The Prodigy considered to be one of the most influential and highly infectious electronic music groups that have started their career in the 90's and continue until nowadays to inspire with their spirited sound and memorable performances. The sudden and shocking death of the singer and incredible dancer Keith Flint has attracted the attention once again to this brilliant group and in order to commemorate Keith we nominate as Album For The Day the stunning Their Law Best Of album that includes the best singles from 1990-2005. The tracks that have shaped generations of music lovers with fantastic mixture of drum n bass, jungle, breaks, ethnic moody mysterious vocal samples, reggae samples, old Tv-Adverts, weird heavy metal guitar riffs and aggressive in your face vocals with slightly political lyrics with social connotations have left their stainless stamp in the history of electronic music and they considered as the godfathers of the specific music subgenre easily named as Rave. Their fantastic live performances were the perfect excuse for many festival goers to go nuts and leave their revolutionary side to explode and in a way to shout loud and proud their revolt against any political system and their demand to let them celebrate their youth and have great time out with their mates. Their legacy and influence is immense and is highlighted even more from the fact that after the announcement of Keith's death millions of posts have appeared in various news sites, music blogs along with social media tributes that appeared and will continue to come in the coming days. His legacy will continue to inspire for sure....
According to their Discogs bio: The Prodigy is British electronic group, founded in 1990. Their first release was single "What Evil Lurks" (1991). Their early music was mostly rave/breakbeat, but has become more mainstream mixing in rock guitars with the third album "The Fat Of The Land" (1997).
Band members:
- Liam Howlett (head of the group, producer)
- Keith Flint (vocals, dancing)
- Maxim (MCing, vocals)
Former long term member:
- Leeroy Thornhill (dancing)
The original Prodigy line-up was Liam on keyboards and Leeroy, Keith and Sharky as dancers. Maxim was recruited at short notice to MC at their debut gig at Labrynth in Dalston, London. Sharky left the group at Christmas 1990 after they got their record deal with XL as she didn't want to devote more time to the band. Their initial deal with XL was for 4 singles, with XL paying a £1500 advance prior to the first single.
The Prodigy briefly used the pseudonym Earthbound (6) (named after Liam's studio) for the original white-label summer releases of "One Love" (1993). Leeroy Thornhill left the band in 2000.
Singer Keith Flint died on 4 March 2019. [check their discogs profile here]
Sunday is definitely the perfect day to relax after a hard party night out particularly if you have been in the Netherlands for #ASOT900 in Utrecht. So our choice for Album For A Day should be only Enigma with the groundbreaking and truly inspiring album The Cross Of Change. It has been characterised as one of the most innovative album on the way it was produced with superb atmosphere and definitely has its own space in the history of electronic music.
Here is the bio of Enigma as it is written in the official web site:
Eight. At this age Michael Cretu was already sitting in the cockpit of a spaceship, floating through his imaginary universe. These days he may no longer be a young boy, but he still travels through space.
All he needs to navigate his spaceship through the universe is 88 keys - the same 88 keys that inspired him as a child in Bucharest. Whilst playing his piano he always imagined himself traveling through space and musical talent soon matched his limitless imagination. His music teachers and professors at various conservatories saw great potential in the young boy and soon realized that Michael Cretu would one day be a great concert pianist. After being sent abroad for further training, the Frankfurt Music Academy praised the young Romanian for his outstanding musical talent. There was no question; He was destined for a future in the world of classical music.
But it all turned out quite differently for him. In the 70s Michael discovered electronic music. It played to both of his strengths, allowing him to express his imagination and musicality in unexpected ways. Naturally, the synthesizer became his new cockpit to steer his spaceship out of the galaxy of classical music and into new planetary systems, new worlds and new music.
Today his cockpit actually resembles a spaceship. In his control room he sits in front of Merlin - an all in one computed mobile studio. Day by day he uses it to steer his way through already discovered and brand new worlds of sound. His excursions usually take him several years but eventually he will always return with new discoveries. This way, over the last 25 years, seven records under the project name Enigma came into being.
There is no other music project comparable to Enigma. It defies categorization. New Age, Electronic, Sound Collage, Ambient Rock Symphony, Pop Avant-garde? None of these labels fit and still all of them do. Each beat shows the unmistakable signature of an artist who refuses to be pigeonholed.
