Markus Schulz Announces The Prague'11 Tracklist 10.01.2011
With the ‘09 and ‘10 installments having focused on new dance republics in North America, 2011 sees Markus Schulz’s city-hopping compilation series make its return to mainland Europe. Last visiting in 2008 with ‘Amsterdam’, this new outing sends the series in the opposite direction and homes in on one of Eastern Europe’s most awe-inspiring capitals… Prague. Check out the tracklist here.
Leon: Hollywood Goes Boliwood! 07.01.2011
Newsmailer writing can be hard. On occasion though lady luck tosses you a headline coin even I can’t fail to catch! Hollywood - Bollywood - Boliwood! Near limitless variable options!
Cutting to the chase then: Leon will be making his waay long overdue debut in the good ole US of A on January 8th @ Love Music Dance @ Club Circus in the heart of Tinseltown, Hollywood, LA. Cali-citizens (and anyone else in the jet-in vacinity) here’s your opportunity to see Leon tear the roof of the mutha... like no other! Don’t let it pass you by.
Sied van Riel ‘Mentalism’ - Out Now 06.01.2011
Blazing a comet-like trail as it entered Earth’s atmosphere, Sied’s latest single has made contact with the dancefloor… and then some! Leaving a crater your average meteorite wouldn’t be ashamed of, Mentalism has struck... and struck hard. Heavily supported by AvB, FC, SvD, JJ, MS & GE (we’ll leave you to sort out who be who from that lot!), its also left a #2-sized dent in the Beatport trance chart too. There’s a superbly trippy accompanying video to check YouTube-side and you can pick up the definite article with a few wise, incisive clicks of your mouse… here.
Cosmic Gate Pull Off A Big Beatport One-Two! 31.11.2010
The first two tracks taken from Nic and Bossi’s ‘Back 2 The Future’ album have road-blocked the top end of the Beatport chart this week. The remixes of ‘Exploration of Space’ were first to take the number one position, only to be nudged into second place by (what else than!) ‘Back To Earth’. All the details you need to know on this massive C.G. remix initiative are below… Enjoy!
’Back To Earth’ - The Remixes OUT NOW! 30.11.2010
The second Cosmics classic to come under the remix spotlight has been re-equipped with two new killer overhauls for 2010. Arty, Russia’s newest trance maestro, keeps the tempo low, but the tension high, priming his remix with sweeping chords warm pads and a pulse-racer of a climax. Current king of production cool, Jochen Miller meanwhile gives ‘Back To Earth’ a more progressive-trance lick, powering it with bleeping sub-synths, swirling prog atmosphere and a tubular, floor-shocking payoff.
The New Single – ‘Elysian Fields’ 03.12.2010
Hunched over his whirring super-computer, of late Leon's been precision-tooling & fine tuning his first post-‘Phantasma’ material. What he’s arrived with is ‘Elysian Fields’ - a hurricane-force helping of audacious audio so powerful it should come wrapped in hazard tape and have a government health warning slapped on the side. The musical equivalent of facing a wind tunnel square on, its barreling beats, bad-ass bass and rapacious riff will soon be delivering floor-side thrills to all. Armin got things cooking, whopping it straight onto last week's ASOT playlist, and you can listen to what he was so taken by via the YouTube preview hereabouts. It hits stores on the 28th of December through Leon’s Streamlined imprint, via Spinnin’ Recs and is very likely to be the first essential mp3 you own in 2011!
Solarstone 'Touchstone’ – The Video 01.11.2010
Accompanied by a camera crew, in late August Solarstone decamped to the Cairngorm National Park and got lost in the wilds of the Rothiemurchus Highland Estate (all of which is in Scotland BTW!). Aside from sinking some drinks in the great outdoors, their purpose there was to shoot the video for ‘Touchstone’ the single. Both the weather and wildlife seemed keen to play ball and the rather lovely results are now online (and circulating on several music video channels) right now. You can check Rich, drumming, strumming and (most likely) humming his way around the some visually arresting Scottish scenery by clicking this terribly helpful link.
Leon Bolier: Polls, Polls, Polls! Charts, Charts, Charts! 30.10.2010
Remember when October used to be that useless month nobody liked? Well not any more! Now (if you have even the remotest interest in DJ-dom at any rate) its when you find out what time it really is! With the release of ‘Phantasma’, the launch of his Streamlined label and a packed gig diary, Leon’s had pretty intensive threesixfive in 2010. That’s all been reflected in another very healthy showing in DJ Mag’s Top 100, where he landed as no. 68 - his third consecutive year in the poll no less!. He’s also charted at No.20 in Trance Addict’s annual Top 250 countdown and No. 10 (even!) in the TrancePodium’s 100 rundown.
