and it’s for the love of the music, and what makes me enjoy life. There is nothing better than a room full of clubbers having a great time and you’re bringing it to them.

Describe the feeling you get being able to play on the radio.
Playing on the radio is great whether on FM or the internet. Mixing it up in Ireland, or in the UK, in my studio, or from my bedroom, to people in Australia, Germany, USA, and everyone commenting on the mixing or tunes, is very cool. It also gets your name to people you would probably never see. It’s a great promo tool, and a great buzz also.

Tell me about Redbox Records.
I took over a records shop in North Wales, UK, in 2006. Now I knew this was a risk, as vinyl was going out and mp3 was coming in. But again it was a dream of mine for a long time, so I did it. I closed it in 2009, as the sales where not keeping the costs going, I still sell a lot of the stock on discogs.com about 2500 vinyl, but that's all. I sold all the shop equipment, so this covered most of my payout to set-up anyway.

When I moved back to Dublin, after another crappy job for a few months, I had the idea to follow the record shop name on and set it up as Redbox Records the label. I noticed that in the UK, there are a lot of labels, so looking at the Irish indie labels, and there really are not that many.

So the idea of Redbox Records was and is to promote unknown Irish artists, and have remixes by known Irish and international artists as a way of promoting Irish talent to the globe. Here we are today, 2011, and all is good, I am getting a lot of support from both Irish and international artists.

Where do you see Redbox Records in 5 years?
I would like to see the releases hitting top name DJs charts more. I would hope that it is an established and respected label. To be remembered as I remember, the labels of past, that I loved. I would like to take the label to all the big festivals and clubs, have a regular Irish and UK tour dates for the label, and maybe even across Europe. I know it’s a big dream, but what have you got, other than your dreams, nothing!

Now that you have an established record label, what do you see for yourself and your artists in the future?
Well, I would not say the label is really established in my eyes, there is a long way to go, but it’s definitely getting there. I would hope that the quality of the artists stays the way it is now, and continues to grow, with the Irish people, and for Redbox to be noticed worldwide in the coming years. I would also love to see some of the Irish guys we have to be discovered branch out and do well.

What style of music would you classify your music as?
Well, I play mostly tribal based house now. On the label I do, house, trance, and techno, as these styles are closest to me. When I first got into the scene in Berlin, it was industrial techno, so I played this first, when I moved back to Dublin, it was progressive house and trance, so I played this for a long time. I'm getting a bit older now, so I think the trance has moved away from me, and 125-128bpm is just nice for my old bones! So yes, house; deep, tech, progressive, I'll play all these but really love the comeback of the tribal sounds.

What do you feel personally that sets you apart from other artists/DJ's out there?
For one, I would say it’s that I can play all styles of house and some times a bit of trance. There are not a lot if any other DJ's in Ireland playing tribal house, and I'm a Scorpio, so everything I do has to be spot on, I never do a mix and promo it if there is anything I'm not happy with. I get a lot of demo mixes sent to me, and you would not believe the mistakes on them, not good. I'm very dedicated to my music and promotion, and never stop.

Do you feel that moving from Dublin to Berlin at a young age played a role in you being where you are now?
Yes, it definitely did. I was very young, 16 going on 17, and I really did not know what I was doing. But soon grew up in the city of Berlin, at that age! In a good way, but it made me realize the world was a much bigger place than Dublin! It taught me how to live, both in the sense of parties, and of looking after myself. It opened my eyes to people, and to the different music, which I live for today. It taught me a big lesson on how to trust and how to notice when not to trust, which I think is a big deal in life.

Also, the European clubbers are more grown up than in the UK and Ireland. Most people in the UK, and Ireland, tend to grow out of the “rave” culture at a younger age, and want to “grow up” and “settle down” quicker, not sure why! But I think when I left Berlin at that time I had a different outlook about the whole scene. I think this is one of the reasons I've kept going also. I don't see it as a teenage culture at all.

What were some of your first part-time jobs growing up if you had any before music?
I have had so many, I'm not sure if I can remember! I've worked as a bus driver for many years, a van and lorry driver, worked in warehouses, shops, garages, lots of dead end stuff. I need to be creative, and that's what I was not getting from any of the other jobs. This is one of the reasons I've started Redbox to keep my mind doing what I want, it’s just an extension of the DJ side, but now I'm helping others, and keeping myself happy too. It’s really not work to me, and if I can make something good from it, that's the end result.

Are there any other things besides your music career that you are focusing on?
No! Apart from my wedding next year! No, I really have no other enjoyment, well maybe when I had my Honda CRX sir, I love cars and I've had 4 CRX's and love them, spending every penny on building and modifying them. I've now stopped that, and got a Lexus IS200 Le. Now, all I've got to spend money on is the label. I think its better, having lots of hobbies is not good, when they cost a lot too!! Better off with just the one!]]> music entertainment Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:19:00 +0200 Interview with Avicii

Most people have heard of Avicii and can name his tracks off the top of there head. There is no doubt that Avicii is at the head of the pack for the next generation of artists. At the young age of 21, he has already made is mark in the music industry. He has worked with established artists such as Tiesto and Sebastian Ingrosso. It is very clear that he will only continue to play major a role in the Electronic Dance Music scene for many years to come.

What do you owe your early success to as becoming such a successful DJ at a young age?
I would say the main part for me was meeting my manager. I met him two and a half years ago, and then we developed as a team right from the start. So he's handled all the business side and has just been creating such amazing opportunities for myself, and has let me focus just on the music.

Tell me about your next mix for Strictly Rhythm. Are you excited for it to come out?
Yes, I did it 3 months ago. I think it’s coming out in one month. Of course, I am excited for it to come out. It was so much fun. I was going to do 80% Strictly Rhythm tracks, and then I noticed how many tracks was actually Strictly Rhythm. So it was cool to look through their catalogue and pick so many tracks that I’ve known for such a long time. There was also a lot of freedom with it too.

Are you looking to do any future collaboration? Or are you going to focus on solo stuff?
Both, yes. We are trying to do collaborations but we are trying to do them under different names. For Avicii we're just trying to keep it no features.

What do you feel that personally sets you apart from any other DJ's/artist out there?
Hmm, that's a really hard question; I don't know what to say. I don't know, like I’m always working, like I don't know what to say, I’m always working 24/7.

Who are some smaller up and coming artists that you see breaking through soon? Have you ever worked with them or plan to work with them?
I would say...there's a guy called “Alesso” from Sweden. Who is doing some really good stuff right now. No, I haven't worked with him yet. His next release is on “Refune” this is Sebastian Ingrosso's label. He's doing one on Tiesto's label, I think as well.

Did you ever see yourself three years ago being were you are now? Where do you see yourself in the next three years?
No not at all. In three years, hopefully doing what I’m doing now, doing what I love. As long as I’m able to travel, you know, I’m happy!

What sparked your interested in Electronic Dance Music when you were first starting out, what brought you to it?
Well, like I first got into it by hearing a video game track from a video game called “Lazy Jones.” I heard the sound track to that and I wanted to do a remix to that, because a friend of mine told me about this program you can download and make a track. So I downloaded that and then I just kind of got stuck to that. But it’s way different it wasn't house back then. I'm saying back then like it was 10 years ago, but you know, but where I was then it was more electronic. Then I got into house by the Swedish House Mafia guys and Eric Prydz.

Who were your first inspirations when you first started making music?
I would say my main inspirations have been then Swedish House Mafia guys, Eric Prydz, Daft Punk and that's from Electronic Dance Music. I try to draw inspiration from different sources.

Do you have any big surprises for your fans in the works?
I do! I don't know what I can say, you know? But, we have a lot of stuff in the works for 2011, it's going to be really big, but I don't know if I can say more than that!]]> music entertainment Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:59:00 +0200 Interview with Alex & Filip

Alex & Filip have known each other since the late 90s. Ever since there first session in the studio together they have become great friends. They soon realized that they both had different skills to bring to the table and soon after that they became partners. Once they became a team, these two put there musical talent to the test, and created amazing music. Their first EP hit the 16th spot on the charts within two weeks.

There second release “Liquid Fantasy” went straight to the 2nd spot on the charts. This showed everyone that this pair has a lot of talent. There has become a strong demand for remix work from Alex & Filip since the success of there first two release. They are currently working on working on remix, originals, and collaborations. With their early success and their continuing success Alex & Filip have proved that they belong in this industry, and will be here for a long time. This pair of talented producers are ones that will only be making things bigger and better. Definitely one's to keep your eye on!

How did Alex & Filip come together?
Alex: I needed someone to show me the basics of production. We knew each other for a long time being DJs in the local clubs and all. The city we live in is small so we decided we should work together and join forces. We started in my room, where we made our first 3 tracks.

Filip: I am always interested in new collaborations and sharing of all kinds in general. At that time Alex was the only individual serious enough that wanted to try something. We started to work on some projects and we just clicked. That's how we started. The passion for music and dedication lead the way.

What is your relationship like working with each other? How long have you two known each other for?
We have known each other for quite some time now. More or less since 1998 when we started to DJ. We weren't really friends back then but since the first musical sessions we got along really well. We both have a big passion for music and we are into the same sound so working on tracks together wasn't difficult. We became very good friends in the process. We spend lots of time together and it's real fun!

Having your “Lights Out EP” hit the 16th spot on Balance record pool chart within two weeks, and having “Liquid Fantasy” go directly to the number 2 on the Release records promo chart. Did this really show each other that you guys are very talented when working with each other?
Filip: Looking back at it I think it was mostly the classic beginners luck. But hey... maybe there is something to it. You have to know that the chart stuff happened around a year later the tracks were made, it took us quite some time to get them signed. So the beginning didn't go that well but it was a great satisfaction when it happened.

Alex: At the time the Balance Chart & Release Chart were quite popular and big. I have been following them regularly. To me it was mind blowing at the time :) First 2 releases out & both featured on big charts was a pretty decent start. It gave us motivation for further projects, it was also a big pay back for our work. Lots of big DJs started noticing us. Hernan Cattaneo charted a track out of the Lights Out EP. I think those kind of things always keep you motivated. It's nice when labels promote your work in the best way they can within their budget!

Being in such strong demand for remixing and production, how do you stay on top of all the work?
It's not easy, but we try to do as much remixes as we can. Remixing can be tricky – sometimes you get it the right way in one day, sometimes they can be a nightmare and you need to restart everything form the beginning. Of course all the remix work has kept us a bit away from working on original stuff and some collaborations. Now we are focused on originals and those collaborations as we got them waiting for too long! However we think we are pretty good at managing our time and get most of the things done in time. It helps having 4 hands and 2 brains at your disposal.

Explain to me what its like getting support from well established DJ's and producers.
We think that every DJ who plays your record is important, but when your tracks get played or charted by the tastemakers is something to be proud of and shows you are on the right way. Its a big satisfaction on both levels: personal and professional as a producer/DJ. This kind of support is also the best way to get our name out there as a lot of people check out and follow the big guns.

On top of being in very high demand for your production work, does having your own label (Mirabilis Records) make you feel more established?
Mirabilis was born as a platform to release quality music we like, not only our stuff and it's not restricted to one or two genres. In the last year we have to say Mirabilis has made it's name within the industry and we are proud of our work. Lots of tastemakers and respected DJs has been supporting it and today we got lots of artists who want to work with us. Being a small label, basically with no budget means we have to do all the things on our own and it's quite a lot of work. In some ways I'd say Mirabilis has bigger reputation after it's 20th release then A&F do today. Lots of people still don't know we are the ones behind it. A big thanks to all the artists and all the fans out there!

Tell me about Mirabilis Records. Why did you pick the artists that you have on it? How did they catch your eye?
Alex: The first few releases were signed form our friends and people we collaborated before. I have spent lots of time and still do building up relations with djs and producers. In this way I came across some very talented producers and immediately hooked them up for some remix work or signed their tracks. The biggest release so far was Ran Shani's 'Classics' And I still can't believe Ran trusted us and signed it to Mirabilis. After Digweed & Sasha dropped it at last year's WMC everyone was emailing me, texting me etc and wanted a promo copy. Happy days. I do most of the promotion work on my own and it's a lot of work so we stick to the one release a month.

Filip: Sometimes it's hard to keep track on all the mails and demos we get. I spend quite many hours to go thru the demos and select the ones that I like the most. Only then we listen to them together again and make the decision which ones we will try to sign. It's just a matter of how we feel the tracks.

What does the future for Mirabilis Records hold for your fans?
Big things we believe and hope. After the superb release from one of my fave new talents - Ian O'Donovan, we will stay parked in Ireland with the next two releases: first up is the techno tinged ep from Miniminds with super heavy remixes form Anthony Castaldo and Tempered Djs. Then it's the turn for a super release imo: Dibby Dougherty and David Young 'Hydra Island' with a stunning remix pack! After these we are going for the next Various artists showing some gems form the back catalog and some fine new tunes for the summer. ...and then we hope to be back with a single form us again! The last Alex & Filip original single was Mirabilis 007. It's about time we get back to our label, what you think?

Do you ever have times were you both have different ideas for a track or disagreements? How do you over come this?
It happens of course. We try to discuss those things on the spot. We usually find a solution on the go. We have been working with each other for so long now that we already have a certain process on how we work on the tracks and remixes. If it's a major disagree we usually start from the basics again. You know it happens that one day you find a track brilliant, the next day it totally sucks to your ears.....
We also have a chat before we start working and try to find out the direction of the track or remix we want to take. So far it seems to be working quite well for us.

What have been your favourite performances over the years?
We really enjoyed all the performances at Kursaal (Tolmezzo, Italy), last year's Poletna Splash Pokovka festival was insane, also Bulgaria was a mad experience (in a good way), a few years back we played quite a lot gigs in Croatia and always had fun. In Slovenia there were lots of good places like Lipa, Inbox, Cream, Marcus, Kaos, Simfonija etc...some of them are still running today. The scene here is a bit down these days, there are a few promoters and clubs who work on a monthly basis. A big problem is that promoters compete with each other instead of collaborating. It's hard to get gigs today around here, unless you play for a ridiculously low fee and it's a shame.

Do you plan on going on tour in the next year or so?
We truly hope so. Actually we are trying to get our name out in the world as much as we can. This is also one of the reasons why we rather stay in the studio and work on tracks and remixes and try to get released on good labels rather than play on some low profile or under payed gigs. So hopefully we will be on tour soon enough and see you in Sweden. :)

Alex: What's it like working with Filip?
He's a good guy and very good at what he does but sometimes he's a bit lazy and almost always late, so I need to keep a “hard hand” over him and I'm trying to make him loose this bad habit. :) He's a good guy, very “feet on the ground” type, this makes working with him really a good experience.

Filip: What's it like working with Alex?
Alex is not lazy... He is serious and a workaholic but also caring. He loves the music and is very dedicated. Most of the time it's a pleasure to work and hanging out with him and I'm glad we found each other.

Do you find that you both have different skills to bring to the table? Any certain skills that one doesn't have but the other does?
Alex: Filip is the studio geek and the art guy, while I work more on signing the tracks, getting remixes and running the label, doing pr etc. This does not mean that I don't work in the studio or that Filip has nothing to do with our releases and Mirabilis. We have found a way to cover all the work between us over the years. We truly hope to find some good help soon (read: we will be able to pay for it).

Filip: Yeah we know what is what. We have different strengths and weaknesses but when we combine our forces and knowledge we can be pretty effective. We are a great team.

What are some of the projects you are currently working on?
The last months have been busy with remixes and also some originals: we have remixed Paul Thomas & Da Fresh, Kassey Voorn, Omb, Subfractal, Dave Seaman & Andy Chatterley, Mark Holmes & Temepered Djs, Frankeffe for labels like Baroque, Silence Through Music, Phobiq, 303lovers, MUM, Sound Of Acapulco, Flow Vinyl and more and also signed a new original “Aeon” to Respekt which should be out in the next weeks or so, one to Tronic which will be out in summer time and our “Ushuaia” track is coming soon on Stripped too. We are now in the process of finishing up also some great collaborations we have started quite some time ago and then been on and off on them because of remixes. We will also mix up our very first compilation for Baroque in the next months.

Check out our channels for detailed info etc. Some big things are out now and even bigger things are coming – we are both very happy with the way things are turning out so far this year. Follow us & follow Megamind too, they will be having some exclusive news soon about us & Mirabilis! :)

Thanks guys!]]> music entertainment Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0200 Interview with Sebjak Interview with SebjakSebjak is a name that you will be hearing a lot of in the upcoming years. He has become a well known DJ/producer in Sweden and across Europe. Sebjak has become a very sought after DJ to book internationally. He has shared the stage with artists like Axwell, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosoo, Laidback Luke, and Bob Sinclar.

From listening to his music you wouldn't think that Sebjak has only been producing music for 4 years. Since Sebjak starting producing it has only been one good thing after another. He has many releases on well respected labels such as Subliminal, Atlantic Records, Harem Records and many more.

Sebjak also has more tracks in the works coming out on Strictly Rhythm and Ultra. With chart topping tracks under his belt, you can only expect more chart topping tracks from this very talented producer.

Tell us a little about your background and where you are coming from.
I was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden.

How long have you been in the music industry for? What brought you into the industry?
I've been producing for almost 4 years now and before that I was a DJ so it came pretty naturally for me to move on to produce my own music rather than just keep playing everyone else's music.

Tell me about the remixes/originals that you are doing for Ultra and Atlantic. Are you excited to be doing this?
Yes, very. I’m super hyped about them all. Ultra is a remix for Cedric Gervais and Atlantic is for Flo Rida and Christian Perri. Not sure when they will be out yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Which one of your up coming releases are you most excited for?
I did remix Sharam's latest track ‘Fun’ and it came out so good, very different from the original, and it works amazingly in the clubs.

Do you ever turn down offers to do remixes on songs?
Of course, I get offers all the time but I only take the tracks I feel I can do something good with.

What can your fans expect from you in the next year? Do you have any surprises in store?
I can't tell you about any surprises ;) you'll have to come and see me on tour to find out. I am gonna continue to work hard this year, make good music and have fun doing it.

Could you give us a little hint on the surprises that you have for your fans?
A lot but its all secret at the moment so sssshhhhhh…

What are you looking forward to your up and coming performance in Halmstad (21st April 2011)? Will you be introducing any new tracks there?
Yes, I will play a lot of new tracks in Halmstad, one I did with Johan Wedel which is really crazy ... and my new track called ‘We’. Also expect a lot of new remixes.

You've recently played in Miami, how was that experience?
Fantastic I looove Miami. I had an amazing times and my gigs were so good its unbelievable, can’t wait to go back.

When did your interest for EDM start?
When I list­­ened to Daft punks first album “Homework”.

What was the first EDM track you ever listened to?
Ooooh I don’t remember but I remember I couldn’t stop listening to Daft punk – "Around the World" but I‘m sure there was something before that.

As you are becoming more internationally known, does it make it harder for you to focus on the music or the business side of everything?
I'm super used to working on my laptop. I’ve got a great Management and Agency teams looking after me, so I only have to focus on the music. They handle everything else.

Tell me about your management team and what they do to support you.
My management team is amazing! They have been in the business for quite a while now so they definitely know what they are doing. They offer me advice and support but importantly let me concentrate on making music.

What’s your favourite part of playing a show?
I enjoy every part of the show!

What would you say is the most important factor when playing a live show?
The most important is reading the crowd, and after that choosing the tracks, and when you have chosen the tracks you have to just to do the perfect mix.

What are you looking forward to the most in the future for your career?
To get the chance to play at Sensation would be really phat, otherwise to create a super-hit would be fresh. Hard work will pay off! That’s definitely something I learned through the years.

Tell me about the performances when you shared the decks with artists like Axwell, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosoo, Laidback Luke, Bob Sinclair, and AN21.
I have played before them/with them couple of times and its always amazing to see how these guys work in a DJ booth. They've got so much experience so I always learn ton­­s of new stuff.]]> music entertainment Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:50:00 +0200 Interview with Shermanology
Holland’s dance scene has a consistent reputation of bringing through new talent for the world’s attention and Amsterdam has done it again. Meet Andy Sherman from Shermanology, one of the sibling trio that have some of the sweetest and versatile voices in Dance. Comprising of Andy, his sister Dorothy and cousin Leon, this family group have collaborated with some of Holland’s biggest artists including Afrojack, Roger Sanchez and Fedde Le Grand. Here they take the spotlight once again for their new production with UK uber DJ the Shapeshifters. Read on and find out how you shouldn’t be shy when contacting your DJ idols, how Andy was Craig David’s successor and why they know so much about Motown.

First thing I wanted to say is that people think you are American but I’ve checked you out in video interviews online and your accents are way to perfectly Dutch to have any doubt, So firstly I would like to ask Where are you from?
I was born in Holland, but my parents are from South America.

So essential you have lived your whole life in Amsterdam?
No, the thing is I was born in Holland then I moved to the Caribbean when I was twelve years old. I stayed there till I was 18 years old then I moved back to Holland to study. After studying I moved to Tenerife then I moved to England then back to Spain, Holland, England and now I’m back in Holland.

So let’s talk about Shermanology, and it comprises of all your family am I correct?
Yeah, my dad was really successful in the 70’s and 80’s. He had a group called “the Sherman Brother’s” as well, and he had loads of hits in the 70’s and we just sort of grew up with it. And when we saw him rehearsing with his brothers and when walking around we just picked up what they already did. Now the group is made up of me, my sister and my cousin.

So do you tour extensively as a DJ, because I know you also have a live set up am I correct?
Yeah, we keep the live set really simple because I’ve noticed if you make it complicated with your laptop and live instruments a lot of things can go wrong when travelling a lot. So yeah we kept it really simple for those reasons and we just had the mic’s plugged into the mixer and 3 CDJ’s and that’s it.

I’d like to talk to you about your first break you had with Shermanology, now I know you worked with Fedde Le Grand, Now was your first big break with “3 minutes to explain” or was it elsewhere?
No, before that we did many different tracks. My sister did some tracks with “Heartfull”, and I did some things with “Dr Kucho” as well. So before we really started the Shermanology things we started doing separate vocalist things but the biggest break for us with our name to it was the “3 minutes to explain”.

You had previous pop experience before that, I think you toured with the Artful Dodger is that correct? I think you replaced Craig David as the Artful Dodger’s vocalist?
Yeah. The thing was it was really funny how I got because I was singing with my Dad in Tenerife doing like hotels and doing Motown shows every night. And then Artful dodger and the label saw me and they approached me and said “we need a new singer for Artful Dodger, would you like to move to London?”, and I was like are these guys joking or do I have to take this seriously. So my dad said look take it easy I’m going to talk to the guys tomorrow and if their serious and you move to England then you’re following your dream. So then in a month I moved to London.

