Interview with Mat Zo for ElectronicNightLife.com
http://www.electronicnightlife.com




You recently heard him on Above and Beyond's Trance Around the World radio show episode 400 live from Beirut in Lebanon on Saturday November 26th and now we bring you a short but to the point interview with Mat Zo.

Hi Mat, how are you doing today?

Great thanks.

You recently made your debut in New York a few months ago for the Massive Event Boat Party. How was that experience for you?

It was my first ever gig in New York and it was amazing, I had friends and family there, and we all had a blast!

Are you happy to have returned to New York?

Yeah , of course. It’s a vibrant city.

Can you share some memorable experiences from your last visit?

I didn’t stay for very long but I managed to get a free massage!

What are your thoughts of the Electric Zoo festival?

I was really impressed with the crowd and how efficient the organization was.

Some DJ’s say they don’t listen to other DJ’s sets because they don’t want their own style to be influenced. Do you agree? What is your opinion on that?

I agree, but I don’t listen to other people’s sets as I don’t listen to dance music that much.

You are very hard working and release several tracks per year. What I wonder is how many tracks you produce in an average month that remain unreleased?

I’d say around, for every track that gets released there’s two that haven’t.

How many hours do you spend producing in an average week?

Some weeks not a lot , some weeks I wake up and spend all day in the studio til the early hours in the morning.

Of all the tracks you have produced, which has been the most successful thus far in terms of popularity and sales?

Rebound

Since you have already dabbled in several different genres do you intend on trying your hand at any others?

Yeah.

You have lived in the UK as well as the US. Which country do you think has had the most impact over your path in life overall?

The UK has not only shaped my dark sense of humor but my weird taste in music too.

What kind of personal growth do you feel you have made since you first started out?

I guess I’ve got better.

Which upcoming performances are you most excited for?

NYE. It’s my first NYE gig.

Which up and coming producers do you think we should look out for at the moment?

Moguai & Porter Robinson.

Do you have any predictions on the future of electronic music?

The 90’s are going to come back in a big way.

Are you working on any other projects that you would like to tell us about?

My album.

Do you have any other comments for our readers?

Yo, sup.

Thank you for your time!

http://matzomusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/matzomusic
http://www.facebook.com/matzomusic

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Electronic Night Life
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Electronic Night Life Interview with Paul Oakenfold

http://www.electronicnightlife.com/



Paul Oakenfold began his new compilation series entitled "We Are Planet Perfecto". Volume one of the series was released on November 18th, accompanied by an extensive tour in the United States and abroad through out the remainder of the year. Electronic Night Life proudly brings you an in-depth interview with Paul as he embarks on his journey to South America, followed by upcoming performances in Argentina.

1. What are some of the changes that have occurred since Perfecto Records joined with Armada back in 2010?

The Perfecto team has evolved and while I’d still say our goal has always been to release great records – we’ve just fine tuned how we go about that and brought in a new line up of artists targeted by our A&R team.

2. Perfecto has many sub-labels including Perfecto Black, Perfecto, Digital, Perfecto FC, Perfecto Fluoro, and more. What is the sound that each of your sub-labels conveys and how does it differ from the other sub-labels?

There are only 2 labels in operation from that list. Perfecto being the more main stream side of what we do where we release electronic records without genre restriction and then Perfecto Fluoro is more geared for underground trance, psy and this new kind of punk breaks that the likes of our breaks super stars Beatman & Lumillla are making.

3. Who are some of the newest artists to have been signed to the label and can you tell us a bit about them?

Beatman and Ludmilla are now signed on Perfecto. They are really hot – like I said before I’d classify their music as a mix of breaks, punk and psy. They did killer remixes of my single “Tokyo” and the new release of “ResuRection”. Senadee is absolutely amazing. His debut single is out early next year and really shows off his talents both as a singer and songwriter. I’m excited so see what comes from him in the future. Michael S. is another great singer and songwriter form the US. He gave an amazing live performance at my recent show in Chicago with Paul van Dyk. Then we have Federation who are a band made up of some great musicians including Ben Lost and Rich Solarstone. They’re making some really cool music on Perfecto Fluoro. Kenneth Thomas is still going strong with some incredible productions – his remix of Mia Dahli “Need You Now” has been one of the biggest records for me at all shows in the last 6 months. It’s incredible. Richard Beynon who we have signed to Perfecto is going to be huge. His single “Close to You” just came out this week with a hot Starkillers remix. We’re lucky to have this great line up of psy artists linked to Perfecto Fluoro – like Astrix, Magnus and Liquid Soul. We’ve also signed Sonic Element from Australia who is a serious talent. We’ve released a variety of records on Perfecto this year with a wide range of artists – from Marco V to Ce Ce Peniston.

4. Can you tell us more about the process of selecting producers to remix your releases?

I usually bring some ideas to the table and discuss them with the A&R team and then we go after the remixers from there. This year we’ve had some really hot remixes from Marcus Schossow, Max Graham, Tiger Stripes, Nick Sentience, Robert Vadney, Astrix, Mike Shiver, 16 Bit Lolitas, Gareth Wyn, Protoculture, Digitalchord, Orjan Nilsen, ReOrder, Starkillers, EC Twins, Remy, MeHilove, Marc Simz, Apogee, Talla 2XLC, Scott Project……….

5. What is your stance about the evolution of DJ/Production technology?

I love it. Like with music – the evolution of technology should be embraced.

6. Which brands of equipment do you feel are the leaders in quality?

For djing? I’m a Pioneer man.

