One of the most influential DJ and producer is back with his brand new album. Bobina who has rocked the clubs, festivals, radio shows and spotify lists with this unforgettable classics is back with Speed Breaker. With many years of experience in the studio and behind the decks the ultra talented superstar will awake your senses and make you embrace the moment and enjoy with your mind, body and soul the 16 cuts of an album that is deemed to be considered as one of the highlights of his long glorious career. I'm very glad that despite his heavy workload and busy family life he has found the available time to reply in the questions that will take us behind the scenes of the recordings of his must have album Speed Breaker. Enjoy his answers and don't forget to go clubbing!
Interview was written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias, Music Journalist and radio host at 1mix radio.
Dimitri: First it would be great to take us for a trip to memory lane and give us your short comment about each of the albums you have released so far except Speed Breaker
Bobina:
a) Catchy! 2004: That was a first try :)
b) Again 2008: Glad #trancefamily still remember this one.
c) Rocket Ride 2011: was produced in the middle of touring - took a lot of time
d)Same Difference 2013: very trancey album. Even sounds strange for me now :)
e)#Uplifting 2015: that was mostly a joke. Joke in a good was of course. If you follow me - you probably know my personal opinion about «uplifting trance» :)
Dimitri: In what ways you understand that Speed Breaker is a different album from the previous ones?
Bobina: Everything is different in this album. Much more real instruments were used in there, very different styled tunes - for me it’s even hard to compare it to any previous album to be honest.
Dimitri: In Speed Breaker you include songs from wide variety of styles rather than serving a solid trance album. Are you afraid that maybe your trance core fans will be disappointed about this change?
Bobina: No I'm not. It all depends on what people mean when they say «trance». For me - it’s emotions in the tracks & melodies. I remember 10 years ago - trance was much more wider in many things and that’s how I try to keep the vibe. If the record is 125 BPM it still could be much more trancey comparing to the 138BPM tunes. So if you like the melodies, harmonies - you will like the album I think. If trance for you is just «uplifting 138 BPM» & you can not accept anything different - then just skip it :)
Dimitri: Have you done any considerable changes in your studio in order to accommodate the new sound of Speed Breaker. Can you tell us the main software and hardware that you use for the production of this album?
Bobina: I switched to Mac completely - but the equipment is quite the same: Ableton + Virus Ti2 + Adam A7 audio monitors. Sometimes Sylenth1, Massive, Omnisphere2 & Nexus - I think it’s quite standard set-up nowadays.
Dimitri: You include in this album wonderful collaborations with great singers. It would be great if you can give us a short comment about each one of them and how was your collaboration with them:
Bobina:
Natalie Gioia: we speak the same language (Russian) so it was quite easy - we made all the songs really fast (I mean the vocals).
Kyle Richardson: He sent me the vocals via email & I've decided to make a summerish tune. Check out the music video for this one on youtube.com/bobina really soon.
JES: I've tried to work with 3 different vocalists on that instrumental before I came to JES studio in Hollywood & we created iBelieve.
May-Britt Scheffer: great vocals & sounds very different for me.
Sir Adrian: cool sample - added a lot to the track.
Christian Burns: that’s a new chill out version of our tune. Was amazing to work with Chris on this one.
Alexandra Badoi: we wanted to make a track together since the last album but it happened just last year.
Dimitri: Have you face any serious problems or issues during the production of the album and how did you manage to overcome them?
Bobina: It was very ‘easy’ but long album. I had no deadline so i produced it in calm mode - when I had time between the shows & family.
Dimitri: How long it usually takes you to produce a track? Which track was produced really fast and which one took you very long time?
Bobina: iBelieve - was 4 months between the 1st demo instrumental & final version with JES while «The Magik» took only 2 days. So it’s very different
Dimitri: What process do you usually use when you produce a track? From which elements you start first and then how do you build it up until to become a true anthem?
Bobina: Usually I start with piano demo & then it depends will it a vocal tune or an instrumental.
Dimitri: Do you have a special person with talented ear that you send any track after you finish it? Do you change the track after the comments of this person?
Bobina: I have quite a few friends & I send them a tune to listen of course. But as for opinion - i usually just follow my own heart - and do how I feel.
Dimitri: Have you played the tracks of this album in your DJ set and as a result of the crowd reactions have you altered or changed them?
Bobina: From Speed Breaker album I've tested «Sierra» «My Everything» «Speed Breaker» & «iBelieve» - and yes I did some different edits later after first try.
Dimitri: Now that the album has finished and is about to get full release are you 100% satisfied with it or you wish to have change something?
Bobina: Of course now i can change many things :) The album was done actually last year - it’s almost 6 months passed so yeah, i would like to make some changes.
Dimitri: Are there any left-over tracks that didn't manage to get into the final tracklisting? If yes what are you going to do with them?
Bobina: Yeah - but some ideas, not the finished tunes. I will show them later if I’ll still like those ideas.
Dimitri: Your radio show Russia Goes Clubbing goes really well and you celebrated with DJ compilations as well. When and under which circumstances you started your radio show and what is the secret of success of this radio show.
Bobina: The secret is I try to make it very ‘honest’. I mean i do not play just ‘friends’ if you know what I mean. And the opposite side: if I don’t like the person but he produced a good tune - I will still play it. That is the only way how you can create a good tracklist in my opinion.
Dimitri: You perform regularly in your country but we don’t see you very often playing in other countries. Do you have an explanation why may this happen? Do you believe that Russian DJs and artists are disadvantaged maybe?
Bobina: Russian Deejays do not play outside too much comparing to Holland for example as we do not have a ‘scene’. That’s the main reason: no family - artists are too separated in my opinion.
Dimitri: Finally the well-known publication Billboard Dance has embraced you with positive comments. Do you believe that this will open the way for more booking in USA?
Bobina: I have no idea to be honest. I like to produce music & be with my kid so a lot of bookings - it’s not a target for me. I've been all over the world already for the last 10 years.
Dimitri: In which places are you going to perform next and you are looking forward to it?
Bobina: China, The Philippines, Thailand, Russia.
Dimitri: Do you have any form of advice to young DJs who dream to become so successful as you are at the moment?
Bobina: Do your own thing, go your own way - and do not look (and discuss) the others. It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice :)
Bobina – Speed Breaker Tracklist:
01. Speed Breaker
02. Addicted (with Natalie Gioia)
03. Love Is the Answer (with Kyle Richardson)
04. Music Box [Album Mix]
05. iBelieve (with JES)
06. The Magik (with Natalie Gioia)
07. Sierra
08. Born Again (with May-Britt Scheffer)
09. Drophead (with Smash featuring Sir Adrian)
10. Refuge
11. My Everything (with Natalie Gioia)
12. Winter
13. Still In Love (with Christian Burns) [Chill Breaker Mix]
14. Maharaja
15. Dare To Love (with Alexandra Badoi)
Many thanks to Bobina for answering this interview.
Many thanks to Tim Stark at Stark Profiles for arranging this interview.
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