For all that voted for him, Leon has an important message: "from the bottom of my heart, thanks for your time - the time you used to put my name forward in this year's polls. It really meant a lot to me; without you I wouldn't be where I am today!" // Read Leon's Top 100 Interview here.
Sied Van Riel ‘Crossroads’ - Out Now 12.10.2010
Tiesto’s caned it, Van Buuren’s given it a proverbial smashing and Schulz, Van Doorn, Aly & Fila, John O’Callaghan & numerous other heavyweights have hammered it NSE&W. Its potent combination of booming, bassy bottom-end, magical mid-section & sky-rocket synthery have been delivering club-wide destruction over the course of the last 4 weeks. What are we talking about? It's Sied Fo' Riel’s latest mind-hypnotizer ‘Crossroads’ of course! For those of you who have been waiting to stash it safely into your mp3 collections, your time is now. It went on sale bright and early this morning through Beatport and if you’ve not yet heard it, you can click right here and see what all the fuss is about!
BobinaTV – Ep 04: Two Capitals! 01.10.2010
It’s 2 for the ‘price’ of 1 on Bobina TV this month as our globetrotting deck-master sets about rocking two capital cities… And how! First up it’s the high speed train to St Petersburg for the big, bad & massive Global Gathering event. It features a cast of clubbing thousands, some very pert derrieres and the most optimistic Eric Morillo and Cosmic Gate impressions we’ve ever seen (take a bow Tony McGuiness and Paavo Siljamäki!). If that doesn’t sell you on a viewing, nothing will. But heh, we’re not done yet! From St Petersburg it’s back to Moscow and all hands on decks at Moscow Day celebrations. Slap-bang in the centre of Lubyanskaya Square, Dima delivered a crowd pleaser of a set, maxing it out with tracks from the new wave of Russian trance producers. You can check it ALL right here!
The Russian Capital Gets Ready To Rock ... Bobina To DJ In Lubyanskaya Sq On Moscow Day! 28.08.2010
In the last 12 months he’s done everything from play major concert events at the Gaudi Arena to spin sets in the middle of a forest... Early next month though Bobina will bring Russian EDM to the very heart of the country. This September 4th he will be spinning a very special set in a never-been-rocked-before location. In the imposing, impressive, massive surround of the legendary Lubyanskaya Square itself, Dmitry will draw in Muscovites (and others!) for a Moscow Day celebration to remember. It’s a hometown gig unlike any other and is likely to go down as a Bobina career highlight! Entrance is completely free and it all kicks off at 7pm. Dmitry would love to see you down there showing the people exactly how Moscow rocks!
W&W Scoop Sunrise Festival Music Award 06.06.2010
Last Friday at Poland’s grandstanding Sunrise Festival Willem & Ward were over the moon to pick up one of the festival’s most prestigious awards. They took home the Best Live Set of 2009 trophy and you can check out a photo of our Holland’s hottest trance duo (understandably!) grinning their way through the post-awards photo shoot here. On winning Willem said: “Sunrise was one of the first of the major festivals to get behind W&W and playing there in 2009 was an electrifying experience – one we’ll never forget!" You can check out one and a half minutes of magic from the event by clicking the link!
Solarstone's Touchstone MINDMAP! 06.06.2010
Directions: Head in through the cranium, take a hard left at the first set of synapses you come to (careful not to step on his brainstem control – they’re important!) and make your way right the way down the cerebral cortex. You’ll know when you’ve got to the right place because you’ll see something that looks a heck of a lot like the images below and right!
This is where Richard’s brain stores ALL the information about his Touchstone inspirations. Using the directions above doesn’t make it the easiest to find though, so to make it simpler you can just click this direct router here and it’ll take you straight there. When you get there you can explore all the tiny minutiae permutations of Solarstone’s musical mind, the inspirations and influences that led to the creation of ‘Touchstone’. Spin it around, pan it about; using this tool will allow you to look at them from any angle you wish and you'll be able to read about artists you know; artists you’ve heard of and - just possibly - one or two for the first time! The Solarstone Musical MINDMAP™ could possibly be the coolest thing on the whole wide web right at this instant in time. Enjoy the experience!!!
