Category: Featured

INTERVIEW: Wolfgang Gartner (2012)

I have to be honest and say that I am a huge fan of Wolfgang Gartner.??His tracks are always fresh and banging, with unique elements that set them apart from the pool of tracks thrown on Beatport each week (and eight Beatport #1s is a testament to that).??Currently on tour with a full-on spaceship stage setup, he brings the energy to his crowd every night.??When I first interviewed him last year, I was blown away by how grounded, real, and down to earth he was. He is one of those rarities in the EDM world who does his own work, entertains crowds, and appreciates the success he achieves while managing to avoid the elitist attitudes so prevalent among a lot of the other big guys.

DJ Ron Slomowicz: The stage setup looks insane – did you design it?
Wolfgang Gartner:??Nope.??It was designed by Steve Lieberman of SJ Designs and built by AG Light and Sound.??They both do a lot of stuff for all the big dance festivals like EDC and Ultra, and clubs as well.

Continue reading INTERVIEW: Wolfgang Gartner (2012)

SONG OF THE DAY: Markus Schulz ft Ana Diaz – “Nothing Without Me”

Another standout track from Marcus Schulz’ incredibly strong release ‘Scream,’ “Nothing Without Me” is a haunting tale of obsessed love gorgeously sung by Ana Diaz.? The track has a progressive-yet-pop feel which is suitably brooding and melodic with a dark beauty which foreshadows the story.? As strong as the song is, the track works just as well as an instrumental with pretty breakdowns crescendoing into powerful, thunderous explosions of energy. The extended mix will work on any mainstream club floor and the Antillas & Dankman, Beat Service, and Coldharbour mixes all go in different directions – electro, big room/stadium, and progressive.? The video translates the song as an obsessed fan moved to mental breakdown as it unwinds.? This is some dark source material, especially considering the video starts with the phrase “based on a true story.”


Image Courtesy of Coldharbour/Armada.

SONG OF THE DAY: Hardwell ft Amba Shepherd – “Apollo”

The big Dutch EDM producers pretty much fall into two categories – trance or dirty.? Hardwell stands out as one who blurs the lines, combining the aggressive electro of the Dirty Dutch with the pretty, melodic feel of the trancers.? Current single “Apollo” is a great example of this as it starts out progressive, pretty, and trancey. ? Ninety seconds in, the dropout builds up to a stop, and then full-on electro banging madness ensues.? The progressive melodic feel floats over the harder beats until the next dropout when the vocals of Amba Shepherd come into focus.? Amba sounds amazing, as always, and this is a great follow-up to her last track with Giuseppe Ottaviani, “Lost For Words.”? With massive singles (“How We Do,” “Cobra,” “Spaceman”), remixes (Example, Knife Party, and Rihanna), and rising to #6 on the DJ Mag list, 2012 has been quite a good year for Hardwell.? Topping the club chart with “Apollo” is a great way to end the year and have us DJs/EDM lovers salivating for what he will “Reveal” in 2013.


Image Courtesy of Revealed.