| Problems viewing? Or would you like to see it as web page? Click here | |||||||
 |
|||||||
|  |
||||||
|
OceanLab (Above & Beyond and Justine Suissa) are out with their ‘Sirens of the Sea Remixed’ album this month. Avoiding any and all nautical and/or oceanographically-orientated clichés at every cost, T.I. took a dive into it to see what trance treasure we could bring to the surface! In general the protocol for any artist’s remix album is very much ‘assemble the very finest array of remix talent possible, stand back and await the floor-fireworks’. In that quarter ‘Sirens’ has its mojo working overtime. Disc 1 alone sports track remaps from Jaytech, Michael Cassette, Andy Duguid & Gareth Emery, re-charting ‘If I Could Fly’, ‘Come Home’, ‘On The Beach’ and ‘Lonely Girl’ respectively. |
Switching discs and Pt2 has an even greater spread in terms of both sound and appeal. Andrew Bayer, Myon & Shane 54, 16 Bit Lolitas, Sonorous and Duderstadt are all furiously pimping tracks right across the trance and prog range. In a final (and we think very cool) touch it concludes with a quartet of OceanLab’s earliest offerings as Ferry’s remix of ‘Clear Blue Water’, Armin’s turn on ‘Sky Falls Down’, Signum’s ‘Beautiful Together’ and A&B’s ‘Satellite’ all come under the laser. To be in with a chance of winning a copy just drop us an e-mail - first 3 out the hat will get one! ‘Sirens of the Sea Remixed’ is out now on Anjunabeats and available through iTunes and Beatport, with the CD itself grab-able from CDJShop.com! www.anjunabeats.com |
AM: It really is a cool title, huh? No, seriously, there‘s more behind it. I love to draw in my free time. Actually I drew almost every picture on my wall at home. And what I love is the colour purple. It‘s strong and sharp, but still gentle, warm and beautiful. I wanted to combine two things I love: music and colour. Hence, Purple Audio!
TI: The album is out today, what does it hold in store for us?
AM: It‘s an album to listen to from start to end. It develops throughout its playtime taking you from closing your eyes, nodding your head to dancing around your place. I‘m really happy with the structure of the album; there‘s something for everyone, not only for lovers of electronic dance music.
TI: Is it 100% trance or are there other elements in the mix?
AM: It‘s not 100% Trance. I know that most of my fans wish to have that on the album, but I wanted to try and show new things that I‘m not so known for. I always love to experiment with new, unusual stuff and this is also reflected in the album. Some break-beats, a tip of relaxed productions, even a rock song called ’Wanna Be’, which came out really great and fresh in its own way. There‘s naturally also the typical M.O.R.P.H. stuff in it. You see, a very versatile album!
www.alexmorph.com
www.myspace.com/alexmorph
www.vandit.com
TI: There’s quite a vocal slant to it, how did you go about selecting the singers you ended up worked with?
AM: It‘s maybe 50/50 vocals on the album. When I do a vocal track, they have to be nice and fit the production. I have an exact vision of the vocals I want to have for it, male/female, breathy/strong etc... Working like this it‘s much easier to select a vocalist. Thank god, most of the time I made the correct decision right away, without really having to switch and decide between vocalist A or B to get it right.
TI:: You’ve scored something of a collaborating coup on ‘Purple Audio’. Tell us how the PvD link-up came about?
AM: When I released ‘Life Less Ordinary’ with Rank1, Paul absolutely loved the production and also heavily supported some of my remixes at that time. For his ‘In Between’ album he was looking for a punching track in that direction, so he contacted me over my man-agement and we built up a first raw production and Paul loved it. So, in the end we pro-duced 2 PvD/M.O.R.P.H. co-ops for his album (‘Get Back’ and ‘In Circles’). The latter is so great that I just had to put it on.
TI:: Lastly a word on your signature style! How many truckers caps do you own and which one’s your favourite?!
AM: Hahaha! I don‘t know, I just love these caps. I have about (Alex takes a long pause for thought here readers!) 45… I think. The “listen” one with Jesus & headphones, maybe, as I was born on the 24th of December.
www.heavensgate.co.uk
www.davidlewis.nl
www.musicandartist.com
Here’s a brain-teaser for you! Why, in a country the size, length, breadth and general massiveness of the United States, has it such a comparably low quota of trance producers? It’s always been a bit of a puzzler, hasn’t it!