Cliff Delivers Sunrise’s ‘Massive’ Festival Anthem 04.06.2010
No longer the new boy on the summer festival circuit, Sunrise is now every inch the heavy-hitting international event. On the 23rd of July, in the beautiful seaside surround of Kolobrzeg in Poland, it will once again prove its mettle when it fields an all-star DJ line-up - one that’ll include Markus Schulz, Joris Voorn, Gareth Emery, Dirty South & Funkagenda. Every festival needs an anthem and Sunrise's official one for 2010 will come in the form of ‘Massive’, created, recorded, tweaked, torqued and yes, P.I.M.P.d by our own Mr Coenraad! The single itself is out on the 5th of July, but you know we wouldn’t make you wait that long. You can find out just how massive ‘Massive’ really is by double-clicking here and checking the preview on You Tube. The event itself will naturally also be resolutely rocked hard by Cliff – he very much hopes to see you there (preferably right down the front, going proper ‘balistique’)!
A is For Amnesia, Z Is For Zurich -
Sied's A to Z Of Summer! 01.06.2010
Wherever you are this summer, chances are you’re going to be within reasonably easy reach of a Sied van Riel ‘Dexperience’! Alongside Ferry Corsten, he’ll be keeping the Dutch DJ quota up at Cream Ibiza this summer. On a personal mission to rip the roof back off Amnesia (taking it back to its classic pre-93 architectural configuration!), he’ll be there for several main-room sessions dotted throughout the summer calendar! There is also the not inconsiderable matter of the official Street Parade Afterparty and a line-up that is T.D.F.: Tiesto, Guetta, Tocadisco, DJ Antoine, Van Riel… and Vats it! If that sounds good you’ll want to make sure that you’re in and around Zurich on the 10th of August. Aside from that there’s Slovakia & Sheffield, Tunisia & Turkey and the Ministry and Melbourne to look forward to – all before summer’s ‘ends. People… get ready!
Bobina Set To Release Russia Goes Clubbing 2010 29.04.2010
A year is a long time in dance music… It is though all that was needed for Dmitry ‘Bobina’ Almazov’s radio show Russia Goes Clubbing to become a Federation-wide phenomenon.
RGC is now broadcast every week across the titan DFM network, which is made up of over 50 station affiliates covering every major city in Russia. It can now be heard each week from Vladivostok to Moscow, from Omsk to Orel and from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Ocean. Becoming the Federation’s most influential dance radio show, Russia Goes Clubbing is also now well on its way to becoming one of its most recognised dance brands.
Russia Goes Clubbing 2010 is the 4th instalment of Bobina’s broadcast companion compilation and again brings the very cream of the tracks, both current and forthcoming from the airwaves to the album.
Leon Bolier: Streamlined - The Record Label 29.04.2010
In 2009 there was Streamlined the compilation album, the fortnightly Streamlined Radio show and first Streamlined club events. And now in 2010 Leon Bolier takes the next progression step with his electronic dance baby… and launches Streamlined: The Label.
Soon to become part of the Spinnin’ Records label consortium, Leon’s new imprint will joined the esteemed likes of RESET, Liquid, DOORN & Oxygen in the search to track down, and then release the best electronic dance music out there.
To give Streamlined the very strongest of lift-offs, Leon has a couple of aces tucked up his sleeve. Firstly he has drafted in sometimes sound-partner-in-crime Sied van Riel and together they’ve produced the label’s debut , the thermostellar floorbomb ‘Dark Star’. A tribute to a 1001 science fiction movies (or maybe that should be 2001!), the track will form the tip of the spear for Streamlined’s label operations.
Coast To Coast: Roger Rocks The US of A! 28.04.2010
7 cities visited, 7 of their very biggest clubs duly smashed; Roger has just returned from his block-rock, tour of the US & Canada. First stop was a West Coast touch-down to play Arena in LA, he then hopped over to Denver to spin The Church, before heading up northwards, to Toronto & Vancouver to whip things up at Guvernment & Gorgomish. After a couple of days R&R he shot over to Sin City central, Las Vegas to play Perfecto’s night at Rain @ The Palms. Then on the 1st weekend in April, it was the big finisher: ASOT450 at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC and Vision in Chicago. At the former he dropped in to Armin’s makeshift studio and did a pretty substantial (considering ever!) radio/video interview with Mr ASOT, himself. You can check it out by clicking right here.
Schulz Mixes The Gallery 15 CD for DJ Mag 10.04.2010
It has become one of the most iconic clubbing brands worldwide, and this month, The Gallery celebrates its 15th birthday. To mark the occasion, the UK edition of April’s DJ Magazine includes a special interview with Gallery resident Markus Schulz, and he was also given the privilege of mixing the special 15 year cover CD. His mix features the tunes that resonate most fondly with The Gallery faithful, including those now championed anthems from his residency nights at London’s Ministry of Sound. The magazine is available to buy online via Juno Records.