7. Do you still collect vinyl? How many records do you currently have?

I haven’t bought a record for a few years but I still have my full collection of vinyl. It’s a precious collection and what’s interesting is that as I look through the collection – just seeing a certain sleeve artwork can invoke an instant memory of where it was played. I love vinyl but I don’t have any interest in using it for live shows any longer.

8. Which vinyl do you feel would be amongst the most cherished to you?

I value every piece as highly as the other. Even if one record is better than another – like I said before – every one was something to me at some stage and so they are all an important part to the overall picture.

9. Can you tell us more about your film scoring work and how your thoughts differ when scoring a film versus a signature Paul Oakenfold production?

I’ve been involved in scoring film for many years now and I would say that it was getting so involved in that side of music production that first led me to move to LA. I’ve worked on many films.

10. How would the average DJ go about developing their brand?

Be original. Separate yourself from the crowd.

11. You still play a very nice selection of classics in your sets from time to time. Why is that important to the structure of a live performance?

Interesting that you think that. I don’t often play classics at all. There are certainly some back catalogue releases on Perfecto that we have re-released with new mixes that I have been playing over the year and of course if someone sends me a hot new remix of another classic that I used to play then sure it’s nice to give music you were so fond of a second innings, but generally speaking I like to focus on new music rather than old.

12. You have been involved in so many projects through the years, what are some of your goals for the future?

My main goal has always been to try and give people a good time through music – either by djing or releasing records. That continues to be my goal for the future.

13. You are considered a legendary artist in the electronic music scene; it makes me wonder which artists might a legend admire?

I’m a fan of every artists signed to Perfecto and Perfecto Fluoro. They are the EDM artists that I admire most right now.

14. Where do you think Electronic music is headed at the moment?

It’s certainly become more commercial recently. Pop and hip hop producers have seen dance music dominate the charts worldwide for the last few years and so have all joined in and collaborated with dance production outfits. So by day the amount of dance music you hear on the radio has gone up loads. But at the same time there’s a flip side to the scene which is heading more and more underground. I’ve always produced pop records as well as dance – having worked with U2, Madonna, Happy Mondays and of course on all the latest collaborations on Pop Killer. But at the same time I have a love of a certain kind of trance whose roots are firmly in the underground. I like being involved in both sides.

15. Every year that passes by there seems to be one prominent genre of electronic music in particular that stands out. Fill in the following blank… 2011 is the year of Electro and Progressive House.

Why do you think that is so?

It’s just a fact. Look at record sales of those records compared to any other genre.

16. What are some of your favorite tracks at the moment?

The best way to follow which tracks I think are the hottest is to keep an eye on my monthly iTunes DJ box or my underground Full on Fluoro chart on Beatport.

17. What does Paul Oakenfold do to unwind?

Hang out with friends. Work on music. Being in the studio can seem like a job when you are struggling to find the right melody but when it’s flowing – there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

18. Are you working on any other projects at the moment?

Right at this minute I’m in South America on the final leg of this part of the album tour. I have some final bits of work to do associated with the artist album Pop Killer and also we are working hard on preparing everything for the Four Seasons tour I am taking on the road for all of 2012. It’s a really fresh concept in terms of the audio and visual show and there will be a compilation series that runs along side the tour as it evolved through the four Seasons. We kick off the Winter Edition on the last weekend in January with shows at Ministry of Sound and Gatecrasher in the UK.

19. Do you have any other comments for your fans?

See you on tour in 2012. It’s going to be massive.

It was a great pleasure to interview you! Thank you so much for your time!

No problem. Nice to meet you.

http://www.perfectorecords.com/

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Electronic Night Life
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Interview with Hardwell

http://www.electronicnightlife.com/



Electronic Night Life caught up with Hardwell just before the big night! We are talking about the Revealed event at Set in Miami on March 23rd, 2012 with Hardwell headlining and supporting talent including Porter Robinson, Bingo Players, Dannic, NO_ID, Dyrol, Firebeatz, Jordy Dazz, and Sebastian Lintz. Hardwell has some very big things planned for this year, but I won't spoil it for you. Let's let the interview speak for itself...

Do you feel that there are many obstacles to overcome as a young artist in the music industry?

It’s hard to get noticed nowadays because so many are trying to become a successful producer and the resources to produce are easy to get, compared to the hardware studios some years ago. I can only say that you should always follow your own path, be original and don’t think success will come right away. I’ve worked so hard many years before it all started to get crazy for me.

Growing up did you always receive the support of your friends and family? Did that help you reach your goals?

My parents and friends always believed in me from the start. I think everybody around me saw my passion for music, and with my first record deal at 14 it started to get serious really early. You definitely need that support to get to your goals.

What are three things you couldn’t possibly travel without?

My SD Cards obviously, so little but very important Furthermore my Iphone and Macbook so keep in contact with the world during touring, be entertained and of course for making music!

What are your plans for WMC?

Playing on the mainstage at Ultra on the Saturday will be a highlight for sure! Looking forward testing out new tracks and playing some exclusives! I’m also hosting my own label night Hardwell present Revealed at the SET on Friday 23rd of March.

What is the concept behind your “Revealed” event set at Set, and how did you go about selecting the talent to perform?

The concept is to bring a full night of Revealed sound. So expect a lot of Revealed events this year where I will invite talents of my label. In Miami it will be a perfect showcase to the people and the industry of what the sound my label Revealed Recordings stands for with artists Dannic, Dyro, NO_ID and special guests Porter Robinson and Bingo Players. The special guests are artist I love to play tracks from and in that case also fit the sound of Revealed.

Every year at WMC there is always one track that receives the most play, anywhere and everywhere and is just simply unavoidable. Any predictions on which track will the “THE” track at WMC this year?

