NEW SINGLE: HALIENE & Nikademis - Don't Give Up On Me out on Black Hole Recordings
There are moments in life when hope isn't an abstract idea but something another person lends you until you can carry it yourself. That's the heartbeat behind 'Don't Give Up On Me', the first collaboration between HALIENE and melodic bass producer Nikademis. Inspired by each artist's deeply personal experiences with hardship, the track transforms those stories into an anthem of resilience, compassion, and refusing to let go when life becomes overwhelming.
“The song's lyrics,” shares HALIENE, “were inspired by conversations I had with my parents during their battles with cancer years ago. There were moments when they were exhausted, overwhelmed, and ready to stop fighting, and I had the privilege of being a voice of hope for them. They had spent their lives being that source of strength for me, so it was so meaningful to return that gift when they needed it most.”
For HALIENE, those memories are the emotional foundation of the song. “Even though they have both since passed, those moments remain some of the most cherished memories of my life.”
The song's message immediately resonated with Nikademis, whose own experiences gave the collaboration a profoundly personal significance.
“‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ is one of the most powerful songs I have ever worked on. It speaks to me so personally,” he says. “During my teenage years, I dealt with several major medical issues that were at the time difficult to overcome and changed my life forever. ‘Don’t Give Up On Me’ provides a message of hope and perseverance - a cry to keep holding on, even when times seem darkest. It is a message that resonates with me strongly, given my past experiences, and I hope it can help others see that there is always a brighter day ahead.”
That shared perspective became the driving force behind the collaboration.
In HALIENE's words, “Working with Nikademis on this song felt like total synergy. He's remixed several of my original tracks over the years, and I've been a huge fan of his music ever since. This is our first direct collaboration, and it was amazing to discover how aligned we are in our mission to create music that helps people feel seen and supported… reminders that they're not alone.”
With soaring melodies, cinematic production, and an emotional core rooted in real-life experience, Don't Give Up On Me is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, strength can come from the people who refuse to let us face those hardships alone.
'Don't Give Up On Me’ is out today and is available to stream and purchase through all major outlets.
Bold prediction perhaps, but we’ll say it anyway: ‘Haunt Me’s a one-and-done — the kind of record that locks you in on first listen and plays on loop in the mind, long after the speakers have gone quiet.
In that instant catch, there’s a certain irony too, as, for the first time in his career, Solarstone delivers back-to-back single releases featuring the same vocalist. After December’s ‘star’ (drawn from his 2025 ‘innermost’ sessions), it’s clear, with Susie Ledge, that he knew he was onto something special.
She picks the mic back up for ‘Haunt Me’ — and true to its title … she absolutely will.
Ledge’s song explores the lingering imprint of love on memory, where physical distance is eclipsed by a closeness felt only in the mind. Through echoic metaphor, her words capture the intensity of absence —a lingering meditation on connections that endure beyond separation.
Setting her contemplations to melody, Solarstone answers it with a production that’s compelling but disciplined. The energy’s all there: striking, striving percussion and purposeful bass — yet his riffs are measured, never overreaching, and allow Susie’s voice to lead his synths. It walks the line between understatement and ascendance, keeping the energy high while the feels stay front and centre.