The amazing feedback and admiration he has received over the years is surprising given the fact that he never played "the game" like so many others. There have been no screaming fans, no hype and he had always succeeded in keeping his name out of the gossip pages. Despite this, he has still managed to sell 70 million records, reached the top of the charts 60 times and entered the top 10 an impressive 80 times. He stayed in the Billboard album charts for five years straight, got three Grammy nominations and has achieved Gold and Platinum sales over 100 times. To call Enigma an international phenomenon would be an understatement.
This time Michael Cretu wanted to again create something extraordinary. It’s his eighth album, and eight is known to be a very special number. It represents a new beginning and eternity. To Christians the number eight is sacred and Maori see it as the sign of kinship. For Enigma it means perfection.
The Fall Of A Rebel Angel tells the story of no one and everyone. Our "hero" is a human being like you and me. One day nothing seems like it used to be. He feels monitored and not in control of his destiny. He's scared and does not know of what and why. His life seems to slip away from him. While navigating through an imaginary town he has experiences that change him. He meets a priestess whose God is Marquis de Sade - a continuation of the legendary Sadeness (Part I) from the first Enigma album, MCMXC A.D. While wandering restlessly through this new world he learns that sexuality has nothing to do with luck, that faith no longer lives in cathedrals and death doesn't have to be a terrible thing. These experiences give him the strength to let his passivity go. He destroys his own reflection in the water of a lake and accepts responsibility for his life.
To tell this story, Michael Cretu's music summons childlike wishes, dreams, visions and imagery drawn from memory. With quotes from religious texts, literature and pop culture, it leads the listener through a coloured labyrinth of the subconscious in search of identity and security in a world that is cold, dangerous and indifferent to the individual. One can always imagine a distant cry for love within the soundscapes of this album.
The Fall Of A Rebel Angel is the musical parable of a sensitive artist's view of the human condition. The twelve musical chapters are based on an epic poem of the writer and playwright Michael Kunze included in the album. 13 paintings of Wolfgang Beltracchi, the genius painter who had to hold up a mirror to the world of art before he got the praise he deserves, complement them.
Enigma is a constant in the fast paced world of pop music. The gaps between his releases are long. The spirit and the ambition of The Fall Of A Rebel Angel build a bridge back to the first Enigma album and also lead the way into the future. Michael Cretu's new masterpiece was worth the long wait.
It was not three years this time, not six. But Eight.
System F aka Ferry Corsten is considered as one of the true pioneers of electronic trance music. His productions incorporate surprising elements like breaks and electro within the full on uplifting trance structure. The huge orchestral style melodies along with massive swirling euphoric synthy hooks that are impossible to forget easily are the big assets of his productions. Out of the blue released in 2000 includes seminal classics like Out of the Blue, Exhale,Cry,Soul On Soul and many more. It has been re-released digitally remastered in 2010 with many additional versions and remixes. This version you can find on Spotify and is our Album For The Day.
This is Ferry Bio from his about page in his official web site:
Hailing from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Ferry Corsten’s lustrous career is exemplified by a passion for music that began as a hobby and spiralled into a full-blown profession. Today, as it was in the beginning, Corsten’s skills lie in his ability to coax the maximum emotional impact from electronic dance music of all genres, not just trance, but also progressive-house and electro. He remains and has always been ahead-of-his time, making music that becomes a template for others to follow.
It was the album, Out Of The Blue, that started it all. As Corsten’s sophomoric artist album under the alias, System F, the eponymous single became a worldwide hit and charted in the UK’s Top 20 UK singles charts and Japan’s Top 10 singles charts for three consecutive years after its release. Corsten’s rapid success ignited a steady flow of releases including ‘Gouryella’ with Tiësto. It was during this time that Corsten’s remix of William Orbit’s ‘Barber’s Adagio For Strings’ became a clubland anthem. Though the instantly recognizable original appeared in the film Platoon (directed by Oliver Stone), it was Corsten’s heady remix that took the original composition’s strongest elements and amplified them into a singular, explosive masterpiece. Offers for remix work have poured in furiously ever since, including remixes for U2, Justin Bieber, Moby, Faithless, The Killers, William Orbit, Duran Duran, Public Enemy, Nelly Furtado, and many others including TV’s winner of the ‘X-Factor,’ Melanie Amaro.
Corsten has also won his share of industry awards, and consistently appeared near the top of DJ polls worldwide, including his placement n DJ Mag’s 2017 poll, making him the longest serving DJ in the ranking at 7 years.
