Interview is written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias “Flux Bpm On The Move”
Definitely First State aka Sander van Dien was one of the most successful dance artists and dj in 2010. Not only he released great original tracks and the fantastic album Changing Lanes but also he remixed some of the hottest artists like Tiesto, George Acosta, Robbie Rivera, Dash Berlin and many more. If these achievements are not enough we should highlight the fact that he started his own record labels First State Music, First State Deep, First State House that manage to capture the attention of the global dance community as a result of the first very strong releases. Now it’s time for Sander to show to the world his skills as a dj in his digital only compilation Crossroads Year Mix 2010 that is already out on many well known download portals via Black Hole recordings.
The concept of a yearmix has a rich history in the music industry. Over the years many of the big names have taken up the baton to musically review a full year in the past. And now for 2010, First State takes up the challenge and releases a unique double mix compilation entitled “Crossroads Yearmix 2010”, highlighting the best tracks as featured in his successful Crossroads podcasts.
The debut episode of the Crossroads podcast appeared in November 2009 and has since drawn the ever-growing attention of fans from all over the world. Dedicated listeners that follow the weekly episodes get an exclusive peek in First State’s record bag and hear first hand what he likes best and will use during his live DJ sets. With that notion in mind, First State a.k.a. Sander van Dien took no chances when he prepared himself for the “Crossroads Yearmix 2010” sessions and secured a total of 27 tracks, compiled across two mixes.
Looking at the tracklist, it is clear that First State focuses on the best tracks and remixes of 2010 including hard to find versions exclusive to this digital only compilation. Featuring material by Shane Halcon, BT featuring JES, Zoo Brazil, Sander van Doorn, Marco V, Cosmic Gate, Rank 1, Lange, Richard Durand, Marc Simz, George Acosta and of course First State himself and many more, everyone can be sure to enjoy the absolute best of 2010 for nearly three hours. First State’s “Crossroads Yearmix 2010” is the perfect review in music for every trance fanatic in general and First State fans in particular!
Of course, you have watched though this web site First State’s interview at Tomorrowland 2010. I felt though that this release was the best opportunity to catch up again with him and ask him some fresh questions about this very special mix compilation that reviews the best tracks of 2010 according to First State’s very personal taste. He tells us his opinion about the best artists and labels in 2010. In addition, we discuss the latest hot trend in EDM community that is the mashups and how more and more djs attempt to produce them in order to have exclusive material for their dj performances. I ask him of course about the great music video that supports his single Cross the Line with Relyk and his involvement in it. He gives us his view on the battle between vocal vs instrumental tracks. Finally, he confesses the best place that he performed as a dj this year and presents the forthcoming gigs and releases in his labels.
Dimitri: Lets start with your podcast and radio show Crossroads that has many listeners worldwide. Did you expect to have such a big success when you launched it in November 2009? Is there a secret behind the great acceptance of that podcast?
First State: I didn’t know what to expect when I started Crossroads, but I am really happy with the outcome thus far. There’s no secret really, It’s all about consistency and quality and keeping the fans entertained every episode.
Dimitri: In that great mixed compilation included tracks from your album Changing Lanes. I wonder if after some months that the album is released if you are still feel happy and satisfied with the end result?? Are there any things that you may wish to change??
First State: Overall, I’m happy with “Changing Lanes”. It did rather well in charts, sales, and the singles all gained huge support across the board. Of course any producer , 6 months to a year down the road thinks, “I should have changed this, or I could have tweaked that”, but that’s simply because we’re always looking to improve on our sound, and technology is evolving so rapidly, so too are the sounds out of the studio. So what sounds fresh today, will sound flat tomorrow, and that’s something that is somewhat a producers’ enemy!
Dimitri: Your single Cross the Line included in this digital album had an amazing success and the music video is playlisted by many mainstream tv stations as well. I would love to know if you expected the success of single and if the reason of success is the singer and the lyrics or the music itself?
First State: Yeah, the track did phenomenally well. I’m happy with the result, especially getting rotation on mainstream TV channels. That was the icing on the cake, and I think that the success of the track can be attributed to all factors, and not one above the other. Relyk did a great job on the lyrics and vocal, and worked hard on the production side of the track as well.
Dimitri: Are you in favor of instrumental or vocal trance tracks and don’t you feel that sometimes a great instrumental track is lost because of the addition of vocals or the opposite sometimes a track sounds so empty without the vocals?
First State: Sometimes a track is written for a vocal… others just do better as an instrumental. It’s hard to pick one over the other at this moment, because it all depends on the final product.
Dimitri: For Cross the Line you shoot a fantastic cozy and very classy music video. Do you see music video as important or vital for the promotion of a track? Did you had any involvement on the visualization of it? Did you had any other input for instance on the storyboard and script except performing to it?
First State: It was all between Myself, the label, and the director. For months leading up to the video shoot, we were in constant communication with the video’s director, exchanging storyboards, location ideas and so on. The video’s director had the bigger portion of input, simply because he’s great at conceptualizing and interpreting electronic music to appropriate videos.
Dimitri: Do you have an all-time favorite EDM music video that you always look at it with interest even if you have watch it million of times?
First State: Would it be cheeky if I said my own??
Dimitri: Within Crossroads Yearmix 2010 the listener will find out that the most well known record labels are represented along with the most influential artists too. Is it possible to choose for us your TOP 3 best record labels in 2010 except Black Hole labels and your favorite TOP 3 trance artists that were amazing and had fantastic releases in 2010?
First State: Well I’m not sticking to the “TRANCE” genre really. My focus from 2010 was leaning more towards the Progressive tip, with only a Trance influence. This is evident in my radio shows through the last quarter of 2010. AS for labels, Size Records, Mau5trap and Pryda. As for artists… Pryda/Eric Prydz , Swedish House Mafia and Michael Woods are amongst my highest rated for the year!
Dimitri: In your sets and in your podcast you play your own mash ups and bootleg versions of tracks. Do you like that mash up trend that many well known djs play a brand new track made up by just mixing two or three existing records?
First State: If it’s done right and sounds good, why not?? As long as it doesn’t end up sounding like the person behind the mashup is tone-deaf.
Dimitri: Do you think a mash up helps the original tracks to get recognition and a second life or those versions are forgotten because of the mash ups? Please choose for us your favorite mash up tune of 2010 and why you choose that particular one?
First State: A mashup, if done right, can work in a few ways… from reviving an old crowd favourite, to crossing musical genres, to adding a new dimension to something current. I recently did a mashup called “Arty vs First State ft Anita Kelsey – The Falling Wonder”. Ofcourse fans know “Falling” as being one of my biggest tracks to date, and the vocal just fit really well on top of Arty’s “The Wonder”. It’s been working really well in my live sets and people seem to love the familiarity of hearing “Falling” once again.
First State: There were a few tracks that were in the initial tracklisting but we had removed them because they didn’t fit in the final mix too well, which I wasn’t too happy about, but looking at the bigger picture, I wanted to deliver a final product that I was 100% satisfied with from all aspects.
Dimitri: The year mix includes one of the best tracks coming from your labels Jason van wyk and Dream on. I wonder if you feel happy so far with the acceptance and recognition that your labels had till now and if it is possible to reveal to us some of the forthcoming releases?
First State: “Dream On” was a great first release for us, and the Protoculture remix was supported heavily, which we’re thrilled about. It was definitely the kind of start we wanted to introduce FIRST STATE MUSIC. Some of our future releases include tracks from Fast Distance, Audien, Akira Kayosa & Michael Dow presents Alderney, Craving, and Jason van Wyk.
Dimitri: Now as a label owner I wonder if it is an easy task to find tracks to release on your label and how do you choose the remixers for the releases? Do you take in account the feedback that you get from other djs and the public or you usually follow your own instincts on which artists will provide more suitable remixes for a particular track?
First State: Myself and the label manager put our heads together and discuss ideas and plans, commission remixes and complete the final packages for each release before we even send it out to the dj’s as promos. So it’s mainly strategic planning rather than being instinctual.
Dimitri: Of course you are a very able dj as well and during 2010 you had some great guest dj gigs. Can you choose for us your best dj performances in 2010 and if you believe that people enjoy themselves more rather in the past or there is no considerable change?
First State: I’ve had a lot of great gigs and tours in 2010. From playing alongside Tiesto at Privilege in Ibiza, to rocking the sanctuary that is Ministry of Sound in London. My tour to Canada in November. Was also one worth mentioning. There is definitely a change. I’m incorporating live production elements into my performances now, and not just Djing as before. I’ve always considered myself as more of a producer, and lately have been able to express that side of me a lot more, and as a result, I’m enjoying performing a lot more.
Dimitri: Have you done any upgrade in your studio set up in 2010 and is there a new piece of software or hardware added that you recommended to other producers as well?
First State: There have been some modifications to my studio. I’m a gear-junkie, so I’m always on the look-out for new “toys” that will help me get the sound I’m after, but in the end of the day, as that saying goes, “it’s not the kitchen, it’s the cook”. Most of my work is done researching and fine-tuning my sound.
Dimitri: Are there dj gigs that are confirmed for 2011, production or remixes that you are waiting for with great anticipation and in consequence your fans should wait too?
First State: I’m happy to say that the gig diary for 2011 is filling up rather well and I’ll be touring a lot more this year then before. There are definitely new productions and remixes in the works, including a few new surprises lined up for the First State name as well as First State music as a label. Won’t say too much for now, but fans can stay tuned to my social networks or www.firststatemusic.com , and I’ll be sure keep regular updates coming!
Many thanks to Sander that despite his busy schedule manage to find some time to reply to this interview
Thanks to his manager Shane Halcon for his support in doing this interview
Ultra Large thanks to Jeroen at Black Hole offices for his great help on having this interview on time and to Mark of course at Black Hole recordings offices.
Don’t forget to catch up every week with First State’s Crossroads radio show on www.1mix.co.uk & www.danceradioglobal.com/trancemusic
Mix 1.
01. EDX - Thrive (EDX’s Fe5tival Mix)
02. First State - Cape Point (Blake Jarrell Remix)
03. Shane Halcon - Solid Ground
04. BT & Andrew Bayer - The Emergency (Marcus Schössow Remix)
05. Zoo Brazil featuring Rasmus Kellerman - There Is Hope (Sebastian Krieg & Roman F Remix)
06. Sander van Doorn - Reach Out
07. Nic Chagall, Rank 1, Wippenberg - 100 (Extended)
08. Lange featuring Emma Hewitt - Live Forever (Steve Brian Remix)
09. George Acosta featuring Fisher - Love Rain Down (First State Remix)
10. First State featuring Relyk - Cross The Line (Extended)
11. Jason van Wyk - Dream On (Protoculture Remix)
12. tyDi - Good Dreams (Barnes & Heatcliff Remix)
13. Marco V featuring Jonathan Mendelsohn - Coming Back (Nic Chagall Remix)
14. Velvetine - Safe [Wherever You Are] (Rank 1 Remix)
Mix 2.
01. BT featuring JES - Every Other Way (Armin Van Buuren Remix)
02. Cosmic Gate - Barra (Extended Mix)
03. Sander van Doorn presents Purple Haze - Hymn 2.0
04. Gareth Emery featuring Lucy Saunders - Sanctuary (Club Mix)
05. Ashley Wallbridge - Chimera
06. Rank 1 vs Jochen Miller - The Great Escape (Extended)
07. Andy Moor featuring Carrie Skipper - She Moves
08. Cosmic Gate - London Rain (New Club Mix)
09. First State featuring Sarah Howells - Reverie (Dash Berlin Remix)
10. Richard Durand - Tiger’s Apology (Hectic Mix)
11. Marc Simz - Forbidden City
12. DJ’s United - Remember Love
13. First State - As You Were (Ben Nicky Remix)
Additional info:
www.firststatemusic.com
www.blackholerecordings.com
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you can check it out right here too:
http://www.1mix.co.uk/news/484-first-state-crossroads-interview