The Dutch electronic dance music DJ has performed at events across the world, Estiva has brought his infectious sound and energy to some of the most pivotal events in the scene. His new track ‘Rage Race’ shows a totally different side of his album ‘Spectacle’.
Estiva: ‘As much as I love the pretty and emotional melodies, sometimes I just feel like raving and raging on the dance floor. Rage Race is a bass driven track I wrote having a dark and steamy club environment in mind. I named it Rage Race because I want to see which one of you clubbers can go out of its mind best!’
Be ready to go on another crazy ride with Estiva, listen to ‘Rage Race’ here.
Definitely one of the darker tracks from his ‘Spectacle’ album, ‘Rage Race’ shows another side to the acclaimed signature sound of Dutch top producer Estiva. Merging a vicious sounding bassline with thumping beats and buzzing synth rises, this tune sets the mood as soon as it kicks in late at night.
And talking about dark and steamy clubs, we met Estiva during the summer at the world famous club Hi Ibiza, and sat down with him for a chat, check this out!
The day after the release of his summer anthem ‘Upon my Shoulder’, we’ve been lucky enough to meet the man himself, the legendary Markus Schulz, a few minutes before he rocked the MainStage at e-Lake festival in Luxembourg, here’s what he told us:
TBA: Hi it’s Jess from The Backstage Access, here with the amazing Markus Schulz
MS: Hellooo, it’s good to be here, actually it’s my first time here in
Luxembourg so I am pretty excited
TBA: First of all congrats on your new single
MS: Yeah, it’s called ‘Upon my shoulders’ and it’s just released yesterday;quite excited about it, I wrote it after last year Tomorrowland, I remember I was playing on the mainstage and I was looking out at the audience and I saw the flags in the air, and I saw the hands in the air, and then I saw the people on each other’s shoulders so when I went back into my studio I said I wanna write a song about that, you know, about what I’ve seen and it was funny as it all came together and the way it feels like a festival anthem so I am quite excited then the world is finally gonna hear it
TBA: And it’s very good it had that feels good vibe a festival has
MS: Yeah that was the important thing, to make a feel good summer vibe in the song
TBA: Well Markus, mission accomplished
MS: Thank you!
TBA: So last time we talked you were telling me how involved you were in writing the lyrics of your album
MS: With the other song writers, yes, to me it’s important to get
involved in the writing cause I want give messages that our community can relate to, I wanna do more than create song people can sing along to, I wanna make songs that people can relate to, for example Shoulders, I hope than when people hear it 10 years from now, it takes them back to Tomorrowland or EDC or here at e-lake, I want people to remember the lyrics and that it takes them back to their special time
TBA: You are always putting all yourself into your projects, like with
Dakota
MS: I really want to give all myself , the vibe, the energy that I have
inside of me, I need to put that in my music, I don’t wanna just
manufacture music for like no reason, I wanna put my heart and soul into everything and right now is really though because music goes so fast, everyday there is new Music, every week there is a new number one song, but at the end of the day this is why I am doing it, I put my heart and soul into it cause I wanna my songs last longer, I wanna be able to play them for the next couple of years
TBA : You always had that, basically got my soul with ‘Do you dream’
MS: That was a legendary album and this is what I hope to accomplish with the next album, I have to take my music to another level and make it a bit more accessible for the new generation but it still has to have that vibe that you can relate to it even listening to it 10 years from now as well
TBA: Do you ever feel vulnerable when you put so much of yourself into
your projects?
MS: No, cause I think my fans know I have always been open, that¹s why we have a special connection, they know I am not up there faking it… you know, I am not the kind of dj that make them do things like sit down, say heyyy ohhh, things like that, I just put all my energy into my set and let ppl be themselves I am not into those ‘Simon says’ games if you know what I mean
TBA: Is there something in the scene you would like to change?
MS: Well it’s funny we are having this conversation this week… Of course there is something I would like to change in the edm scene right now, there is a lot of that cake throwing and tricks but in the same time I know there is a certain vibe a certain energy when people go mainstage and they hear those kind of sets, it’s the same when you go to a heavy metal concert, when you go to a Metallica’s concert .. they might not be your cup of tea but the energy it’s infectious, it’s insane… so in the end , yes there is something I would change but you just have to keep things in perspective, don’t be a hater and do your things because at the
end of the day is who you are as an artist you should concentrate on and not on who other ppl are as an artist.
TBA: And what is your absolutely love about the scene?
MS: I love the fans, and the fact they all gather together, I know there are people here that drove here from Germany, from the Netherlands or from Belgium so it’s like a community and when you look at the audience you see familiar faces, so yeah it’s my first time here in Luxembourg but when I look out at the audience there are a lot of people I recognize
TBA : And what’s next?