Ferry Corsten has released a steady flow of new music, and has eight full-length studio albums under his belt, namely: ‘Looking Forward’ as Ferry; ‘Out Of The Blue’ and ‘Together’ as System F; and ‘Right Of Way’, ‘L.E.F.’, ‘Twice In A Blue Moon’, ‘WKND’ and most recently ‘Blueprint’ as Ferry Corsten. These eight killer albums have yielded more than their share of Gold records, including ‘Punk,’ ‘Out Of The Blue’ and ‘Rock Your Body Rock’. 2016 acclaimed ‘Hello World’ EPs solidified him as an ever-relevant presence in trance music, demonstrating his consistent ability to stay ahead of the curve. ‘Hearts Beating Faster’ ft. Ethan Thompson became one of most revered tracks from the EP, charting high in radio playlists worldwide, finding extended support across the scene’s biggest spinners and to date receiving in excess of 3 million streams on Spotify. That year saw Ferry nominated for an International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) as fans put their support behind him being named ‘Best Trance DJ’ - once again proving the longevity of his talents.
2018 saw Ferry launch his new project UNITY, a concept in which he will collaborate with iconic trance acts throughout the year with the vision of uniting the trance community for a bigger cause. Ferry has partnered with VH1’s Save The Music Foundation for this, an organization formed with the intention of reinstating music programs in schools which to date has helped over 2,100 schools The first track saw Ferry team up with icon Paul Oakenfold for ‘A Slice Of Heaven’, and the second release came in May alongside Flashover regular DIM3NSION entitled ‘Safe With Me’.
The iconic Rotterdam native signed off on his 5th artist album as Ferry Corsten – Blueprint - in May 2017, this interstellar storyline-driven epic is something unlike any Ferry Corsten record before it. A conceptual masterpiece the album sees Ferry taking his music into an entirely new world combining his love of storytelling, his passion for science fiction and his lifelong bond with music. The album itself featured an encapsulating storyboard drafted up by House Of Cards screenwriter David H Miller and Ferry himself, as well as featuring narration from Hollywood actor Campbell Scott, of Amazing Spider-Man and Exorcism of Emily Rose fame. ‘Blueprint’ received rave reviews, with Mixmag hailing it as their ‘album of the month’, as well as being acclaimed by the likes of DJMag, who made Ferry their front cover feature, and Rolling Stones India. The album was also earmarked by Dancing Astronaut as an “innovative, gripping and a true game changer” release, whilst Huffington Post said the record “Redefines the Electronic Concept Album”. ‘Blueprint’ also earned Ferry his first Top 10 in the Billboard Dance/Electronic Album chart, landing at #7. Ferry also recently released ‘Camellia’ alongside fellow trance icons Aly & Fila, on their 2017 studio album ‘Beyond The Lights’, and capped a stellar year by taking over Armin Van Buuren’s ‘A State Of Trance’ show in August. On top of this, at the end of 2017, Ferry completed his first film score, for the mystery thriller ‘Don’t Let Go’, directed by David Gleeson and featuring Blade actor Stephen Dorff and Grey’s Anatomy’s Melissa George, which is set for release in 2018.
2017 Ferry embarked on his Blueprint album tour, taking his live sci-fi conceptual project all over the world, including Asia at Zouk, Kuala Lumpur – DJMag’s current #4 best club in the world, as well as a national homecoming gig at Beach Club Fuel in Overveen, Holland. All this whilst maintaining regular shows on the party island of Ibiza at Cream, Amnesia, where in 2017 Ferry played the closing party alongside fellow trance pioneer Paul Van Dyk. Another marker of his global reach has to be his ‘Corsten’s Countdown’ radio show. Today it stands as one of the most compelling weekly broadcasts of the very latest releases and future hits from across the EDM spectrum including trance, house and progressive. Known as the only EDM interactive weekly music chart show, ‘Corsten’s Countdown’ currently broadcasts on radio stations in more than 40 countries via 210 radio stations worldwide. The show can also be heard as a weekly iTunes podcast or on YouTube. In January 2017 Ferry celebrated a historic 500 episodes with an 8-hour live broadcast from his hometown of Rotterdam as part of a special one-off CC500 event.