Amazing which is a massive step and then you joined the band and got all that experience?
Yeah. So I then started MC’ing and singing just doing a little bit of both and after 2 years of that I felt like “ok I really like this Artful Dodger experience but I was still building a name that wasn’t really yours”. So I decided to move back to Holland. That is when I wrote to Fedde Le Grand and asked him if he would be interested in hearing my stuff. I wrote to him and he wrote back and before I knew it I was in a studio recording for him.

I think people need to know your story and that people need to take up opportunities like that, to be bold enough to write to a producer that you want to work with and just to see if you can get any connections and I think that what you did was a really good story.
Yeah, and the thing is that I really like is he took the time to actually listen to what somebody sent them and I think it’s a part of what a lot of Dj’s have to do. Sometimes you get so many junk emails that you just don’t want to reply to all the questions, texts and things that I get but I think that’s the bottom of this industry now a day; you still have to listen to what people send you. And some one I really respect for that is Laidback Luke and on his forum he really listens to everything what people send him and gives them feedback that’s how he just discovered things that are really good.

Absolutely, so if you’re singing Motown then you must have a good voice?
That the funny thing. My sister, my cousin and I have the same background. We did exactly the same shows in Tenerife, so yeah the thing of singing everyday in the Motown show was really important for us.

The very first of your collaboration’s in which I imagine you’ve done many now I guess, especially your current track with Afrojack that’s on Pete Tong’s essential selection. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that?
That track I produce about three years ago and i was waiting for the right moment to release it. I have known Afrojack for around 5 years now and I can still remember when Afrojack used to come up to us and say “guys I started producing listen to my song” and it’s really funny how things can go. He always told me we had to work together let’s do this. Two months ago I said now is the right time, so basically we just joined productions team and this is the first of many tracks we are going to do together with Afrojack. We are going to write some stuff for him and some Collaboration and we are going to work as much as possible together.

You have worked with some amazing people as well as Fedde, you have worked with Rodger Sanchez, John Dahlback and quite a few other of the big Dutch Dj’s. Now do you think that in a few years time you will see yourself reaching the same level they have?
I think that if I keep on working like this, then I would like to think that I will reach that level yes. I have a lot of confidence in the way things are going right now and I just think that music is the key to success. The only thing you have to do is release a song you really believe in and then the rest will follow I think.

Now that kind of leads us onto the Shapeshifters and your collaboration with them, so tell me how you got involved with the boys?
Basically the Shapeshifters joined the Dutch agency where we were at, at the minute called “Ace Agency” and when I saw them in the roster I called the owner of our agency and I said “I see Shapeshifters joined us, can you give me their contact details?” so they gave me the contact detail for Max and Simon. So firstly we hooked up over here at the ADE and we spoke and said send over a couple of tracks and maybe we can do something together. And when I sent them a track said we think we already have a song. Just send us the parts and let’s do it. So my sister, cousin and I already wrote and produced the first parts of “Waiting For You” so they just took all the parts and created around it adding their own touch to it. Then we had the basic idea from that and then we decided that the track was good right now. So we decided come to London re-recorded the vocals again and re-produced the whole track and that’s how the song was born.

So that’s it, you came to London met the guys and worked with the guys directly...
Yeah we literally landed shuck hands and went straight to the studio.

Wow that’s great. I think that’s really good that you actually come and meet together rather than actually doing the production over the internet exchanging parts with each other. I think it works much better to be physically present and you create the records together
Definitely I think for the first part of producing a track its fine to do over the internet, But for the finishing touches I think you really need to be together and look each other in the eye and there you can say “ok this is going to work and this isn’t”, and the thing what really surprised me about the Shapeshifters is the way they are open for new music. I mean they are really open to really make this collaboration instead of just taking the vocals they really wanted make it work and I really respect them for that.

I’ve asked you this before but I’d like to ask you again. The song “waiting for you”, what’s the meaning of the song can you explain because I know that you wrote it, it’s your song?
The meaning of the song I think a lot of men are taken for granted and like people who have been in long relationships for a long time it becomes quite difficult to do sometimes what the lady wants and I think my thing was it was that no matter what happens I will always be waiting right here. You can say this you can say that about me but no matter what happens I’ll No be right there.

I’m guessing this was potentially from your past life experience?
For me yes it is. It’s significant personally and people don’t know your whole life but we take parts of influences that happens around us and I use them to write parts of tracks, because when I write the tracks with my cousin and my sister we all have separate lives so we basically take the topic of what we are going to write about and then everybody gives their own twist to it. It’s funny how things go because most of the time we say “ok lets write about waiting for you” and my sister goes in one room my cousin goes in another and then we all basically write what goes on in our head and then it comes together using the best parts of the three setups that we have and make it work.]]> music entertainment Sat, 09 Apr 2011 11:47:00 +0200 Interview with Simon Baker

Simon Bakers debut album “Traces” proves that he is one of the bigger players in the world of house and trance music. As soon as you listen to this album you know its from the heart, the true roots where music should come from. He wanted to wait till it felt right to make an album, and that waiting paid off. He spared nothing when it comes to this album. From soothing vocals, to soulful beats, to rich instruments, this album is truly one of a kind. Simon has made an album that will touch you, lift you up, and it will change you. He has set his standard for house music very high. There is no doubt in my mind that you will be hearing a lot more from him. The only thing he leaves you with is the question, what will this amazing artist do next?

First off Simon, congratulations! How does it feel to finally have your debut album being released?
Thanks …..Really amazing, and also very satisfying to have made an album I think I can be very proud of.

What made you feel that the time was right to make this wonderful album?
I do things when they feel right naturally. I feel I have the experience now to put an album together that isn't just straight club tracks. I wanted it to represent me and my years in this music scene and show my more musical side. Hopefully this shows in the direction I have taken in the album.

This is obviously only the beginning for you in terms of your own albums, what else do you have in the works?
I am presently just working on EP’s for other labels and also some more collaborations in the pipeline. Album number two I will think about much later. Its been a long journey with this one and I need to think about something else for the time being. I am also pretty busy touring, so I have plenty going on for now.

What was the biggest influence when it came to producing this album?
I like to take inspiration from all kinds of sources whether it be music, people, or subject matter around me. I try not to name certain artists who inspired me, as I am inspired hugely by the different feelings and different sounds all music offers me. The album represents me and my life journey through house music ever since I picked up The Best Of House Vol3 on vinyl when I was 16 years old! (I am now 36) That’s what changed my life!

What's one song on your album that you think really reflects you?
I Think they all represent me in one way or another, but ill go with Grey Area, because I was in a big Grey Area while chasing the music pipe dream, very unsure where my life was going and whether I would have to take a full time job again, also the track Think! Just because very much the thinker! I can think my way in and out of things in a flash without even doing anything. I have a busy mind usually, which can be a good thing.

Tell me where the name of the album “Traces” came from.
The album title is basically is about me tracing back my life and tracing the path I have taken to get to where I am now. My story involves me leaving my full time secure job and selling my house to chase this particular career path. Traces are like faint imprints in my memory.

Did you plan much of the album out? or did it just come to you naturally in the studio?
Well firstly, I loved every minute. My favourite past time in the world is to sit in the studio and come up with new ideas. It was written over the space of a year. There is 1 track on there written more than a year ago, but most of it is 12 months old or newer. I changed the way I worked with the album by having less thoughts on the dance floor and just letting my creative juices flow naturally. I loved working in this way.

Do you remember the first show you ever played? Tell me how you felt back then, compared to when you play now.
Yes, as clear as yesterday, it was a fill in for a DJ who had not showed at a bar in my home town of Leeds. I had been djing for many years before this but only in my bedroom, never in front of 200 people, so It as kinda nerve racking, but I pulled it off and they gave me a weekly residency in the bar. It all started there really. These days I have much more confidence and usually play to bigger crowds, but still have just as much passion and dedication as I did that very first night.

Tell me about the earlier years in your career, what were the most important things that you learned?
I would play bars and local clubs mainly, it snowballed really, then the production took off. I probably learnt how to work with different crowds and that the same set 2 nights running can not always be the same vibe. You have to know how to work with the people , club and atmosphere.

Do you have any DJ's that you mentor? Who has been your biggest mentor?
Hmm, well I took Burnski on at a young age on my old label Infant records. I guess I kind of took him under my/our wing, but he didn’t need much mentoring as he was a massive talent from the start.

If you were in a different industry, do you think people would still view you the same, or differently?
Interesting question, I think I am a very down to earth person, so I would be exactly the same to my friends and to the people who know me, but I guess I wouldn’t have as many “friends” on Facebook if I was still working in my old Insurance job of 10 years ago! Put it that way!]]> music entertainment Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:45:00 +0200 Interview with Michael Canitrot

Michael Canitrot is a man who was born into music. From Starting out at a early age of 10, and having his first serious gig at the age of 17, He is not a stranger to DJing. From chart topping singles, to mixing on top of the “Les Marches”, during the Cannes Film Festival. It may seem like he has done it all, but Michael doesn't stop there. He also does music for luxury fashion companies, challenging his music creativity. We can look forward to a new album from Michael in early 2012. You never know what's around the corner for this French producer as he is always pushing the envelope.

First off, congratulations for being number 3 on the UK club charts with your single “You and I”! What does this mean for you?
Thanks a lot … I'm very proud because UK is not a easy market. They know the music, they have it in their soul.

Michael, At what age did you start getting into music?
I started to DJ when I was very young around 10… But my first serious gig was at 17 at les Bains-Douches but it was a secret, I wasn’t old enough to be inside!

Has music always been a big interest in your life?
Yes… I was born into a family who loves music. Music is my way of life!

When you started the "So, Happy in Paris?" parties, did you except that years later you would be at such a level that you are with the concept?
Not really … at the beginning it was just a small party for our friends … And now we do around 100 parties per year, everywhere in the world!

Do you feel that doing music for luxury companies has given you more opportunities that the average artist?
Definitely, when you play or make music for the catwalks you have to be very curious, open mind … You can mix Classical Music, Electro, Pop/Rock or French Songs. Each designers needs are different and the musical research I have to do is always very enriching. I remember a musical theme we developed on Christian Dior’s life, his tastes, his influences. It was so exciting.

How did you get involved with luxury clothing companies?
My connection as a musical designer for the Cannes Film Festival helped me to enter the fashion world and I’ve always love the Fashion, it’s a great inspiration for me.

Tell me about your recent single “When you got love” with Ron Carroll.
I’ve started it last summer in Ibiza, at the beginning I've put an acappella of Ron Carroll on it.

The result it’s absolutely beautiful, the melody is amazing, the lyrics are all about Love… The music is a mix between emotion and energy, calibrated for the dance floors. We'll also have a great video clip, filmed in Los Angeles. Stay Tuned!

What was it like working with Ron Carroll?
A fantastic guy and amazing artist! Big Respect!

What's your favourite part about making music videos, and being able to share them with the world?
Making Music without video and visuals it’s impossible for me. It needs to a global experience!

You're currently on a world tour, what are some stops that your looking forward to? Which ones have been your favourite so far?
Seoul in Korea is my best destination at the moment, but east of Europe it’s always great, and Brazil is going to be big for the electronic music!

Every show you play you give so much positive energy to the crowd, where do you get that energy from?
I’ve started to be a DJ to play for the public … I’ve give them my energy and they give me back Love … You know Studio it’s great but I live for the parties, the sensation with the people is indefinable… I'm totally addicted , that’s why I give all I have!

Do you have any big plans for the next year to share with the world?
Yes, a new So, Happy in Paris?’s CD compilation + a DVD bonus, a new single and I'm actually working on a album. I hope it ll be ready early of 2012!

You've been the official DJ for the Cannes film festival? Can you tell me more about this?
I’ve had some wonderful experiences mixing at the top of “Les Marches” (the steps of the Palais Des Festivals) for the world’s most prestigious film festival.

This really is something extraordinary. I particularly remember when Quentin Tarrantino came up the Palais des Festivals steps. It was incredible to see all those people dancing down on the floor. I will never forget that feeling.

Who has been the biggest factor into the success of your career?
My parents & my girlfriend.]]> music entertainment Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0200 Interview with Richard Durand

Firstly Richard why did you pick ‘Wide Awake’ as the title track for the album?
I did it the same way as I did with the last album. I thought it would be a good idea to have the title of the main single for the album too. Luckily it worked pretty well and was a good fit!

What was the first track that you started and the last track that you finished for it?
The first one was ‘Airwell’. That was started (and finished!) on a plane trip last summer. The track I finished last just happens to be the last track on the album; ‘Disturbed’! Entirely coincidental I assure you!

If you had to sum up the album in three words what would they be?
Innovative, fresh and rougher!

Did you find it an easier, harder or comparable experience to making ‘Always the Sun’?
Comparable. I started with a blank canvas, just like the last time. I never really give to much thought to the direction it should go. I’m pretty easy about things like that and just believe that where it ends is where it should be! I did want it to take a different route, have a different feel than the ISOS compilation though. I didn’t want my album to have the same vibe so the logical thing to do was to (as I said before) roughen things up a bit!

I always like to have tracks that have dominating vocals on there too. Ones that I think really ‘speak’. I think that they are important for any album… They give it a personal touch.

What was the trickiest track on the album to complete?
I think that ‘Wide Awake’ took the longest. The vocals were so strong so it took me quite a while, relatively speaking that is, to get the sound right.

How long was the album making process from start to completion?
I started at the end of the summer and finished this January.

Sounds like it was a relatively smooth process all in all?
Yeah, I’d say so. Not too many tortured artistic moments along the way, which can only be a good thing!

How did you go about picking the vocalists to work with on the album?
That is different every time, you know. Sometimes you work together with a vocalist from a different country and you keep sending each other what you’ve come up with until you’re both happy. Then other times you spend time in the studio with someone, which is what Kash and I did.

Was there anyone that you wanted to work with on this album, but for one reason or another were unable to?
No, haha, but to be really honest, I wouldn’t have told you if there was!

Appreciate the honesty! Now what was the thinking behind the inclusion of your remix of Andain’s ‘Everything From Me’ on there?
I was asked to do the remix and loved the vocals so much that I asked if I could put it on my album too. I was psyched when Andain said I could. That was a good day!

There are also some more unusual tracks on the album like housey-electro number ‘Robotic’ and Kash super-catchy vocal on ‘Explode’. How did they come about?
I made ‘Robotic’ while I was on my way to Australia. I don’t really know how I pulled it off but it has proven to be a great one for the dance floor! Kash and I spent a day in the studio together. He came from London for the day. My favourite aspect of this track is that the vocals and the melody run perfectly parallel to one another.

Finally Richard was there one track above any other that you thought “I can’t wait to play that out in a club!”?
Haha, yep! I’ve got to say that's ‘Real Deal’. That one always really gets a party started!!!]]> music entertainment Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:24:00 +0100 Interview with Bob Sinclar & Dimitri from Paris

They have been associated together for 15 years and are Paris’s best known DJ elite. One is a true to life Knight the other is a heart breaker. They take their inspiration from The Persuaders, a 70’s action adventure featuring Tony Curtis and Roger Moore. Both Dimitri and Bob go on adventures around the world flying the disco flag. They are unquestionably the Jedi masters of Disco. They spend their time digging out forgotten disco gems, the records that exhibit the origins of house. Here they talk about their newest collaborative project, an adventure to the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles and an album to reflect their adventure. Read on to find out why DJs have become inspirational icons for the young generation, why Hugh Hefner’s taste is super swanky and about their secret collection of Playboy magazines.

Can you introduce yourselves? And tell me a little bit about your characters?
Bob: I am Bob Sinclar and obviously between us the greatest and sexiest and… I’m gorgeous.

Dimitri: I am Dimitri from Paris, I am the nitpicker of the bunch. I like to spend hours on details and refine things. We figured it may be so impossible to do things together that I decided it would be an interesting challenge to do so. And because I’ve known this guy for a long time, he put out my first album about 15 years ago. I felt we should go back to basics and revisit the playboy theme that we both did separately and try to go with it together.

Tell me about the playboy album
Dimitri: I did the first playboy DJ mix; there were no playboy records before the 70’s. It really came as a chance meeting it was something that happened unexpectedly. It really was an excuse to do a party at the playboy mansion. That’s how the whole album came about. We met some of the playboy people and they said you should come over to the playboy mansion and play a set.

They said ‘Maybe you should promote the launch of your new album’. We said ‘We don’t have an album, what if we make one?’ So we made an album that was in 1999, it was the first; ‘The Night at the Playboy Mansion.’ There was a second a few years ago and a few years after I did my third.

Bob: It was amazing, I like to revisit the entire catalogue from the 70’s just take the right pieces and put in a loop and just make my own mix during one hour with my view of the disco side. It’s a period of which I never lived in, you hear about Studio 54 and all the experiences with that, to me disco is a period of 4 years of music that’s all I know. From ‘76 to ‘80 during this period, sex was unbelievable they were taking drugs or alcohol and everything was very free and peaceful, this is the view we have now on this period. Then AIDS arrived and things became strange on the club scene. But when I think about this club scene I think of something amazing so I love to leave that period to the compilation I am doing.

What was the Idea behind using ‘knights’ instead of night?
Dimitri: The idea was that there has been the ‘Night At The Playboy Mansion’ series, and as a DJ you feel like your some kind of champion of the music, in our case we like disco music. I particularly championed that sound through several compilations and I felt that this was my mission to carry across the disco flag and make a lot of people discover what those songs were about. I tried to dig a bit more underground and dig out stuff that’s been forgotten.

Incidentally I have been knighted by the French government, which is some form of distinction they give to people that distinguish themselves in the art field. So it’s called ‘knights of the arts’ and letters so it’s good for musicians, singers or writers. That gave me the idea that before I was knighted I was champion of music and so was Bob, as a DJ we travelled with our music and shared this with the people. We usually have a music of choice we like and put across in our sets. I felt that the whole knights with a ‘K’ had some sense and it would have been fun to put that together within the playboy mansion graphic and historical universe. It was a little play on words that had a bit of relevance.

Can you guys tell me about the playboy lifestyle? Can draw parallels between the playboy lifestyles and your lifestyles?
Bob: DJs became icons for the young generation and a lot of DJs will leave with a lot of girls constantly every night. I’m definitely totally addicted to the image of the playmate but I’m just a man.

Dimitri: Bob collects playboys; he’s got a huge collection of vintage playboy magazines.

Bob: I prefer the ones from ‘74 until 86 because it was more colourful, floral and the pictures and covers were more exciting. It is different now the playmates are like cyborg's because everything is retouched the boobs are bigger and everything is accentuated. It’s not any more about just a woman as before it was more natural and sexy I think.

Dimitri: Personally I like the playboy style that Hugh Hefner started in the 50’s, the bachelor pad style where everything is super swanky, everything is super designed and there’s this huge attention paid to every little detail. It was the first time men were allowed to pay attention to details where as before it was a women’s thing to wear jewellery, to wear a watch a necklace or dress properly. Why not us men? Why shouldn’t we want to dress nice and have nice things for ourselves? I think the whole playboy thing liberated that within men, where it was OK for the masculine kind to like nice things and be proud of it. This is the bit of playboy that I like which is from the early days of the 50s until the 70s where it was more about lifestyle than just naked girls. Then it became more of a Vanity magazine, it was a great time where the photographers were really interesting and it was very creative, it was some sort of men’s liberation.

I want to talk about the Playboy Mansion... What’s the story?
Bob: I heard many stores of this cavern. The grotto where there are ten girls in a Jacuzzi of course I can’t wait to go there.

Dimitri: When we discussed possibly doing stuff together Bob said; ‘Yeah as long as we can go there and play, I’m in.’

Dimitri: People will see for themselves once we shoot, having been there what I particularly like is not just the Girls, the Girls are there, but it’s the surroundings that are amazing it’s like stepping back into time being in a James Bond movie with all the gadgets made in the 60s. Stupid things like the light switches, the phones built in the wall still with a dial. All those little details made me like that place, it’s so well preserved the moment your there you’re likened to all those movies I was watching like the James bond movies and the recent Austin powers movies. It’s very much like living those movies for real, which is something that really struck me at the mansion. I really want to go back as those things tend to disappear, so while it’s there I want to go back and show Bob. Most people just think of the girls, but there is much more to it than that.

Dimitri: One of the main ideas when we decided to collaborate on this project is that we each have our own personality, which is quite different. I think it is quite good that our material was taken separately and put together on this album, this has prevented us influencing each other too much, getting the best from us. Basically now Bob is doing his own thing and I’m doing mine. Funnily enough he’s the one going disco and I’m the one going more contemporary. I like to do things were I do things different to what people expect for bob as well. It’s not what people would expect from us, and it wasn’t expected that we would get together and do something; the whole thing is about the unexpected. Personally Ill be more contemporary, building on what the disco legacy today, how it’s been interpreted by the younger artists from the pop and dance field and how I can fit that within a sexy playboy environment.

Bob: On my side, when I think about disco, I’m still the same guy when I’m playing as a DJ I’m more dance floor orientated I love the classics: from Chic to Boney M. My mix will be a bit ‘clubbier’, but will also be to show the young generation how we sample records, how much we love the 70’s sound and how we are inspired by this music.

What is it about disco that inspired you?
Dimitri: To me disco is the ultimate dance music, Bob and I are DJs and our goal in a club is to get people to dance and have fun. The way disco has changed and dance music is changing, I like to get back to its origins rather than using something which has been rehashed too much. I always go back to the original songs and get some reinterpretation of them. I am very close to the true disco feel because I feel that in dance music nothing better has been done. It’s really the quintessential dance music sound and I stay true to it in different forms, but to me the original disco sound will be the best thing to get people to dance.

Bob: It was a very happy feeling listening to disco, nowadays when we play in a club the people love the energy and only energy. When using disco it’s just something very happy you like to dance to. When you listen to a track there is nothing intellectual, it is not aggressive and that’s what I like about disco you just come back to this vibe.

Dimitri: Disco is light and happy and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Like Bob just said today there is not much content outside of the raw energy of the song, disco had a vibe going on and kind of a happy feeling that I feel is a little bit lost now. This is something we try to reintroduce as much as we can in our sets.

Today we're here in Paris doing a photo shoot for the album tell me about the images were creating and what theme is behind this?
Bob: We have a lot of things in common in terms of nostalgia. The photos we are taking today are based on characters played by Tony Curtis and Roger Moore in their 70’s series ‘The Persuaders!’, it was a pleasure to do and the photos are very authentic. It was something very close to us and we knew we needed to build something on that image. To have some fun and to imagine we could live in that period and live in the skin of those guys was great.

Dimitri: Bob’s playing Tony Curtis and I’m Roger Moore, we’ll never look as good as them but we’ll try.

Photo credit: Neil Dawson]]> music entertainment Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:07:00 +0100 Interview with David Piccioni

David Piccioni started his DJ career 25 years ago in the wilds of the North of England. As a young man he took his skills to New York and ended up making something of a name for himself of the blossoming club scene. Returning to England, he founded Blackmarket Records in Soho; a legendary DJ store and one of the few that remains in the country. It was from this store that he started , a label that has now been in business for 21 years and hold its head high as the longest running independent dance label in Europe.