MS: So we got ‘Upon My Shoulders’ just being released and the new album coming out October 5th it’s called ‘We Are The Light’ and I am quite excited about it and I hope everybody gets excited too cause I am really proud of it and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it
TBA: We are excited already indeed!!
Will it be a tour?
MS: Yes we will put together something special on selected dates to
bring singers and artists with me and it will be a lot of fun
TBA: Anything funny happened while touring lately ?
MS: Oh well this summer has been pretty crazy, it’s funny cause I was talking about it and I was thinking “I am gonna mention this at some point in an interview” …haha actually …tbh with you, everybody has been partying like crazy backstage this summer, the funniest thing has been seeing these dj’s being carried back to the hotel, I don’t wanna mention their names but let’s say everybody has been cutting loose this summer,djs have been celebrating a lot, it’s kinda nice to see that people are blowing off steam but backstage this summer has been quite amazing,pretty crazy
TBA : Ok Markus thanks a lot for your time and see you mainstage in a bit
MS: Thank you guys!
Simon Khainz has been putting his unique signature sound on dance music for nearly 20 years. But the easy-going DJ and producer is the first to admit this wasn’t part of a master plan at the beginning.
These days though, Khainz takes his distinctive tech-house groove to all the dance floors across the globe ,every weekend. During the week he can be found in his studio, adding up his ever-growing list of releases.
A prolific producer, he has released two albums, Module8 and Simple As That, and more than 150 tracks via labels like Yoshitoshi, Katermukke and Great Stuff Recordings.
Everything he does reflects his passion for electronic music and respect for the craft. “Technology changes constantly, who knows what it will be in five years,” he says. “What matters is the music. That doesn’t change.” Khainz likes to teach people to make music. He frequently invites fellow artists to his studio to make their own tracks.
While fans may have to wait a while for the next LP, his busy tour schedule ensures they never go too long without a fix of his irresistible beats…and to top it all, he’s been so nice to sit with us for chat:
TBA: How did it all start for you?
K: When I was about 15 y.o. and my older brother bought 2 turntables and some vinyls.
Back then, I was very skeptical towards electronic music as I came from a totally different genre but it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with it (djing and electronic music).
A few years later (1998) I stumbled over Rebirth ( a very limited music program) few months later I purchased my first version of Cubase (Cubasis back then) and started to produce.
TBA: Who is your biggest inspiration? / Who do you have a lot of respect for?
K: I have a lot of respect for people that do their own music and have a specific style. Maceo Plex is one of the producers that still manages to impress me often with of his new releases also Bodzin has quite some influence on me. From the newer upcoming acts I really like Jiggler and Township Rebellions, they are always able to surprise me with their new music.
As it comes to Djs, James Holden (he played one of the most interesting sets I’ve heard the past couple of years), Sasha, John Digweed.
TBA: What single night out has been the most memorable for you? As a DJ? As an attendee?
K: Very difficult to say after many hundreds nights out. some memorable playings are for sure Rainbow Serpent (Australia), Strawberryfiels (Australia), Playground at Rok Club (My residency in my hometown Lucerne), Noisily Festival (UK), Boom Festival (Portugal),Universo Parallelo (Brazil), Sisyphos (Berlin).
TBA: If you could eternally be stuck in one year’s music scene, which year would it be?
K: Hell no, I like that music evolves, for sure you have better and worse through the years but I’m glad that music evolves and keeps changing. But the most unforgettable years were 2005/2006, so much timeless music got released in those years, just to name a few:
Gregor Trasher – A Tousand Nights
Petter – Some Polyphony
Thomas Schumacher – Red Purple
Booka Shade – Bodylanguage
Extrawelt – Soopertrack
TBA: What is it that you love about the scene?
K: The Music, the talks, the mess, the order and the good moments and fun times we share!
TBA: What is one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you hear it?
K: Petter – Some Polyphony
TBA: What do you personally consider to be the incisive moments in your artistic career?
K: Difficult to say, probably remixing Format:B, Sharam (Deepdish) and many other great artists and releasing my music on established Labels. Sharing my music with people and to see them enjoying and dance to it.
TBA: What are currently your main challenges as a DJ? What is it about DJing, compared to, say, producing your own music, that makes it interesting for you?
K: Producing Music and djing are 2 totally different things, when I produce music I sit alone in my studio (mostly) and don’t have any feedback from the crowd while I’m doing it, so it’s always a surprise to find out how the new tracks will work on a dancefloor;
When it comes to djing I like the fact that i can play music from other artists I like and I can play what I think fits for the moment.
TBA: What can we expect from you in the near future?
K: A remix to Sharam (Deep Dish) on his imprint Yoshitoshi. An Ep on Einmusika A Quivver Edit from a new track on his Change Underground compilation A remix to Mortagua on Timeless Moment A remix to Chris Hartwig on Caballero Rec. A remix to Moosfiebr on Dazed & Confused A remix to Mikah on Lauter Unfug A Soundtrack for a videogame some collabs with friends (SuspectOne, Onur Ozman, Page, Jack & Chuus) and hopefuly a finished album till end of the year.