From the outset, Corsten has been a prolific music-maker under numerous different aliases. Those pseudonyms included System F, Moonman and perhaps his most notable one Gouryella (with Tiësto). The latter made a brief cameo appearance with a long-awaited single in ‘Anahera’ – that went on to be one of the standout tracks of 2015 and topped Beatport’s trance chart at the year’s end; even earning a nomination for ‘Best trance track’ in the 2016 edition of the IDMA’s. Drawn in by the love and passion of the fans upon ‘Anahara’’s release, Ferry stepped into 2016 with an idea to breathe life into the well-known sleeping giant. Back in Autumn 2016 ‘Ferry Corsten presents Gouryella’ became a reality, with a stunning full stage production across festivals and big arenas worldwide. Launching the live show at the Allphones Arena in Sydney Australia, to a rapturous fan response, this eagerly awaited tour took in appearances at events such as Balaton Sound Festival, Beyond Wonderland, EDC UK, EDC NYC, Ultra Europe and Belgium’s iconic Tomorrowland festival. The live show was bookended by the release of a 12 track limited edition Gouryella Box set for the music collector and a documentary on the big screen, ‘Gouryella - From The Heavens’ was unveiled as the official movie that details the full story of one of dance music’s most revered and mystical dance acts. Moving towards the end of 2017 and into 2018, Corsten reignited the Gouryella project with his brand new Gouryella 2.0 show, building on the original production to include new music, and a better stage experience than ever before, which included Gouryella featuring in a track on Ferry’s ‘Blueprint’ album – ‘Venera (Vee’s Theme)’.
Alongside hit global exploits as a DJ, chart scaling achievements in the studio, Ferry continues to have a day-to-day involvement in his Flashover Recordings imprint. Launched back in 2005 the label enables him to scour the world for fresh talent and release music by cutting-edge producers, giving them a voice on the world stage, alongside hosting his own label parties everywhere from Amsterdam Dance Event to Miami Music Week.
Striving always for excellence, this is an artist who is never satisfied with all that he’s accomplished, instead always pushing for the next exciting idea. For Ferry Corsten, the possibilities are boundless.
The first ever album by the superstar now DJ and producer but back then upcoming Armin van Buuren called 76 is the finest album to start the new week and become our Monday 18th ALBUM FOR THE DAY. It includes magnificent tracks and collaborations with legends Ferry Corsten, Airwave and the brilliant singer Justine Suissa amongst other incredible talents. On this album you can find the seminal Blue Fear and Communication too. I feel proud to be one of the very first Radio DJ from Greece to feature this album in my radio shows and have it number 1 in my radio charts for weeks thanks to the beloved Hans from United Recordings back in the days. On Friday Armin has released his brand new single and on Saturday the first of the many ASOT festivals is coming in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Without a doubt he deserves to name this week an Armin week. Have fun at ASOT 900!!
Read his bio as this published in his official web site:
This is a man driven by an unbridled and relentless passion for music. Armin van Buuren is a born perfectionist, striving to stay on top of the scene he’s helped build. As the flag-bearer of the trance movement, he’s one of the most influential figures in EDM worldwide. Even though he lives an extraordinary life as one of the world’s most popular DJs, he has always remained a down-to-earth guy. Armin van Buuren is constantly on the move, whether creating music in his studio or en route to his next high-end club or festival show around the globe.
Armin: “It’s not just love for music, it’s my passion. It goes beyond liking, and beyond a hobby. It’s about a way of living. Music is essential to my life.”
For more than twenty years, the Grammy-nominated Dutchman has been living to the rhythm of his own international success. His five-time number one position in the critically acclaimed DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll has been the result of his loyalty to fans, his creativity in the studio, the perseverance with which he hosts his weekly radio show ‘A State of Trance’, and the energy he brings to the crowds in front of him. Despite the heavy pressure that comes with being one of the world’s most popular DJs, Armin has always kept his focus on the music. And that’s exactly what keeps him going.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Born in Leiden, the Netherlands (December 25, 1976) to a musical family, Armin indulged his passion for music from a young age. He spent all of the money he earned from his paper route on records. His mom won a computer when he was 10, piquing Armin’s interest in technology. “So as a little nerdy kid I was writing my own basic programs and learnt about the technology from there.” Armin progressed from making low-profile mix tapes for friends to high-end mixes when he started experimenting with different sequences on his computer through his uncle. “I was so stunned by what I saw him doing on the computer that I got addicted to creating music right there and then!”
“I loved dance music immediately – this great rebellious sound that was so different from the ‘beautiful’ songs of the years before.” Armin cites electronic pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre as a major influence, as well as Dutch producer Ben Liebrand, who later mentored him in his mixing and producing.
In the early days, Armin thought it was wise to have a back-up plan, and so he studied for a law degree. The final year of his course was inevitably stretched out as he juggled his studies with his increasingly hectic schedule; his rise to fame included lots of productions and remixes, as well as playing in front of packed clubs every weekend. It took him three years to graduate, but his determination made him succeed.