We know that you’ve influenced other big DJs in the past and DJs have influenced you, can you tell us a bit about this?
It’s more that we’ve helped each other out over the years. I’ve grown up with DJs around and I’ve treated most of the people I’ve worked with as friends. When we started and Black Market the dance scene was very small so all the DJ and producers were helping each other out. People, in the early days like Tony Humpries , Danny Tenaglia and Mousse T and then later on Louie Vega and David Morales.  Many times these guys would do things for us for our label without asking for money. Sometimes when DJs were down on their luck and they needed some exposure we would tell them come and do a remix and we will do you a profile on our label, so it was nice back in the day we would work with each other rather than being just a business relationship.

You’re established not only as a label owner, but as international DJ. Can you tell us about your DJ’ing and how that’s advancing at the moment?
I’ve been DJ’ing now for almost 25 years. It’s a long time, I did a lot of stuff I’ve DJ’ed all around the world and done tours of the Far East several times, South America and so on. I was very lucky to travel the world during about 15 of those 25 years. I’ve taken a break now during the last year and a halt from DJing at all, because I was pretty irresponsible and didn’t wear any protection for my ears and now I have tinnitus – pretty common among DJs but mine seems to be getting worse.  On doctor’s advice and advice of my kids who would like me to stay with hearing I’ve decided not to do any more DJing, or at least only do it very rarely.

What does Azuli as a label stand for?
Azuli has always been a fiercely independent record label. When we started Azuli from Black Market Records all those years ago we used to pretend it was an American label. We used to fake the fact it was American by shrink wrapping  the vinyl and having really crappy labels printed off,  which was a reaction against the established music business. We wanted to do it all ourselves and we maintained that and I think that showed in the music we put out. To this day we like to concentrate on tracks that are underground but not too underground to be exclusive; just sincere music that we believe in and is not necessarily made for commercial benefit.

You had legendary events in both London and Ibiza, can you tell me about those and Azuli events in the future?
We did have some fantastic events, particularly in London at The Cross which were quite legendary. We did some great Azuli parties there and also at Pacha London after The Cross unfortunately closed. Ibiza for us has always been a big thing; Azuli has had a big name over there for a good ten years. We started doing parties at DC10 a good ten years ago, 2 years after it opened. Subsequently we did parties at Space; we spent 3 years at space after El Divino. The events were always quite reflective of the music we were putting out, they were cool niche events in that they weren’t overly commercial even in Ibiza, but they weren’t too underground to be pretentious. They were accessible with a cool and very international crowd with a good mix of nationalities. Last year in Ibiza we did beach parties, we did 6 throughout the Island and they were legendary, people still come up to me now and tell me how wonderful they were. We got into a lot of trouble from the police for doing them which is why they don’t have them now, but they were great.

We’re planning to do events again, London particularly and probably around the world as well and hopefully Ibiza. We took a little time off, a good 18 months off which is down to me. I decided to diversify a little bit, and I bought a restaurant in Ibiza. Funnily enough one of the venues that we chose to do an Ibiza beach party at 2 or 3 years ago, I loved so much that I ended up buying it. It’s called Amante and its on a beach just below Santa Eulalia and Ibiza, that has been my focus for the last 18 months, now that’s established and the place is looking great I’m ready to get back into organising events again.

Your Miami albums are traditionally always very successful, how do you go through the many options of tracks that you have every year?
It gets very difficult now going through all the tracks for the Miami album, because theres so many tracks out there. It’s a combination of things, using friends and people within the business to see what’s bussing around getting advice from people as to what to check out. It’s about going to known labels and known producer’s people who have done things in the past and now a lot of research, unfortunately a lot of research in front of the computer screen. You have to go through as much as you can, after years of doing this now one tends to get an idea which are just thrown together and which tracks have longevity. You can hear in the track something that has got substance and is going to around for a while and is going to make an impact. Sometimes most tracks are just thrown together by someone in a bedroom or studio and you can hear that, because you’ve been doing it for years. Sometimes you’ll hear a track for example ‘Olav Basoski - New Day’ which we put on the global guide, the last Azuli compilation album. You hear it and you know it’s got something that means it’s going to be around for a while. Some tracks you hear that sound great, but will only sound great for about a week. Some tracks you know that you will like in 6 months / 12 months time / 2 years time, they’re the ones that I try to choose for the album. I tend not to look into much about what people are saying ‘this is going to be big’ and try to listen to what I’m saying to myself, does this feel right? And make my decision from that.

Tell me what your thoughts are about Miami, how has it changed and what the future may be?
I’ve been going to the Miami conference since 1992, the second year it was in Miami and not Fort Lauderdale. Its changed a lot no more than 300 people went when i first started going, it was a great business thing and it was great for parties and finding out which tracks were hot. As time has gone on it’s become much more of a party location. It’s still an important event in a different way now, for most people particularly from Europe it’s about reawakening. The summer is around the corner this is a spring event, the music changes slightly I feel. Azuli has been considered a much lighter label in terms of atmosphere of the music, and that’s our time: Spring, Summer, Ibiza it’s all round the corner and Miami is like the door opening to the new season. For clubbers as well, people have spent a long hard winter in Europe and they go there and have a great time. It’s important on that level, Is it as important for breaking tracks for producers and DJ’s? Probably not as important as it was but it’s still a great event and should be seen.

You’ve mixed the Azuli Miami 11 compilation, what’s the flavour of the two CD’s?
It’s funny how the flavour of the Miami albums changes over time to reflect what’s going on; I think what’s going on now is going back to funky house music. Rather than funky house, it’s groovy with lots of Chicago style house beats on the first album. It’s very mid 80’s underground house I think a lot of the vibe. The second is a little bit more experimental, a bit more leftfield as Miami albums always are, CD2 is for people a bit left of centre and there are some very interesting tracks on that.

How do you produce an album that reflects the whole remit of Miami?
Miami is a very big event now, with lots of different kinds of events and genres of music. It’s near impossible to reflect everything that is going on there, the album has to be fairly broad based and we have to follow the general current trend in music. I think that the current trend in underground music is away from the very technical dry electronic sound that we’ve had over the last 4 or 5 years. Slightly more a groovy rhythmic and al little bit of a soulful edge to underground house; I think I’ve tried to reflect that in the album. There is diversity there, there is more electronic stuff and there is soulful stuff. It’s quite a wide field but we do reflect that return really to house music values.

Photo credits: Tony TK Smith]]> music entertainment Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:41:00 +0100 Interview with Marco Selvaggio Interview with Marco SelvaggioWho are you and what do you do?
Hi, I’m Marco Selvaggio and I’m a drummer. I participate to many different events (from theatre, to dance, fashion shows, concerts) and I work with many clubs and DJs playing my percussion set live on house music tracks. I am the only one in the world that plays the hang drum live on this type of music.

Where do you live?
I’m from Italy, but I travel a lot in search of the perfect sound. This continuous research of new sounds has taken me around Italy and beyond: I have played my music in some clubs in Australia, Japan and in Paris.

Tell us what to expect from you in 2011?
Well, I am sure this 2011 will be full of new surprises. My album, “Into the ocean” has been recorded at the end of 2010 and I am now trying to find the best way to distribute it. Some of my hang drums of different tonalities, together with some new instruments have just arrived and I look forward to start playing them. As I am the only one that plays such instruments over house tracks in the clubs and over chill out music at happy hours I am sure I will have excellent replies as I had in 2010!

What inspires you to make music?
My life is music! There is no time of my life that passes by without music! I create my own music extemporaneously during my performances. Every time it is a new, different experience. Depending on the track I get I create rhythms with my djembe and other percussions or with the melodies of the hang drum inspired by the context around me.

Is there anything you are currently working on that we should keep our eyes peeled for?
Yes! Playing the hang drum over house tracks is something totally new, a musical revolution, something never seen before! The instrument is unknown to most people and thus of paralyses and hypnotizes the public. It’s magic!

What artists would you most like to collaborate with?
I adore Bob Sinclar, I really think our music would be very compatible!

What can people expect from your gig?
Art and music! A percussion set like mine can not be forgotten easily! After you hear them, the melodies of the hang drum will keep playing in your head forever!]]> music entertainment Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:50:00 +0100 Interview with Markus Schulz (2011)
So Markus, first inevitable question, why Prague?
Well, first up, any city that becomes one of the compilations in the series has to have fully inspired me. I’m not just talking about having had an amazing time there, or ‘being blown away by one aspect or the other’, but something deeper-than. I’ve played Prague twice a year, every year for the last 5. To witness the path it’s taken collectively with the type of music I play has been just that - inspirational.

In what respect specifically?
Many, but I suppose, if you had to sum it up in one word, evolution. Not just in how the dance population have embraced the music, but of its rise on all fronts. The clubs, events and festivals that have sprung up around it and the frequency with which really awesome, world-beating event productions are pulled off by the promoters over there.

Also the way you’re welcomed in the city - to see and feel all that has been intense. I don't use that word lightly either – I feel a special connection with the people who come to Prague to party. Looking at it honestly, this album is probably at least a year overdue!

You’ve said previously that Prague is just one example of that rise though.
Oh, that’s absolutely correct. Prague is just my example – the one I chose. It wasn’t necessarily an easy choice. Choosing where to locate the city albums rarely is! Prague though is a ‘destination city’, in the same way as Las Vegas and Amsterdam are. You just get such an influx of people coming into the city to club; naturally from the Czech Republic, but further afield too, Germany, Hungary and numerous other places.

In many respects though it represents just one example of what’s happened, and has been happening across Central and Eastern Europe since 2006. Every time I’ve gone back to a dozen or so cities across the Czech Republic, The Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States, I think the scene can’t have got any bigger/better and boom, it always has!!

What to you are the major benefits of that?
Biggest benefit to me is being able to play longer and take people to different places, musically.

So you want to change what you play?
By degrees, sure, but then so does most every DJ. Year to year we’re all tweaking our sound, only generally by fractions, but we’re all at it. Taking in new influences, adjusting it with new technologies and certainly I want to forge ahead and be able to introduce those new sounds and style aspects to broadminded audiences – its what keeps things fresh. In Eastern Europe, as a whole, they’ve proved as accepting of that as anyone.

So how do you feel the sound of Prague’11 is different from say Las Vegas’10?
You know what, I’d say: two different cities, two different music selections… Not the best measure of comparison!

Ok, so more broadly then, how would you describe the music on this one?
For once I’d actually align it most closely with my last artist album, ‘Do You Dream?’, rather than say another compilation. In as much as there is a real old cross-section of music on there. You’ve got real funky stuff, and I mean proper hard grooving music like Space Rockerz ‘Get Down City’ and Eelke Klejn’s 'Monkey Movin’. Deeper progressive material, of course, and really impossible to classify music too, like Basil O’Glue’s mix of Mike Saint-Jules ‘Crossing Planets’. Man, I’m not at all sure what type of dance music that is!

You’ve done a couple of tracks in disguise yourself for the album too (under the Mikulas name), haven’t you?
I did the intro tracks for the two discs – kind of in-key scene-setters really. It would be really easy for me to be talking up Prague’11 off the back of Prague the physical city itself. It is an amazing place and I love spending time there when I’m not on the decks. But there is so much more to the album than that. With these tracks I did let myself slip into a bit of a ‘Prague the City’ frame of mind though, letting some of that tone and atmosphere seep its way into the ‘50.05°N, 14.28°E’ and ‘Praha’ tracks. Mikulas was the designer of this incredible clock tower that sits in the centre of the old town. Google image it while you’re listening to the intros; I think you’ll get an immediate idea of the atmosphere I was looking to create!

One impression you're left with after first listen was that it didn’t hold back on the tough stuff.
I think, in terms of the music, that’s the most direct, obvious reflection of Prague and Central and Eastern European clubbing. As I said they like it across the board, they’re open-minded, but they do love those harder, angular sounds and thundery bass, so I made sure there was plenty of it on there!

Like ‘Turbulence’?
Like Turbulence, yes. Klauss Goulart has a big track on his hands there. Also though Skytech’s ‘Sirens’, Snatt & Vix ‘Warp Drive’, P.A.F.F. ‘Conductor of Death’ – all those type of sounds, really well judged tougher-edged gear. I think you can kind of tell by the titles what's in store!

You chose an unusual way to announce Prague11 - tell us about that?
Yes, well that's actually a bit of a blur to me, even now - one of those 'just sorta happened’, unplanned things. I was reaching the end of my Transmission set (major annual arena trance event held every November in Prague) and the idea had been to just soft launch it there, low-key, handout a few posters at the end. One of the cameras swung towards me, I had a poster by the side of the CDJ so I just held it up, and there was this almighty roar. I hadn't realized that it was shooting the picture right up, 40 or 50ft, floor-to-roof on the video-wall behind me. It was a kind of a (very) happy accident… and a crowd response I’ll never forget!

You’re just about to return to Prague to play the launch night too? Taking the music to the people, so to speak.
I am, and looking forward to it immensely – I’m anticipating something completely off the hook! It'll be the point at which a lot of the music that’s been kept back comes out of the CD wallet and through the club speakers for (almost) the first time. I'm playing a special extended set, with Wippenberg supporting me at SaSaZu, which is this incredible club in the centre of the city. Kind of Prague's Ministry of Sound; there is no better place to launch the album!

So where do you see the City compilations going next?
At this point every year I always have 2 or 3 ideas in mind. Naturally it’s sensible to have that. That way, as you travel around the globe DJing, you can really have it front and centre in your mind and keep that ‘inspiration radar’ highly tuned! In terms of specifics though, it’s a ‘wait and see’! :)]]> music entertainment Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:46:00 +0100 Interview with Mr. Vega Interview with Mr. VegaHe has always wanted to make something different, something that you will want to listen to over and over again. Not many people know Mr. Vega; he is a humble man, extremely modest and well spoken. Producing his own music, being able to play his own music and working with other very talented artists was only a dream a few years ago and now it has become a reality for him. Mr. Vega makes music for the passion of it. He recently launched Rot10 Musik and it has grown to include 8 main artists, and 20 affiliates. Rot10 musik is in more than 10 countries, and it is supported by the vast majority of DJs and producers. Mr. Vega is a family man and runs his label the same way, with an emphasis on closeness. Mr. Vega keeps in close contact with each of his artists. With amazing artists such as ECT!ECT!, Mr. Skeleton, Puga and Etnik & Acidroid, Rot10 Musik will only continue to grow over time under the watchful eye of Mr. Vega. From Catholic School boy to Electro House Producer, there is nothing stopping this Brooklyn native.


Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background. For example, what were you like when you were a teenager?
Okay, so as a teenager I was really heavy into the hip hop scene as my dad was a DJ in Brooklyn and he hung out with people like Bizz Markie and Big Daddy Kane. There were always music playing and tons of parties growing up. By like 15 I got into the grunge/alternative scene, with bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Green Day, Faith No More and stuff like that. Then I flipped back to hip hop around 17 and by 18 I was producing hip hop tracks and rapping.

Who was your role model growing up?
I had a few because I always wanted to get into music; I looked up to people like Jay-z because we were from the same area and I wanted to rap too. Timbaland’s production in the late 90’s was so innovative and different from anything out there, so he was a big influence on me. Also Outkast because their style was so left field; I have tried to implement that into what I have done as an artist. All these guys got me through my junior high and teen years.

Did you ever see yourself becoming a DJ/producer when you were young?
Honestly no..it wasn't until this past year that I actually thought about doing it; actually being able to perform my own tunes. I always had friends who were DJs and would mess around with their turntables for fun but I never saw myself as a big-name DJ.

How does it make you feel that your music is supported by successful artists such as Congorock, Drop The Lime, just to name a few? As an incredibly successful artist, how do you keep yourself motivated to continue working?
Its feels great to have so many big DJs supporting my stuff and having the ability to remix their work is amazing. It was just a dream just a year and a half ago. My major motivation is the response I get from the fans and from other DJs about the music I’m making. To know that I made someone’s night or inspired another producer feels amazing and I'm very grateful to have the talent to do it. So honestly I never want to stop.

What’s the inspiration behind your music? For example, do you have a home studio you like to work at, or do you go out and travel, and let the world inspire you?
Right now I still have a full time job so I’m always in my studio at home as soon as I clock out from my day job. The major inspiration behind my work is really creating a new sound or trying new things that someone else hasn't thought of. I listen to a lot of up and coming music with my label Rot10 Musik and I try to stay caught up on all the new music that comes out. So I take notes, learn how to create specific sounds then try to make it better and do it my way without ripping someone else’s sound.

What's your definition of success? Do you feel that you've made it to that level of success. (If not, why don't you believe you're successful and what is it that you would have to do to become successful in your definition?)
To me, there are different levels of success. I look at them like goals because I could tell someone I'm successful and they will automatically say "well you're not rich and you still have a job". My first level to success was getting noticed by the blogs and I worked on that for about a year. The next level was getting noticed by the DJ's/producers and I did that and am still doing it. Now my next level of success is to have myself performing nationally and then globally.

How do you choose the artist that you collaborate with or remix tracks from and who has been the best experience you've worked with so far?
As far as collaborations I was really against them at first because I had an ego. Why do I need someone to make a track with? But my attitude towards collaborations changed completely this year. I have been working with an LA producer ETC!ETC! for like 6 months now and we have formed a group called Dynasty. Dynasty is gaining tons of popularity on BBC radio 1 and we have lots of show dates for 2011. Also I like working with Nicolas Strands on the more commercial stuff. We have had success remixing acts like Rihanna, Selena Gomez and we have some originals coming out soon too. As far as choosing remixes I used to not be picky but now I get so many I have to really know the person or else I will charge them a fee. If I don't like the track I will just decline it.

Tell me about Rot10 musik. What do you see for it in the future?
Rot10 Musik was a combined effort of myself and my best friend Rotten Ralph. He is a music connoisseur so we clicked instantly and can talk music for forever. I had just started producing and we figured we should make our own label so we would have the ability to pretty much do whatever we wanted. Over the past year the label has grown from just music to a roster of about 8 main artists and 20 affiliates. We are in more than 10 countries and have the support from probably any DJ you can name in the game. As for the future I really see us growing to a level where everyone knows the name and respects the quality of music we put out. I speak to all the artists at least once a week and we function like a family. We like to keep everyone close and in the loop about everything that Rot10 Musik does.

You've started Rot10 musik, tell me how you feel having your own label? Does being in control of your own label give you the artistic freedom to produce what music you want or does running your own label add a business aspect that restricts your time and hold you back from working only on music?
Honestly it feels great to have something to call my own. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a label; I do have the freedom to put out whatever I want but at the same time I try not to have the mentality that anything I produce is great. I have keep a few people in the loop to advise my projects to keep me grounded. The amount of success and recognition we've had in the past 4-5 months has definitely put time constraints on my own productions and more focus on the business. But I'm learning how to better manage my time better so I can work on demos here and there. Right now I have about 5-7 tracks that are close to being finished and that will be split into 3 EP's. They should be coming out sometime in mid 2011, so I think I am keeping up with my own music.

Out of the 30 artists who have released music through your label, who has stood out to you the most?
Its hard to say one person because we have worked with so many great artists..and I'll exclude myself to be fair. I would say Puga, because his style has progressed in such an amazing way from very simple rhythmic jungle beats to full blown melodies and intricate percussion work. Also I would say Mr. Skeleton will probably change EDM in the next year; he’s an incredible producer. Last but not least, I would say Etnik & Acidroid. I see them as the next generation of Boys Noize and D.I.M.

When playing a live set, what is your favorite aspect of the show? The energy in the crowd, being on stage, or playing your own tracks and expressing yourself through your music?
I would say my favorite aspect is playing one of my own tune’s I know they’re never going to hear from anyone else. Going through the motions of the build ups, watching them feel the track, then getting to the drop and watching them go crazy once it hits. It’s what I imagine when I make my tracks so when it happens live it’s so satisfying.

After a long night playing at the club, do you have a routine to wind down from all the energy the crowd brings, or are you just exhausted from putting so much emotion into your performance?
Usually I still have that rush once I finish and I look forward to a quiet train ride or cab ride to collect my thoughts and think about how good or bad the gig was. But yeah I prefer the silence or regular environment sounds to help me wind down.

What advice do you have for kids wanting to get into DJing or producing?
Practice practice practice. Be humble, start with an open mind, be open to criticism and know that it doesn't happen overnight. I see so many guys get frustrated when they have literally been producing for a couple months and expect big DJs to write them and to get the top gigs at huge venues. It’s not easy and you have to pay your dues.

Outside of music, what are your biggest interests?
My biggest interests outside of music are my almost two year old son and my girlfriend. If I'm not working on music I'm with them. They are my world and sometimes it’s very hard to balance everything and show them that but I do love them deeply.

Tell me something about yourself that not too many people know about you?
Hmmm in 1995 I had a hi top fade and went to Catholic school.]]> music entertainment Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:20:00 +0100 Interview with Pete Zorba

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
I'm from Manchester and a resident DJ at Sankeys. I’m currently in the middle of producing my new 'EP' that will be out soon on Kaluki records. I’m really looking forward to the Ibiza summer and my residencies for 'Kehakuma' at 'Space' and 'Zoo Project'.

Which DJs do you think will become big in 2011?
I'm really liking all the production from David August, I think we might see more of him this year! Also looking forward to seeing Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones and my all time favourite Marco Carola!

Do you have any exciting projects coming up?
I'm hoping to be doing some work with my friend Romano Alfieri. He has amazing energy when DJing and can lay down some amazing beats in the studio!

What has been your favourite gig?
There have been so many but, opening the terrace at Space Ibiza last year was a life long dream and the way that I was received just blew me away! But saying that. Every time I play, whether I’m warming up or headlining a gig, I give it my ALL and the reaction from the crowd always confirms that.]]> music entertainment Fri, 04 Feb 2011 09:05:00 +0100 Interview with Ant Brooks Interview with Ant BrooksWere are you in the world and what can you see out of your window?
I'm based in Coventry in the Midlands. At the minute all I can see is more houses...and a tree.

Describe 2010 in three words?
Adventurous, fun & hard work!

Tell us what to expect from you in 2011?
I'm working very hard to make 2011 my biggest year yet. I have new management and have just also just re-branded, which has given me a whole new energy and I'm really excited about it all. I have lots of new music on the way along with some very exciting collaborations. So watch this space!

What inspires you to make music?
I'd have to say other music. Listening to other music gives me lots of ideas. It's hard to listen to new tracks these days without sitting there analysing it! I always have my iPod on me with new music.

What artists have you/would you most like to collaborate with?
In the past I have collaborated with Michael Woods, Jon Rundell, Pete Griffiths and am currently working on a track with Matteo DiMarr. Artists that I'd love to work with include D.Ramirez, Dubfire, Pirupa, Steve Lawler, Santos & Nic Fanciulli.