Doing more than their fair share of ‘keeping the U.S. end of things up’ are NYC’s Filo & Peri – two men who’ve been on a major mission over the last couple of years. They were one of only a handful of trance producers in 2007 to score major label deals (with both Positiva and Ultra Records) for their zeitgeist-y, mood-of-the-people trancer ‘Anthem’. The suitably floor-shaking ‘Shine On’ followed in 2008 and this month they’re back once again with the flat-out power of the ‘Drops of Jupiter EP’. The title track is a jack-of-all-trades number that blends hungry beats, swirling melodic sequences and darker, techier sounds into a killer brew. If that’s not quite enough for you, check out in the bonus track ‘Light @ The End Of the Tunnel'. A record so thrilling it made Trance International’s teeth itch.
Down at the remix end of the studio desk the pair have recently been hard at work reconfiguring a certain ‘For An Angel’ track for one Mr Paul van Dyk. Given the track’s legacy as maybe the quintessential trancer of all time, it’s likely a gulp-inducing task and a half for any producer. They were good enough to send it over and the bass-bin-popping results speak for themselves! At the end of this month they also have a spicy-new digital compilation out on VANDIT called ‘The Ibiza Session Mix’ and a host of DJ dates looming, including Cream @ Amnesia and a Belgium’s mightily large Tomorrowland. All in all, busy, busy lads!
filoandperi.com / myspace.com/filoandperi / facebook.com/filoandperi / twitter.com/filoandperi
He has, bar none, the most recognizable sound in trance music, and - think about this for a second – in this well-stocked genre, that’s a big thing to be able to say. Is there one other producer, over and above M.I.K.E., who has kept us supplied with floor-bombs with the same regularity that he has? Bottom line: since ‘Strange World’, ‘The Legacy’ and ‘Universal Nation’, the man has never stopped, and never lost his edge.
At the end of last year Mike finally reclaimed what arguably was his all along – the title-deeds to his single most influential creation… Push. With Mike, a producer in the most literal sense of the word (300 tracks and, oooh, about 75 remixes & counting), it wasn’t going to be long before we saw a Push album. Right in line with expectations, here it is.
‘Global Age’ is another stunning gathering-together of Mike’s specific brand of studio science. Subtle, yet dynamically powerful synths & perfectly created arrangements, all primed for a TNT-like floor impact. Those on the ball will already have heard the nothing-short-of-brilliant, Sir Adrian-vocalled ‘This Place’ and ‘Into My Sound & Music’; both of which have that inimitable Push production behind them. If they whetted your appetite, waste not another minute and check the album’s full array on the Global Age mini-site.
M.I.K.E. will be bringing back the Push sound to clubs the next 5 months, commencing with a launch party - day of release - at the Ministry of Sound on the 26th of June. From there he’ll be taking it to big clubs and even bigger festivals, including Tomorrowland in his native Belgium, dark & lovely (!) 1015 in San Fran, Gatecrasher in Leeds and a multitude more. Looking at it from one angle, it’s the return of a legend, who in a manner of speaking, never really went away! Don’t miss out.
www.mike.be
Always one step ahead of the pack when it comes to bright competition ideas, Spinnin’ are giving YOU the opportunity to put together their July Label Podcast! That’s right, if you win, the eyes and ears of the dance nation will be firmly focused on your musical selection. Jus think… it could be the start of something big! All you need to do is assemble a one hour mix (with at least 50% of them being Spinnin’ releases) and submit it to them via an e-mailed download link to: The Spinnin Podcast Contest by the 30th of June.
| Sander van Doorn vs. Marco V – What Say? Doorn Records Prepare yourself for what’s being called the biggest EDM collaboration of the year! Sander van Doorn and Marco V team up again to produce this instant anthem. The original release includes a stunning remix from techno-wizard Koen Groeneveld, while the remix pack fields Dutch house masters Bingo Players and Hardwell. Those DJ reactions (Tiësto, Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Judge Jules, Eddie Halliwell & David Guetta) once again, saying it all! |  |
| The Mystery – Forgiven RR Recordings The (literally) mysterious production pair are back! The Mystery had some big trance hits back in the day (‘Fever’, ‘Emotion’ and their self-titled debut, we remember them well!) and now after a 5 year layover, they are back, back, BACK! Who’s Spinnin’ it? That be: Tiësto, Above & Beyond, John’ O Callaghan, Paul Oakenfold, Marcus Schossow, Lange and Sied van Riel! | |
| Ronald van Gelderen – Backstabberzz Raw Sessions Recordings With his distinguished "Raw" sound, unique style and ongoing journey to seek and keep developing EDM, Ronald van Gelderen has left a big mark on the dance industry. Creating a platform for himself and fellow artists in the shape of his own record label, Raw-Sessions Recordings was born. The first release on this brand new label is this hot new single ‘Backstabberzz’! | |
| Robbie Buri – Poker Reset This is trance as it should be! Robbie Buri drops a high quality trance stormer on the much-respected Reset imprint! Big support from all the big jocks and ‘Poker’ is out now to buy! | |
NS: Well, I‘m a 27 year old DJ/Producer from Dublin, Ireland. I have been spinning for 12 years, producing for 6, with releases on Discover, Armada, Fraction, Captivating Sounds & Enhanced Recordings.