Despite having a Master’s degree in Law, the main ingredient in Armin’s life has always been music. Armin: “I see it as my responsibility to promote trance as a genre, and I want to support it in every way I can. Music should connect us. As long as the music keeps evolving like it is, I will continue and I don’t see any reason to slow down.”
THE DJ
No matter how many hours Armin van Buuren has travelled to get there, as soon as he enters the DJ booth, the Dutchman puts his full focus on the music, the crowd, and how those two will combine. Once the beats of his first record kick in, the room lights up and chanting starts to fill the air. To witness a set by Armin van Buuren is to be blown away — to lose yourself completely in the music and become one with the people around you. Mixing seamlessly, he has created his own sound and style, making his DJ sets a truly unique experience. He unites millions, not only through the gigs in his challenging schedule, but also through his ‘Armin Only’ and ‘A State of Trance’ world tours.
His busy life as a DJ has inspired countless people both personally and professionally. In 2009, Dutch author Coen Bom presented his on-the-road biography of Armin called ‘Eén op één’ / ‘Armin Only’, in which he reported on the hectic life of Armin and tried to find the secret behind the grand success of the humble Dutchman. In October 2012, the official documentary ‘A Year With Armin van Buuren’ was released, in which Armin was followed during an important year in his life, offering a unique look behind the scenes and inside his personality. Again and again, his life as a superstar DJ continues to inspire others.
Armin has had the privilege of performing at some of the world’s biggest and best festivals, clubs, events, and shows. One of the highlights of his career was Armin’s performance for the newly crowned King and Queen of the Netherlands in 2013, Willem-Alexander and Máxima. Together with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and in front of the monarchs and 15,000 fans, he performed both ‘The Bolero’ as well as an orchestral version of the title track from his ‘Intense’ album. During the ‘Koningsvaart’ (a special, cultural boat trip through the city of Amsterdam), the King and Queen surprised both the crowd and Armin by getting on stage and dancing along with him.
Without question, another memorable highlight of Armin’s career was his DJ set at the Museumplein in Amsterdam in July of 2010, during the ceremonial honoring of the Dutch national soccer team. Even though the national team lost in the FIFA World Cup final, they partied like they were the absolute winners with a crowd of 200,000 strong.
In 2013, Armin’s career hit a new milestone when he became the first solo dance artist to play in Madison Square Garden. The event was completely sold out, representing another crowning achievement for the DJ.
After the 2013 summer season had ended (along with his residency at the world’s biggest club, Privilege in Ibiza), Armin kicked off a new ‘Armin Only’ world tour based on his ‘Intense’ album, in collaboration with theatre director Jos Thie. More than 33 dates were set, with shows landing in cities such as Kiev, Mumbai, Saint-Petersburg, Helsinki, New York, Toronto, Mexico City, Sydney, Johannesburg, and more. With the ‘Armin Only’ tour, Armin brandished a unique and exclusive show format, which unfolded like the many layers of his ‘Intense’ album. In total, more than 500,000 visitors attended, spanning 5 continents. A ‘Road Movie’ series was also created, documenting behind-the-scenes footage of the entire tour as it took place.
In 2014, Armin began a highly successful weekly residency at the famous Ushuaïa Beach Hotel in Ibiza, playing every Thursday night from June 26th to September 11th alongside top DJs from the Armada Music roster. After the residency, he released a compilation entitled ‘A State of Trance at Ushuaïa Ibiza’ to commemorate the season.
As if to underline the success of the residency, Armin returned to the Ushuaïa Beach Hotel a year later for another ‘A State Of Trance at Ushuaïa, Ibiza’ summer. His performances in the center of the Ushuaïa pool were met with widespread passion and enthusiasm amongst his fans, subsequently leading to the release of the second volume of his Ushuaïa compilation series: ‘A State Of Trance at Ushuaïa, Ibiza 2015’.
On January 26th, 2016, Armin van Buuren announced the first two dates of his brand-new Armin Only Embrace world tour, to which even more dates were added later on through a live announcement at A State Of Trance Festival Utrecht on February 27th. ‘Armin Only: Embrace’ has since seen a spectacular kick-off in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and has brought a spectacular offering to other cities, including Gdansk (Poland), Dubai (UAE), Sofia (Bulgaria), Minsk (Belarus), and Mexico City (Mexico and more.