DJ Mag's Solarstone Interview 09.03.2010
In their WMC issue this month, DJ Magazine caught up with Rich for a chat about all the current happenings… Solar-side! Of particular interest to the normally ‘trance-shy’ monthly? Well - naturally enough - the world’s first social network record label, solarSwarm, with Rich giving some previously unknown insights into its inner workings. Electronic Architecture Pt 2 (world exclusive scoop for them there!) was also high on the agenda as were Rich’s thoughts on the trance enduring popularity – “a lot of what is called trance music these days is just bloody pop music” being one sample quote! You can read DJ Mag’s interview with Rich by clicking here.
Exclusive Premiere of Markus Schulz's “Dark Heart Waiting” on Global DJ Broadcast! 08.03.2010
The monthly Global DJ Broadcast World Tour episodes are always special and hugely anticipated in their own right. However, the recent San Francisco edition took on added significance, as it was the first opportunity for fans across the world to hear Markus Schulz’s brand new single, featuring the vocals of Khaz, entitled “Dark Heart Waiting”. Reactions to the track have been incredible, and more information on Dark Heart Waiting will be revealed very soon, with a release set for mid-April.
The New Leon Bolier Single & The New Website 15.02.2010
Shimamoto – the first single to be taken from Leon’s sophomore artist album - is available now. Combining majestic melodics with some high-pressure atmospherics, it has found its way into many an A-list spinner’s CD wallet over the last few weeks - Messers Van Buuren, Corsten and Jules included. As with most every one of LB’s tracks, it comes with a highly-enigmatic, curiosity-inducing title. Initially hesitant to clue us in to it origins, we left Leon to sweat under the lights for a couple of hours to think things over. On our return he confessed that ‘Shimamoto’ was a reference to the mysterious main character in Haruki Murakami’s book South Of The Border, West Of The Sun’… Now we know… now we may sleep again!
Fresh From Cliff Coenraad's ‘Bakery’ 13.02.2010
Nicknamed “The Bakery” solely because so much tasty gear leaves out of its front door, Cliff’s studio has been working at warp speed since the start of the year. Under his Southside Spinners pseudonym, Marco V’s career sign-in ‘Luvstruck’ has been ‘Repimped’ to within an inch of its life and released onto an unsuspecting trance population. The result: Floorgasm! C.C. has also been up on it, working on his new track for High Contrast – no name yet, but it’s got ‘Big Room Feeling’ stamped on its arm.
IDMA News From The Stark Profiles Camp 27.01.2010
Hot 411 from over the pond... With less than two months left to go before the 25th annual WMC, the nominations for the 2010 IDMAs have been announced. Markus Schulz has pulled in a impressive 5 noms, including nods in the Best American DJ, Best Global DJ & Best Radio Show categories. Solarstone has also scored a first IDMA nomination for his furturistic, ground-breaking music vs. art compilation, Electronic Architecture. Voting has just opened and ends on the 25th of Feb. The Awards themselves take place on Nikki Beach during WMC week. Get yer votes in people!
'B' is for Bobina, 'C' is for Clooney 23.01.2010
Russia's first dance Super-Tsar found himself in some fairly illustrious magazine company last week. With George taking the Cover Star feature (quite right too!), it was Bobina being interviewed for BMI's Voyager magazine as their Rising Star . The airline, which has seen a large upsurge in business travelling their UK to Moscow routes decided it was time to talk to Russia's No.1 DJ about his rise to EDM prominence, Mocква and Russian club culture in general.
Markus Schulz & Stark Profiles PR 01.01.2010
Happy New Decade y’all! We’re kicking off 2010 in the finest way imaginable, welcoming through the doors of Stark Profiles for his 24-7 PR none other than Markus Schulz! One of the 10 biggest DJs on the planet, we’ll be putting our not inconsiderable energies into making sure that news of everything he does this year - and there’s going to be quite a bit - reaches the farthest corners of the globe. Also joining us, a man never found wanting in the ‘music to publicize’ department, Mr Roger Shah. Arguably the most prolific major league trance producer on the planet, we’re looking forward to banging the drum hard about his happenings throughout the course of the year.
No silent running, people. Stark, Out.
Leon Bolier ‘NSFW’ Incl. Push Remix Released 23.12.2009
As sensationally revealed in last month’s info-update, ‘NSFW’ stands for ‘Not Suitable For Work’ and not ‘North South Freekin’ West’ (as sections the geographical community had theorized). Leon’s last floor-typh1oo9n comes fully enabled with a floor-grafting Original and molten-hot Push remix. If you’re reading this and think it could be your Christmas gift coup de grace for you’re nearest and/or dearest’s mp3 collection, well, we believe you might be right! To pop it in their digital stocking, simply click this link.
Sied… Trance Energy… The Big Return! 22.12.2009
Utrecht. What do we know? Well Wikipedia tells us it’s a small town in the foothills of the Balele Mountains in the North Western corner of KwaZula-Natal in, um, er, hang on a minute… South Africa??! Looking at it, we might have clicked the wrong link. Let’s stick with the two ‘definites: it’s in Holland and it's the home of Trance Energy! On the 3rd of April, in the year of our creator, 2010, Sied van Riel will make his return to the ruddy biggest event in da whole of trance-dom! Alongside the likes of Marco V, Cosmic Gate, Richard Durand, Jochem Miller, Andy Moor & Cliff Coenraad, he’ll be bringing the High Contrast vs. In Charge stage to clubbing gridlock. Tickets have just gone on sale, you’re under starters order… GO GET ‘EM!
Bobina’s ‘Again’ – The Special Edition Released On Maelstrom UK 13.12.2009
Marking yet another major step forward for Russian music, Bobina has become the first ever electronic artist to achieve an album release in the UK (though you could actually classify that as TWO album releases!). Following another stellar showing in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 – one that saw him leap into the world’s Top 20 (to the No.16 position) – Maelstrom Records are releasing a Special Edition of Bobina’s 2008 artist album ‘Again’ and the 2009 remix edition ‘Again Remixed’. You can now get all the original tracks - including the singles ‘Time & Tide’, ‘Invisible Touch’, ‘Slow’ & ‘Lighthouse’ - along with their remix compadres (taken from the studio desks of Ferry Corsten, Gareth Emery, Sean Tyas& First State amongst others) in one blockbuster compendium.
The Intuition Winter Festival: 5 Years of Intuition! 01.12.2009
Westerunie... It’s a club that’s barely contained the sell-out crowds that thronged in for Menno Solo last year November. On Saturday the 13th of March Menno will once again throw open the doors to one of his favourite Amsterdam venues and usher in the masses for the 2010 edition of the Intuition Winter Festival. It’ll be a ‘double event’ too - one that'll be celebrating the 5th marvelous, magical, fantastical (steady on!) year of Intuition Recordings. DJs on the night? Well there will be a few! Flying in from the hotlands of Egypt are Aly & Fila, and from the somewhat chiller climes 'Swedish Beatball' Marcus Schössöw & fellow countryman Airbase. You can also prepare yourself for some Belgian-flavoured audio-shocks from Jonas Steur and naturally a good deck-thrashing session from the incomparable host, Mr De Jong. So, when it arrives, get that shiny new 2010 leather diary out (the one your well-meaning Auntie gave you for Christmas) and make it the first date you put in there. Standby one, standby all!
Say ‘YES’ To W&W @ Trance Energy 2010! 23.11.2009
Trance Energy… Nowadays we reckon it pretty much qualifies April’s reason to exist! This year Trance.nu are hosting the Future Stage at the event and they’ve drawn up a short list of 20 acts they’d like to see play it. Who makes the final 7… well that’s down to you, dear reader! W&W are on that list and the big ‘vote-on’ has just started via the site. We’d love you to send our boys to downtown Utrecht and here’s how you can say: ‘YES to W&W at Trance Energy 2010!’ Step 1: hit the site. If you don’t already have an account, take Step 2: and set one up (it’s a doddle!). Step 3: poll a vote for them. If they play, they promise you a ballistic, bombastic performance, the likes of which you’ve never seen! Nice.
Roger Shah – Into 2010 15.11.2009
2009? In Roger’s mind it was really just a warm-up for 2010! Into the New Year you can expect to hear all the Balearically-minded music you’ve loved this year… only more of it! The official follow up to last year’s ASOT Tune of the Year will be hitting the promo trail very shortly. Entitled ‘Found’ and featuring again Zara on vocals, the new Sunlounger single is the promise of big things indeed. The single will quickly be followed by the long-anticipated new Sunlounger album in March. The third installment from Roger’s best known pseudonym, it will of course be packed with the very finest sun ‘n’ sand inspired music. Then into summer it’ll be another trilogy completion, this time for Roger’s ‘Magic Island – Music For Balearic People Vol 3’ compilation. Bringing up the tail end of this 3 album odyssey (that number again!) will be the new Roger Shah artist album in October. Frankly just writing about it leaves us breathless. Spare a thought for Roger. He’s got to record it all!