Is there anything you are currently working on that we should keep our eyes peeled for?
I have just finished a 2 track EP which I am going to be giving out for free at the end of January called "The Deeper EP"
Also a recent collaboration with Pete Griffiths I am really excited about. This will be out on the forthcoming Toolroom Miami compilation. It has a really big breakdown which goes off in the clubs! 

Following that I have an EP coming out on Leaders Of The New School and a single release on Neurotraxx. I also have a catalogue of unsigned great new music ready to drop in 2011.

What other labels have you worked with?
Well my producer career has been relatively short but previous labels I have worked with include Size, Toolroom, CR2 Strictly Rhythm, Starlight, 303 Lovers, Diffused, and Suara amongst others..

What was the last gig you played at that gave you goosebumps? 
NYE at Kinetik was massive for me! Absolutely loved the crowd there. 

Do you get much downtime if so how do you spend it?
I don't actually have downtime apart from when I'm sleeping. I am a bit of a workaholic, but to be honest it's not really work when you enjoy it is it?

To those wanting to get into the industry and make it as a DJ what three pieces of advice would you give them?
1. Be nice to people! 
2. Learn to produce music. It's the only way to progress. Learning to do it all yourself is the key to longevity in the industry.
3. Make and play the music YOU love and stick to it. It takes a long time and people do give in but it's those that stick at it and have that passion that will get to where they want to be.]]> music entertainment Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0100 Interview with Cosmic Gate

A couple of weeks back we sat down with Nic Chagall and Stefan "Bossi" Bossems and got them to talk about their memories of the tracks the first time round and what inspired their remix choices for this album - Back 2 The Future. The album is released on Monday the 24th of January 2011.

Exploration of Space
Bossi: I remember the actual title was going to be E.O.S. – that’s what we started with.  
Nic: Yes, that’s right – true.
Bossi: We were still playing ‘Exploration’ in our recent sets a lot, but we were not really happy with the ‘sound’ of the original anymore. It was just too different from the rest of our playlist, and that’s why we decided to update and remix it for our own gigs.
Nic: After playing it, the reactions for this new mix were so good, that we actually started to think about maybe doing new reworks – that’s where the whole project came from.
Bossi: After some more brainstorming we decided to make a whole new album project out of this idea, that’s how everything surrounding ‘Back 2 the Future’ started...

Back To Earth
Bossi: Maybe our personal favourite package from the album, we play both mixes – Arty’s as well as Jochen Millers remix both in one set. They both have an ultimate energy for us,
Nic: and #1 and #5 on Beatport trance really went a long way to reinforce our opinion!
Bossi: Really awesome productions from these guys; we could not have wished for anything close to this!

The Drums
Nic: A co-operation with Markus Schulz was already working well when we swapped a mix with our Miami-based German friend for ‘Sign of the Times’, and we felt that his hitting sound would fit ‘The Drums’ perfectly
Bossi: Good opportunity this! Just to clear it up, ‘The Drums’ was the first Cosmic Gate track ever, and was the one produced by the total chance studio meeting the 2 of us had. It’s where the story of Cosmic Gate began!
Nic: On top of his mix we wanted to have something electro-ish and house-ish, because we felt it could fit good with the theme. As we liked and respected Robbie Rivera’s sound for years, we got in touch with him, and he really delivered
Bossi: Something for the tough ones, wauw!!

Fire Wire
Nic: Fire!
Bossi: … Wire!
Nic: Haha – I guess our especially-well-known-in-the-UK track!
Bossi: It got a top 10 national chart position there - we went to perform live on Top of the Pops – the UK’s most famous ever chart show.
Bossi: Ha – yeah! We arrived there and fans started to scream and get really nuts.
Nic: Definitely our first experience of that!
Bossi: They had no idea who we actually were! But it didn’t stop them asking for autographs and pictures - really a funny story to remember after all these years!
Nic: We thought that Fire Wire deserved the biggest Remix package we have from house to progressive to trance. Big names like Rank 1 and Wippenberg gave us the honour to put their
skills to it.
Bossi: We also dropped a new version and house-heads Delicious and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike with their awesome stuff coming on top. 
Nic: This track makes it pretty hard to choose which mix to play during our sets, as every single remix really offers new aspects on top of the known Fire Wire original.
Bossi: We are curious about other DJs choices!

Raging
Nic: Our co-operation with Jan Johnston; one of the few vocal tracks we did back in the days! Bossi: Jan is really a legend as songwriter and singer in the scene with her outstanding voice, and our mates from Duderstadt did a softer but still clubby new version, while new guy on the block Alexander Popov did a real (allow us to say this: Cosmic Gate-ish!) sounding tougher remix that is also working brilliant in the dub version.
Nic: We thought this title would be a good fit for the album, didn’t we?
Bossi: Yes. Maybe not being one of our best-known titles, but the remixes in our eyes show the real potential of the track.

Human Beings
Bossi: Our most Trance orientated release on ‘Back 2 The Future’ - 3 amazing remixes from Estiva, Arnej and Daniel Kandi; these all so talented young guns gave Human Beings a totally new feel for today’s club plays!

The Truth
Nic: This song always reminds us back to our first appearance @ Trance Energy in 2002. We played it as a world premiere there on the main-stage and it went off so well. Goose-bumps!
Bossi: goose-bumps time, it was! I remember coming home the next day and our guestbook was full with questions about the track
Nic: Yeah, a nice memory for us to think about, that.
Bossi: Cold Blue now made a very unique new mix, more uplifting then the original, a mix you can’t pigeonhole at all… and that’s meant as a big compliment!

Melt to the Ocean
Nic: The "B-side" to Exploration of Space. When we started, we were often working with what we called “double a-side singles” - 2 strong tracks that were first distributed only via vinyl.
Bossi: I remember that Fire Wire at first was only the second track on a vinyl EP. It was meant to be a pure club fun tune at the beginning - we never expected at all what happened with it after a while.
Nic: Melt to the Ocean also found a lot of fans, which meant that we also us enjoyed playing it a lot, and now JOC brought the vibe back with his uplifting 2011 version,
Bossi: The vocal sample idea is from a pretty famous German movie from the end 90`s.
Nic: Haha! Sometimes watching a movie at home aids production big time – Lol!]]> music entertainment Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0100 Interview with Carl Cox & Umek

Let’s start with the most obvious question: how and when did you meet for the first time?
Cox: I was hoping you’d answer this one. (laughs).
Umek: I was just saying to Carl that we probably met for the first time in Germany some 15 years ago. I managed to get to the backstage somehow. That’s how we met for the first time. I was huge fan back then, always was. In those days we would drive hundreds of kilometers to see you. I’m sure it was a Tribal Gathering or …
Cox: … the Rave City in Munich.
Umek: Yeah, that’s it. I somehow got to the backstage. I didn’t have many records at the time but I knew you and that was the first time we met.

You just finished performing at the “Party for a Cause” in Ljubljana’s central park and even though it’s Umek’s home turf, he warmed up for you again. How was it?
Cox: The thing is that we know each other for our music anyway, so it’s like we complement both sides, and that benefits everyone in the end. That’s what this is all about. It’s about what the people get. I’ve been a fan of Umek for many years: of his music, of his style and of his attitude towards playing. There aren’t many deejays that have his power or his energy in their sound. He doesn’t stop: from the first record to when he finishes, the energy is still there. I understand it, I like it, and the people love it, too. Today, people got full power from the beginning, right when he started, then full power from me in between, and then full power again from him when he finished. It was a perfect scenario today to have just two deejays playing for most of the night.

This summer you’ve played four times at the Space, Ibiza. Did this change your view of Ibiza in any way? You are one of those rare deejays, who hasn’t gotten a big revelation from going to Ibiza - yet.
Umek: Last year I was in Ibiza for two months and somehow I just didn’t like the vibe. I really enjoyed the nights Carl had. I was there every Wednesday – it was amazing. This year I went to Ibiza four times, doing warm ups for Carl, and it’s an amazing club, and an amazing crowd. It’s an honor for me to play these kinds of gigs and I eventually changed my mind about the island as well. Now I can’t wait to go there again!

Carl, on the other hand, has a long-term relationship with Ibiza. In all this time, did you ever feel oversaturated by the white isle?
Cox: No, no. Not if you do everything in moderation. I mean I’m in one club for 12 weeks of the year. Saturation would be if I stayed there for the whole season. It’s very difficult to do a whole season and to keep every party at 100 percent. When you start to do a club at the beginning of the season, it’s very quiet for the first four weeks and then again at the end of the season. But in the middle we got everything. So, I decided to do just the middle and to basically put 110 percent into each gig. That way we compressed the whole season into just 12 parties. And then I walk away. So, for me, there’s no saturation. I’ve been there now for nine years – nine years! – that’s a long time to be doing any residency anywhere. It was a completely different game when we began. Space used to be an “after” I played on Sunday, until we created this whole new ethos of nightclubbing. And I’ve been a resident there the whole way through, until we decided this year to bring in more resident deejays and to build their careers on that. When Umek first played for us last year, it was just fantastic to see him hold the main room like I hold the main room. So, the audience isn’t just there for me, but also for other deejays that play in a way that I feel is the right way forward. It’s just nice to be able to get to this point. Next year we’ll probably be there for the 10-year anniversary and we’ll be pushing the residency even more. So the whole thing about Space is that it’s not just me anymore, it’s about sharing what I’ve created and basically providing a platform for people like Umek to perform on, so that he’s able to build his name on the island like I have for many years.

Umek, on the other hand, hosted his own summer residency at the Byblos, Porec, for the first time. What kind of experience was that?
Umek: It was a bit mixed because Croatia is obviously a different country than Spain. It’s much harder. But we did our best. We brought in four international guests and a bunch of local talent and had fun but, again, Croatia is not Ibiza and it takes time to build up a night. It will probably take two or three seasons to build it up properly, so let’s see what happens in the next year or two.

Carl was one of your heroes when you started. You drove to his gigs in Germany to see him play and mix vinyl on three decks, so I imagine it must be special for you to be able to work as his "side-kick" of sorts?
Umek: Of course it’s a big honor to play alongside Carl, to play all these amazing gigs. And he probably doesn’t even know that I once drove with my friends to Mayday in Dortmund. We drove 12 hours to see you play there. Really. It was ‘95 or ‘96, around the time when hardcore from Holland was quite popular. And, even before then, I was listening to your interviews on some mix-tapes that you did for a Green Apple, the Dance Nation. Do you remember that?
Cox: Oh my god!
Umek: In Slovenia at that time there was no electronic scene at all. You couldn’t buy any records because we were … I think it was ‘92 or ‘93, something like that. And Slovenia had just gained independence. There were no records, no CDs, you couldn’t buy anything. Luckily, I had a friend who had a satellite dish. He was a bit of a technical freak and somehow he tuned into a Green Apple and the Dance Nation and we would sit there for the whole weekend, because you would broadcast from Friday at noon until Saturday at midnight. And we were there, listening and recording all these tapes. At the time we didn’t even know what the tracks were. We were searching for some of those tunes for ages and that’s where I first heard you. I heard the mix and later on even bought a vinyl of DJ Phantasy with your remix on it. It was an amazing track.
Cox: Jephron. This is the first time that I’m hearing this. When we were broadcasting on a Green Apple we didn’t think anyone was listening. (laughs)
Umek: I was listening!
Cox: It’s a shock to hear that we actually reached people who were interested in this kind of music. Back then, the concept of broadcasting on satellite was way beyond everyone’s comprehension. You’d have to tune into the satellite to receive the signal. And then people also needed to know what was happening. With the media today it’s so much easier to do this than back then. In ’92, there were no channels to that could reach people here in Slovenia from where we were broadcasting, which was Eeling in London. Even in Britain no one knows where that is. And that’s where we were broadcasting from, from a friend of our’s house. As for the tapes: we used to make mixtapes and hand them out to the audience. A lot of the music on the radio was just white promos. So, yeah, we were seriously futuristic at the time, based on what we were creating. And it was just great then to reach out to you. And you being inspired by us – that’s a shock!
Umek: Can you imagine? It was unbelievable, really. I remember tuning into the radio and at the time we didn’t know what hardcore was, what Detroit was, or what hardcore-breakbeat and stuff like that was. And I went crazy. I bought all this vinyl later on, when I discovered this music again online. My English at the time was so bad that when I heard the titles I was like: “Wait, what?!” It had a huge impact. I still have a collection of more than 100 tapes from the Dance Nation radio shows.
Cox: You’re kidding! Don’t put them up on e-Bay. Keep them!
Umek: No, I won’t. It’s part of my collection.

Well, now we’ve established how Umek took notice of you. But do you remember when you first heard about him? Was it a production or a gig?
Cox: His production, to be honest. And his name – Umek. Those four letters. What is an Umek? (laughs) It was very funny to hear his name. Apart from the name, every Umek production was fantastic. I could see that he was influenced by a lot of early soul, soul music, funky music, and basically put new school beats inside that kind of sound. And it was also soulful. I could feel it, based on what he was creating. Yeah, his production got my attention first.

In contrast to house and trance, which have generally gone mainstream to the point of nearly being pop genres, techno is still the “underground bastard of electronic dance music.” Why? What’s so special about techno that you can sell mobile phones and detergents with trance and house, but not with techno?
Cox: What is techno? Nobody knows what techno really is. We could define it, but what is it? I mean, it could be techno-funk, techno-soul, techno-trance, techno-jazz … techno-anything. And there are a lot of rock, pop, hip hop and r&b artists that are influenced by techno. Today, techno is in everything, but we come from the roots -- where classic techno was created by machines we all have and love, like the Roland 303, 909 … We were able to utilize those machines to make the sounds we liked. We defined the original sound of techno music, which a lot of people hated. So we were basically going against the grain of what people wanted commercially. But techno was never commercial. For me, it was always something that I was destined to hold onto for myself as a sound that I really enjoyed. I may have become popular as a deejay, but techno hasn’t become popular as a music form. All I did was play music to the masses, and I still do that. Based on my performances, I create my music. And when Umek makes his stamp on techno music, or his sound of techno or tech-house, I love that. So, for me, the more music he makes, the better it is for me to go out and play music for the masses, based on what I enjoy from an underground and independent point of view.

So it’s because of the lack of mass appeal?
Cox: You don’t really hear a lot of techno music on MTV. You don’t hear a lot of techno music on the radio. Not really. Most techno – you have to go out and find it. And that’s what I love about the sound we’ve evolved. It never really sold out in any shape or form. It really scares people – “Oh, they play techno music? That’s too hard! Let’s find something else …” – And that’s OK. Really. Because there are still a lot of people who are genuinely into this sound and enjoy it. I mean, our sets today were built on techno music and the crowd loved it. But trance isn’t techno and progressive isn’t techno, house isn’t techno. So, when you take all those elements away, what we play is basically the rawest form of what techno music really is.
And it’s not just myself, or Sven Vaeth, who play techno music. Richie Hawtin also plays techno. Laurent Garnier, at least to a point, is also a techno artist. And the list goes on. Danny Tenaglia is seen as a house deejay but he also plays techno music. I love the fact that nobody can really define what techno really is. It’s just a form that exists that I base most of the music I play on. It pushes things forward. It’s a cutting edge type of sound, which keeps evolving all the time. We can never grab the whole of the sound and say “This is techno, we’re gonna commercialize it and then we’re gonna move on!” It’s never gotten to that point. … But a lot of the music that I enjoy and play, and I’m sure that Umek does too, is tech-house. I kind of define it by saying: techno is for the boys and house is for the girls, so if we can get the boys and the girls together, fine. If we just play straight techno for the boys, then we’ll have a room full of guys. And that’s not really a good look for me. So for me, if I can strike a good balance between the two sounds, I feel like that’s good techno or tech-house music that we’re evolving right now for the future.

Intec was a genre-defining label before ceasing its operations and then successfully rebooting. Is the creative philosophy behind the label still the same or has it changed in some way?
Cox: What do you think? I mean I’m a label boss (laughs)
Umek: The records from Intec back in the day were of unbelievable quality. I really liked them because it wasn’t a purist techno label. At the time there were too many of those labels. I liked it. I remember Sunshine, Pont the Bay, Bayers, Detron, everything. Valentino was making some crazy stuff. And at the time, I saw it as a funky techno label. That’s what we called it, that funky techno sound, and it was just an amazing label. I was actually really dissapointed when you shut it down for a while, but now it’s back.
Cox: The idea for the label came from my own experience of being an artist for a major label. The label really wanted me to be commercially sellable as an artist, which would mean getting out of techno and into pop music. And I really couldn’t live with that. So I decided to leave that and set up an independent label. The original name “International Techno Music” was pretty long, so I decided to shorten it to Intec. And it worked. For me, I think it had to do with treating artists the way I wanted to be treated. So, at a time when you could make money with a record label, we did deals with certain artists, signing them for a fee, and splitting things on a 50:50 basis if we did really, really well. And for a lot of releases, we did. But of course, as time went by, digital downloads got more and more popular and unfortunately distribution companies got squeezed by this as well. After one of the major companies behind my label, the Prime distribution company, went bust we had to find other avenues to distribute our music. Unfortunately, there was no one else as good as Prime, so it was really hard to make music and sell it and also keep deals the way we wanted and the way they used to be. And that became a situation, financially also for me, because every time I signed with a record label it cost like five or six thousand pounds to put out each record. And with the record sales we had, we were maybe getting back two or three thousand punds for each release. So I was losing four or five thousand pounds on each release. And after ten releases, I’m losing fifty thousand pounds (laughs) …You do the maths. So I had to break up with the label, which was unfortunate. But, in the meantime, I kind of took a backseat with the label and was able to pick up the pieces of what was left after the break-up.

Three years later they started up again as a digital format label. For me, the idea was to still keep the ethics of the label, where I could sign an artist, and nurture them, and put them where I thought they should be. There are so many producers out there that don’t get the opportunity to get heard based on what they’ve created. And even for me, with Umek, he still produces so much great music, and eventually we’re looking at having a good future as well. But right now, we’re just finding our feet in this new digital format and at the moment we’re working steadily but surely based on what I like to put out as good music. And right now, we’re not really making a lot of music from digital formats at all, but the idea of it is that the releases still come out and the artists still get noticed. For me, that’s a great day. As long as the overheads are at a minimum, we can carry on releasing music.

1605, on the other hand, is a young label but one that stands for what vanguard techno is right here and now. What’s your approach to running a label?
Umek: The main aim of the label and its wider creative platform is to promote fresh artists, sounds and ideas. My approach is to sign as many unknown artists as possible, of course with good music. So I spend a lot of hours searching on Soundcloud and downloading demos. And for me the most important thing is content, not the artist’s name. I don’t mind if the track is from a totally unknown artist, the only measure is the quality of the track. If it’s good, then I will play it and release it and try to promote it as much as possible. And as I used to live in ex-Yugoslavia, I love to push guys from this area, because it’s really difficult for them to get noticed by some big deejays and labels. So my mission is to promote unknown artists from our area; plus, of course, releasing some cool stuff from established artists.
Cox: It has a consistency, and I can see Umek is supporting the next generation of artists and finding them. Doesn’t matter if it’s an unknown artist, it’s really important that what he’s looking for is music that he can support. And the only way to really support it is if you play it. It’s the same with me. I can’t sign someone that I can’t play. And that’s great, but there aren’t many people like Umek who see it that way. You can build up an army of label stars, artists that you appreciate and enjoy and who will be the next generation to sit in the chairs that we sit in today. There’s not many people that think like that, so he’s definitely on to a winner. Intec has been running for the last nine or ten years, and I’ve been through the ups and downs. I’m very happy to be in a position where I’m able to find an unknown artist and get them on Intec records and push them forward into the spotlight. And basically Umek’s record label is doing exactly the same thing, for the right reasons.

What production first pops into your mind when you hear Carl’s name?
Umek: I Want You Forever, of course. It was a huge tune in ’91 and I still remember the video playing on MTV. Again, at the time we didn’t have much access to electronic stuff, but this was played a lot on The Party Zone on MTV.
Cox: Yeah. It was a surprise for me too. I was signed to Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto, and it was the second signed release for his new record label at the time. I had had the concept of this track in my head for a couple of years. So I went into the studio, and it took me two days to record the track and he put it out right away and it hit all the European charts at no. 1. We had a really cheap video, and I performed on the Top of the Pops as well. Oh my god! It went from this conceptual idea to stardom. It was unbelievable to be in that position. … At the time I was basically seen as a rave deejay, not really a techno deejay, since rave music was very popular at the time. So that basically put me on to the platform of being a producer as well as a deejay and being a remixer as well. I like to do remixes but I also like to actually create music from the album point of view. So, I’m kind of working on my fourth album right now. But without I Want You Forever maybe I wouldn’t have felt it was necessary to make music because I was mostly seen as a deejay. It was an amazing journey to take, considering how it all started.

Is it safe to say that you most like Gatex from Umek’s vault? You've been hammering a new version quite passionately for the whole summer, like at the Nature One festival. Is it THE track from Umek’s vault?
Cox: It has to be. It’s definitely his defining moment. When the original version came out – it was amazing. And it still is amazing today. And it should never be remixed. And you remixed it. And the remix is obviously fantastic. So when I heard it again, I just loved it. I kind of missed it when it went away and now he’s brought it back into the 21st century. And when I played it at Nature One, there were so many people with their phones out, and they’re all plugged into YouTube, Facebook, Twitter … and the next day we instantly had thousands and thousands of hits on YouTube, of the moment I played your record. At that moment I wished it was my record! (laughs) But it was a defining moment and I felt proud. It was a great record to begin with. It is a classic and Umek remixed it. Gatex is just unbelievable. It’s techno personified for sure.
Umek: Gatex is definitely my best-seller but in the old days my studio was quite bad. I was making this tune that actually had beats inside of it. But because the bass was so fat and everything so tense I couldn’t mix the bass drum inside or hi-hats or anything. And I was standing there thinking: “What should I do? I’ll just leave it without beats!” And suddenly everyone was playing the record and I thought: “Wow!" It was funny. No beats, no nothing, but wherever I went I heard it five times a night. Something was happening. And then the remixes came. I did an earlier remix but didn’t like it that much. So, in 2010, I was really happy to have better equipment and the chance to mix it properly with a proper bass drum, a bass line, and everything. And now it’s playable as a drum track all around the world.

Gatex was also one of the defining records of the famous Slovenian techno sound and now I have a feeling that you and especially Tomy DeClerque, another Slovenian artist, are redefining this sound.
Umek: It was somewhere around ‘97/’98 when I felt for the first time that we have a kind of Slovenian sound. With Random Logic, we were actually buying the same machines. We all had the Yamaha stuff, FM synths and we were using the same equipment, so the sound was similar. At that point I thought we had a Slovenian sound. Later on, me, Valentino and Marko Nastic defined the sound of this region. Lately I’ve had this feeling that we lost the sound for two or three years, but now it’s coming back, renovated. There’s me, there’s Tomy, and a few other producers from the coast, sounding similar. This is important, to have a sound that is typical for the region.