In 2017, on Friday, May 12th and Saturday, May 13th, Armin van Buuren celebrated his twenty-year anniversary as an artist in one of the most prestigious venues of the Netherlands. Both shows in the Amsterdam ArenA sold out in no time, which allowed Armin van Buuren to celebrate the special occasion with tens of thousands of his most loyal fans and to create a memory able to withstand the test of time.
In the summer of 2017, Armin van Buuren returned to the White Isle for another highly anticipated summer residency. Gracing Hï Ibiza – one of Ibiza’s newest and hottest clubs – with sublime Wednesday Night shows alongside fellow-Dutchmen and friends Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Armin van Buuren does what he does best: rousing crowds beyond belief and giving them the time of their lives for the full duration of the show.
THE RADIO HOST
What started as an obsession for radio has turned into a weekly highlight for more than 41 million listeners, broadcasting to over 100 FM stations and fans from over 84 countries. In June 2001, Armin van Buuren aired the first episode of ‘A State of Trance’. Fourteen years later, he still hosts the weekly two-hour show, where he presents the biggest tunes of the moment and provides an
interactive way for fans to discover new music. Regular features of the show are the ‘Tune of the Week’, ‘Progressive Pick’, ‘Service For Dreamers’, and the ‘Future Favorite’, which is based on an online voting poll.
Celebrating each milestone, Armin did an extensive world tour based around the 650th episode of ASOT in early 2014. The ‘New Horizons’ world tour landed in the cities of Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Almaty, Utrecht, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Miami. The 8-week tour took place in January, February, and March of 2014 and included nine shows in countries all around the globe, with events broadcast live on the A State of Trance website.
In continuation of the success of ASOT, Armin kicked off his A State of Trance Festival tour. ASOT Festival was a new concept developed for 2015 in conjunction with ASOT Episode #700. Armin van Buuren became the first DJ to have his own festival: the biggest trance festival tour in history. The tour invaded Utrecht, Buenos Aires, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Sydney and Melbourne, Mexico, and other destinations worldwide. Episode #700 was also the first time that an entirely fan-created show was used, with fans being given the chance to present their favorite tracks on air. Fans were asked to submit voice recordings of themselves introducing their favorite trance tracks of all time, and the resultant songs and recordings were used to create an entirely fan-made episode, which marked the first time in the world a major dance radio show has ever done this.
After hitting the world with another series of A State Of Trance events (A State Of Trance 750), the very first edition of A State Of Trance 800 was also announced by Armin van Buuren during one of his radio show’s episodes. In February 2017, A State Of Trance 800 kicked off in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, the Netherlands, likely to be a springboard to other full-blown A State Of Trance 800 events.
Reflecting upon the ‘A State of Trance’ world tours, Armin says: “I’m deeply honored by all the positive things that are happening for the show and for the sound in general. I’ve always said ASOT is not only a show for, but also a show by the fans. The show wouldn’t be where it is without the fans, so it feels amazing to see so many people celebrating along. It’s crazy to see groups of fans going crazy to the same music that we’re playing on the other side of the world. People wearing banners, flags, and making their own private party. This is what I meant with ‘turning the world into a dance floor’.”
Each year, the listeners of the show are asked to vote for their favorite records of the year, with the ‘A State of Trance Top 20’ as the official result. Each track on this list ends up in the ‘A State of Trance Year Mix’, released at the end of December. Weeks of editing and mixing come together in a two-hour mega mix showcasing over a hundred tracks and countless memories. Several hundred thousand copies of the series have been sold to date, and the series has been going strong for over ten years. Another series that Armin has linked to the radio show is the ‘A State of Trance Classics’ compilation. After years of providing some of the most essential classics and all-time favorites in EDM, the series continues to commemorate the early days of dance music. Furthermore, Armin was awarded 4x certified Platinum for his ASOT Year Mix series in late 2014.
In addition to the radio show, Armin started the weekly ‘A State of Trance Podcast’ with a selection from the previous episode of the radio show, ensuring that listeners never miss out on any highlights. Every Sunday, Armin also hosts a 24-hour radio day called ‘A State of Sundays’, broadcast on one of the biggest radio stations in the United States: Sirius XM Satellite Radio. In addition to the A State of Trance shows, A State of Sundays also introduces its listeners to the sets and radio shows of other popular DJs and talented artists.
In 2017, Armin van Buuren opened a brand-new radio studio in the HQ of Armada Music in Amsterdam, from which the A State Of Trance episodes are broadcast live.