TBA: Wow, that’s a lot of new music coming up, we’re thrilled to listen to it all, thanks a lot for your time and see you soon.
What’s best than kick your week off with such an energy booster?
Let’s face it, even on Mondays…nothing’s more powerful than Orjan Nilsen’s energy on stage to lift your mood up.
We’ve sat down for a chat with the trance Viking and IMO label’s honcho to find out a few interesting news…
TBA : Hi Ørjan, great to see you again,how are you doing? ØN: Hi Jess, nice to see you too, I am fine thanks, busy with the summer tour.
TBA : Indeed, I’ve seen your schedule and it’s insane. ØN: Yes it’s very busy, there are a lot of dates in the upcoming 3 weeks, now Luxemburg, then Poland on Tuesday, China on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, then I go back home on Sunday I think, then I go to Czech Republic and then to Tijuana and then I guess the summer touring season will be sort of over for this year.
TBA : Will you manage to take some proper rest then? ØN: I already told my manager I will take a week when I’ll just turn off my phone and will just chill on the couch watching Netflix.
TBA: Haha good, what are your favorite series? ØN:Well, I love Game Of Thrones as everyone else, and I am also a huge fan of Friends which I’ve seen probably a thousand times but if I just wanna chill on the couch it’s still what I like to watch.
TBA: Congrats on the new album, we talked about it in a previous interview and you told me it’s just the first part,so when is the second part coming ? ØN: The second part is coming next year, not too sure when exactly and it’s gonna be a different album, it’s sort of done but I am always making new tracks that I wanna add to it so the final track is not yet done, so hopefully by the end of October it will be.
TBA: Will it be as eclectic as Prism? ØN: Tbh I am not too sure, I’ve been working in studio and had a lot of inspiration and made a lot of new tracks, around the end of October I’ll have a bout 25 tracks to choose from and I’ll figure it out.
TBA: Well you know I am a huge fan of you and one of the things I love the most is I never know what to expect, it’s always so different but always so freaking good… ØN :Haha thanks
TBA: I mean I can always find trance in your tracks even when their style is so very different. ØN: Oh yes I have a thing with melody so it will always shine through, but i have this philosophy: if I don’t know where I am going nobody else will either, so basically I sit in my studio and no one knows what is going to happen … I will never say this is what I am gonna do and that’s it! That’s just not me, so whenever I found an inspiration for something… it can be deep house, it can be techno it can be future house, future pop whatever.
TBA: It’s amazing cause everyone can find something they like on an album. ØN: I wanna make sure ppl understand that I will always try new stuff but with my signature sound.
TBA: And did you manage to buy the moog voyager you wanted? ØN: Not yet, I have been more focused on new samples and VSTs and I love Splice but i am still hungry for that moog voyager so I will get it.
TBA: What can we expect from you in the next future apart from the new album? ØN: Well there is a lot of new music coming out, loads of new releases, I am trying to focus a bit more on my label as well; we already signed like 3 new artists for IMO so that’s really cool, one is a friend of mine from Norway, Fingerling and he has been part of IMO for a while, Shy Brothers, and there are a couple of other artists as well.
TBA: I’ll keep them on my radar then ØN: Oh yes, I would do so!
TBA: Ok thanks a lot for your time and see you soon. ØN:Thanks a lot for having me.
There are times in life when I allow myself to fangirl a little, and one of those people that still make me swoon is Ruben de Ronde. Not only is he uber talented (no seriously, he is an incredible producer, Statement! Recordings label’s boss, host of his very own The Sound of Holland radio show, co-host of A State of Trance, and relentlessly touring worldwide ) he is kind, funny, so very down to earth and just a good human. One of the many reasons I feel so fortunate to run The Bakstage Access is because I get the opportunity to work with such talented peple every so often, and guess what ? I’ve been lucky again to sit down with him for a chat during the e-Lake festival held at Echternach, Luxemburg, on Saturday 11th August.
TBA: Hi Ruben, is this your first time here in Luxembourg? RdR: Well DJing yes, but I’ve been here a lot of times when I was younger on vacation, Luxembourg is a nice place.
TBA: Do you have some new singles coming out and can you tell us something ? RdR : Yes, I’ve just released a tune with Alexander Popov and it’s featured in Armin’s new compilation as well, and a lot of new music is coming soon, a collaboration with Natalie Gioia is coming in about 3 weeks and 10 new remixes of the album I did with Rodg, Togetherr, they are coming probably in September.
TBA: Are you also working on a new album ? RdR: Well you know I am making a lot of music and I cannot really decide which tunes to chose for a new album and I wanna limit it to 10 tracks and it’s hard ’cause I have about 20 tracks that are finished right now so no idea what to do.