Speaking of Tomy, you’ve released his Simple as an EP.
Cox: With the rebirth of Intec we’ve decided to release 10 to 12 projects a year, and it’s actually really hard to do that. But to promote a record, it takes between four and six weeks of lead-up time before the record actually comes out. I like to think that each record that we put out is a potential classic and I want people to play that record, rather than wait for the next one to come out in two weeks. Music is moving way too fast. For me anyway. I like to think that in the end, each record will become a future classic that you can play in the next year or the year after that and it will still sound great. Simple As That is a fantastic record, there’s nothing else that sounds like it and that’s the reason why I signed it. It’s just pumping. For me, when a record knocks me off my chair – that the reason I sign it. And that one still knocks me off my chair. So for me, signing somebody like that was just unbelievable. I don’t know where he got the sound from, or the idea of where it comes from, but for sure there’s something going on in the region… must be something in the water (laughs).

Tomy told me he was really surprised that you were playing some of his tracks, because he didn’t feel like it was your stuff.
Cox: There are so many artists who basically say: “I’ve made a record for Intec.” It’s the worst line you can give me. Don’t make a record for Intec, make a record that you’ve made and then I’ll see if it’s right for Intec. Because if you make a record for Intec, you’re not thinking with your heart, you’re thinking with your head. They think that the record is fantastic and they get their hopes up, and then I have to say that it’s not right for my label and that I think it would be better somewhere else. And that startles everybody. So I don’t want to raise any expectations. So if Tomy comes to me and says “I’ve made a record and I hope you like it” then that’s great, because if I do like it, there’s no pressure on him, he’s made something that he created and believed in.

You seem to be getting a bit nostalgic: you are Chasing The Moroder, taking us back to the 90’s with a Consumer Recreation sound on OMGWTF … Are you getting old?
Umek: Oh, those are just records I really love. And I do love to sample. Actually, when I’m making music, there are different periods. Sometimes I don’t sample at all for years and then at times I’m only sampling. We’ve had the Valentino Recycled Loops label, which was just for sampling and nothing else… But basically, those are records that I really love and they’ve got riffs inside of them that are just begging to be sampled. And a good riff is a good riff, it doesn’t matter whether it’s old or new, you know? I just love them. And I love bringing them to life again.

Umek, you are one of the most downloaded artists on Beatport. You’ve also received the award for being the best techno artist on Beatport. Carl, on the other hand, is the top DJ on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list. These titles, what do they mean to you?
Cox: It’s nice to be recognized for what you’ve done. I mean, I’ve been doing this style of music for over 22 years. So, if you don’t get recognized by now then - what!? (laughs) It’s just nice to be recognized. It doesn’t truly mean anything, because we work the next week and the week after that, and the week after that, and we do what we love. … It doesn’t matter if you’re no. 1, no. 10 or no. 50, as long as people enjoy what you’re doing. That’s what’s important in the end. Like I said: it’s nice to be recognized but it’s not truly important.
Umek: The same goes for me. Of course it’s nice to see that you’re number one on Beatport – that means that I’m making good music. For me, the most important thing is to go into the studio and just have fun. I still have fun making tracks during long flights, because I can’t sleep on the plane. I make tracks in the car, I make tracks in the studio, and at home. I’m making tracks all the time. That makes me happy and I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m happy doing it.

Umek is a big role model in Slovenia, so it’s quite natural for him to get involved in charity projects. I believe you're also involved in similar projects. Why is it so important to send a message? After all, clubland is all about getting away from your problems. But then you tell people: there are problems - deal with them.
Cox: We do reach out to people around the world through media, music, and live shows. Our names are out there all the time and young people basically look to us for inspiration. They want to work in a way that they’ll be successful like we’ve been. And maybe they have a little problem, maybe they’re stuck, and they just can’t go any further.

Nine out of ten campaigns I get involved with deal with cancer. One company called the Every Man Campaign for testicular cancer helps raise awareness, since few deejays we know have had it. And we can do a little something to raise awareness and help others get through these times based on our being able to deejay and play to many people. And if there’s something we can do, then we’ll do what we can to help. Why not? I mean, it would be a shame if we, who are able to reach so many people, would say no. For us, we say yes because we think it’s important. I think it’s important and obviously Umek also thinks it’s important as well. And it works. You know, you put your heads together, and people can see that the movement is a positive movement. It helps other people get through hard times based on charity and getting involved. It’s important to say “yes” if you can help others. Why not?

It’s been an amazing year, and you’ve done a lot of things together as well as on your own. What are you up to next?
Umek: As always I have a few tracks coming out. Hopefully my first release on Intec (Fire Fight / Ljubljana) is going to do well. It’s a kind of disco-techno I don’t know …
Cox: Anarchy!
Umek: Yeah, it’s absolutely amazing. I play Fire Fight all the time. It’s one of the best tunes I’ve done in ages. It finally found its way into Carl’s hands. It was bouncing around here and there until it finally found a proper home at Intec Records. And after all these years, I’m going to have a really cool release – on his label. (laughs)
Cox: I have to finish making my new album. It’s going to be my fourth long player. It’s going to be titled All Roads Lead To The Dance Floor and I’ve been basically working on it for the last year and a half and road testing a lot of the music. It sits really well inside what’s going on in today’s music. I’m quite happy with the way the album is sounding. I’m also looking forward to a live elements show with the album, which will be next year. So, it’s going to be quite a big release. It’s going to come out on Intec Digital. It will be the first time that I’ve actually gotten behind my own music, and released my own record on my own label, rather than selling it to some major company. Next year it’s going to be interesting to see how this music, my style of music, gets accepted. Because I also did the drum & bass on the album. I also did some dubstep, latin house, techno, all sorts of wonderful things. I’ve done it, I’ve made it, I’m playing it and I’m looking forward to releasing it and hopefully people will enjoy it.

And I believe you will still keep performing together as let’s say, “the Keepers of the techno legacy?”
Cox: Basically, if anyone is going to keep techno safe, it’s going to be me and Umek! For sure. ‘Cause we believe in it and we’ve always believed in it. That’s what got us where we are today and without it, we’d both probably be working in McDonald’s or something like that. (both laugh)]]> music entertainment Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 Interview with Gareth Emery

How’s your year going so far, are you pleased to have the album finished and almost on the shelves?
It’s been an amazing year, but also a tough one – I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard in my life, as I’ve toured more than ever before but also made my album beginning to end in the first six months of the year. Between January and July I usually only had 2-3 days each week back home, so I really had to prioritize that time. That meant locking myself away in the studio for virtually every moment I had at home, with everything that I could do elsewhere being done on flights and in hotel rooms, whether it was downloading new music, answering emails, interviews, dealing with my bank or whatever.

It didn’t help that I was also buying a house at the same time. Now it’s all over, it actually feels quite bizarre. You know, the album’s finished, I’ve moved into my new place, and all of a sudden I have free time again. I’m not used to it.

Your debut artist album “Northern Lights“ is far from premature in your career, As an extremely in demand remixer with many productions to your name, was it a conscious decision to write your album now and what role does it play to you as a turning point in your successful career.
I suppose it was, mainly because I like to do something different each year. I get bored quite easily, so if I find myself doing the same stuff two years in a row, I’ll lose interest. I just need new challenges I guess. In 2009, we set up my new Garuda record label, which is now going great, and also did really well with our Garuda club nights at Sankeys where we sold out with every event we did, plus I remixed the likes of Armin, Above & Beyond etc. At the start of 2010, I had a few weeks off in January to contemplate the year ahead and ask myself whether I wanted to carry on doing the same stuff, or go and try something I hadn’t done before, and an artist album was the logical answer – although I wasn’t sure at the time if it was actually possible.

The hardest thing was people thinking I was having a lazy year doing nothing, as I didn’t want to announce I was working on an album until I knew I’d definitely manage to deliver it. So in May / June time, a lot of people were saying “what on earth has Emery been doing this year, maybe he can’t handle DJing so much because he hasn’t made a track for six months”. Then on one glorious day in July, I was able to say “I’ve been working on my album, it’s finished, and here’s a video of the first single” and it was a massive weight off my shoulders.

Is it fair to say that the “Gareth Emery Sound” is more of a collection of genres and styles than one in particular? Did you approach the album knowing there would be not only high expectations but also a possible stylistic judgement?
That’s definitely true. I’m not quite sure what the ‘GE sound’ is, but other people seem to be able to identify it quite well, despite the fact it spans a lot of genres and styles. The nice thing now is that most people who come and see me play know that it’s going to be quite varied, so they don’t come expecting a straight up set of one style only. I love meeting fans of mine who don’t really consider themselves trance fans. They like all sorts of music, and might be seeing me one week, then Swedish House Mafia the next, then Loco Dice the week after. It’s proper open mindedness, especially amongst the younger generation who’ve ignored the old genre divides and stupid rules that you can only be into one style. They just go and see who they like and it’s great. So yeah, there’s a lot different styles on the album, but I don’t think this will surprise anyone who knows a bit about me.

For anyone that doesn’t know Gareth Emery is there three words that can sum you up?
Perfectionist, musical, nice (mostly).

Your DJ sets always blur the boundaries between many electronic styles, covering Trance, Techno and House, is there any other genres that you personal love and would include if possible? if so do we see a hint of these influences on the album?
In dance genres, I also really like jungle, particularly Sub Focus, John B type stuff, some good dubstep, and also I love downtempo electronic. Kruder & Dorfmeister, Thievery Corporation, Tosca, that sort of stuff. You won’t find these styles on the album though because that’s not what I do well. I could try and make a jungle or dubstep track, but it’s not my area of expertise and it’d most likely end up sounding like a distantly poor man’s version of the real thing, so I haven’t tried. I hate it when electronic artists include tracks on their albums in genres they don’t know much about to try and be diverse for the sake of it, because it almost never works. House, progressive, trance, and techno – that’s what I play, that’s what I know how to make, so that’s what’s on my album. If I felt I could make a track in other styles that was as well made and current as the guys doing it properly, then I would, or more likely, I’d rope one of them in for a collaboration. That would be more likely.

Tell me a little about Gareth as a world touring DJ and how you managed to end up as one of the youngest ever DJ to enter DJ Mag’s Top100 poll
2009 was the year it all happened really. I played over 100 gigs (over twice as many as the year before) including a lot of big festivals, but also started Garuda, the Garuda club nights, put in some high profile remixes, and also had some pretty big club tracks like Exposure and Metropolis, which you’re still hearing in people’s sets over a year on. It seemed like everything just exploded in that year, and all of a sudden for a lot of people I went from being someone who they’d heard of, but didn’t know a lot about, to a serious contender who they’d go out of their way to see. Entering DJ Mag’s top 10 at the age of 29 was still very unexpected though. I try not to take any poll to seriously – as they’re all popularity rather than talent contests – but it’s certainly nice when so many people vote for you.

How do you see trance evolving or is it at all? Is the scene any different to when you started?
It’s changed a lot over the past ten years, in some ways for the worse, but I prefer to focus on how it’s changed for the better. Trance is a massively global scene, and musically it’s as diverse as it’s ever been. Of course, you’ve still got the dinosaurs who don’t want to hear anything but cheesy 140bpm super synth stuff circa 2000, in the same way you’ve got closed-minded people throughout the scene who think anything labeled ‘trance’ sounds like that. But fortunately both kinds seem to be a dying breed.

I know you may have been asked this many times, but do you see yourself as a DJ or Producer?
They’re both great in different ways. DJing is more instantly enjoyable, more of an immediate buzz, because playing to thousands of screaming people is obviously more fun than sitting in a dark studio listening to a hi-hat for the 100th time trying to work out why it’s not sitting in your mix quite right. But once a gig’s over, that’s it – it’s quite short lived. On the other hand, when you get it right as a producer and make something amazing, finishing it is only the beginning, and the joy you get from that record lives on for years or even decades. You need both.

Your Top100 Poll placing is testament to your massive fan base. How important do you think it is to engage with your followers and what role do you think your presence on Facebook and twitter plays with your success as both a DJ and producer?
It’s important to be engaged and in touch with people, and both Twitter and Facebook are great for that, so I’m fairly active on them both. You have to be careful though, as it’s quite easy to go too far, particularly on Twitter where frequent posting is encouraged, and end up posting every little bit of crap that pops into your head. You can come across as a real self-absorbed dick. So unless something exceptional is going on, I try and keep Twitter to a few tweets a day. I don’t need to tell 15,000 people I’m fucked off because someone in a supermarket queue in front of me is going slow. I’ve got more friends on Facebook – about 125,000 I think – so we tend to keep it to vital updates and not barrage people too much.

Your touring schedule is not only very busy but always includes many exotic locations, how do you manage to collect ideas and experiences and translate them into a production or piece of music? Can you describe an gig experiences that have made it on to the album?
Generally I don’t collect ideas when on tour, but I’ll often write music knowing it’s going to work in a particular context. I was in Bratislava in April playing a huge arena as a guest on Armin’s 450th radio show, and realized the night before I didn’t have anything good to start with. So on a moment of inspiration, I wrote a track in two hours, purely to have something big and exclusive to start my set with. The track ended up going down really well with a lot of people asking for its name from YouTube, so I went back to it, gave it substantial polish, added some new elements, and it ended up on the album as ‘Arrival’. It’s definitely one of my favourite tracks on there.

How is the tour going and is there anywhere you particular looking for to going.
The beauty of the style I play means you don’t just go to the same places, it’s different countries every week so there’s always somewhere interesting on the horizon. This weekend I’m doing the Electric Zoo festival in New York and a pool party in Las Vegas. In a few weeks I’m heading out to Asia for India, Malaysia, Indonesia. Then I’ll be back in Europe for a bit. It’s so incredibly varied and you get to go to so many different places, there’s always something to look forward to.

Tell us about your Northern Lights concert at the O2 Academy in Leeds this October, what was the thinking behind performing live and is it something that you feel is important to showcase the album? What can we expect different from a Gareth Emery DJ set?
Again, it’s about doing something we haven’t done before. We’ve done big one-offs at Sankeys in Manchester, the last one to celebrate four years and 100 episodes of my podcast in March. That was a real success and a total sell-out, so for the album we felt we needed a new offering rather than just repeating the same formula.

The O2 is an incredible venue, and as it’s an arena rather than a club, it gives us a lot more flexibility for bringing in additional production and doing live stuff, and it’s also bigger, so people should be comfortable however many ticket we sell. We’ve got all the vocalists from the album performing their tracks, plus a few additional instrumental interludes woven into a four hour DJ set from me with a lot of custom production. It’s by the far the biggest thing we’ve ever done, so I am naturally nervous, but it’ll be incredible if we pull it off.

Northern Lights contains many tracks that are not only diverse in style but that have a very musical composition, what role did your previous musical training have on the way you approached writing the album?
Classical training is both a curse and a blessing. On one level, it’s incredibly useful to know about chords, notes, structures etc, and it makes it a lot easier getting the ideas in your head onto the computer. But, it also teaches you to do things by the book, so when you’re looking to get outside of your comfort zone and do something truly different, a classical training isn’t the best preparation. I found I had to actually un-learn some of the stuff I’d been taught and be a bit more random in order to stop relying on tried and tested ways of doing things, and quite a lot of other producers who’ve had that classical training have told me the same.

What does your studio set up consist of and did the album production happen all in your Manchester based studio or was there collaborations involved?
It’s pretty simple – a PC running Cubase (although now the album’s done I’m going to move to a Mac), a few key bits of hardware particularly my Virus and an old analog Studio Electronics SE-1, and the rest is just soft-synths and sample based stuff. In all honestly, I’m not much of a gear-head. I never known what the latest synths are, and to be honest I’m just not that interested in that side of music production. I really consider myself more of a musician and songwriter – I’ve just had to learn production and engineering skills because in dance music, nobody else is going to do it for you. So I basically find bits of software and hardware that I like and work well for me, learn them well, and stick with them.

For two of the collaborations – with Jerome Isma-Ae and Activa – they worked in their studios on my melodies, before sending me back parts so I could get them running in my studio and finish the job. And all of the vocals for the album were recorded in London with Anthony Galatis, who also co-wrote three of the vocal tracks. But all the final mixes were done at my studio – I felt the need to do that to ensure a consistent sound across the record.

With many Trance productions, a vocal is more often that not never far behind, but you seem to have included many new vocal talents on Northern Lights, a refreshing approach to guest vocals. What were the reasons behind not choosing to work with some more well known voices; are we seeing a mentoring side to Gareth Emery?
I just wanted the album to be as fresh and unique as possible. Not just tracks people hadn’t heard, but vocalists they’d never heard either. To be honest, if I hadn’t been lucky enough to find such good vocalists I might’ve scrapped this idea and resorted to some of the tried and tested names, but we got such good results with Lucy, Roxanne and Mark that I’m really pleased we took this route. The reasons were two-fold – firstly I wanted to introduce new people, and I think Lucy is the one who’ll do best from it – she’s a real star. Mark’s already a successful songwriter, he’d just never sung on at track before, and Roxanne has a record deal and forthcoming album in a totally difference style, but I think Lucy really go on in the dance music world. And secondly, as much as I love some the tried and tested names, I just don’t find them that exciting. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it’s how I feel. I didn’t want to work on an album that sounded different to everyone else’s to only then go and fill it with the same vocal names we’ve heard countless times.

Has the album turned out how you envisaged it at the start of the project and do you have a personal favourite track from the album
More of less, yeah. I did most of the writing at the start, so in about March I had a playlist in iTunes of demos of how wanted the finished album to be, and that’s pretty much how it turned out. I couldn’t really pick a favourite – right now I can listen to Arrival and Sanctuary most easily, but that’s probably because I’ve played them extensively in my sets and know they work.

The future of Gareth Emery is...
To keep doing this for a job as long as I can, and to stay happy and healthy.]]> music entertainment Sat, 18 Sep 2010 18:30:00 +0200 Interview with Norman Doray

Congratulations on the success of "Chase The Sun" featuring David Tort on Beatport. It's a remake of the old Planet Funk classic, isn't it?
Thanks a lot! Yeah it's a remake of this big hit "Chase the sun" from Planet Funk. I always loved the original it was massive but I couldn't play it in my set because it was more Pop related. So when I went to David's studio in Barcelona, I came up with this idea and...we did it ;)

You have a new track out together with Tim Berg & Sebastien Drums on Size Records called "Tweet it". Any special idea behind the name of the track or just for laughs?
Yeah its a special idea from me actually ahahah...We were making the track in studio and when we finished it, I was on twitter as always (I love it !!) and we were looking for a title. and I said yeah lets find the title and lets tweet it ahahah...and then it came straight "Tweet It". It's really funny!

On the 18th of September you are visiting Uppsala in Sweden to play Saluhallen. What can we expect to hear from you? Any brand new tracks you are going to play?
To be honest I don't know what to expect, I don't even know where it is on the map hahaha... Last week I had dinner with Axwell and asked him about the city, and he told me that it should be nice, so I trust him :)

Yeah I have many many things to test out. I'm constantly producing or looking for new tracks, so its cool.

Over the past few years you remixed some of the most successful tracks such as Woz Not Woz & When Love Takes Over. Do you have a secret weapon when taking on a remix job like those two?
Not really. The only to do is to get away for the original which is big..You need to keep it simple, but really efficient. This is what I did with the David Guetta's Remix I think. I'm still playing it in my sets ;)

How do you relax, considering that you are more or less on the road almost the whole year? Any tip for our bedroom bedlams?
I relax with my friends and family when I'm at home. I also play a lot of sport, I need to. When I'm travelling or in the hotels rooms, I play video games, watch movies or simply try to sleep as much as I can :)

What are the plans for Norman Doray for the rest of 2010 and early 2011?
I have many many things coming. My new track TWEET IT has just been released on Size Records. I have a new single called "Home" which is coming soon. Then another one. I'm also finishing a Remix for Defected. A part from that I have a lot of gigs around the world. I'm leaving tomorrow for a Tour in Brazil, then I'm going to do a big tour in USA, first time for me.

Please, do list your current top 5 tracks
Norman Doray, Tim berg, Sebastien Drums - Tweet it
Julie Mc Knight - Diamond Life (Daddys Groove Rmx)
Those Usual Suspects - Feel The Need (Big Room Mix)
Marco V - Reaver
Norman Doray & David Tort - The Sun (Thomas Gold Rmx)]]> music entertainment Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:08:00 +0200 Interview with Stafford Brothers
What has been the highlight of 2010 so far?
2010 has had lots of great highlights, and we are only half way there! Doing the Future Music tour nationally in Australia was great, but also touring places like Santo Domingo and France, where we had never been was also amazing. Its crazy one day you are Djing on a beach, the next you are in a snow resort snowboarding and playing some tracks, you can’t really beat it.

We LOVE that electronic music is bigger than ever, the time of the superstar DJ seems to be back again – with DJs collaborating with mega stars etc , what’s your take on it all?
We think its all positive for dance/electronic music. It does mean its becoming more commercial, but overall we think that’s good for the industry. Bigger is better!!

What have you got coming out for the rest of 2010?
Music wise we have a new single currently out called "Wasted" which is smashing it in the clubs, following that we have a track called "Can’t stop what we started" with Ollie James and Jason Herd.

We have also collaborated with Kris Menace in Germany for a track to be released on ‘We play’ soon, and following that another German release with Dabruck and Klein. So much music coming out, and finally there is a track with our UK brothers the Hoxton Whores, which looks like it will be out in the USA!

Tell us something we wouldn’t already know about you both.
Chris is currently the Australian stage diving Champion and he will be competing at the worlds later in the year. Matt cooks an amazing Spaghetti Bolognese.

What’s this about you being the stars of your own TV show? Tell all!
Yes we do have a show coming out. It is six episodes, launching in Australia in January and hopefully hitting the rest of the world following that. It’s basically about our lives, and relationships with those around us. Expect to see crazy parties, exotic locations, Djing, extreme sports, music, and the lifestyle that goes with it. We are filming in Europe from late July so pretty crazy!]]> music entertainment Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:25:00 +0200 Interview with DJ Widenski
Tell us, for those who don't know, who is DJ Widenski?
A regular guy from Estonia who despite to my tender age of 28 years have already been in dance music business for over 13 years and played my funky house sound with a strong disco touch in some of the top clubs on the planet such as Pacha (Ibiza), Turnmills (London), Vertigo (Hong Kong), Vogue (Paris) to name a few. I was also chosen to be the official resident for Ministry Of Sound parties in Tallinn. I love travelling, animals and hate people who think they are more important than others and General Motors who killed Saab.

How is the music scene in Estonia, compared to the rest of Europe?
To be honest it used to be a lot better years ago, early 2000s when people were very open to new stuff. We used to arrange many regular underground parties all over the country. At the moment it feels the majority of new generation who goes out every week has been growing up with commercial media and got therefore a strong music poisoning. We have very many clubs in our quite small capital city Tallinn and thank God a few of them are still hot and into good house sound. But to me Estonia is small, we have just 1,4 million people in total.