THE PRODUCER
Whenever he’s not on tour or having a daddy day with his daughter Fenna and son Remy, Armin locks himself up in the studio. Giving meaning to his famous quote “Don’t be a prisoner of your own style”, he explores the boundaries of EDM through his originals and remixes. Some of his most beloved works, such as ‘Communication’, ‘Burned With Desire’, ‘Blue Fear’, ‘Shivers’, and ‘Yet Another Day’, have grown into highly revered classics, withstanding the test of time.
Armin van Buuren can now look back on the success of his ‘76’ (2003), ‘Shivers’ (2005), ‘Imagine’ (2008), ‘Mirage’ (2010), ‘Intense’ (2013) and ‘Embrace’ (2015) albums. ‘Intense’ was nominated for the Dutch Edison Pop Award for ‘Best Dance Album’. The follow-up to his ‘Mirage’ album featured collaborations with Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari, Australian duo NERVO, and singers like Trevor Guthrie, Emma Hewitt, Laura Jansen, Fiora, and more. ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ ft. Trevor Guthrie (the first single off the album) was nominated for the Grammy award for ‘Best Dance Recording’ and also received a nomination for a Canadian Juno Award. It became a worldwide hit, reaching A-List rotation on radio stations all across the globe and receiving silver, gold, platinum, and double platinum certifications in countries such as Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, Australia, and Italy. The video has reached over 64 million views to date.
After indulging his fans with a fresh Armin van Buuren presents. Rising Star record (‘Safe Inside You’ feat. Betsie Larkin), an official remix of the ‘Game Of Thrones Theme’, and a collaboration with Electronic Music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre (‘Stardust’), Armin announced the name of his forthcoming artist album during his ASOT radio show on Thursday September 3rd of 2015.
‘Embrace’ emerged as Armin’s sixth full-length artist album on October 29th, filled with remarkable collaborations with the likes of Mr. Probz (‘Another You’), Hardwell (‘Off The Hook’), Cimo Fränkel (‘Strong Ones’), world-famous Dutch Jazz trumpeter Eric Vloeimans (‘Embrace’) award-winning Dutch band Kensington (‘Heading Up High’), U.K. singer-songwriter BullySongs (‘Freefall’ and ‘Caught In The Slipstream’) and fellow Grammy nominee Gavin DeGraw (‘Looking For Your Name’).
Said Armin of the stylistic diversity of ‘Embrace’, “Each of the instruments you see on the album cover – which was shot by Anton Corbijn – was an instrument actually used on the album! I thought it would be a real challenge to myself to try to create dance music using all of these disparate instruments. I really wanted to push myself past my comfort zone and create something very exciting not just for me, but for all the lovers of music out there. I hope you enjoy it.” Judging by the ecstatic reaction of audiences whenever Armin plays his album cuts onstage, he has, once again, succeeded.
In August 2016, Armin van Buuren put out his ‘Old Skool’ mini album. Inspired by the track ‘Old Skool’ on the ‘Embrace’ album, Armin van Buuren went on to revamp timeless classics such as Human Resource – ‘Dominator’, The Ultimate Seduction – ‘The Ultimate Seduction’, Speedy J – ‘Pull Over’, and more. The result, a seven-piece mini album, takes his fans back to where it all started by brandishing a piece of dance music history.
As far as Armin van Buuren’s past few singles go, he’s following through on the notion that involves going out of his comfort zone to do whatever inspires him the most. He has already turned 2017 into an excellent year by dropping three summer-flavored smashes: ‘I Need You’ (with Garibay feat. Olaf Blackwood), ‘Sunny Days’ (feat. Josh Cumbee) and ‘You Are’ with Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, the anthem for their joint summer residency at Hï Ibiza. It shows just how versatile and open-minded Armin van Buuren is and that’s exactly what makes him remain a top player to this day.
THE LABEL OWNER
In 2003, plans emerged to set up a record label: Armada Music. Together with Maykel Piron and David Lewis (Ar-Ma-Da), Armin built the foundation of one of the most successful record labels worldwide. Armada Music (voted ‘Best Global Record Label’ five years in a row) is home to more than 40 sub labels and releases productions by some of the industry’s biggest names and rising talents. Armin’s very own ‘Armind’, ‘A State of Trance’, and ‘Who’s Afraid Of 138?!’ labels have found a safe haven at Armada Music, as well as his ‘A State of Trance’ compilation series and artist albums.
With imprints such as Armada Trice, Armada Deep, Armada Captivating, and The Bearded Man as the main pillars of the record label, the label has branched out to a whole array of different styles and genres, with Lost Frequencies’ hit singles ‘Are You With Me’ and ‘Reality’ (feat. Janieck Devy) as sterling examples of ensued success.