I have a few of them in my bag, but probably the biggest track this year will be ‘ Dyro & Rene Kuppens – Raid’ this track landed on the #4 spot in the Miami Buzz Chart and has like the craziest climax and drop!

What are some of your goals for the remainder of this year?

Doing some collabs with big names, working hard on my label and touring like crazy!

Your radio show “Hardwell On Air” has just hit it’s one year anniversary. How are the ratings coming along?

It’s amazing to see all the great response I get on the show, worldwide! Radio still is one of the most powerful promotional channels. The show is currently broadcasted in over 10 countries but that number is going up fast. Since beginning of this year the I put out the weekly show on my youtube channel, and through the subscriptions model giving people an automatic update every week. We are working on an official podcast as well!

What country or countries is the majority of your fanbase located?

After touring with Tiesto in Canada last year the reaction over there have been crazy. Other key countries are USA, Mexico, Germany, Italy and of course The Netherlands.

Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

I’m working on some collaborations right now. With some names you might not expect but turning out to be something really special already. I’m also doing some remixes at the moment but can’t say much about that other than it’s for two really big artists.

Do you have any other comments for our readers?

If you are heading down to Miami, enjoy because it’s gonna be crazy!

Thank you for your time!
You’re welcome!

Interview by Zaneta Ortiz [ElectronicNightLife.com]

http://www.djhardwell.com/

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Interview with Ferry Corsten

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Having recently surpassed his 20-year mark as an internationally accomplished and respected EDM DJ/producer, FERRY CORSTEN readies for WMC/Miami Music Week and continued touring in support of his fourth full-length studio album, WKND (Ultra Music/Flashover). Containing some brilliant collaborations and radio-friendly dance tunes, WKND is one of the strongest electronic music albums to be released in quite some time. The latest single from the album is “Ain’t No Stoppin’” featuring Ben Hague, and the next single is rumored to be “Brute,” the latter a collaboration with fellow Dutch trance kingpin, Armin van Buuren. We had the honor of speaking with FERRY CORSTEN and he told us that for the upcoming 250th episode of his weekly “Corsten’s Countdown” radio show, something very special is planned for fans in conjunction with Sirius XM Radio on April 11th, 2012. You can bet Electronic Nightlife will be in on the action for that very special broadcast, as well as catching FERRY CORSTEN as he tours the world with his ‘Full On Ferry’ live show concept!

What feeling or vibe would you hope the listener receives after listening to your latest album WKND?

FERRY CORSTEN: For WKND, I was mostly inspired by the weekend. The whole week you are busy working, and you are looking forward to the weekend. When it is finally there, you are happy and relieved and you’ve got time for yourselves and family.

How did your collaboration with Armin van Buuren for the album come about? How do you choose singles?

FERRY CORSTEN: Armin van Buuren has been a good friend since we were younger. We made music together many times before. Working together with Armin is a lot of fun. He sees things a lot differently than I do. By mixing up our thoughts and ideas together we sometimes might deliver surprising productions, like the album song “Brute.”

What do you think is the most innovative product on the market for DJs today?

FERRY CORSTEN: The ability to perform with [Pioneer] CDJs and USB sticks is a nice innovation. It saves the DJ from carrying tons of vinyls to a gig. Also, newly released versions of production software sometimes get surprising additions.

With the ever increasing popularity of dubstep amongst the younger generation of clubbers do you anticipate that you may ever try your hand at a dubstep style production or collaboration?

FERRY CORSTEN: I surely anticipate changes, and I am always eager to try new stuff while producing new tracks. I always say, never say never… so dubstep is always something I could try.

In the 20 years that you have put into your career, what is the most important thing that you have learned?

FERRY CORSTEN: No matter how professional your life is, when you’ve got a lovely family, make sure you never neglect them! Not that I ever did! [laughs]

Do you feel that the music industry has been hurt due to the economy, and if so, in what ways?

FERRY CORSTEN: A bad economy has its impact on every industry, so yes it has affected the music industry as well. But I think that as an artist, you do the most you can. You try to be accessible and available for your fans in any way you can.

Have you got something special planned for the impending 250th episode of “Corsten’s Countdown”?

FERRY CORSTEN: Yes indeed! Corsten’s Countdown is my weekly radio show that’s currently heard in more than 50 countries. Sirius XM Radio broadcasts my show in the U.S., and for the 250th episode on Wednesday, April 11th, 2012, I have something very special in store together the wonderful folks at Sirius XM. Fans will be in for a real treat, as this is something Sirius XM has never done before! Stay tuned and check my website for details.

For more information, visit www.ferrycorsten.com and www.fullonferry.com.

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Electronic Night Life
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Interview with Mason

http://www.electronicnightlife.com/



DJ, Producer and Violinist Iason Chronis of the duo Mason performed at Miami Massive, the first of many WMC event performances on Tuesday March 20th, 2012. Coen Berrier; the co-producer behind the Mason project joined him. This was perfect timing for an interview, and to get insight from both the production, and DJing sides of this collaborative effort.




In some duos there is one artist more focused on the DJing and the other more on the production side of things. Is that the case with Mason?

Yes, well Iason is the only one that dj’s from the two of us, so that’s easy. We do produce everything together though, and play live shows together as well.


Are you already working on the follow up to your debut album "They Are Among Us"?

We’re working on lots of new material, but calling it the next album would feel like jinxing and asking for Chinese Democracy scenarios. There’s enough stuff there to fill a couple of albums though, but the trick is to have enough material for 10 albums and pick out the real gems.


When you named your previous album "They Are Among Us" who were you referring to when you said "They"?

Our Animal Language label has this critter artwork, little animals that turn up everywhere on our sleeves, flyers etc. But it’s also an album with lots of collaborating artists on it, such as Roisin Murphy, (Run) DMC, Aqualung, Kurtis Blow and Sway, so it also links to them in a way.


Do either of you believe in aliens? Lol

They aren’t among us.


When it comes to music, what genres is your guilty pleasure?

The wrong side of Italo disco.


What is the most memorable clubbing experience you have ever had?

Do festival experiences count as well? In that case it’s seeing Les Rhytmes Digital play a live show on Lowlands festival in Holland. These guys were already reviving 80’s in the 90’s…


What is the strangest comment a fan has ever said to you?

Iason: One made a rather scary 200 page book...

Coen: Too much comes to mind here, but this is a recent one: My name is Gio…… Gio Techno.

What is your dynamic when working together?

Coen has more of a pop background and doesn’t have much boundaries what sort of thing to make, while I (Iason) have much more of dj mind. We do produce parallel, and send our ideas back and forth to one another. We really believe the core of a good track is a good theme, melody or hook. To make something sound good is less difficult – but you can’t polish a turd. It’s important to wait till the right idea comes by, which is why we sketch shitloads of demo’s. Then only a happy few of them get released.



Aside from music, what do each of you do for fun?

Iason: I’m a bit of a marathon freak; I try to run all the worldwide big ones, and everything to do with cooking & food.

Coen: Modular synthesizer galore. Ow shit that’s probably also music? Mmm.. I turned my hobby into my job I guess.


What are your goals for WMC this year?

Like every year – to have fun… and it’s great seeing all the people you work with throughout the year that are all living in different corners of the world.

Every year at WMC there is always one track that receives the most play, anywhere and everywhere and is just simply unavoidable. Any predictions on which track will the “THE” track at WMC this year?

Tony Senghore & Cristian Dinamarca – ‘Feelsso’


What's your poison (or drink of choice)?

Jelly Beans


Did you enjoy playing Miami Massive?

Yup, it was fun… just arrived in town from Texas (SXSW) and headed straight over, so was a good way of starting this WMC week…. Looking forward to the other shows too, as we’re also playing this week at the Mixmag event as well as Kill Your Idol.


Do you have any other comments for our readers?
Hi mom!


http://www.facebook.com/musicofmason

http://www.twitter.com/musicofmason

http://musicofmason.com

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Electronic Night Life
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Interview with Allure

http://www.electronicnightlife.com/



Today we are catching up with David better known as the face behind Allure. Read the latest news around this exclusive project; Allure in Electronic Night Life's Interview. Involved in the project are Tijs Verwest (Tiësto), Wouter & Sjoerd Janssen (Showtek), David van den Hurk and world class vocalists).


David, thanks for meeting up with me!

There have been many questions about Allure since the release of the “Kiss from the Past" album, about the project, everyone involved. Can you tell us more about Allure?

Sure! Allure is a project in which several musicians are involved. The musical input comes by the hands of Tijs Verwest, Wouter and Sjoerd Janssen (aka Showtek) and myself. And yes, you can call me “the face in the front”, as I will be on DJ duties to spread the Allure sound around the globe. Next to that we work with fantastic vocalists from all over the world. Put love and passion for music in it, and you get Allure!


So, if I understand it correctly, the team behind the project has been given a certain shape, with you as the DJ traveling around the world, spreading the Allure music. How does the crowd respond to you in the DJ booth?

People are always curious about the “new face” of Allure, but as soon as I start my set they get Allured.. no really! So far, promoters passed me a lot of credits on the DJ sets and the crowd went bananas on every event which I played. I always try to have a lot of interaction with the crowd, which results in direct positive feedback. Which automatically creates goosebumps. And as the legendary Axwell once mentioned: “Goosebumps never lie”. For example: a few months ago I was in St. Petersburg and the party people over there were simply overwhelming enthusiastic. When you reach a climax together… that’s what makes those nights unforgettable.


The ”Kiss From The Past” album (released June 2011) is a big success. The vocalists that are on the album have given huge support to the project. Can you tell us how you experienced the creation and release of this album?

It is great to work with such talented people and I’m more than happy with the final product. The album got released in more than 30 countries, so all over the world the Allure sound has been spread. After the release I’ve been to so many great places and have met wonderful people. And we are just getting started! I feel blessed to be a part of this project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dajrvP248xA


Do you have a personal favorite track from the Kiss from the Past album?

That is a hard question! Sometimes a track of the album get’s a massive reaction on certain nights and you automatically label that track as the best one. But if I really have to choose I would go for “Show Me The Way”, with the stunning Jes. The catchy tune in this track combined with the amazing voice of Jes made this track to a monster hit!


What was your favorite place to perform in 2011?

Another hard question, haha! To be honest: I enjoy every venue and crowd where I have played for, until now. But one of the biggest highlights must have been my debut at Privilege Ibiza for Tiësto’s “Club Life” Night. Together with Christian Burns, we nailed it that night at this legendary venue. The atmosphere was first-rate and the crowd was one of a kind. And it was a big honor that Tiësto included me on this epic night!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52baswUod4Y


What kind of music?

It’s good to see that trance and house are finding each other more often nowadays. Together they blend into an awesome big room mixture, which rocks on the dance floors and gets those hands in the air! So my preference would simply be music that rocks 24/7!


Who has influenced you the most if you look back at your career?

In terms of music I have to say that Tiësto has been a major influence of course. To see what he has accomplished is ‘out of this world’! One of the biggest influences on the technical side of the DJ game for me, must be Laidback Luke. Luke really helped me out in het past, taught me the tricks and elements. They are both very avant-garde and always have stayed true to themselves. Two down to earth Dutch guys!


One thing the fans always like to know is "what is your favorite track at the moment"?

Tough one once again haha! My personal opinion is that there is a lot of big quality tracks being released lately. One of the ‘heavy-weight-supported’ tracks in my bag must be Marcel Woods - “Everything (1st Treatment)”, that bangs it out everywhere I go!


Do you also have an all-time favorite track in any genre?

A question you actually can’t ask a music lover. Haha! So much beauty has been created through the years. But again, if I have to make a decision, I would say George Morel with “Lets Groove”.


There have been some stunning releases from the “Kiss from the Past” album. Is there more coming up in 2012?

We are working on fresh music as we speak. Genuine pearls are rolling out of the studio and we also opened a vocal contest on our Facebook. We want to trigger vocalists for this project to get involved and we will record a new track with the best entry.

Anything more?

Yeah, next to the new music that is coming up, some great gigs are lined up! Last year I signed up with 2-Dutch Agency for management & bookings and this year I also signed up with world’s biggest bookings agency AM Only, with names on their roster like Tiësto, David Guetta, Above and Beyond and Dada life, to put more focus on the North- and South American market. So let’s hope I meet up with the Allure fans over there soon!


What do you like to do in your spare time?

One of my biggest hobbies has to be poker! And next to that I have to admit that I am a FIFA addict!


Is there anything else you would like to share with us before we wrap it up?

Keep an eye on the Allure Facebook and the Allure Twitter, as there is a lot of news coming up.


Thank you so much for taking time to catch up with us!

http://www.allurelive.nl

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Electronic Night Life
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Interview with Funkerman

Each year we reach out to some select DJ’s who are performing at WMC so they can share their experiences and highlights. This Q & A session is with House DJ/Producer Funkerman who has just released a brand new track called “The Light” released on Flamingo Recordings. Keep reading to find out more about the track and hear some WMC tales…


Your latest track “The Light” is released on Flamingo Recordings. Who are some of the early supporters of the track?

I seriously have no idea who was first hahaha. I’ve received lots of positive feedback from colleague DJ’s, radio stations and social media followers and that’s always really cool as it stimulates me to make more and more music. For the ones who didn’t hear the track yet, listen to the preview here

When did you begin working with I-Fan and how did the connection come about?

Well that’s quite a long time ago, we both had the same publisher at that time so that’s how we met, not really a spectacular story But we started to work together on Rule The Night in 2005 and after that we worked together on other tracks like, Speed Up, The One and Remember.

You recently returned from Miami for WMC. Can you share some of the highlights with us?

Yes I was in Miami but I have no memories whatsoever hahahaha
No, great parties and heard a lot of new music at Ultra and some of the clubparties.

Did you meet any interesting people in Miami?

For sure, it’s always good to meet new people and people you haven’t seen for a long time. Made some new plans for some new collabs and maybe made some plans for some old collabs to return…

What was the best part of the trip?

The three gigs I did, the sun, drinks and I met up with Fedde and had a good catching up chat.

What do you like least about travelling in general?

The duration of traveling! Waiting on airports and that kind of things.

What are some cities that you have never performed in but are looking forward to?

Well, I didn’t perform in Asian countries that much, so that’s on my to do list! And strangely enough Italy is, I think, the only European country I’ve never played. And I like their food so much!!!!

Being that you are a fan of many styles of music, I was wondering if you have ever tried to produce anything outside of the realm of EDM?

I actually did and still do! What a lot of people don’t know is that I, together with my colleague Raf, also produce for other artists. We produced a lot of hip hop beats as well as pop songs. And I still am a big fan of using different styles in my own music it keeps me creative.

What other projects are you working on?

My new project is Disco. I want to take disco to a new level and spend a big part of my studio time to that. Besides that I’m working on a few collabs I don’t want to say too much about.

Do you have any other comments for our readers?

Yeah, hope to see all soon on a nice party so we can hang out and in the meanwhile follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you for your time!

You’re more than welcome!


http://funkerman.com/

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Electronic Night Life
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Interview with Daniel Wanrooy

Electronic Night Life brings you our latest interview with Daniel Wanrooy who has just completed his debut artist album. The album will be released on Black Hole Recordings very soon but in the meantime check out the interview for more details....



I hear that you are working on a new artist album. How close are you with completing the album?

Hey, yes you are right. My album is done already. I worked on it for over a year and to be honest, I am really proud of the result. It’s called “Slice Of Life” and it will be released the 30th of April at Black Hole Recordings. I came up with the title “Slice Of Life” while watching one of my favorite TV Shows, Dexter. It’s also the name of his boat… I knew this title was just what I was searching for! J

Have you decided what your first single will be?

Yes, actually my first album single is release is just released the 9th of April. So it’s still really fresh! It’s a collaboration with USA Idols finalist “Blake Lewis”. I produced the music together with Dennis J. Waakop Reijers, known as the producer of most Tiësto tracks. So it became something really big! It’s a blend of trance, progressive, pop and house.

I also decided to make an up to date version of 2 of my earlier tracks, one is Pretoria, I made a special 2012 mix of that one, Armin van Buuren already supported that one in his lastest A State Of Trance radioshow, the other one is a brand new version of Ocean Terrace, Tiësto already played the original on BBC radio1 and it was also featured on In Search Of Sunrise 8 by Richard Durrand.

Which artists did you collaborate with on the album and how did those connections come about?

The biggest one were of course the guys mentioned in the previous question. For the rest I did a collab with Elliot Johns, he has such an amazing voice. He also did a track with Cosmic Gate for example a couple years ago. Also a collab with Emma Lock called “Living It Up” and a more uplifting trance track with “Hannah Ray” called “Your Life”.

How was your experience at WMC?

As each year I have had an amazing time! Everything is so over the top there, it’s lovely! I swear you will just have a wonderful time by sitting on ocean drive with a cold beer. You see so many things around you, big cars, models model and more models, guys that are so muscled they can’t even fit through a door opening. But you know that’s Miami! Besides that the weather is great, a lot of important people from the scene are there to network, and there are parties 24/7. So, you start the day with a hangover, then breakfast, couple hours to the beach, poolparty, dinner, 3 more parties and you go to bed eventually for a couple hours J Next day, same ritual!

Every year at WMC there is always one track that receives the most play, anywhere and everywhere and is just simply unavoidable. Any predictions on which track will the “THE” track at WMC this year?

Hmmm, it’s hard to tell actually… I have done all kinds of parties this year. Techno, house, trance. So not one track I have heard a couple times each day. Oh yes, Avicii – Levels. You heard that 25x a day, because they were driving around with trucks all day long… it’s still stuck in my head. Puwu wu wu wu wuu, wuwu wu wuwu wu weee.

What else is going on in the world of Daniel Wanrooy?

Well, I finally have time to do other things after spending a loooooot of time on the album. So I finished 2 new tracks, still don’t know what to do with these, but I will find a nice label soon for sure. And I want to make a club edit for the track I did with Elliot Johns, a more banging version. For the rest I have been asked to do a movie soundtrack for a Hollywood production, I am really excited about that! Something else, and anything with music is what I love, so bring it!

Do you have any other comments for our readers?

I hope you will all enjoy my album. Thanks a lot for reading the interview and thanks a lot for all your great support!

Thank you for your time!

Thanks for the interview! xx

http://www.twitter.com/danielwanrooy

http://www.facebook.com/danielwanrooycom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryxP...eature=youtu.be

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Electronic Night Life
http://www.ElectronicNightLife.com

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Interview with Adina Butar

Tell us more about yourself.

I started singing when I was a little girl. In the beginning I was a part of some girls bands, because I always been a team girl. I liked working in team and going on tour like a band. That’s why my solo career only started in 2010 when I released my first single in collaboration with a Romanian DJ. “Out of my way” was the most played song according to Nielsen in spring and summer of 2010. After 1 year I released “Power of Goodbye” which attracted the attention of Markus Schulz and we started working together. After few months “Deep Inside” came out which is a song in collaboration with Emrah who is a Turkish DJ whom I also collaborate with on the track “I love Istanbul” and began touring Turkey in more than 20 cities.

As a song writer I started from at 16 years old and also began writing the songs for the band I was in as well as other bands from Romania. I now have tens of songs written. One of the most important bands I use to write for is Directia 5 the most famous and band from Romania."


Describe your life in Romania?

In the last 6 months I have not spend so much time at home, I was on tour. When I’m in Romania, a usual day is studio, rehearsals with my dancers, and gym.


What type of vocal training have you received?


Canto


At what age did you begin singing and writing lyrics?


I’ve been singing since I was a little girl, I remember making “shows” for the neighbors at 4 years old too. I was starting to write lyrics for songs from the age of 14. Up until then I wrote a lot of poems.


When did you first take an interest in Electronic Music?


From the beginning; that’s what I grew up on, listening to singers like Justine Suissa, Jan Johnson, Carrie Skipper , Anita Kelsey, so I always had a connection with Markus’s music


Do you have your own studio or are you recording elsewhere?


Yes I have my own studio in Timisoara, but of course when I am working with Markus we work together in his studio in Miami.


Where have you performed thus far?


I have toured Turkey a lot, and had some events also in Austria, Cyprus, Albania, Vietnam, and Romania of course.


What was your largest audience?


I was performing in Vietnam this New Year Eve, in Ho Chi Minh City, in front of 300,000 people. It was amazing, the most beautiful feeling so far in front of such a wonderful crowd.


How long does it take for you to get ready before a big show?


On the show day, it takes couple of hours, but I’m always rehearsing, this is my life, it’s the way that I live, free days are not actually free days, are the creative days, we create show, new songs, outfits, etc. everything it’s about creation and moving forward. I feel like I can never stop, even if my body feels tired, my brain keeps on creating.


Are you excited to be performing on stage with Markus Schulz for A State of Trance 550 in Den Bosch?


Of course, I’m excited. It’s like I’m walking on a dream


Will it be your first time visiting Den Bosch?


Yes, it will be my first time in Den Bosch.


How does your pre-performance preparation differ from your studio preparation?


Well in the studio I`m not doing my hair and make up J the vocal coach is the same.


What advice would you give to an aspiring vocalist?


The first important thing is to believe in their selves, and to fight for their dream and know that in life there’s nothing more important than doing what you really love. Trust yourself, if you can create you are in this world for this reason; to create and offer your creation to the world. Sooner or later, when the world will need you, you will achieve what you deserve. If you’re talking just about a vocalist and not composer then I will just say that it needs also to work a lot, the talent it is not enough.


Can you tell us more about the tracks that you are working on with Markus Schulz for his upcoming album?


I’m very excited about every song. We are working on a couple of amazing songs together and we really don’t know which one is more beautiful. I can`t tell you more than this, I want it to be a surprise.


You have recently been signed to Markus’ SMG label. What was your first reaction upon hearing this news?


I’m very happy to join the Coldharbour team. I feel like I’m at home with them. I feel like I’ve known them for a lifetime and it is all because I believed we have a connection, our energies are the same. I’m sure that together we will do a lot of amazing things. I’m very excited.


www.facebook.com/adinabutar
www.twitter.com/adinabutar
www.facebook.com/coldharbourrecordings
www.schulzmusicgroup.com

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Electronic Night Life
http://www.ElectronicNightLife.com

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Interview with Redroche

Redroche is a production duo of brothers based out of Ontario, Canada who are also known as Antoine and Gio. They are also the founders of Canadian based record label Eyezcream Recordings. They recently released their latest single entitled “Your Life”. The track is gaining popularity and has already hit the #8 spot on the UK DMC Buzz Charts. Let’s check in with Antoine and Gio for a quick Q & A Session.



When it comes to the business side of things, would you say that working with family is easier being that you are brothers?

This type of business is never easy whether you’re doing it with your best friend, brother, cousin, grandfather or anyone for that matter. Because we are brothers, it's easier to cross certain boundaries that you wouldn't cross with anyone else, sometimes good, sometimes bad. One thing is for sure is that working with family, especially your brother, is that you know at the end of the day you have the other person's back and best interest at heart. If you don't you'll end up busting everything up in your office and studio during the frustrating times of dealing with each other and this industry!


What new developments have occurred over at your label Eyezcream Recordings?

Last year was a great year for the label and Redroche, and this year has started off amazing as well. We really tried to focus on our sound the last two years in the studio and ended up releasing two amazing cuts on our label called MAKE YOUR MOVE and ALL I NEED in 2011. Two classic samples that got reworked and licensed like crazy but took up a lot of the labels time. We have regrouped for this year and have a new focus for the label, which means doing things the way we used too and doing it for us. We have signed some amazing tracks from some super talented and young producers and we are getting those releases packaged and ready for the masses. As for 2012, we have released Redroche - Your Life and are about to release the remixes package for this project and a new Redroche single titled 'Just Live' in May. For the summer we plan on releasing all the new material that we have signed and we are so excited cause this music KICKS ASS.

I hear you are working on your first album? How far along are you with production at this point?

To be honest, we have so much material that we could probably release three albums at once. We are making sure that when we do put one together that it will be full of our best material and not something that is just whipped together to say that we 'did' an album. We feel we have a great sound and we are working with some amazing vocalists like Sam obernik, Chanel, Ollie James, Amanda Wilson, H-Boogie, Laura Kidd (to name a few) and the main thing is that it's a fun time and process right now so the material is getting better and better. So yes, we are building the material for an album and will probably release it next year with the 10th Anniversary of our label.

What are some of your goals for the remainder of 2012?

We are finishing up some new materials and we are currently in the studio getting some vocals on these projects as stated above. We have licensed a bunch of big tracks to some major labels and these are set to come out for summer time, as well as some remixes for some really awesome tracks. Last year we did so many remixes and it took up a lot of time on top of everything else, so this year we are going to be slowing that down to focus on Redroche, some new aliases, the label and touring. There are remixes coming forth by Redroche and plenty of new originals in the next few weeks, so stay connected to our social media for updates and once in awhile we giveaway some FREE unreleased material to our fans!

What do you personally feel was the best year for house music?

That is really hard to say, as we have been around for awhile and have seen many different stages go by in the growth of the scene and the technology that has transformed studios, to the way we DJ. For us, I think mid 90's was a great time and very influential. It was a time for change in all aspects in music, technology and internet. Rock, Hiphop and country music ruled the North American landscape but things were getting boring fast. With the release of Daft Punk's Homework album, for us and the underground scene that spawned during that period was amazing and life changing for us as it opened a new world of influences of house such as Olav basoski and his Amplitude series, Eric Morillo and his Subliminal records, Defected and countless others during the vinyl days and the intro to Cds. During the last decade we seen technology go into the bedroom with amazing results on computers and new fresh artists bringing their sounds to the underground and the masses that follow and making it more 'cool', free and easily accessable which built what we have today. That time was important as it got a lot of the artists today into the scene. In terms of success, there is no better time then NOW. Electronic music is a worldwide phenomenon and the most popular it has ever been and people still don't quite understand the culture behind it but they are into the sounds which is great as well as the clubs and festivals that now play mostly this type of music. Important years for sure have to be years like 2004 with Eric Prydz "Call On Me" which was massive around the world and gained a lot of fans to the music. More importantly, 2008 with David Guetta's "Love Is Gone" and Deadmau5 breaking into the scene and causing people to notice that something big is happening in North American. This leads up to today, where we see that it's so big and influential where guys like Skrillex win three grammy's and nominated for five for Electronic Music and Ultra festival has grown into one of the biggest festivals on earth. Definitely, these are the biggest years for house/electronic music but it has been a long road.

What are the latest trends you have noticed in the House music genre?

Biggest trend with Electronic music is that it has become the 'most popular music on the planet' and it's not about to go away, it's only going to get bigger. All major artists are recruiting these sounds from top artists like Madonna, Pit Bull, Kelly Rowland, Flo Rida and every other hiphop artist wanting to stay at the top of their game. Companies and products are licensing tonnes of material for their advertisements with Electronic music, the movie industry and even video games are following this trend. It's becoming mainstream, especially here in North America so when that happens expect it to be everywhere you hear music. Which is a good thing for all artists and labels.

Can you describe your studio set up?

Four walls, high ceilings, leather couches, purple custom Aurelex Sound proofing system, RME sound card, UAD-1 DSP Card, Custom super computer sporting Cubase & Ableton, Access VirusTI, Maudio Midi controller and a shit load of pluggins that we use for our music. God bless the digital age!!!