TI:Which of the established trance sub-styles do you think best sums up your production output?
NS:I’d say uplifting trance & tech. Yep without any longwinded-ness, I think that covers it pretty much!
TI: Do you think that that’s largely in keeping with the pulse of Irish trance scene at the moment.
NS:Yes I think so. Irish crowds certainly know their trance and always seem to appreciate my music, I think, which is very gratifying.
TI: Is there a sense of community amongst the Irish trance producer/DJ contingent?
NS:Definitely! We are all really good friends and we have been for years. It’s one of the best things about the scene, I think.
TI:Which of your tracks do you think has caused the most floor-heat?
NS:I’d say ‘Panama’. It got huge support and has put my name out there a lot more. I am still getting messages about it now!
TI:: You’ve got a new track coming up (‘Wiretap’) . How’s that been going down?
NS: It’s been going down big! John O’Callaghan played it at Trance Energy 09 and Eddie Halliwell, Simon Pattterson and Sean Tyas have all been supporting it in their sets of late. It’s out on Fraction Records on the 8th of June.
TI::You’ve previously production-collaborated with John O’Callaghan as Inertia. Anyone else you’d like to share some studio time with?
NS:I have just finished a new collaboration actually with a very talented Irish producer called Gary Maguire. But there are so many other producers I would like to work with. Simon Patterson, Sean Tyas and Tom Colontionio, to name just 3 of them. I think collabs keep things really interesting!
TI::What general direction do you think trance is heading in at the moment?
NS:I think it is in a very healthy state at present. Every year new exciting producers emerge breathing new life into the scene. We also have massive trance events being held all around the world every year. The future is bright!
www.nealscarborough.com
It seems like only six months ago (probably because it was!) that we were hungrily devouring Leon Bolier’s debut artist album ‘Pictures’ . Never one to stand still when there’s running to be done, he’s back this month, dropping his first solo compilation.
‘Streamlined 2009’ is a whistle-stop 2-disc tour into the ‘trance with a twist’ musical world of La Bolier. Subtitled ‘Buenos Aires 2009’, the album draws much of its inspiration from Leon’s South American tour, which went off to packed clubs in March of this year.
As is the necessity with releases from the top level of trance producer/DJs these days, the album comes fully-loaded with brand-spanking-new cuts. Leon has been hard at it in the studio getting 3 fresh, previously unheard, solo speaker-smelters onto ‘Streamlined’ in the forms of ‘St Kilda’ ‘Medellin’ and ‘Lunar Diamond’. Also very much onboard is ‘Last Light Tonight’ (the much-vaunted re-teaming with Menno de Jong), a new remix of ‘Pictures’ track ‘Beyrouth’ and ‘This’, which has this month’s T.I. obsession Floria Ambra on vocals.
There are also some great, exclusive turns from Cliff Coenraad, Joop and Jan Oostdyk in the mix, displaying, once again, the ever-present spirit of Dutch compatriot-ness among the country’s producers.
‘Streamlined 2009 – Buenos Aires’ comes in CD, DD and 2X12” Double Pack (featuring tracks hand-picked by Leon) formats, which you can get a hold of via Beatport, Bol, Amazon, 4DJsOnly and Astral Music as of today!
You can clap eyes on the Official Promo Trailer for Streamlined 2009 now by clicking here. and to be in with a chance of winning a copy of 'Streamlined' just drop us an e-mail. First 3 out the hat next month will get one!
Guess whose back... back again... Big Win's back (etc etc!). You know the score by now. We get trance CDs, and we want to send 'em your way! We've already had three Big Win winners this year; will you be the forth!?
One T.I. reader every month will get the big-ass stack of trance albums & compilations – its winner takes all, baby! All you need to do is shoot us back an e-mail to competition@tranceinternational.com marking your e-mail ‘The Big Win’ and not forgetting your full name AND address. First one out the hat gets the whole jolly lot... Bang, Zoom!!
The 3 winners of the John O'Callaghan 'Never Fade Away' CDs meanwhile were M Hayes, Chris Choe and Maureen Anderson. Well done to all of you!
If you've not already done so, please forward us your postal addresses to claim your prize!