On New Years Eve you will begin a 3 month tour, tell us more about it!
Well it all started after me and my wife had decided last summer to have our next winter break in Australia. After I was offered a gig in Melbourne`s top venue Alumbra and also in Hong Kong`s Vertigo I decided to travel a bit more during that period and create a tour project and here`s the result. I am also very excited to play at my good friend Bert Bevans`es club Seduction in Phuket and Copenhagen`s best underground club Culture Box, both in March.

The International gigs you have lined up have focused on Asia, any particular reason?
I adore Asia, I have played in Hong Kong and India before, the way people live there and think is so different than in Europe and even if I wouldn`t maybe like to live there the rest of my life I still want to get there as much as possible – the climate, the culture, the food and the clubs. But my tour doesn`t only take me to Asia, I will be in many amazing places in Europe and Australia too.

What artists have been exciting you the most recently? And how would you rate 2009 as a year in general, musically?
I`ve always been a fan of Joey Negro and his disco sound and I`m happy he hasn`t got bored of producing great stuff. I have been digging in old stuff a lot recently and found many pearls so I guess it reflects that 2009 hasn`t offered too much good stuff to me. I have also got into soulful stuff more and more, maybe because I`m getting older and need more beautiful emotions. One of my best gigs in 2009 was definitely playing in South Spain in Andy Ward`s Vocal Booth Weekender – 2 days full of the best crowd ever, I will never forget it!

Since we now are close to Christmas, what do you want for Christmas?
A big hug from my wife and 3 years-old son who always asks me before going out if I`m going to spin records. And some quality time with family as the beginning of 2010 will be filled with travelling and parties. Oh and a Jean Paul Gaultier`s perfume too.]]> music entertainment Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:50:00 +0100 Interview with Danny Howells (2009)

Dig Deeper boss Danny Howells has acquired a hard-earned reputation as one of dance music’s most reliable DJs and producers. Whereas for many the word 'reliable' can often signifies a tendency to stick to one style and offer few surprises, Danny is different: he's maintained a fan-base through his consistent willingness to experiment and a taste for musical genres far beyond house & techno - as fans of his legendary Radio 1 Essential Selection mixes and Resident Advisor podcast this time last year can attest.

Saturday 19th December sees Howells return to matter for his second appearance at the venue this year, after his debut on Bedrock’s 11th Birthday in October. We caught up with him to find out the secrets of being dance musics premier pace-setter, his plans for next year and what he really wants for Christmas!

As is customary, everyone’s making their end of year lists – what’s stood out for you as your personal favourite moments of this year?
Off the top of my head I’ve got to say that a recent weekend I had in San Fran will go down in history for me – I did the LoveFest which was unreal, plus the craziest, most remote venue called The Compound, a daytime gig at the End Up with Lee Burridge, Craig Richards etc, as well as an afterparty at Vessel followed by another afterparty. That particular weekend is now known by all that were there as The Epic!

There was another incredible weekend in Japan which I loved, two amazing gigs at Panorama Bar in Berlin, a gig in Beirut which knocked my socks off, and most recently a party in Pristina which I won’t forget. As far as home territory goes, Dig Deeper moved to the intimate Notting Hill Arts Club which is something I’m really looking forward to developing next year, and of course, the Bedrock night at matter was incredible!

What are your plans for next year, as a DJ and label boss?
As a DJ, I think I’ll carry on as I have been. I’ve slowed down on the relentless touring – I find I enjoy myself and play better and more confidently when I’m not wiping myself out for the sake of wiping myself out. I think I will be spending a bit more time in the States though, as it’s always been such an enjoyable experience for me, plus I always miss New York when I’m away from there for too long.

As a label boss? Well, part of the reason I was able to produce so much music this year was because I did make a real effort not to be away from home too much. I can occasionally get stuck in to making music when I’m away, but normally I’m much more inspired when I’m in my own comfort zone.

I have no grand scheme other than to try and improve my production, and to try my hand in areas I haven’t gone before. I’m frequently getting drum and bass mixes done because I love that style so much, maybe one day soon I’ll get do do my own drum and bass track. Whether or not anyone will get to hear it though … we’ll have to wait and see!

You’ve built yourself a rep for being one of the best warm-up DJs in the business – what would you consider the most important things to building an atmosphere in a club. How does warming up for Digweed at Bedrock at matter in October differ from a Dig Deeper all-night session?
I think the most important part of building an atmosphere is letting go of your ego. You have to accept the fact that you’re not the main reason why people are there, and accept your place in the night and realize that the warm-up slot is actually one of the most enjoyable, exciting and fulfilling jobs there is. it’s one area where you can really get creative, dig out all those amazing deep gems that won’t work at peak time and utilize them to very slowly suck people in. There’s always a point during the warm-up when suddenly you realize that it’s all starting to click beautifully – and that’s an amazing moment.

Warming up for Digweed will always be very important to me, because that’s how I learnt to do it. There were a few occasions back in 91/92 where maybe I did step into more peak-time territory, but I realized then that that was the case as the energy flow to the whole night would be disrupted as a result. That’s a very important thing – making sure the night flows from start to close, so that right through to the end, people are always going to be wondering what else is going to be coming. You can’t burn everybody out in the first few hours!
It’s hard to tell you the difference between warming up for someone like Digweed, or doing a Dig Deeper – I’ll apply the same principles to the opening set regardless of whether I’m warming up for myself or somebody else.

What artists have been exciting you the most recently? And how would you rate 2009 as a year in general, musically?
It’s been a return to the funk – artists like Okain, Yakine, Niggeman, Tanzmann, etc have filled my box this year. And the techy stuff, in my opinion, just got better and better. Not so much the stuff you see in top tens of download sites, but the trippier, quirkier stuff. Tempos came right down, giving the music some space to groove out. It’s so hard now to pin genres on DJs and producers, which is something I find very exciting.

And finally… What do you want for Xmas?
Fuck, I’ve been wanting to get myself a 1960s/70s jukebox for so many years now, but I always tell myself I shouldn’t. They’ve large so space would be an issue, plus I’d feel very guilty about splashing out that amount of money on a luxury item. But, if someone decided to surprise me with a beautifully restored Seeburg or Rock-Ola, then … bring it on!!]]> music entertainment Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:30:00 +0100 Interview with Funkagenda

What was your overall approach to constructing a Toolroom Mix?
I wanted to make something that really reflected my sound as a DJ, but was also not just about banging out club tunes. I think I managed to strike a nice balance between those two poles. There is a nice selection of music in the mix.

Toolroom has a rich reputation in the mix CD spectrum. How do you feel about being given the opportunity to contribute to the series?
It’s an honour as I guess it would be for any artist. I am glad that they were willing to put me at the helm of this journey and trusted me to steer it in the right direction!

How would you describe the sound of the mix?
Well disc one is more of a groove based listening experience... It’s kind of like the sort of mix I enjoy listening to. It begins really deep and then works its way to a banging finish... Disc two is more representative of a guest slot that I would play in a club. I guess it like a 2hr club mix condensed into 75mins

How did you go about selecting tracks for the mix?
Haha - well it was a long process... Ask George in licensing! It was always going to be a bit more packed than any of the others CDs because I use tools extensively and I wanted that to be captured on the CD. There were LOADS of things that never made it on there due to licensing restrictions though... That was a bit gutting.

Would you say your musical policies as a DJ are accurately reflected?
Definitely! I think a lot of aspects of my sound are covered and people also get to see a different side to my music, for example the deeper stuff from disc one that I don't normally get to play. I think people will be quite surprised.

Was musical diversity an important concept to explore for you while making the mix?
It wasn't so much of an exploration, as I listen to so much different music. It was more like a case of actually fitting everything I wanted on there!

What do you feel about the house scene at the moment in terms of the quality of musical output?
Some of the output is great. There are exciting producers out there doing amazing tracks, and people are so up for listening right now... However some of the music out there is absolute gash, but its managing to hide under a veil of perceived genius. No names though! My stuff fits into neither I think... It’s just music to shake your bum to.

On the back of the Album release, how packed is your DJ schedule?
It’s Ramjamajammer at the moment. I am on a flight right now to Tokyo and then I get back for a few days of studio work before I shoot off to Russia + Poland... I can't remember the last weekend off I had! It's pretty packed up until NY as well – I have a US tour in December that I am really looking forward to and I am really excited that I am booked in London for NYE.

Are there any upcoming shows that you’re particularly looking forward to?
The Toolroom Knights 3rd Birthday at Ministry of Sound in London... I am planning some VERY special bits for that...

Preferred method of mixing: Vinyl or CDs?
Neither! I use Ableton Live 8 and the Akai APC40 now with 2 CDJ’s running in parallel to it... It’s the only way for me to fly.

All-time Favourite Club to perform in?
Pacha NYC or Space Ibiza... The terrace at Space obviously! And then in close joint second it would be Space Miami + Ministry of Sound.

Favourite Producer of the moment?
Either ThreeSixty or Adam Shaw... I also really like Broombeck + Siwell. They all make awesome stuff!

Secret weapon in your record box?
A .44 caliber spud gun... For laying down hefty justice carbohydrate style.

What’s your worst experience behind the decks?
When I used to drink a lot I played a couple of SHOCKING shows... One over here and one in Ireland. I have never felt like more of an asswipe for being as bad as I was. That’s why I got clean and promised that I would never play like that again.

Read more about the Toolroom Knights mixed by Funkagenda which was released on the 26th October 2009.]]> music entertainment Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:20:00 +0100 Interview with Terri B!

Over the years, you have become one of house music’s most recognizable voices. How did you make that possible? What were some of your greatest obstacles? And how did you overcome them?
I accidentally landed a number one song with 2Eivissa, (Produced by Luis Rodriguez of Modern Talking, Jennifer Rush, Avant Garde) with “Oh la la la” and had no idea that I was in the music business nor did I really take it serious. I just wanted to write a bit and sing, but the pop success landed me on the Billboard dance charts and simultaneously I had landed a studio job with trance stars, Future Breeze which meant I was charting in Top 100 in many countries. I was on the road and around the globe almost immediately. I then decided to take it a bit more serious and recorded an LP with the band and then came my best friend Jerry Ropero, who found me at a concert in Malaga, Spain backstage.

The track, “Get Down”, was the kickoff for his career and it circled the globe. We are still buddies and have recorded several killer tracks to this day. Jerry, who had so much success with the Storm, phoned me to record “Soul Heaven” and begged me to use my own name and then I had a new image on the scene. I love him dearly for his support. German DJ, Oliver Goedicke a.k.a. D.O.N.S, and I recorded “Big Fun” and it received great reviews, later we recorded “Night Train”, ”You Use To Hold Me” and collaborated with a host of deejays on my “List”, but I’ll explain that later.

You have worked with some of dance music’s most famous DJs throughout your career. Who was the most memorable and why?
I would have to say, Roger… Roger Sanchez is a gem. He is kind, considerate but let me tell you, it wasn’t easy to make this happen. His manager and I have been in touch for 6 years working on ideas that he would consider working on with me. Roger was tough and completely honest about his taste but curiously offered me a window for creativity, especially when I sent him auto tuned vocals at a time when T.I. and all of Hip Hop had not even jumped on it. We were really cutting edge. I performed with him at the Mansion in Miami at the 2009 WMC and the crowd’s response and energy was AMAZING. His staff was so organized and professional it was a great experience.

I have to also mention a couple of other favourites, John Dahlback and Oliver Goedicke a.k.a. D.O.N.S., I can proudly say are my friends. We do a lot of writing together and really get down to the basics of finding what works. Oliver is fast as hell with ideas and knows what he wants. John will kick songs back five or six times until he finds melodies that fit to his picture of how he wants the track to work, we really hash it out. I love that. He is so talented and it really shows he came from a musical family.

You have such a unique and soulful voice, what made you choose this genre of music?
Actually, it chose me. I’m so eclectic and that can sometimes be a curse. I love going to places like L.A and having the opportunity to write with country music legends like, Wendy Waldman and Stephen Dorff. I’ve even written for Smokey band member Chris Norman. Sometimes I have hung out in the Bronx with me of Hip Hops finest to hash out lyrics to beats. In the fall of 2008, I released my first R&B album which I will tell you guys more about later. I love all styles of music and I just can’t be bound to one style, it is like a bag of M&Ms, so many colours to choose from and I’m gonna eat the whole bag. (LOL)

What inspires your music and lyrics? Tell us about one of the most difficult times you had to write but felt no inspiration, yet wrote a hit song? Have you written for or worked artists outside of the house music scene? Who? Tell us about the experience.
Heartbreak, triumph and success are all motivators for my writing process. If I didn’t have a past, I wouldn’t be as proficient at what I do. People want to know you mean it. I remember being at Amsterdam Music Conference and a long time friend and label owner complimenting my lyrics to “Can’t Slow Down” and I was so proud, however it wasn’t difficult because the moment I heard the melody from Diaz, Dahlback and Young Rebel it was written. I was inspired by my new found independence and celebrating my success in a business where people doubted me and my passion. Roger was not easy, but he taught me to keep my eye on the prize. I just couldn’t slow down.

How are your collaborations chosen? Have there been some recently released songs? What projects can we look forward to this summer from Terri B!?
I collaborate with well known deejays, who I have an interest in their work and with deejays, like Jerry Ropero when we first met, who just have a killer track. There will be a new track this summer from me and a Hungarian deejay who sent me the most rocking song so I just recorded it right away. He was surprised but I told him don’t be, cause we all start with something and someone. It is still about the music for me.

We noticed many dates are performed with D.O.N.S., tell us about how that partnership developed and is there a Terri B! solo tour in the works?
D.O.N.S is my colleague and friend. We have been to Beirut, China, Australia, Russia, India and so many places that he has become a part of my life, like a husband sometimes but I respect his career and we respect each other. I have ideas that challenge him and he challenges me but we work together to do a great job. We have done the set up as a featuring for a while now, so I am moving more to work in the clubs that specifically challenge my art but we will still perform together from time to time.

You mentioned that you released an R&B project in Fall 2008, “The Terri Green Project.” How was this project developed? Tell us about the sound and what to expect in a live performance.
Yes, check it out on http://www.terri-green.com . I had so much help from producers that have been my friends for years. Johan Boback, (Cindy Lauper “Into the Night”), Stephen Dorff(Whitney Houston, Celine Dion), Torsten Abrolat (NANA, Underdog Project) and many others helped this come to fruition. Jochen Mueller, a German sound engineer, actually flew from Australia to mix down the record for me for a few weeks and really stood by to help me finish things up. I am eternally grateful for their great friendships.

Website : http://www.terri-b.com]]> music entertainment Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:33:00 +0200 Interview with Pete Tong (2009)

For those who do not know about it, tell us about the International Music Summit ?
The International Music Summit is an intimate high quality conference set in Ibiza – the spiritual home of dance music - focused on getting the biggest and brightest players in electronic music together for 3 days of debate and networking. A chance to exchange ideas and work on strategies that will make the business stronger and more competitive in the future.

How did all this come about ?
The partners all have a passion about our business and a long standing appreciation of Ibiza. We felt that there was an opportunity to create a new type of conference at the start of the Ibiza season. We wanted to create an event that was good for the business and good for Ibiza. We appreciate Miami and Amsterdam but felt Ibiza deserved its own conference as it plays such a major role in what we all do.

You are holding it at the Ibiza Gran this year, why the change ?
I think it’s a natural evolution after the success and feedback from last year. The Gran is a major new addition to the island in terms of facilities and gives us many more outlets to stage satellite events around the conference. Ibiza town is a fantastic location.

Why did you feel the need to be involved in a conference like this ?
I have been in the business all my working life , I feel this is a great opportunity to put all that experience to positive use.

The IMS is teaming up with the Hepatitis C trust – how did that come about ?
They saw what we achieved last year and approached us to be involved and support what they were doing – I think it’s a very positive move for both organisations.

Last year was a huge success, with lots of delegates saying they did more business in those 3 days than they had done in years of going to other conferences. How did that make you feel ?
Very proud and very happy for Ibiza. It was very rewarding to be able to run such a high quality conference on the island that sometimes suffers for being seen as just the ultimate party place.

Can you tell us anything about the panels this year ? How are they relevant to what is going on in our industry at the moment ?
We think we put together a very unique and thought provoking selection of panels last year and aim to do the same again for 09 and push the boat out even further! There will panels that address the issues of the day and those that will make people think outside the ‘box’ to use a well worn conference saying!

Can you tell me about the Grand Finale ? I hear it’s going to be huge.
We have worked hard to improve our ties with the Ibizan Government during the last year and we are very happy that they have given us access to the fort in the old town , a world heritage site.

I hear the IMS has backing from the Ibiza Government this year which is a massive achievement, tell me more about it...
As I mentioned in the previous question, we wanted them involved last year, they came and participated , they were very impressed with what they saw so this year they have agreed to support us in a more formal way. Hopefully the relationship and can build from here. We want the IMS to become a very important event for the island.

You had 300 delegates last year, and this year has 400 – is this the shape of things to come ?
We want the conference to remain intimate that was its strength from the outset but we want the events around the conference to become our interface with a bigger consumer market. Sonar is a great role model.

What was the most inspiring thing that happened at the IMS last year ?
Seeing 300 of my colleagues and piers sit through every panel side by side for the whole three days. That was absolutely amazing!

Tom Middleton & Soul Avengerz famously made a track live at last year’s conference, is anyone going to top that this year ?
This year Dirty Vegas will be writing the IMS anthem in front of the crowd. Followed by Above & Beyond delivering the remix. It speaks for itself!

Do you think there is a need for another music conference ?
I think there is a need for a unique conference in a place that does so much for the scene, the artists the dj’s the producers the writers the promoters. Ibiza inspires us all and rewards us all and I think it deserves this conference and I think the electronic community can take great benefit from it.

Will you be djing ?
Yes I’m playing before Basement Jaxx who unveil their new live show at the incredible venue awarded to us by the Ibiza Consell, which is a World Heritage site in Dalt Vila. Also playing live are Filthy Dukes, and I will be DJ-ing with Rob da Bank.

What are you looking forward to most about this years IMS ?
Getting it started on Wednesday morning!

Can you tell me anything about the evening’s showcases ?
We decided to invite a handful of labels. So on Wednsday at Grial we have Rekids and Barraca from Spain. And on Thursday, Cr2 join Toolroom and Pacha Recordings. This brings in DJ sets from the likes of Radio Slave, Adam Grant, Mark Knight, Funkagenda, the return of MYNC and Sarah Main. The Danish music industry also roll into a town with Kenneth Beger and a host of others at a special Danish showcase at El Hotel. And each night, Pioneer will host sunset drinks with Sander Kleinenberg, Tom Middleton and Sarah Main already confirmed.]]> music entertainment Fri, 15 May 2009 18:41:00 +0200 Interview with Benny Benassi
Hi Benny, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. You have your new Toolroom Knights compilation out at the end of the month, tell us about it?
I'm really happy to be working with Toolroom. It's a label that speaks for DJs and it feels right. It's a 2 CD mix and I tried to imagine a club set that progresses from an electro house vibe to a more nu-disco, electro-punk vibe. At the same time, I tried to make it appealing to people wanting to listen to it in their cars and at home.

Which CD do you prefer?
I love both, although I'm leaning more and more towards the nu-disco sound like Japanese Popstars, Shinichi Osawa and Boys Noize.

What gigs have you got coming up?
I've got lots of gigs coming up including: Sankeys in Manchester, Middlesbrough Error! Bookmark not defined., Ministry of Sound in London and a tour of the USA.

Do you have a specific concept in mind when you are preparing for an album?
When I prepare a mix CD, I try to use the same concept I use when I do radio mixes. I try to bear in mind that it's for listening to as well as dancing to. At least that's what I think when I start working on it, and then instinct takes over!

It features a couple of your own productions on there – tell me about those.
They are two tracks that I love, one which samples Iggy Pop and the other David Bowie. I love contaminating old school pop-rock with electro beats.

Do you think there is a limit on how much you can interfere with someone else's music?
Where remixes go there's no limit!

Who would you like to remix your work?
Right now… Shinichi Osawa, Yuksek and Japanese Popstars.

As an artist you are extremely diverse, do you think that hinders you as a DJ or enhances it?
Everyone says I'm eclectic but the truth is I'm confused.

What makes you groove?
If you mean what gets me dancing… I'm really into the Kitsuné, Edbangers and Gomma Records etc.

Have you ever had to take a massive risk musically?
No, luckily my cousin, producer and studio partner Alle Benassi, takes all the risks!

If you could write a score for any film from the past, which would it be?
Can you write film music using samples?

Who do you think is going to blow us away this year?
The economic downturn :-)

What piece of kit can you not live without?
My Mac.

What was the last book you read?
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

What's your most treasured possession?
My fixed bicycle... It was made in 1946 and I did it up.

What's in store for Benny Benassi in 2009?
A new studio with Alle, a new company called Basic Music and intense touring. I also want to get fit to ride my bike as I wouldn't mind touring on a bicycle.

Toolroom Knights mixed by Benny Benassi is being released on the 16th February 2009 on Toolroom Records.]]> music entertainment Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:42:00 +0100 Interview with John Digweed

Congratulations – It’s been 10 years! Did you ever expect Bedrock to go so long ?
I think as long as you are having fun and enjoying it you don’t really look at the clock that much. We have been very lucky to work with some amazing talent who inspire us.

Bedrock has been instrumental in many DJs careers namely Danny Howells, how does that feel ?
Danny was one of those talents that just needed the right stage. I think the early years in Hastings and at the start of Heaven gave him a real understanding of how a night works from start to finish; not just turning up and playing your set. I think he gets it and that’s he has gone on to do so well.

You have gone down a different route to the usual ‘Greatest Hits’ type album. Tell us about the concept.
Well all the tracks are on the label and have been available on vinyl and digital so there is not really any sense in just mixing them for this album. People expect more these days. The original idea was get some of my favourite tracks, get them remixed and release them on a double CD then… however, I decided to mix the 2 CDs and then add a bonus CD with some new tracks from artists like Funk D void, Pindrop, Bradler and Nick Muir to name a few. The whole Album is pretty much new remixes of the catalogue or original tracks so a pretty collectable album.

You had loads of tracks to choose from, how did you make your choices ?
I really to choose my favourites from the last 10 years, unfortunately some did not get finished in time so there may be an EP some time next year with those on. Keep an eye out for it.

How come you came up with these producers to remix the catalogue ?
I wanted to use people that have really impressed me with there work over the years or showcase some of the new talent that there is out there.

Do you think there is a limit on how much you can interfere with someone else's music ?
If the end result works, I don’t have a problem with it.

Is there any stand out tracks for you ?
I love the Jamie Stevens remix of ‘Warung Beach’ and Tom Middleton’s remix of ‘Forge’, but to be honest I like all of them.