TBA: Oh well we can help you chose! RdR : Haha yes please help
TBA: How is Statement! doing now? RdR: Great! I am super happy with the talents that are releasing on my label lately, Estiva is doing a great job, Rodg is doing great ,the Elevven guys from L.A. , Marco Santoro, Max Meyer… they are all doing fantastic so I am very happy. It’s nice to have a constant flow music going.
TBA : Any cooperation you would really like to do? RdR: That’s a good question… there are ton of artists I would like to work with..
TBA: Oh I know one!!! Maria Mena? RdR : Oh yes I would love to but that’s not possible
TBA: Never say never RdR : Well if I could add one to the list it’s High as a Kite , they are a Norwegian band and I would love to cooperate with them. And I also would love to do another tune with Genix, the set we did back to back at Electronic Family was super fun!
TBA: So what’s up next in terms of gigs etc? RdR : Well next week I am off for the first time since…. God knows when so it’s nice cause I will also celebrate my birthday soon! The week after I am going to Creamfields then New Horizons then the week after I am going to South America I think …
TBA : You also played at Tomorrowland again this summer, how was it? RdR : Amazing! Tomorrowland is such a fantastic festival but I also have to say there are a lot of many great festivals these days and if you haven’t been there yet make sure you go to Untold or Sunrise in Poland, those two are just highlighted in my calendar from now on, Poland is always great and Untold was a surprise for me, I didn’t know it was so good.
TBA: Ok cool, well noted 🙂
Oh but how are your kitties now??? RdR: Haha they are doing great thanks, probably sleeping by now, but I’ll be driving home soon, can’t wait to see them
TBA: Your top tunes right now? RdR : Well there is a new one from Marcus Schossow, I can’t say it now but I’ve been playing it in my sets for a long time and I got so many questions from people sending me videos on Instagram etc. asking me what tune is that, well it’s the new from Marcus Schossow and it’s gonna be on Statement! Then I still love Rainbow which I made with Estiva, still playing it in all my set!
TBA: Oh I’ve asked him about this tune during our last interview! RdR : Yes it’s the perfect combination of both of our sounds, I think Estiva is a next level producer, I’ve seen his schedule of August and he is everywhere, I am super proud of him!
TBA: If you could be stuck in a musical time, what would you chose? RdR : Probably 1999/2000 cause everything that was released was still new, I am not saying it’s the best music ’cause music now is better in quality, just being nostalgic, back then it was the first time I went to Trance Energy and a lot of other events so it brings back good memories.
TBA: Ok Ruben, thanks a lot for your time and see you soon
RdR : Thank you,for sure!
Right after the release of his stunning EP ‘Elementos’ we cauht up with the young Colombian that has been turning awe-inspiring Armin van Buuren originals (e.g. ‘Hystereo’, ‘The Expedition’) into monstrous stormers since the start of 2013, reeling in the support and frantically held breaths of an extensive selection of renowned DJs alongside ever-increasing numbers of clued-up clubbers.
With thrilling dancefloor-destroyers such as ‘Asylum’, ‘The Dark Knight’, and ‘Dusk Riddles’ raging over the festival grounds of Tomorrowland, Ultra, Global Gathering, A State Of Trance, and many more, the high-octane sounds of KhoMha are the ones of an EDM star in the making. It’s Columbian captivation at its finest.
Transcending the limitations of traditional Dance music, speeding to the top as one of the scene’s most promising artists, and following up on infectious tunes with even more impressive records faster than you can say “Marvelous Music”; KhoMha has been up for a chat with us about his new concept Ep and his future plans in the music scene:
TBA: Hi Robert nice to catch up with you, first of all, how are you?
KhoMha: Hey guys I’m doing well. Currently in Jakarta getting ready to travel to Kuala Lumpur to play at Zouk this weekend.
TBA: We’re still buzzing about ‘Tierra’ here at the office,can you tell us how it came to life?
KhoMha: Thanks a lot for those words and im glad you guys are enjoying it, hope you’re playing it loud! Tierra was the last track that I created for my ‘Elementos’ EP. I wanted to create a track that resembled all of the other 3 elements. I wanted a track that was melodic like ‘Aire’, progressive and driving like ‘Agua’, and energetic like ‘Fuego’. I wanted to show that all of these elements coming together could create something beautiful.
TBA: Would you let us know a bit of your creative process in the studio?
KhoMha: I think creativity comes to you when you least expect it no matter where you are. Sometimes I’ll be out on the street and come up with a melody and I would have to hum it and record it on my phone. When I’m in the studio however I get up early like 7 or 8 am and start my day. I either work on new ideas or old ideas that I may have in my hard drive. Usually my team and I try to set a calendar with possible single releases, collabs and remixes for 6 months at a time. So that’s the way that I focus on my work.
TBA: What is your studio set up like?
KhoMha: In my studio I have the essentials. Two Yamaha HS8 monitors. KRK 10S subwoofer. Focus Rite 2i2 Audio interface. A Blue Microphone. My studio computer that I custom built myself and my Daw’s that I produce with which are FL Studio and Ableton Live.
TBA: Armin van Buuren is giving you a massive support on his set, how does it feel to have such a mentor?
KhoMha: Pfff I mean what can I say, its an amazing feeling. Armin has always been an idol of mine he’s a legend in our genre and a legend for electronic music in general. Working so close with him has helped me evolve as an artist and as a business person.
TBA: Where does your EP ‘Elementos’ come from? What is the concept about it?
KhoMha: My team and I wanted to create something, we wanted to create a concept that would expand beyond music or beyond a release. We wanted to create something that identified me and my music. ‘Elementos’ marks a new beginning and a new way for me to perform. My show is divided into 4 parts, each of these parts correspond to one of the elements in which the visuals, the lights, and the style of music I play all fit into that specific element.
TBA: What are your future plans musical wise?
KhoMha: The idea is to finish this year strong. There are some new remixes on the way, as well as new releases. Hopefully we can release two new vocal tracks before the end of the year is over. Talks about a debut album are also going on for the next year or two. 🙂
TBA: Where are we seeing you next?
KhoMha: I will be playing in Kuala Lumpur this weekend at club Zouk, afterwards I will be in Amsterdam for business meetings, I will then head to Chicago to play at the mid, Avalon in LA the day after. Lizard lounge in Dallas is also in the schedule then its time for ASOT Poland. Super excited for whats coming.
TBA: Where are you seeing yourself in…let’s say 5 years from now?
KhoMha: Well I hope to still be doing what I love which is produce music and perform far beyond those five years. Within five years however I want to have my own label and my own themed nights.
TBA: If you have to choose one, what was the most important moment of your career?
KhoMha: The most important moment of my career without a doubt would have to be when I was discovered by Markus Schulz. Markus has been my biggest mentor and was the reason I left Colombia and moved to Miami. He supported my music since the very beginning, believed in me, and thanks to this I’m able to do what I love every day of my life. I will be forever grateful with him.
TBA: If you were to arrange a party, what would be your dream line up?
KhoMha: Hehehe. This one is kind of out there but these are my favorite artists so here we go.
– Daft Punk
– Kanye West
– Kendrick Lamar
– Swedish House Mafia
– Chemical Brothers
– Massive Attack
– Coldplay
TBA: Name 3 fellow djs you just love touring with and why…
KhoMha: I love touring with Andrew Rayel, Orjan Nilsen and Armin Van Buuren. Andrew and Orjan are my closest friends here in the scene and touring with them is always a great time. Touring with Armin is also amazing he’s an amazing mentor and a great professional, every time I tour with him is an excellent opportunity to learn new things.
TBA: 5 tunes you can’t live without (regardless the genre)
KhoMha: Oxia – Domino
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams
Daft Punk – Something About Us
Daft Punk – Voyager
Reflekt – Need To Feel Loved (Adam K & Soha Remix)
TBA: Thanks a lot for taking the time and hope to see you soon somewhere.
After 3 years in the making, the Norwegian Trance Viking Orjan Nilsen is ready to publish his third artist album called “Prism”. Divided into 2 parts, Orjan will take you on a wonderful new journey!
We’ve been lucky enough to sit down with him for a chat about ‘PRISM’ , the creative process and much more….
Orjan about his new album: “I have always been a very brave kind of producer. I’ve experimented, have tried different styles, genres, techniques. No matter how much I love DJ-ing I will always be a producer first and I will never stop going over the barriers in music production. This is what Prism is all about, its about exploring different points of view, different perceptions. Prisms have the unique ability to reflect light and disperse darkness into color. And this is exactly what I do through music – I express my feelings and my thoughts with it. I disperse the darkness, turn negatives into colors and reflect the light. Or at least I really try. “Prism” is a combination of the many stories I have and want to share with you. Singles do not create a storyline, so it was only natural to compile those in an album, which I will be releasing in 2 parts.”
TBA: Hi Orjan, goods to catch up with you again ☺
First of all congrats on ‘Million Miles Away’ , such a perfect tune for the upcoming summer, I’ve heard Ibiza inspired you to create this gem right?
O.N.: Definitely. I was at the island and I got this guitar melody stuck in my head and when I got back home it was just something I needed to finish.
TBA: Talking about Ibiza, will you be back on the white Island this summer?
O.N: I am not too sure if I will be back this summer, because I haven’t seen anything yet, but usually im always there since 2011, so it might happen!
TBA: Prism is finally seeing the light , after 3 years of work, can you tell us a bit about the creative process?
O.N.: PRISM was actually 2 years in the making. The creative process was so much fun because I have created so many different things. Especially with the fact that I’ve been working with far more vocalists this time around, which means that the creativeness doesn’t come from me personally, but also comes from the people around it. So working together with all these vocalists and lyrics writers its just been really inspiring for me. It was really good!
TBA: Being a great fan of yours, I know how eclectic you are and how much you like to mix different styles , but at the same time you manage to keep your signature sound, how is that possible?
O.N.: I think it’s because when I started learning how to produce music I had none other than myself to do the trail and error process, which means that I didn’t have anyone teaching me to do music. I taught myself! So no matter what kind of style or genre I do, I will always have a thin red line, because this is how I learnd to make music. So when you don’t have inputs from other people but just like yourself, you end up creating your own stuff. I think that has helped me a lot, even though it was a lot harder to learn that way, it was still something that made me into me.
TBA: What do you do when you are stuck at a certain point during the building of a track?
O.N.: Usually if I’m stuck I actually start on something new. I go away from that project, keeping a distance from it and start on a new track. Sometimes whilst making the new track I would figure out how to finish the other one.
TBA: Can you tell us the release date of the album?
O.N: The release date of the Part 1 of PRISM will be May 18th!
Tracklist “Prism Part 1”:
01. Orjan Nilsen – Swoosh (Intro Mix)
02. Orjan Nilsen – That One Night
03. Orjan Nilsen feat. Mike James – Hi There Radio (Been Too Long)
04. Orjan Nilsen – Iconic
05. Orjan Nilsen feat. Rykka – In A Thousand Ways
06. Orjan Nilsen – Million Miles Away
07. Orjan Nilsen – Navigator
08. Orjan Nilsen – Craziness
09. Orjan Nilsen feat. Matluck – The Last Goodbye
10. Orjan Nilsen – I See Spots
11. Orjan Nilsen – Simulator
12. Orjan Nilsen feat. IDA – Drowning
13. Orjan Nilsen – Nothing Here But Love
TBA: What was the hardest or let’s say what was the most challenging moment for you while creating the album, or a specific tune …(musical wise) and why?
O.N.: Well the hardest thing when making the album is the fact that I am always travelling. Staying in the studio enough to finish it was the hardest thing. Hence why it took so long as well. For me the one specific tune that was a bit hard was actually “Drowning” feat. IDA. Because I love the vocal so much and I loved the way she sang it, so I had no idea what direction to take it. In the end I ended up going with the more trancier approach and the more euphoric/festival approach. So “Drowning” was definitely the hardest track, as I had too many ideas and it was all because of the fantastic vocals.
TBA: Any funny things happened while the making of the album?
O.N: To be honest not too many, but I did have a couple of things that were pretty cool. Basically when you’re on the studio and you do stuff you’re not supposed to do or planning to do, some good thigns can happen. Technically doing an error on the track with Rykka called “In a Thousand Ways” I got Mike James, who is the songwritter for that, to do the error I did but to do it professionally. So basically that was just a strange moment which changed the whole track. A small little thing that changed the whole ambience of it.
TBA: Any new toy in your studio or in your wishlist?
O.N.: Oh I always have new toys on my wishlist. I actually didnt buy too much stuff, but I bought a few plugins, but I am definitely looking into getting a Moog Voyager, as it would be awesome to have in my studio. I rally want to buy that one but its just too expensive.
TBA: The funniest thing happened to you while touring?
O.N.: Ahh there are so many things. Lets see if I can remember something really cool and funny. I can take one from recently when I was playing ASOT in Sydney. Me and my friend Eirik and Will Atkinson were actually going to the Zoo and when you go into the Zoo they ask you to take pictures. Now when you take pictures, they do it in front of a green screen. Funny part is Will was wearing a green shirt, so he turned out to be a part of the jungle! It was hilarious when we looked at the pictures. So next time we decided that we are going to wear green tracksuits so we can all blend into one! 😀
TBA: The most inspirational person in your life ?
O.N.: The most inspirational person in my life is always going to be my daughter Angelica.
TBA: What’s next after the release of PRISM? Shall we expect a tour maybe?
O.N.: There is definitely going to be a tour and I am going to premiere a lot of tracks during these shows. But also, a little funny thing, PRISM has 2 parts, one coming out on May 18th and part 2 is TBA later on this year ☺ So there’s gonna be 2 parts of the album and definitely an album tour!
TBA: In this case…will you be visiting Italy?
O.N. : I really hope I can visit Italy. It would be so cool to play there. I played in Milan once and I just loved it so hopefully I can visit again this year!
TBA: Thanks for your time and hope to see you very soon somewhere ☺
O.N.: Thank you so much for asking me these questions, I loved it!
We cannot wait for ‘Prism’ , the upcoming and long awaited new album by our favorite viking , so versatile as only a few artists can be, Orjan is releasing today this massive tune called ‘Navigator’ .
This anthemic track starts off very rhythmic in the synth supported percussive intro and flows over into a melodic If you love Orjan Nilsen as much as we do here, let’s keep a cloes eye on ASOT Instagram today!!
Laden with heaps of energy, a pulsating bassline and an anthemic melody that guides fans every step of the way, ‘Navigator’ is wild and tempestuous like stormy seas. Taken from Ørjan Nilsen’s third artist album called ‘Prism’, this monster tune leads clubbers to the only treasure that matters: supercharged music made for night-long fist-pumping.
After a lot of teasing from the biggest acts in the scene, today, the new jewel by Simon Lee & Alvin with Kimberly Hale is finally seeing the light.
This stunner is called ‘Never Surrender’ and you might probably have listened to it at the gigs of some of the big names.
Bobina recently played it during his Russian’s gig and Andrew Rayel already supported it on his FYH100 episode.
We’ ve been lucky enough to sit down with the amazing Kimberly Hale, to get some insights about this collaboration, so please find a few words from the artist here for you:
” Simon Lee & Alvin wrote to me from Malaysia and said they would like to do an inspirational tune with a similar feeling like my track with Denis Kenzo, “Find the Light.” They already had the idea for “Never Surrender” but said I could do something different if I liked.
Their idea really registered with me and I chose to run with it. They have a very nice classical, very musical feeling in their tunes, so I found myself drawn to a more classical-style voice and my falsetto, like in “Find the Light.”
I have been writing over tracks more these days than in former years. Previously I had been writing on piano and always felt like it was more of a construction process.
Writing over great tracks like I have been doing this last couple of years, has enabled me to feel really free with my writing and I feel like I am not even the one writing it anymore. It’s like I have become a receiver and everything just comes to me out of the air when I have such a wonderful track for inspiration.
So not sure if I can even take the credit anymore! hahaha But this time the rhythm of the vocal came first which was unusual for me, as I would say I tend to hear the words first in most cases. I hope you will enjoy it! ” (Kimberly Hale)
A few weeks after their very well received Madagascar remix Simon Lee & Alvin return to Magik Muzik with Never Surrender. You can expect an entrancing uplifting piece of music, strengthened even more by Kimberly Hale’s absolutely dazzling vocal work. Must-have! Subscribe to Black Hole Recordings TV: https://blackhole.choons.at/youtube
Who said Monday is a bad day?? We got something very special for you today!
A stunning new tune that will transform your Monday blues into an explosion of euphoria, ‘Serenity’ by our super talented trance head Alessandra Roncone is out now on FSOE.
This incredibly busy artist even found a moment to sit with us for a chat so let’s check what has been said 🙂
Serenity is one of the most stunning feel-good tracks you’ll hear all year. A soaring lead line complements a beautiful solo piano, while a strong driving bass gives everything needed for a dancefloor smasher.
TBA: Hi Alessandra, nice to finally being able to talk to you :), first of all, how are you?
AR: Hi Jessica its my pleasure, Ive been sick lately but Im getting well again and stronger than ever 🙂
TBA: You are the woman flag bearer of trance music in Italy, we are really proud of you, but how hard was it to reach this position among all these men?
AR: As I said in another interview,to be a woman in this purely male industry doesn’t help at all.. It’s not easy to gain respect for what we achieve with hard daily work.. I can say I encountered bitterness, envy, bullshits and other not nice thinghs that go with a growth in this music industry, but I’ll take this in my stride and I use it as stronger motivation to show that women are not less than men.
TBA: Serenity is your 5th tune on FSOE label, how did this cooperation start?
AR: I love the melodies, and the banging uplifting, so FSOE has always been my favorite label, I started to send tracks to them since 2013 and I’ve always been rejected.. But Fadi always told me to keep going and send my tracks to them to see my improvement so I took this as a big motivation to do better and better.. And finally in 2017 when I sent to them ‘Sogno my dream came true.
TBA: What has inspired you to make this tune?
AR: When I produce I always follow my feelings, letting the music and melody guide me.. I think that melodies are the most important element on trance, when I produce I just go with the flow as I get inspired by the sounds that I add step by step. I never planned how to make a track… I just descover it doing it as it slowly comes to life. And most of the time it reflects my mood. I made ‘Serenity’ on March 2017 and it was a very peaceful and happy time for me.
TBA: How do you see the the trance scene going in Italy?
AR: Unfortunately the trance scene in Italy is not as good as it used to be.. There are trance lovers but clubs stopped to support this kind of music lately, while in the 90’s we’ve lived the golden age of trance here.. But now its difficult to fill stages.. The new generation doesn’t know much about new trance because the media stopped to support it and the old generation is still very bond to the old school sound so they attend mainly remember events… so it’s not easy.. But I know promoters that never give up on offering new trance, bringing not only the big names but also the new rising artists and I noticed that even if these events are not happening so often, every time I meet new people. So I can totally tell this is a good sign.There is still hope for the scene.
TBA: What is your studio set up like ?
AR: Awww I love my studio!! I spend here basically all my day and many nights till late. I’ve my cdjs and mixer that I use to record my Forza Live show and about production I’ve 2 big monitors, 2 Krk Rokit 6, my keyboard midi is a Carbon 49 and as sound card I’ve a Focusrite Scarlet 2i; its very relaxing to me because of so many coloured leds lights. Its not a big studio but I’ve everything I need 🙂
TBA: Can you tell us a bit of your production flow ?
AR: As I said before I never plan.. I usually start from kick and basses.. then I search some sounds I like and i try to create some melodies.. so the track just comes along adding and adding parts and layers.. I like to play the keybord also, so I’ve a folder full of midi that I record when I just play and from where I can choose the perfect sound to pick for the tune in the making.
TBA: You are also the mom of an amazing little boy, how do you manage to be an international dj and keep a family life as well?
AR: I’m a very lucky mum because my son is a big trance lover since when he was very young and my n.1 fan.. When he is at school in the morning I’ve all the time to stay in my studio.. When he comes back I do normal mum’s stuff.. I cook, help him with his homework when he needs me, I take him to play basket or I just go with him to his various activities . But he also enjoys playing piano and he is very attracted to play with cdjs or to produce music already; so many times he asks me to learn something. Working at home allows me to wake up with him, so he sees me every day when I’m not touring, so when I need to go away for some days he always gives me a big hug and kiss telling me: “Enjoy mum”,and this is very good so I leave with a happy and light heart. He also can’t wait to be able to attend a trance party with me (it has happened in Italy on the beach) but he knows he is not allowed in real clubs for now.
TBA: What are your future plans musical wise?
AR: The only plan I have is to continue making a lot of music, that people love, and hopefully to have many many booking.
TBA: Your dream collaboration?
AR: In 2017 I’ve collaborated with 3 great Artists.. Allen Watts, Talla 2xlc and Darren Porter which has been my precious mentor all over the last 2 years, so I can say Im already very happy about this.
There are many artists that I love and that would love to collaborate with.. But if I’ve to think big and tell you a few names for a dream collaboration I would say Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk and the Italian Legend Mauro Picotto because I’ve grown up with their music and I loved trance a lot because of them, so they are legends to me.
TBA: Where are we going to see you play next?
AR: I’ll play this saturday in Zurich in Swiss, then I’ll have some dates in Italy and other big dates that I can’t reveal now but you are going to discover those soon 🙂
TBA: Thanks a lot for your time and see you soon on the dancefloor.
AR: Thanks to you for this interview, see you soon somewhere
I send you a big hug.. Ale
ABOUT ALESSANDRA RONCONE:
Alessandra Roncone is a female DJ/Producer from Bologna, Italy.
Since her journey into music in the 90’s began she pursed a career in an industry that is in her blood.
Alessandra started to play in good local Clubs and at the biggest Italians Trance events like Art Of Trance (BO) and Trance Gate (MI).
She began to produce music on 2012 with mentoring from producers such as Mark Lillini and trance heavy weight Darren Porter.
Over the years she began to hone her skills and began a rapid rise in the music she loved.
Her production skills and Djing energy caught the eye of many in the industry and people began to take notice. With regular support from the likes of Aly & Fila, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Sean Tyas, Darren Porter, Manuel Le Saux and many more, she has released frequent tracks on the imprint from the Italian trance “Extrema Global Music” – hitting number 1 on Track It Down Trance Charts.
His greatest success came with the release of “Sogno” on FSOE recordings deploying the 3th place on the Beatport Trance Chart, 86th on Main Top 100 Tracks, staying on the chart for more than a month.
She gained also momentum with reworks of classics such as Sunbeam – Outside world, Lange – Drifting away and Tiesto – Elements Of Life.
Coupled with new management, logo and her radio show aptly named “Forza” – there is nothing stopping Italian fastest rising Trance Queen Alessandra Roncone. With an immense summer in 2016 including a European season tour in Ibiza, frequent gigs in the Netherlands, Germany, Zurich, Italy, Spain, France and Asia alongside some of the biggest names in the industry such as Aly & Fila, Sean Tyas, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Darren Porter, Ferry Tayle, Standerwick, The Thrillseekers, Ram and many more… She also exploded on to Asia stage Playing for titans in the industry such as Transmission and FSOE, her profile is showing no signs of slowing down.There is so much more to come from this outstanding and energetic DJ.
She released music over the years on many high profile labels, more recently with the likes of Future Sound Of Egypt and Armada.
With bookings, releases, collabs, remixes and tours to announce, 2017 is proving to the year Alessandra Roncone arrived in trance music and she is here to stay.
stay connected!