Who are some artists that you feel we should look out for?

There are so many new artists, it's really hard to keep up but we really like the stuff coming from Amsterdam via Andy Callister (who had demo of the week on Hardwell's show last week) and from Belgium the Bootik guys who we just remixed on Bob Sinclar's label for the track Bootik feat. Christina Skaar "Ain't gonna fail". Killer stuff from both artists that we love.


Do you have any gigs lined up for the next few months? Can you tell us more about them?

Over the next few months we will be in Jordan, Dubai and some surround areas while over in that part of the world. A North American tour starting off in Canada during the festival session here and branching off into the United States during end of summer is in the works now and more details will be given on our websites and social media as they unfold and announced.


Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

We just want to say that we love you guys and thank you for all your continued support. We do this cause of you and for the people reading this that do not know us, take the time to check us and our music. You might probably have heard our tracks but didn't know it was us! Stay connected as big things are coming out of this camp and Redroche. Cheers for now!!


Thank you for your time!


http://www.redroche.com
http://www.facebook.com/redroche
http://www.twitter.com/redroche
http://www.eyezcream.com

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Electronic Night Life
http://www.ElectronicNightLife.com

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Interview with Kyau & Albert

Electronic Night Life is extremely pleased with the recent release of Kyau & Albert’s latest album entitled 15 Years. In fact, we are so pleased we wrote an in depth album review sharing our praise of the release with the world. We are following up the review with an interview from the German Trance duo.



What’s has been going on in the world of Kyau & Albert within the past few months?

Steven Albert: We toured almost every weekend around the globe and released our “15 Years Kyau & Albert” CD album.

Ralph Kyau: Additionally the collab “Open My Eyes” wit Paul van Dyk was just released on Vandit and another quite dirty sounding collab called “Robotron”, which we did with our label mate Marc Marberg, is out now. Next comes a remix we produced for “Run To The Sunlight” by Ronski Speed featuring Stine Grove.

Time for a little self-critique. How does your DJing and production style now compare to your style five years ago?

Ralph Kyau: In one word: Developed.

Many artists tend to remix reworks of some of their older more popular releases. Can you explain what would motivate an artist to make this decision?

Steven Albert: I don't know what motivates other artists. Our main reason for this project was to bring all our classics and hits together in new versions for our big 15 year anniversary! All these modern remixes, for example by Arty, Mat Zo, Ronski Speed, Stoneface & Terminal or Tritonal, definitively brought our classics to a younger audience which possibly didn't know the original versions yet.

Do you personally select new remixers for your tracks or is this something handled by Euphonic?

Ralph Kyau: As we both founded and own Euphonic, we of course selected the remixers.

Your “15 Years” album is out now. Are you excited?

Steven Albert: We have a great product here, which delivers a perfect blend of these Kyau & Albert's composed miles stones. So I am very excited and happy that the release is so successful right now.

Ralph Kyau: On a side note, we are always surprised that still a few people don't know yet that all of our male vocals are from Steven.

Steven Albert: Yeah, it's me.

Did the album take a long time to compile or was it fairly easy?

Ralph Kyau: The whole album project took over a year from the idea up until holding the final CD in our hands.

Steven Albert: For most of the remixes we had to wait many months, but we are super happy with the result and it was worth the wait.

Ralph Kyau: I love to listen to the CD when driving in the car and it doesn't make it any less interesting to hear it again and again, which I think is a good sign. It's funny, but the whole project brought back so many great memories that I forgot over the years, as we have such busy lives and travel thru time zones almost every week. I am really proud of this album and I also hope that my 2-year old son will listen to this album when he is older, because all these songs together have been a major part of our lives or simply said: 77 minutes of the history of Kyau & Albert.

What are some of the most important things you have learned within your 15 years in the scene?

Ralph Kyau: It's really important to have loyal fans. Even if it was a bit risky, trying to be a bit more innovative was always good for us. We were among the first artists who slowed down Trance in 2007, which honestly brought some criticism in the beginning. We were calling it Neo Trance, and then we luckily produced the best-selling Trance track of 2008 and got a Beatport music award for this exact new sound.

Steven Albert: In the few last years the marketing in EDM became more and more important instead of making outstanding long lasting releases. Unfortunately the production quality went down. It's understandable that low quality gets released nowadays, even on established labels. We are DJs who really try to listen to all the promos we get.

Ralph Kyau: Looking back, one of the best things we did was to start our own label in 1997 with Euphonic. We have the independence to live our artistry. This is what counts the most for me.

What are your feelings in regards to proper DJ etiquette? Do you feel that DJ’s are obligated to perform certain functions in order to maintain their integrity as artists?

Steven Albert: It's everyone's free choice. I don't wanna judge here.

What are some of your goals for the remainder of this year?

Ralph Kyau: We are working on a new album to be released end of 2012. We have now 8 songs finished and a lot of ideas lying around. At the moment I have two favorites. I call them pearls already. I think the album will make our fans super happy. We will be able to share more details about it hopefully by this summer.

Do you have any other comments for your fans?

Steven Albert: We are happy to have a lot of US gigs confirmed for the next months. For the latest news updates please check out our facebook page or homepage.

Ralph Kyau: Also, if you haven't heard it yet, listen to “15 Years – The Album”, available on CD and download.

Thank you for your time!


http://www.facebook.com/kyauandalbertofficial
Kyau & Albert - 15 Years The Album on iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/album/15-ye...bum/id503821524
Kyau & Albert - 15 Years The Album on CD:
http://www.shop.euphonic.de
www.kyauandalbert.com
http://twitter.com/kyauandalbert

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