At the Armada party, Ashley Wallbridge?s tag team set with Tom Fall was one of the clear highlights of the Amsterdam Dance Event 2012. ?? Topping the Beatport Trance Chart with “DUI,” his recent single with Gareth Emery, is just another achievement for the rising British DJ/Producer who tours around the world as he creates amazing tracks that span the many EDM genres.? Unwilling to be tied down to a single style, tracks like “Faces,” “Mansion,” and “Zorro” give a hint at his breadth of talent.
RS: So the DJ Mag list was released tonight.? Last year you were 132 on the list, where are you this year?
Ashley Wallbridge: 118
RS: Alright, you moved up.
Ashley Wallbridge: Yeah we moved up, but I am still a little bit pissed off.
RS: What were you expecting?
Ashley Wallbridge: I don?t know what I can and can?t say, but we thought we were in the top 100.
RS: How do you think the move is going to affect your career this year?
Ashley Wallbridge: At the end of the day a lot of shit is going down with DJ Mag and it is really just a number. As long as the music is positive and the touring is good, it doesn?t make a difference. If you make good music, get it out there, and get a good response- that is what really matters.
RS: Good answer. I see you as more of a progressive guy than a trance guy, would you say that about yourself?
Ashley Wallbridge: I don?t know, I just like all kinds of music. I like different styles like house, trance, and progressive- however I feel when I am making the music will be the style that I put out. In the coming months we have a remix album and loads of new tracks coming out; it is going to be a pretty crazy year.
RS: You are signed to Armada right?
Ashley Wallbridge: Yeah.
RS: Does being part of Armada force you to do one type of music?
Ashley Wallbridge: No, not at all, they are pretty open-minded, and so am I. I just want to do what I am comfortable with, not what others want me to do. If someone tells me to do something I basically just tell them to fuck off. Electronic dance music is so big and it covers so many genres, over the next 4 months I have 3 different styles of electronic music coming out. I have a big trance record, a progressive trance, and a techy track; I just do whatever is comfortable.
RS: You got to Armada because Andy Moor discovered you, correct?
Ashley Wallbridge: Andy discovered me on MySpace back in the day; he?s from my home town and told me he had seen me in Stoke on Trent and loved my tracks and wanted to meet up. When we met up I showed him some new material and he told me he wanted to bring me onto his label. I had a meeting with Armada and we decided to get things moving. We did a track together called ?Faces,? and after that it just progressed and progressed.
RS: Did you do a track with Meighan before ?Faces??
Ashley Wallbridge: Yes, but my first track ever was “I Believe,” when I was 16 or 17 years old. I looked on MySpace for girl to sing and found Meighan. I contacted her and told her I loved her voice and she wanted to talk. We talked for a while and then contacted management and we did the track ?I Believe.? Andy and I started writing ?Faces? together after that and we chose to use Meighan because she is an amazing singer.
RS: The album that is coming out right now is your first artist album. What should we expect from that?
Ashley Wallbridge: To be honest I don?t really know, you never know what to expect. I have been quite experimental with it and I like to do every different kind of genre. I have used computer music, violins, established artists, and new artists so it should be good.
RS: When you are in the studio what software do you use?
Ashley Wallbridge: I am quite basic and don?t use any fancy gear, just a laptop, Logic Pro, a decent pair of speakers, and a good sound card, that?s it.
RS: Do you DJ with CD or are you on Laptop?
Ashley Wallbridge: I am on SD cards.
RS: Do you tour a lot outside of Europe?
Ashley Wallbridge: Yeah, I tour all the time, mostly outside of Europe. After today I go to Chicago, then play in LA on Friday, and then back home
RS: How are American crowds different than European crowds?
Ashley Wallbridge: American crowds are massive, I love them. When I play in America it is always big production.? The EDM scene there has blown up and it?s huge.
RS: Where do you see the sounds changing and going?
Ashley Wallbridge: Over the past year it has changed a lot, I think that people should be more open-minded with their music. People don?t need to put what type of style it is in a bracket, electronic music is electronic music, if the track sounds good it sounds good, if you like it you like it. I have never really called myself a progressive DJ or a trance DJ.? I’m just an electronic dance music artist, what I feel like making I make and if you don?t like it you don?t.
RS: Speaking of which, are you active on Facebook and Twitter?
Ashley Wallbridge: Yeah all the time, my Facebook is easy, AshleyWallbridge and Twitter is @AshWallbridge. I put a lot of crazy stuff on there, I just speak my mind.
RS: What would you like to say to all of your fans out there?
Ashley Wallbridge: A massive thank you, thank you for supporting me and being open-minded. I hope that everyone enjoys the music. ?I have amazing fans that are always there for me, I couldn?t thank them enough.
Interview conducted during Amsterdam Dance Event 2012.