You are holding the 10th Anniversary Party @ matter when the Bedrock Parties have always been at Heaven, why the change ?
Heaven is a magical place and somewhere that I, and many Bedrock fans, have had some amazing nights. We just felt that for the 10th Anniversary it would be good to do something really different and matter is run by the people behind fabric so you know the sound, lighting and production is going to pretty special. It’s an amazing venue and people have been blown away by it so its really exciting to do our party there.

Who is djing at the party ?
I am in the main room from 10pm until the end and room 2 will feature Tom Middleton and Funk D Void, I am really looking forward to playing all night, It starts at 10pm on the 10th of the 10th (October) so ties in really well with the 10 year Celebrations.

The Bedrock parties were THE industry hang out! Do you have any special moments that you can think of ?
I loved the show with Rabbit in the Moon – it was a pretty special night.

You are touring extensively for the album ? Are there any shows you are looking forward to ?
I am looking forward to all of them but am really looking forward to going to Japan – it should be great as always.

What do never leave home without ?
My CDs and headphones.

What piece of kit can you not live without ?
Apple laptop.

What makes you groove ?
Music with soul.

How have you seen the music scene evolve over the last 10 years ?
Well I think the saddest thing is the demise of Vinyl and record shops. I know technology moves on but having a vinyl release is so much more satisfying for a producer than a mp3. On the flip-side being able to access so much music now when you are on the road is amazing

What are your highlights of the last 10 years ?
Twilo in New York, Big Beach with Fatboy Slim in 2002, coming No.1 in the DJ Mag Top 100 poll but most of all, its been the great fan-base that have supported me all that time.

Quick Fire Questions :
House or Techno ? - House
Beer or Wine ? - Wine
Dancefloor or VIP ? - Behind the decks
Dress up or Dress Down ? - Some where in the middle
Home or Away ? - Lucky to do both
CD or Vinyl ? - Both
Pro Tools or Logic ? - Logic
Past or Present ? - Present
Ibiza or New York ? - New York]]> music entertainment Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:55:00 +0200 Interview with Dirty South

What was your overall approach to constructing a Toolroom mix ?
The tracks for this compilation were selected on the basis of tracks I was into and what I was playing at the time of selection. It also features some Toolroom releases and of course some of my productions. I keyed all the tracks and mixed both discs with Ableton Live.

Do you feel that you’ve achieved what you set out to with the mix ?
I am really happy with this mix. I would say it is my favourite compilation to date. I think I achieved exactly what I intended with it.

How would you describe the sound of mix ?
The sound of the mix varies throughout both discs. Disc 1 is little deeper, weirder and sexier, where the second disc is more big room sounding.

How did you go about selecting tracks for the mix ?
It was a mixture of tracks that I have been playing out, tracks that I really liked, some Toolroom releases and my productions.

Would you say your musical policies as a DJ are accurately reflected ?
Disc 1 sounds like something that I would play if I was to warm up for myself, and the second disc reflects more what I would actually play like in a dj set.

You’ve been commissioned remix work for some big names in recent years, had a dance music award nomination, and a heap of singles released. Has there been a definitive career highlight for you so far ?
I think being nominated for a Grammy would be up there for me along with many other happy moments in my life.

Can we expect an artist album to be released in the coming years ?
It is possible, but for now I will concentrate on singles and also starting my own label very soon.

What do you feel about the house scene at the moment in terms of the quality of musical output ?
There is a lot of music out there and it can be hard to find the secret weapons and new/fresh tracks because everyone with a laptop can make beats and sometimes that’s not a good thing for the quality of music being released, but its every DJs job to be on the hunt and lookout for the best tracks they can find

On the back of the Album release, how packed is your DJ schedule looking? ?
The schedule is looking full on, with a European tour finally finishing end of September after being 4 months long. After that is the USA tour which will be followed by Australian tour. So its non –stop.

Are there any upcoming shows that you’re particularly looking forward to ?
I’m really enjoying my residency at Pacha, Ibiza with Subliminal nights and I have two more so I cannot wait for that. Also doing one of my favourite clubs in September, Ministry of Sound London for Steve Angelo’s Size party.

Preferred method of mixing: Vinyl or CDs ?
CD’s

All-time Favourite Club to perform in ?
Ministry of Sound London and Pacha (New York and Ibiza)

Favourite Producer of the moment ?
I like what the Swedish House Mafia are releasing, Tiger Stripes and Funkagenda at the moment.

Secret weapon in your record box ?
I always make new edits and bootlegs, plus I just finished a new track with Axwell called ‘Open Your Heart’.

What’s your worst experience behind the decks ?
I never have weird or uncomfortable moments behind decks, but the main thing that sucks for me when I’m playing is when the crowd is not there for the music.]]> music entertainment Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:02:00 +0200 Interview with Guy J

What was your overall approach to constructing the Album Esperanza?
My overall approach was to deliver a project that gives the listener a clue about my sound and my thoughts and my point of view about music… the album says a lot about who I am and what my sound is… it’s meant to pleasure the ears J

Bedrock holds a legendary status in house music. How does it feel having your artistic debut released on such a Label ?
It’s a huge honour since Bedrock has always been a massive inspiration for me as a producer and to actually be part of the huge list of artists that release their music on Bedrock – it’s a real big deal to me.

How would you describe the sound of the album ?
The sound of my album "Esperanza" is very warm. There a lot of melodies and depth to the album, it’s not just a dance album – It also includes new versions for "Geko", "Underpressure" and "Save me".

Would you say your musical policies as a DJ are accurately reflected ?
Yes, what you hear in the album is the vibe I’m trying to deliver in my sets. You can hear lots of different styles of house music in my sets but it’s all connected by the same sound and that is what happening in the album; each track is very different but they are all connected and it flows, it’s still consistent.

Was musical diversity an important concept to address for you while making the album ?
It was - I tried to make each track very different in one way but also grab elements from each track to and incorporate them into other tracks to make them flow and also maximise listening pleasure.

Numerous DJs and Producers have emerged from Israel in recent years, such as Guy Gerber, Chaim and you. Would you say that there is a signature sound that can be associated with Israeli dance producers ?
I don’t think our sounds are similar at all. There is lots of music coming out of Israel but sound wise we are quite different. It is just coincidence that we all started to get noticed around the same time… I don’t think our sounds are dictated by our postcodes. I really like Chaim & Guy Gerber and think they are great at what they do.

What do you feel about the house scene at the moment in terms of the quality of musical output ?
I really hope that it makes a bit of a u-turn and goes back to some great house music. More melodic and more tracks that are memorable – I really feel the scene lost that ‘big’ track feel this year and people have missed that. I say bring the melody back!!

What styles of electronic music would you site as being the key influences to your productions ?
I would say in my production you can find elements of house music,with Minimal, Progressive Deep and Techno… you can also hear snippets of ambient, dubstep, really leftfield stuff.

On the back of the Album release, how packed is your DJ schedule ?
At the moment its getting more and more packed. My manager James is doing a great job on the album tour.

Are there any upcoming shows that you’re particularly looking forward to ?
I have a gig at Ministry of sound in London on the 19th September which I’m really looking forward too as its my first club gig in the UK after Global Gathering which was my really first gig in the UK! I find each gig exciting as it’s going to new places and meeting new crowds and different people.

Preferred method of mixing: Vinyl or CDs ?
I would love to use Vinyls but I am using Ableton at the moment so unfortunately no place for the vinyls.

All-time Favourite Club to perform in ?
Ageha – Tokyo. It has the best vibe I’ve ever witnessed. Amazing people in an amazing club...

Favourite Producer of the moment ?
Jimpster. He is very different from what I’m doing, but the sound and the groove of his tune is something you just want more and more.

Secret weapon in your record box ?
My weapon is unreleased remixes I have made for few tunes... From time to time an old tune comes into my head so I go and try to remake it.

What’s your worst experience behind the decks ?
My Mac crashed in middle of a gig. I can’t even talk about it.]]> music entertainment Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:33:00 +0200 Interview with Danny Howells

What was your overall approach to constructing a Renaissance mix ?
With this mix, I had no clue as to what direction to take musically. It was a case of literally going through all of my music and pulling out all my favourite tunes, regardless of genre, from the last two or three years mainly. I don't really worry too much about being super-upfront on a CD, because it's something that will hopefully stay in people's collections for a while, so I think timelessness is more important that being upfront.

Once I'd collated all of my favourites I realised that a lot of them were in the melodic, deep house vein so that kind of gave me the direction in which to go.

Renaissance has a rich reputation in the mix CD spectrum. How do you feel about being given the opportunity to contribute to the series ?
Well it's my second CD for them, but the first one I've done on my own. It's a great opportunity, they're a company I respect immensely and have a great history.

How would you describe the sound of the mix ?
It's house, ranging from very deep to more peak time, but the bulk is very laid-back and also melodic and warm. I didn't really feel a need to be super-trendy or minimal; I think there's enough of that out there. I just used music I feel very passionate about and hopefully will still enjoy in years to come.

How did you go about selecting tracks for the mix ?
The first thing I did when I found out I was making a new compilation was to go in the studio as I wanted to get some of my own productions on there. I made about ten tracks or more, and from playing them out and listening to them over time I realised the ones that would probably work best in a listening environment were the deeper, funkier ones.

After that, as I said before, it was a case of going through my collection, finding tunes that had not really been picked up on, things that were only released on vinyl etc. Almost all the tracks were sourced from vinyl, as despite the occasional pop, they sound a lot better than mp3.

Would you say your musical policies as a DJ are accurately reflected ?
Yes. I think also it's kind of a statement as to where I hopefully want to end up in the long run. I don't want to be thrashing out heavy sets when I'm 60! My long term goal as a dj is to break away from the big events where I'm really only able to focus on more intense music - I love deeper music as well as more experimental, and that's where I'd like to reside in the future.

Was musical diversity an important concept to explore for you while making the mix ?
This CD isn't diverse the way my Choice CD or 24/7 was - my diversity is a bit of a hindrance in the early stages of making a CD, as I know it could be almost anything! I could happily do a dubstep mix or a drum a bass mix; therefore I'm almost overwhelmed by choices.

It's still covering quite a broad range of house, but it's very much in the spectrum of what you could hear me play out, especially in the first few hours of a night.

This is your first mix CD for 3 years. How do you think the album compares musically to your previous mix releases ?
I think it complements them well! There's actually only two of my old CDs that I ever listen to - Choice and 24/7 - and I think this one will make that list!

What do you feel about the house scene at the moment in terms of the quality of musical output ?
It's great - obviously there's a lot of crap out there, but in amongst that is some of the best, most innovative and fresh sounding music we've had in years.

On the back of the Album release, how packed is your DJ schedule ?
For this year it's going to be jam packed. Then once the promotion for the CD is over it's back to making more music.

Are there any upcoming shows that you’re particularly looking forward to?
I'm really looking forward to going back to Australia, and there are some North American gigs I'm really excited about too.

Preferred method of mixing: Vinyl or CDs ?
Both. I know in the eyes of people like Hawtin that makes me a luddite because I'm not pulling each tune to pieces, but I really believe that if a record's great it doesn't need dissecting.

Also it's a bit of an insult to someone's work if you're gonna play their track and only use one bar of it! I love hearing how other producers arrange their music, it gives me inspiration for when I come to arrange my own.

All-time Favourite Club to perform in ?
From the past, Arc/Vinyl in New York, currently Stereo in Montreal.

Favourite Producer of the moment ?
Too many to mention! Check the album tracklisting!

Secret weapon in your record box ?
My own tunes!

What’s your worst experience behind the decks ?
Whenever you get these ridiculous Sharon's who come over acting all friendly then shout "you got anything faster ?" Piss off!


Danny Howell’s The Mix Collection comes out on September 8th on Renaissance.]]> music entertainment Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:15:00 +0200 Interview with Paul Oakenfold

Do you have any special memories of Pacha from over the years?
The Perfecto residency, which was a big success, and started the trend of big DJs having their own nights at Pacha.

When did you first visit the Pure Pacha?
Many many years ago!

Do you find yourself playing in any way different when you are @ Pacha?
Not really. Every show is important. Educate but also entertain.

How do you see the scene in Ibiza 2008?
From a musical point of view, I think the spectrum is getting wider and wider. We are seeing rock plus hip hop have a strong presence on the island, but of course dance music is still at the forefront of the scene.

Do you have an all-time favourite Ibiza record?
I have many, but the record that stands out was when Perfecto had its residency at Pacha. I was given a record by Danny Whittle (Pacha’s brand manager) which was Rui Da Silva's record 'Touch Me' six months before it came out. I played it every week.

What is your perception of the Pacha crowd?
Good looking, well dressed, and how they love to dance!

How do you think Pacha is still going strong after 30 years in the business?
A great management team, visionaries, and a total understanding of how a great club should work.

What can people expect from your gig?
First and foremost, a fantastic night! New music, some Ibiza classics and a great, great vibe. I'm really looking forward to it!

How is the rest of the year looking for you?
I am currently in Los Angeles scoring a new movie called Humboldt Park, then I go to Ibiza to do some shows… then I go on tour supporting Madonna on her world tour, and then I start work on the next film, a British gangster movie called The Heavy.

Can you give us a big track for the summer?
Robert Vadney - "Away From You" (Perfecto)

Quickfire questions:
Dancefloor or VIP ? - Dancefloor
Dress up or dress down ? – Dress up
Beer or wine ? – Both
House or techno ? – Techno
Sunrise or sunset ? – Sunset
Vinyl or CD ? – CD
Sea or sand ? – Sea
Now or then ? – Now
Home or abroad ? – Home
Heads down or hands in the air ? – Hands in the air]]> music entertainment Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:48:00 +0200 Interview with Sarah Main and Goldfish

Hello guys, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. You have your new album out at the end of the month, tell us about it?
Sarah - I just mixed disc 2 of Pure Pacha alongside Goldfish who did disc 1. I think this year’s album reflects the new feeling of Pure Pacha. Goldfish mirrors the sound they are famous for at their Pure Pacha gigs and mine reflects a set that is similar to what you what hear on your average Pure Pacha night. It’s a party night, as you can see by the awesome line up, and this is the vibe that is captured in the album.

Gold Fish - Dom: We’re super stoked to be a part of the 6th Pure Pacha release. It’s Pacha’s flagship disc and we are honoured to have the opportunity to be part of this iconic series. It was a lot of fun putting our disc together, and an absolute pleasure to be on an album with Sarah – she’s an incredible DJ and even more of a legend.

How did you choose the tracks for the compilation?
Gold Fish – Dave: The concept for our CD on the compilation was different to a normal mix CD as we only used our own tracks and remixes or remixes of our tracks that other producers have done. We picked our favourites, mixed them all together and jammed some live instruments into the mix for good measure.

Sarah - I had to think about what direction I wanted to take with the CD and then start to search through all my music. As I was mixing CD2 I decided to make the mix to reflect the main room of Pure Pacha. The choice came from there… I looked at the tracks I thought were rocking at the moment and of course threw in a few of my favourite Pacha recordings tracks.

What are your fave tracks on there?
Sarah - Favourites would be:
1. Richard Grey Vs Bob Marley - No Deputy (Tomas Hedberg And Tuccillo Mix)
2. Xpress 2 - Muzik Xpress (Skylark Mix)
3. David Rubato Feat Manda Djinn - Deep Inside
4. Surkin - White Knight Ii/ Institubes
5. Mark Knight And Funkagenda - Man With The Red Face

Gold Fish – Dave: This is a really hard question as all this music has really become a large part of my life so singling one out would be like saying which family member you like more!!! Our new remake of one of our first tracks ‘The real deal’ (this has always been a special track) and ‘Hold tight’ (Juan Diaz and Coco Silco mix) – this remix is such a cracker!

You are both gigging loads – which dates are you really looking forward to?
Sarah - I really can’t wait for the Pacha Party at the Palais in Cannes. I love Cannes, and the last party I did there was incredible. With the Pacha dancers and Pacha decorations it will be one of those gigs I don’t mind leaving the Ibiza Summer for ;). Also the MTV festival in Vienna is always a highlight of my year…this will be my third year playing there and we always get up to mischief and have loads of fun plus the crowd are always up for a good party!

Gold Fish – Dave: We just played in London (The Coronet) which was unbelievable. Such a great vibe. We also have Pacha London lined up on August 23rd as well as the remaining two gigs we have at Pacha Ibiza (8 and 29 August) as it really is a special venue and we are on the bill with Basement Jaxx and Faithless!!!

Goldfish

What’s the strangest thing that has happened to you at a gig?
Gold Fish - Dom: HA! This was a weird one. We were once asked to play a gig for this group of extremely wealthy Russians on a luxury game farm in Botswana- and we had a bunch of different flights to catch because it was extremely remote and there aren’t even roads to this place, it’s that deep in the Okavango Delta. Halfway into the one flight on this rickety old prop plane, the pilot comes on and says there is something wrong and we’ll have to make an emergency landing. All the tourists on board start freaking out, and we’re looking out the window at endless bush (full of every wild animal you can think of) and wondering if we are going to make it…somehow we made it to another landing strip and the strangest thing was the cabin attendant kept falling asleep next to me while this was going on…like it was totally normal! After a couple more near death experiences (near collisions on runways etc) we missed the gig by about 5 minutes because the sun had set and it was too dark to land the light plane on the bush runway without lights. So it was straight back home to Cape Town the next day without a note played. Thanks for coming!

Sarah - Well the first thing that comes to mind happened recently in Berlin at a gig with Goldfish. I was djing and a man who looked like Stephan Baldwin came up and asked me if I wanted a drink. Thinking he must be a waiter, I asked for a vodka with soda and then asked if he could also bring me some freshly cut limes. When I asked for a straw he said “I’m American we don’t use straws” and that’s when the penny dropped. I felt like a bit of a diva but thought it was quite funny! We had a chat after that- really nice guy!

How do you describe the music that you’re bringing out right now and where do you look for inspiration?
Sarah - I listen to so much music that I am constantly inspired by new sounds and production techniques…Also as electronic music is the ‘green’ music of the world (we love to recycle) I always look back to my favourite house and disco tunes to remember the feelings that I would like to re create…I’m lucky at the moment because I live in a villa with 4 DJ/Producers so the winter will be very productive in that area. I think it is important to try and make music that grabs you from the heart and allows you to attach memories to the song. House has made a comeback and the music is becoming music again not just beats and sounds….that suits me to a tee.

Gold Fish - Dom: I think we’re coming into House and Dance music from a different perspective. We’re both from Cape Town, we’re both Jazz musicians, and we really like to keep that organic, warm, human feel to the music that so much of Dance Music seems to have lost. It’s got a bit of dirt rubbed in, some sunshine vibes, and you can hear it’s made with love in Africa! >From an inspiration point of view I can honestly say that a lot of the time it’s our surroundings. Cape Town has got to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and most times an idea for a track will materialize while we are out surfing or something.

What makes you groove?
Sarah - Ibiza! This summer so far has been an endless groove for me. I’ve been rockin’ on from east coast to west coast going out to try and experience as many DJs as possible to take advantage of where I live and fill myself with inspiration. Rocking my world so far this summer has been GOLDFISH!!!! The guys are great and their live performance is so damn groovy! I had them recently perform at my villa which I think deserves a little bit of a brag! And we have been having quite a few Aussies BBQs at the villa, where we definitely get the groove on

Have you ever had to take a massive risk musically?
Gold Fish – Dom: The whole show is one massive risk! We play everything live, and it’s pretty much a jam session with Dave and I. That’s what makes it exciting, as we never really know where the show is going to go.

Sarah - As a DJ I guess you are always taking risks musically as every crowd is different. But there have been a few times where I’ve been booked for an underground gig which isn’t what I would normally play. It takes a lot of concentration and musical risk to really feel the vibe of the club and the people. But when you get there, it is very rewarding. Oh and I throw in Dolly Parton if I ever have a few too many voddies.

Name three of your biggest influences !
Sarah - Mark Farina/Derrick Carter, Soulwax/2manyDj’s, Aunty Jen!
GoldFish - Kruder and Dorfmeister, Early Jamiroquai and St Germain.

Do you think all the changes to the Ibiza laws have changed the feel of Ibiza?
Sarah - Not really. I think initially everyone was shocked as they were not use to such strong laws being enforced on this happy party island. But it was just a matter of adjustment. The clubs are still cranking, the atmosphere is still here, the only difference is we may go to a club a little later in the afternoon or go home when the club closes in the morning rather that going to another club. I see the positive in it, Ibiza is still as incredible as the first time I came here.

Gold Fish - Dom: I don’t think we can really comment on that as this is only our second season here. The new laws are here to stay and things will evolve. Ibiza is an amazing place and there is no reason to dwell on the past. And anyway, limitations breed creativity…

What piece of kit can you not live without?
Gold Fish – Dave: Saxophone neck strap! It’s like holding up a dumbell with your fingers for a few hours without one…and definitely my Ipod!

Gold Fish – Dom: My Wurlitzer! It’s covered in cream vinyl, buzzes like hell and sounds like it’s been sampled off some 70’s soul record every time we record it. It’s all over our albums.

Sarah - My sister! She works with me and does everything I just don’t have the time to do. Couldn’t survive the summer without her!

What was the last book you read?
Sarah – Shantaram - an incredible story of one man’s travels through the slums of India... a true account of an Aussie that escaped a high security prison in Melbourne (a feat in itself) and went on to do some very inspirational things throughout India and beyond. Johnny Depp has bought the rights to make it into a movie. Maybe the most enjoyable read I have had to date.

Gold Fish - Dave: SPUD – Brilliant book about a 13 year old boy in boarding school, its ridiculously funny!

Gold Fish – Dom: Errr…SPUD – as you can see we swop books on the plane... Shanteram also deserves a mention.

Whats your most treasured possession?
Sarah - My music. A typical answer for a DJ but I’m not a very materialistic person. Also my dogs… Frankie, Riley and the latest addition…little Jamie who is beautiful. They are all street dogs and have enormous personalities.

Gold Fish – Dave: My 1967 Selmer Mark 6 Tenor Saxophone.

Gold Fish – Dom: Apart from the Moog Little Phatty analogue synth and my 110 year old Double Bass that’s been through two world wars, I have 8x World Champion Kelly Slater’s Surfboard that he rode at J-Bay last year…although when I rode it, it didn’t make me surf anything like him!

Tell us something you’ve never told an interviewer before?
Sarah - Ha ha ha...like something juicy...hmmm... the only things I haven’t told are things that I don’t want to tell!

Gold Fish – Dom: I could tell you but I’d have to kill you…]]> music entertainment Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:25:00 +0200 Interview with Max Graham

Firstly could you tell us a bit about the mix?
I love it! Haha, it’s a classic progression of mine… always starts more techy and teases for a while, then gives the full on main room vibe on the second disc.

What were you looking to put across with the mix?
Basically a true representation of how I DJ; my sets are always a minimum of 3 hours, 4-5 hours is perfect for me. It gives me a chance to capture peoples attention and lead them somewhere they might not have expected to go, rather than just bang out hits for 90 minutes.

Is there any studio trickery involved in the process of making the CD or was it a traditional decks and mixer affair?
I used Abelton for it. It allows you to combine loops from different parts of different songs, keeping the energy up throughout, at some points there are four things going, but unlike my dj sets, I kept away from the filters and eq’s in order to leave the music as natural as it was made but still give it an edge.

The CD is coming out through Armin Van Buuren’s Armada label which wouldn’t necessarily seem like an obvious choice for you. How did this come about?
Well Armin and the Armada crew have always been big fans of my productions… especially the more melodic side with tracks like "I know you’re gone" and "Does she know yet". It actually seemed like a natural move for me to be in a family environment that helped inspire me. Without a doubt I’m more on the progressive end of the Armada spectrum as they can get pretty trancey, but good music is good music and melody is something you find across the board with their family of labels.

Is the mix a reflection of what you would hear in a Max Graham club set?
Absolutely, I actually prefer to make mix CD's based on tracks that I play rather than trying to find super upfront stuff that I haven’t even tested on the dancefloor yet, my sets contain everything you hear on this CD.

Do you feel the mix CD still has a place in the modern market with all the free mixes and tracks available on the internet?
Actually I think they are making a resurgence, as much as I love the digital itunes/ipod age I think people really miss holding something in their hands, I signed a copy of transport (2001) last night that someone brought to a gig and I thought to myself "How would I sign something that was digital only?". There’s no substitute for the physical presence of liner notes and CD cases with pics and text you can attach to.

You have been known as a genre-hoping DJ over the years. How would you describe your musical style these days?
Haha still a big old mess, I love music and so many different styles turn me on. It’s been written that you can leave the room for 20 minutes when I’m djing and come back to a completely different sound! I love to ride through tech house, techno, progressive and even hints of trance, but all my stuff has a common theme, long time friends and fans send me music and always say “this is SO max” so I guess there is a cohesion somewhere in there.

Do you think progressive house is due for a comeback?
I think the melody has never died, who knows what the press wants to call it but there are lots of new producers coming up with that melodic but not trancey sound.

How would you assess the dance scene in 2008?
As solid as ever, there is a massive market out there that only knows the top 20 DJ’s as rockstars and that has caused a gap, but there are still so many great clubs, countries, scenes that support and respect the underground and the forward moving music scene and that will never die.

What do you have coming up for the rest of the year?
Artist album and touring the balls off this one

This has been your first compilation in a long time? Why the break? How long has it been?
Well I’ve done a few comps, two Canadian ones, and the Mixmag Live one but yes, this is my first double in almost 6 years! My problem has always been that I’m too diverse, too proggy to fit in with the house comps, too housey to fit into the trancey comps, which is why Armada has been so good, they let me do my thing my way musically

Are you still based in Canada?
Montreal is my home, bought a house and built a studio here, I love the city so much, there’s loads of culture and inspiration here.

How is the djing going? Have you got any tours planned?
I’ve basically not stopped touring since 2000, I love djing live and it gives me that buzz that nothing else can, over 60 countries now.

Are you happy with this album?
Very, there were a couple of things I could not license due to things beyond my control but it’s a real representation of me

What does the future hold for you?
Artist album and another double cd in the spring... and maybe some sleep...]]> music entertainment Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:53:00 +0200 Interview with The Swedish House Mafia

De La Soul once declared that three was the magic number – and in the case of Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso and DJ/producer Axwell, that couldn’t be closer to the truth. Collectively known as the Swedish House Mafia, the trio are that rare breed: friends who act like brothers who work together, play together and genuinely love each other to bits. “We all go and do our own thing, but without each other we wouldn’t be the same,” says Seb sweetly.

Have you always been friends?
Axwell: “No. I only moved to Stockholm six years ago – I got my studio and didn’t know many people but before I knew it, Sebastian had forced his way into my life! I met him out drinking one night. He’s a very social person. I met Steve via Seb and it’s been fun ever since. Together, I think we’ve really ended up accomplishing something.”

2007 was a pretty momentous year for the Mafia, wasn’t it?
Sebastian: “Yes, but it was also an 'on the road' year. It wasn’t so inspiring for me because the Berlin minimal thing came in really big – techy and cool is fine but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Now Eric Prydz is back making music and Axwell is as well so good music is coming again. But it was definitely the best year of my life. We got all the feedback from the crowd and a lot of fanmail and I still get touched by every fan I see. I can’t get enough of it!”

Steve: “We can only build and build. Doing the Essential Mix was amazing, Ibiza was amazing, my American and Brazilian tours were amazing and Australia was phenomenal. As long as you work as hard as we do, it’s fine. I always have a goal so we’re always looking to take the next step.”

A lot of people have fond memories of that Essential Mix gig you did in Ibiza.
Sebastian: “We had the main stage and we the perfect warm-up for Sasha, a hero for us since we were kids. We played everything from ‘I Found You’ to ‘Umbrella’ and there was a perfect sync between all of us. I didn’t sleep for three days and I don’t do drugs! I went to P.Diddy’s villa for an after-party and then directly to Malta. I was really happy.”

Steve: “We just had an amazing party. I partied for four days before then and went on to play one of the best gigs of my life. And to play with Sasha was such an honour. He’s like an airline – he takes you on a journey.”

Axwell: “It’s just been a big leap forward. The Radio 1 Week with that gig at Amnesia felt like we were there! But did I think ‘I Found You’ would be big? Definitely not - it just proves that you can never really know.”

Steve: “The gigs were too good so we had a party for the whole year. But this year is different - there will be a lot more music. I probably have 20 records coming out. I did a new one yesterday!”

What is the secret of your success?
Sebastian: “We all have our spots – and every weekend we represent on our own which is good for our own egos. But at the end of the day, it’s all about SHM. We’ve had our little bits of ‘discussions’ but without each other we wouldn’t the same. Three heads is better than one.”

Steve: “You just put three really good DJs in a room and let them do their thing. It’s a bit like mixing Italian, Japanese and steak and it might just be the best meal you’ve ever had. It’s a good recipe. Some fans are more fans of Axwell than us and vice versa. We bring a really good show.”

Who would be your ultimate collaboration?
Axwell: “I just wrote a track for Cyndy Lauper’s album - she’s a bit of a legend! But the ultimate is still Pharrell.”

Sebastian: “Quincy Jones.”

Steve: “That’s a really hard question. I would love to work with Daft Punk. The kings of dance.”

I understand you are all playing at Pure Pacha this season, but you have your own Swedish House Mafia night this week – are you looking forward to it?
Sebastian: "It’s all about the Swedish house mafia!! Wait and see. We’ve been in the studio a lot preparing for Pure Pacha!”

If you’re in Ibiza make sure you catch the Swedish House Mafia at Pure Pacha on 18th July 2008

Axwell, Sebastien & Steve on various dates over the summer at Pure Pacha:
22nd August – Sebastien Ingrosso
5th September – Axwell
12th September – Steve Angello & Sebastien Ingrosso
26th September – Axwell]]> music entertainment Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:48:00 +0200 Interview with Mark Knight

How do you approach making a mix album?
Firstly, I set out to make something that wasn’t just a collection of records. I wanted (with out sounding clichéd) to paint a picture, to tell a story of what I am about musically. I also wanted to include as many of my own productions, remixes and edits, along with as upfront and unreleased tracks as possible so it satisfied the heads but with out trying to being too anal.

There are excusive tracks on there from my friends Nic Fanculli and Funkagenda which can only be found on the album. When licensing the tracks for the album I asked for the parts as well in certain cases so that I could intersperse them throughout the mix so you were, say teased with the vocals before hearing the track later on. It helped being label boss so I had my hands on our entire upfront repertoire, which certainly helped to make it sound as fresh as possible.

Does it take many attempts to get it spot-on?
It takes a long time to get the flow right, which to me was all important. What I tended to do was keep bouncing the mix down and listening to it on my iPod, in the gym and in the car so you listen to it as a piece of music and not an arrangement - going back and tweaking each day. I find it harder to do a mix comp than write a new track!!

Could you tell us a bit about how the mix sounds?
Cd 1 is almost progressive in its approach. It starts with a reprise of Dennis Ferrer and starts off soulful then moving through deep house into techno. I wanted it to suck you in when you put it on. It’s a condensed version of the extended 5-6 hours sets you can catch me playing at Ministry. Cd 2 is a bit more to the point; it’s more like a 2 hours peak time set. Although again it builds gradually not just bam!! From track one.

The first disc features a fair number of US house producers. Do you think this is a sound that is undergoing something of a revival?
Maybe… I think Dennis Ferrer is certainly leading the way with his fusion of soul and tech.

Being a British label would you give preference to releasing tracks from British producers, bearing in mind the massive amount of music that seems to come out of Germany these days?
Our business is global so there is no preference geographically from where we sign music. Good music is good music regardless of its origin. We have artists signed from Hungary to Canada. And as the scene world wide grows I am sure it won’t be long before we release our first record from a Chinese producer.

From your position as a label manager how would you assess the dance scene in 2008?
I feel the industry is as strong as it’s been since I have been working within it... Toolroom sells between 5,000 – 10,000 digitally per release, which is back to the heady days of vinyl! We as a company have never been in such a good position. I think if you know what you are doing you can be successful within dance, but you have to work within today’s new model and brand means all, so it is important to maintain that as your focus, although the platforms of Beatport and other digital sites are fantastic to give an emerging artist an opportunity to release music… Unless you have an identity its very easy to get lost with in the myriad of labels on there. People will always come back to a recognised source if you maintain the quality.

And thinking now from the point of view as a DJ, how would you assess the scene from a musical standpoint?
With the use of the internet people have access to music instantly. You have to work very hard to stay a head, as things are so available. I think this is a good thing as it pushes you. Big djs for too long had it too easy, because if you were not sent a testpressing or promo of a record that was it, you didn’t have it. Now it’s available to all. I’m also excited by the growth of the music on a worldwide scale. It keeps it fresh.

How would you describe what you try to achieve as a DJ?
My greatest buzz when djing is breaking new music. My set changes literally every time I play. There is no way I could play the same records over and over. I also feel in this day and age you need to put on a show. It’s moved on more than just turning up playing other peoples records - so I try to make the majority of my set my own music or the sound of Toolroom so it’s a true representation of me musically. I also like to spend a lot of time incorporating tools and effects that help to create a sonic soundscape not just a string of records. This is what I have tried to convey in my mix. I have also now begun to incorporate visuals (dvjing) into what I am doing so I the show becomes one of audio and visual. With all the technology to hand it would seem madness not use it.

What’s up-coming on Toolroom this year?
The release schedule looks FAT!! We have some amazing records to come… New music from myself, Funkagenda, Martijn ten Velden , Dave Spoon, Fedde le Grand, Tiger Stripes, Steve Angelo and Sebastien Ingrosso. With Toolroom Knights the compilation next up series see the turn of Dave Spoon next followed by Dirty South and Benny Benassi.

And how’s your DJ schedule looking?
Ridiculous!! Over July and August I have 36 gigs with only 3 in the UK so a world of travelling for me! Check my myspace for more details http://www.myspace.com/djmarkknight . I am most excited about my new residency Toolroom Knights on the Terrace at Amnesia. We have teamed up with Armin van Burren and Armada who are hosting the main room for a weekly party through out the season.. It’s going to be amazing the terrace has had a brand new refurb and looks awesome.

We are also hosting our own arena at Dance Valley this year which should be great fun, and you can catch us at this years Love Parade, where we have our own float.]]> music entertainment Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:39:00 +0200 Interview with Dave Spoon Interview with Dave SpoonSo firstly, how did you initially hook up with the guys at Toolroom ?
It was totally by chance! I was buying a record collection off someone called Own and then realized that he worked at Toolroom Records, so I spoke to him and sent a basic demo that same day of "21st Century". The next morning Mark Knight called me and the rest is history as they say! It was meant to happen :)

How did you feel when they asked you to provide a mix for the Toolroom Knights series?
Well I did a couple of compilations last year, but to do one for Toolroom is an honour. They've helped massively to put me on the map and get my music to the masses. Also, it's the first time I've had a whole compilation to myself, both discs are me!

Why do you think you have forged such a strong connection with the label? Is it a sharing of ideals or simply that you have similar styles?
It's a mixture of stuff really. I think the main reason is that we all grew together; I mean Mark Knights career has shot Toolroom into the elite but I feel as the label was growing, so was I, and vice-versa. Aside from that, of course, we share the same vibes and ideas and I also love their set-up in Maidstone.

Can you tell us a bit about the mix?
There’s alot of big tunes from people like Zoo Brazil, Deadmau5, Butch & Myself too of course! The 2 discs are deliberately different to represent my influences and also simply what I'm into right now.

What where you looking to achieve or put across with the mix?
Well, I wanted it to represent where I'm at at the moment. The Main Room disc is really a perfect example of my DJ set's so far this year. Whereas the Basement disc has a lot more of the tracks I love to listen to and play on my Radio 1 show. There have been a few gigs this year where I've played a lot of those tunes out... gotta love those basslines, old skool noises and fidgets!

Is it a straight up decks and a mixer affair or did you employ any studio trickery along the way?
I used Ableton Live to produce the album and although I love the fact you can do so much with Ableton, I purposely didn't do anything I couldn’t achieve with with CDJ's and a mixer. I think it's easy to get carried away and lose the essence of being a DJ so I kept things simple but true to how I play live.

What’s you view on the CD compilation market? Do you think it’s in danger of becoming obsolete or do you think people will always have a desire to possess music in the physical form?
Personally I'd like to hope people will still want something physical, but the digital revolution isn't done with us yet so who knows where we'll be in a year or 2?! Compilations are very important to get onto as an artist, and I'd fear the worst if anything changed too much. It's important that DJ's represent themselves in this form as it's the only way to bring themselves to the masses without playing 24/7 all over the globe!

How is the new Radio 1 residency working out for you?
It's awesome, I love it. I always wanted to try Radio, but to be asked to do Radio 1 was a huge surprise and although I went straight into the deep end it seems to be working out very well. I hope more comes of it although this is amazing for me at this point in time!

What’s the ethos of the show?
“In New DJs We Trust” is there to represent 4 different styles of music each week on rotation. My show has been labeled ‘Electro House’, but it's really not that one sided. I cover most of the House music spectrum and always push new talent on each show. We're looking at re-jigging it a bit from July so there will be some new features on there too!

How is the rest of the year shaping up?
I've got a mini-residency at Amnesia for Cream in Ibiza through the summer, a few dates in the UK and around Europe... and we're looking at a short North American tour at some point too. I have plenty on in the studio, my new "88EP" on Toolroom is due, as is "Baditude" with Sam Obernik & Paul Harris which is likely to evolve into more of a regular project!

What you working on at the moment?
Well, I'm still working on my artist album, that’s why I temporarily quit the remixing last November! However, I've just sneaked a few in actually before I continue with my album... The Presets, ‘Alphabeat’ and a Tong & Spoon remix of Madonna's "Give It 2 Me". There’s also some original material coming from Pete Tong & I later this year too.

On top of all that, I’m in the midst of setting up a label as a platform for some collaboration I’ve done with people like DJ Zinc & Liquid... so there’s loads happening! I also need to work on my crap sleep pattern and playing less Wii.]]> music entertainment Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:30:00 +0200 Interview with Pete Tong

You are involved in the International Music Summit that is being held in Ibiza in May, tell us about it ?
Yes, I am a partner in a very exciting new venture to bring back a focus to the electronic music industry in probably the most obvious and ideal location in the world. Ibiza is really where the music industry looks for influence due to the length of the season, the incredible talent that passes through from the genre, and the hundreds of thousands of party goers who come for dance music. We feel the industry has changed, is changing by the day, and we want to bring back a focus and a back to business ethos to what we do. The electronic industry is very unique, it’s very global, and it needs to install a new vision and ethos going forward to strengthen the genre and its image.

Why did you feel the need to be involved in a conference like this ?
I care passionately about the genre of dance music. It’s my life, I devote my entire professional career to it, and probably too much of my personal time too! But I love music, and I never take my position for granted. I am proud to be working with so many great professionals in the business via IMS; it’s a new way for me to interact with people I respect. None of us know enough about the music industry to think we know everything, we can always learn more, and these are very challenging times for everybody. So we feel it’s time to unite and stand tall.

The conference is very business focused – how do you stop this from becoming all about parties ?
By being business focused! We hope the IMS will grow, as the body of professionals get stronger and take on new challenges on behalf of the industry. We are here for everybody who works in the electronic world to have a voice, to be heard, and collectively to take decisions that will affect our daily work. I am sure the IMS will grow to have a lot of parties attached to it, but at the moment the focus is small, precise and our dream is that the people who attend to come to every element of the entertainment provided.

Is this a reaction to Miami ?
Only in terms of the idea of hosting an electronic music conference in a sunny location that inspires people. I love Winter Music Conference, I just had one of the best times I’ve had there for some time, but the IMS has a different focus, and its on our home ground, so it makes complete sense.

Do you think there is a need for another music conference? Also why in Ibiza ?
We’re very positive about the other conferences, we enjoy them all. But we want our own focus and vision, and believe we’re offering something different. Ibiza is a no-brainer. It doesn’t take much working out, or indeed, much convincing when inviting major industry professionals from North America or other parts of Europe.

Tell us about the panels ?
They do cover some of the obvious areas, but we intend to wrap them up early and spend the last ten minutes deciding what issues we can take forward as a body to make change or improve knowledge and contacts for smaller labels. We’re inspired by the work of a body like AIM, and feel we can represent our genre well in a similar way.

You are also doing the ‘Think Tank’ – what is that all about ?
The idea is to ask a number of delegates to put forward a few questions they’d like explaining about their genre of music. The best questions will then be reviewed, debated and then answered by an amazing panel of judges live to the IMS. I’m fascinated to see what comes from it.

I heard that Tom Middleton and Radio Slave are going to be involved in making an IMS track – can you elaborate ?
It’s a fun idea but one we’re all keen to see unfold. Tom Middleton has a window within which he must complete the IMS anthem in front of the delegates. The next day Radio Slave will remix it in a similar time restricted slot. And the following day, a leading US TV editor will show us how to synchronise this, and bring alive the thinking of the people who are truly opening up our music to new audiences worldwide. And to cap it off, we plan to auction the track to the delegates at the end. IT’s a fun twist on the conference anthem, but who knows what could come from it…

The conference is for 300 delegates – why so small ?
We’re proud to be selling this event on its intimacy, certainly in its infancy. We’re inspired by conferences of the past, where those first formative years tend to be the most beneficial for the real captains of our industry. This is a similar plan. We want every delegate to have chatted to every fellow delegate within the days of the IMS event, and to really take away something having exchanged and debated with like minded people.

How is the conference relevant to what is going on in the industry at the moment ?
We hope that the thinking that comes out of the IMS event will help shape our industry internally but also externally. A big claim, but with the people attending year one, we feel progress for the genre’s future can be made.]]> music entertainment Sun, 11 May 2008 14:50:00 +0200 Interview with Wally Lopez and Tom Novy

Hello guys, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. You have your new album out at the end of the month, tell us about it?
Tom – We have mixed the new Toolroom compilation which is out in March. I really enjoyed mixing it as it gave me the chance to dig into my deeper underground stuff. And Toolroom is a fantastic label.
Wally – It’s always good talking to you! My mix completely represents what I am spinning at the clubs at the moment.

How did you choose the tracks for the compilation?
Tom - I selected my favourite tracks from my sets over the last few months. I wanted the mix to reflect where I am now as an artist.
Wally - I just picked my favourite tracks of the moment and I put them all in J

What are your favourite tracks on there?
Tom - I like the Marusha Remix , the Kaliber track and of course the Dirt crew track.
Wally - Well…I really love the Workidz track, the remix for Depeche Mode and my own Wideband tune.

You are doing a massive Toolroom tour – which dates are you really looking forward to?
Tom - It´s gonna be fantastic. I am really looking forward to it. I am doing a massive tour of Australia which I am really looking forward to and playing in Switzerland, Russia, China and Brazil to name a few.
Wally - I have to say all Toolroom parties are great and I love every single one of them. It’s always a lot of fun! Last one at Ministry of Sound was one of my bests sets ever, and I am really looking forward my next date at Yello

What's the strangest thing that has happened to you at a gig?
Tom - So many strange things have happened to me over the years that it is difficult to name one! At the last ‘Nature one’ Festival there was a young girl who asked me if she could pee behind me! That was kinda strange.
Wally - The strangest are usually the filthiest, so I guess most of them I can’t tell here… When you work from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. it is quite normal for strange things to happen… LOL

How do you describe the music that you’re bringing out right now and where do you look for inspiration?
Tom - I skipped the whole Electro wave scene and look more to tech-house. I really like tracks with build ups and I love true House Music. I get my inspiration from life in general. It could be a song on the Radio on the way to the airport or anything that happens around me.
Wally - I always try to respect both myself as an artist and the crowd… I always install lots of energy in the music and mixes…my inspiration is coming lately from so many new names on the scene that refresh my sets every week…also supporters and fans are helping me out soooo much.

What makes you groove?
Tom - Good Music
Wally - Music and love.

Have you ever had to take a massive risk musically?
Wally - When I was 13 and doing very well at school, there was no professional DJ scene in Spain… Then I decided to stand up to my parents and quit it all, just because I wanted to dedicate all my life, 24-7 to a dream…I think that was a big risk! And also now, because I am playing more underground than ever and some people still expect to hear my just a little more love track J.

Wally Lopez

Name three of your biggest influences…
Wally - Yoshitoshi label’s 90´s records, Armand van Helden heavily influenced me when I made all that speed garage stuff and at the moment, H FOUNDATION and all the SIESTA CREW stuff. Its really influenced me a lot…
Tom - God, Life, Adrian

Who do you think is going to blow us away this year?
Wally - Patric La Funk and Ismael Rivas
Tom - mmm, I hope there is a period of non commercial music coming. I can´t stand all the remakes and the 4 to the floor electro bass lines any more. A young new talent we should watch out for is Jerome Isma-ae and of course miss Abigail Bailey – they are both fantastic.

What piece of kit can you not live without?
Wally - My laptop and now my Blackberry… (Why black-berry when mine is silver?)
Tom - My Laptop

What was the last book you read?
Tom - Daniel Kehlman / Die Vermessung the Welt
Wally - ”We are gonna make you rich” by Donald Trump

Whats your most treasured possession?
Tom - A ring from my Mother
Wally - Not my most expensive possession... but I have to say one of my bags... I don’t want to mention the brand but I take it everywhere and I look after it as if it was a baby.

Tell us something you’ve never told an interviewer before?
Tom - I can scratch really good!
Wally – I want to marry Mark Knight.]]> music entertainment Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:11:00 +0100