Within the fourteen years of its existence, Armada Music has become one of the most diverse record labels in electronic music, with over eighty employees contributing to the enormous growth of Armada. In 2017, Armada Music was voted #7 in Mixmag’s “Label Of The Decade” poll.
Despite his ambitious and hectic schedule, Armin still serves as A&R of the Armind, Who’s Afraid Of 138?! , and A State of Trance labels.
[taken from his biography page in his official web site]
This is his first ever album 76
Enjoy the music video for the heartbreaking Burned with Desire
If 76 was his past his new single feat. Bonnie McKee - Lonely For You is the future
or even his collaboration with W & W. For so many years, he is still raver in his heart and Ready To Rave
For sure we will Repeat After Him and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and W &W the years to come...
For Valentine's Day we recommend to enjoy the pioneering and highly influential album by Art Of Noise who were definitely ahead of their time pushing boundaries and introducing us to new unexplored territories. Of course they are responsible for the most erotic and highly sensual eternal classic Moments in Love.
The Art Of Noise, an art-pop group established in 1983, scored hits with "Beat Box", "Close (to the Edit)", "Moments in Love", "Paranoimia", and cover versions, with guest performers, of "Peter Gunn" and Prince's "Kiss". Often cited as a pioneer in electronic music and sampling, The Art Of Noise used technology to rework the same recordings many times over, a novel approach at the time. Although only a relatively small amount of original material was commercially released during the project's active periods (1983–1989 and 1998–2000), the Art Of Noise's legacy includes scores of reissues, remixes, and compilations of previously released and unreleased material.
The Art Of Noise began as a project of studio engineer Gary Langan and Fairlight sampler whiz J.J. Jeczalik, who were working together with producer/performer Trevor Horn and pianist/composer/arranger Anne Dudley on several of Horn's productions for other artists. Writer Paul Morley was brought in to tailor the group's image, which was at first that of a faceless "non-group" inspired by early 20th Century modernism. An acrimonious split in 1985 left Art Of Noise as a trio, sans Horn and Morley, and with a more tongue-in-cheek musical direction. Langan moved on amicably in 1987, leaving Dudley and Jeczalik to carry on until they, too, called it quits in 1990. In 1998, Horn, Dudley and Morley temporarily reformed The Art Of Noise with the addition of guitarist Lol Creme. The resulting album, The Seduction of Claude Debussy (1999), was another attempt to raid the 20th Century's musical forms, this time focusing on the life and work of longtime influence Debussy. The group went dormant again in 2000. [ taken from their discogs page here ]
Watch the music video for Art of Noise - Moments In Love (ZTPS02)
One of the most successful and extremely influential euro-dance projects were Culture Beat. Their album Serenity included the brilliant Mr Vain, Got To Get IT and more. R.I.P. Torsten Fenslau!
The history of Culture Beat plays a big part in the history of German dancefloor music. Culture Beat has enjoyed huge recognition worldwide for over 15 years, ensuring them outstanding success. Over 10 million sales of their releases is the impressive proof of the unique status of this act.
Culture Beat was founded in 1989 by the legendary DJ Torsten Fenslau. After his tragic death in a car accident in 1993, his brother Frank succeeded him as executive producer of Culture Beat. He led the groups with the albums “Inside Out” (1995) and Metamorphosis (1998) and the singles “Insanity” (2001), Mr. Vain Recall (2003) and "Your Love" yet again high into the international charts.
In 1993 the Single “Mr Vain” was the undisputed No. 1 Single in no less than 13 countries (e.g. in Germany it was 9 weeks at the No. 1 position, in the UK for 4 weeks). It was also released on more than 30 million units – an unbeaten record. The Album from which it was taken, “Serenity” was just as successful, selling 2 million units.
However Culture Beat is not resting on its old laurels and it is proving with “Your Love” that its name still stands for being an absolute floorfiller. [taken from their facebook about page]
Watch the incredible ARTE Pump up the Jam - Heroes of Eurodance documentary aired in July 2014 and captioned in English. Documentary by Oliver Schwabe.
Start your week and Monday 11/2/2019 with a highly influential and truly pioneering electronic music album that still sounds so fresh and exciting! RIP Mark Spoon and thanks Jam El Mar for continue to produce incredible music!
Enjoy Jam El Mar and his set at Luminosity Beach Festival 2018, Bloemendaal aan Zee, Holland
If Tripomatic Fairytales was the past then this is the future:
