Paul’s big break was landing a residency at Birmingham’s Godkitchen and their globally-syndicated GlobalGathering festivals a decade back; a dream foundation for any aspiring DJ to build their career on.
Take a look at the impressive and varied list of labels he’s had track signed to: Spinnin’ Records, Steve Angello’s SIZE Records, Toolroom Records, Doorn Records, Ultra, Gareth Emery’s Garuda, Michael Woods’ Diffused ...the list goes on and on. His golden remix touch has been requested for releases by legends like Basement Jaxx, Chicane, Underworld, Josh Wink, D Ramirez & Mark Knight, Deadmau5, Tiesto and Paul Oakenfold and he’s collaborated with Mark Knight and Jerome Isma-Ae, and more recently, Andy Moor and Funkagenda
He’s firmly established himself more recently as a leading name in the sphere of progressive and trance music across the globe, and the small matter of 9 separate Beatport genre Top 10 successes. His Ultraviolet track in Toolroom hit the No.1 spot in the Progressive Chart (as did other singles Tomorrow and Sunrise), and No. 5 on the overall sales chart, while remixes and collaborations with Funkagenda, Andy Moor, Tiesto & Paul Oakenfold are on the way.
“I guess I have gone back to my melodic roots over the past 12 months, making tracks with melodies and big chords, while keeping the beats and bass and beats quite big. It seems to have worked well, as I have a lot of cross-genre support, from Paul van Dyk and Above & Beyond to W&W and Hardwell.”
His UltraViolet record label has gone from strength to strength in the past few months since its launch in December 2013. The past few releases have seen Beatport chart success, including his singles ‘Fiji’ & the ‘Sunrise’ remixes each charting in the Beatport top 20 in progressive & trance respectively, with each release climbing the chart higher as the label grows at a quick pace.
With continual touring across the world and a relentless studio diary to attend to, his name continues to rise up the ranks of the international dance music scene. His wide-appealing sound and die-hard work ethic will ensure that his name is one you’ll be hearing even more of over the next few years.
Dimitri: Can you mention your biggest achievements in your music career in 2014 as dj & producer,label owner,radio host and your personal life if it is something that you wish to share with our readers?
Paul Thomas: After years of making house music, and countless releases on Spinnin, Toolroom, SIZE etc, I decided that 2014 was the year where I switched back to my roots, and back to trance music. It has been a transitional year, but 2 Beatport trance top 10s with ‘Lucir’ on Vandit and ‘Cafe Del Mar’ on my own UltraViolet label cemented my swap to trance, which I am really pleased about.
Dimitri: 2014 was packed with releases from so many different styles, which Electronic Music style you believe is the absolute Electronic Music Style Of 2014 in the mainstream indifferent if you like it or not. Why you believe this style became so successful in 2014?
Paul Thomas: I guess deep house was the biggest. The way it’s crossed over to radio and commercial format, and the fact you can’t seem to walk through a shop in London or a bar in Ibiza without hearing a deep house track tells you everything. There’s arguments for EDM or big room or whatever you want to call it, but if anything that style has regressed as it’s grown more and more stagnant. Many artists are now jumping ship and the EDM sound starts to sink!
1) Best Track:
Paul Thomas: Eric Prydz - Liberate
2) Best Artist (Dj & producer):
Paul Thomas: Eric Prydz - DJ
Ilan Bluestone - Producer
3) Best Remix:
Paul Thomas: Shift K3y - Touch (Grum remix)
4) Best Remixer:
Paul Thomas: Grum
5) Best New Talent (Dj or producer):
Paul Thomas: Shadow Of Two
6) Best Electronic Music Album:
Paul Thomas: It’s been a poor year for albums this year. I guess Aphex Twins’ is the one that springs to mind the most.
7) Best Electronic Music Compilation:
Paul Thomas: Anjunadeep 006 was sensational
8) Best Vocalist/Singer featured on Electronic Music track:
Paul Thomas: Jennifer Rene on Solid Stone’s ‘Not Enough’
9) Best Electronic Music Label:
Paul Thomas: Anjunabeats
10) Best Twitter or Facebook message you received from a fan or friend or you have read on someone else’s account:
Paul Thomas: Someone sent me a message telling me my music was better than sex!
11) Best Event or Open Air Festival:
Paul Thomas: GlobalGathering UK
12) Best personal Dj Gig:
Paul Thomas: Space in Sharm El Sheikh for my birthday in July was pretty special
13) Best Dj set of the year from other fellow Dj:
Paul Thomas: I heard Sasha in my hometown of Birmingham, UK in April, he was amazing that night
14) Best country that you have visited to perform with the most up for it crowd:
Paul Thomas: Ibiza of course!
15) Best Radio show:
Paul Thomas: Paul van Dyk’s VONYC Sessions
16) Best Radio station:
Paul Thomas: Digitally Imported
17) Best Online Record shop that you purchase your music:
Paul Thomas: I only really purchase music from Beatport
18) Best Website that you visit frequently:
Paul Thomas: 1001tracklists.com. It’s great for keeping track of who’s supporting my music
19) Best Smart phone/Mobile phone device:
Paul Thomas: I’ve never used anything other than an iphone
20) Best Dj equipment (software or hardware):
Paul Thomas: Pioneer are the industry standard, I would never use anything else
21) Best tip that you learnt this year for your Djing techniques or music composition:
Paul Thomas: Stop DJing while under the influence of alcohol!
22) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career in 2014:
Paul Thomas: Stay true to the music that you love.
23) Best hobby or activity that you spent a lot of time in 2014:
Paul Thomas: Music takes up far too much time for any other hobbies!
24) Best holiday destination for 2014 that you manage to visit this year either to relax or to perform in a club or festival:
Paul Thomas: I went to Portugal for the first time ever this year, for a holiday, no shows whatsoever. It was the first time in years that I’ve actually gone on holiday and not done a show while I’ve been there. It was pure bliss!
25) Best online/PC/video game of the year that you have played this year?
Paul Thomas: I have never been interested in video games. Again, music takes up far too much time for these kind of things
26) Best piece of News you learnt this year related to Electronic Music Culture:
Paul Thomas: That Beatport were finally changing their genre classifications, which turned out to be a total lie!
Dimitri: Finally, 2015 is ahead of us would you like to tell your plans with your future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, Dj gigs.
Paul Thomas: I have lots of new music coming out on Vandit, including a big remix of a Paul van Dyk single. On top of that I’ve just remixed Tiesto and Motorcycle, as well as made new music for my own UltraViolet label. There’s also a tasty new collaboration with Jerome Isma-Ae on the way.
Thanks so much to beloved dj & producer Paul Thomas for this magnificent interview! We Will Follow Him in 2015!
Thanks to Mark Meeuwissen at Black Hole recordings for organising this interview
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