Category: Featured

INTERVIEW: Christian Burns (ADE 2013)

With the release of? Simple Modern Answers, Christian Burns has collaborated with many of EDM?s top producers ? Armin van Buuren, Jean Claude Ades, Paul Oakenfold, Paul van Dyk, and Ferry Corsten ? just to name a few.?It feels like a natural progression for the singer of the band BBMak who went on to be in a rock band before Tiesto discovered him on Myspace and asked him to collaborate on some tracks.??The resulting ?In the Dark? set him on this new path, and he has since worked with the likes of Benny Benassi, Richard Durand and BT.??With this album, he has created a cohesive musical statement showcasing his vocal and songwriting skills while bringing his powerful spirit to brilliant EDM tracks.

RS: So I listened to your album today and the first thing that struck me, aside from how great you are vocally, is that you have so many amazing producers on it. A lot of times producers will want you to sing on their track but they won?t give vocalists a track to work with. How did you swing getting so much top flight talent?
Christian Burns: I think it?s just the British charm. It?s great to work with so many great producers, and I do understand what you are saying. I think they just like to work with me and it was really flattering and amazing that I got so many great producers and DJs on the album.
Continue reading INTERVIEW: Christian Burns (ADE 2013)

SONG OF THE DAY: Thomas Gold ft Kaelyn Behr – “Remember”

The intro with the violin furiously playing is dark and foreboding.? The vocals by Kaelyn Baer are somewhat forlorn, about finding a girl he was partying with during a massive party and wanting to be woken up before morning (yes, party people really are like vampires when it comes to being exposed to daylight). Intensity increases as the kick drum loops gets louder and more primal, until it drops out with the last vocal note echoing and the repeated hook beginning to come in.? The hook grows in power as the drum fill crescendoes insanely, until we have one last vocal request to “say you will remember.”? Then, the explosion of the incessant hook brings the energy of Brazilian carnival or a massive mardi gras, that infinite power that a repeated sound has to motivate you to abandon all inhibitions and let yourself become part of the crowd. The seamless blending of darkly pretty subtlety with a rapturous, energetic hook makes “Remember,” the new track by German DJ/producer Thomas Gold, one of the most memorable anthems of the year.

Image Courtesy of Axtone.

INTERVIEW: Hardwell (ADE 2013)

In the press room of Amsterdam Dance Event, there was a buzz of excitement when the trio of Hardwell, Dyro, and Dannic entered.??Dyro and Dannic are rising stars, yet the attention was on Hardwell, who just had a massive Revealed party, was about to premiere his documentary, and had buzz that he was about to top the DJ Mag list.?The buzz was true and the 25 Year-old Dutch DJ/producer rose above Armin Van Buuren, Avicii, Tiesto, and David Guetta to go from 5 to 1 on the industry standard DJ Mag list.???Regardless of all this, Hardwell remains a down-to-earth and likable guy who doesn?t let the success go to his head.??From the sound of his new single ?Dare You,? it sounds like he is on his way to even bigger achievements this year.

DJ Ron Slomowicz: How did your documentary come together?
Hardwell: Robin Piree, who is the director and editor of the movie, is responsible for all of the videos of me on YouTube. We have been making videos for the last 3 years and decided to make a documentary because we had so much different footage. We are here at ADE premiering the documentary.
Continue reading INTERVIEW: Hardwell (ADE 2013)