A track built not on spectacle, but on substance, with ‘Haunt Me’, Rich and Susie prove that subtlety can still move dancefloor mountains. You can Buy/Stream HERE
Tracklist
01. Solarstone & Susie Ledge – Haunt Me (Original Mix)
02. Solarstone & Susie Ledge – Haunt Me (Extended Mix)
[content title="Summary" label="Overall Score"]Solarstone & Susie Ledge’s “Haunt Me” emerges as a masterclass in modern euphoric vocal trance, blending technical precision with emotional resonance. From the very first beat, the rhythm and groove establish a pulsating drive at 136 BPM, designed to engage listeners both on the dancefloor and in personal listening environments. The track’s groove foundation, reinforced by clean kick-bass alignment, provides a perfect vehicle for movement, making it conducive for fitness and wellness classes where rhythmic consistency enhances physiological synchronization, as supported by studies on music tempo and exercise performance (Karageorghis & Priest, 2012). The layering of melodic hooks and harmonic structures demonstrates meticulous attention to harmonic balance, with Solarstone’s synth lines weaving around Susie Ledge’s vocal timbre in a way that builds immersion without overwhelming the central melody. Transitions, drops, and build-ups are handled with an elegance that reflects Solarstone’s years of production expertise. Subtle risers, carefully modulated filter sweeps, and restrained use of reverse reverbs create a natural flow between phrases, ensuring that the track maintains a seamless energy curve. This dynamic energy flow is crucial for both club and wellness environments, as research by Thaut et al. (2015) highlights how consistent musical momentum can positively influence mental focus and reduce perceived exertion during physical activity. The production quality is pristine, with remarkable attention to sound design and spatial imaging. Delicate delays on the vocal, balanced reverb tails, and stereo-panned arpeggios contribute to an immersive soundstage that enhances the track’s meditative qualities. Originality in arrangement is evident through the track’s subtle interplay between minimalistic breakdowns and euphoric peaks. Each section supports the overarching narrative of emotional longing, and the effects and spatial design create a sensation of depth and lingering presence, supporting the lyrical theme of haunting memories. Dynamic range and loudness balance are expertly managed; the track avoids the pitfalls of over-compression, allowing emotional swells to breathe fully while maintaining club-ready loudness. This balance reinforces the atmosphere and immersion, encouraging a deep psychological response, which aligns with research showing that immersive auditory experiences can lower stress levels and boost mood (Garcia-Gil et al., 2021). The emotional resonance of “Haunt Me” lies primarily in the synergy between Susie Ledge’s ethereal vocal performance and Solarstone’s disciplined instrumentation. Her lyrical delivery, filled with reflective imagery, connects with listeners on a neuroemotional level, activating regions of the brain associated with memory and emotional processing (Koelsch, 2014). In fitness and wellness class settings, such music has been shown to enhance endurance and foster a sense of flow state, further improving mental well-being. The track’s cohesion and storytelling are exemplary, guiding the listener through a journey that feels both intimate and expansive. Catchiness and replay value are ensured through melodic recall and consistent thematic unity, while its intro and outro structures, BPM stability, and seamless looping potential make it a DJ-friendly tool for both live and studio contexts. “Haunt Me” stands as a testament to how trance music can merge technical excellence with profound emotional impact, elevating mental health and enhancing wellness when experienced mindfully. Its crowd reaction potential is significant, yet its therapeutic and meditative qualities make it equally powerful in non-club scenarios. The combination of artistic identity, high production values, and humanistic resonance solidifies this track as a modern classic in the genre. #PureGold Loveit [/content]
Karageorghis, C. I., & Priest, D. L. (2012). Music in the exercise domain: a review and synthesis. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5(1), 67–84.
Thaut, M. H., McIntosh, G. C., & Hoemberg, V. (2015). Neurobiological foundations of neurologic music therapy: rhythmic entrainment and the motor system. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1185.
Garcia-Gil, M., Llinares, C., & Montagud, M. (2021). Effects of soundscapes on human well-being: A narrative review. Applied Sciences, 11(9), 4257.
Koelsch, S. (2014). Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(3), 170–180.
Ironically perhaps, ‘Finding Me’ owes its existence to a period of profound creative doubt on Ciaran McAuley’s behalf. After years of forward momentum, the Irish artist found himself questioning not only his own direction, but his relationship with music itself. At that crossroads, rather than forcing (what now only had the appearance of) progress, he chose to pause and fully acknowledge the rift. Then he turned into its headwind and harnessed that turbulence as the start-point for his recalibration.
And that became the core of ‘Finding Me’.
That type of reset often requires a little help from your friends and Ciaran found a wealth of that through a truly standout cast of collaborators. Amongst that cadre are studio mainstays like Paul van Dyk, Roger Shah, Ferry Tayle, and Sean Tyas, and singer-songwriters like Audrey Gallagher, Christian Burns, Sue McLaren, Zara Taylor, Sarah Howells, Clara Yates, Deirdre McLaughlin and Shelby Merry.
The follow up to 2022’s ‘Permission To Exhale’ is here, and it’s about as honest as honest gets.
Amongst the album’s track titles, ‘Finding Me’s primary through-line isn’t hard to spot. Numbers like ‘Alone’ (with Chloe) and ‘Runaway’ (featuring Sean Tyas & Clara Yates) reflect on the period where McAuley confronted his growing disconnect head-on, even going so far as to abandon substantial tranches of already-recorded material. That moment of reset is echoed in ‘Why Do We Hide’ (sung by Deirdre McLaughlin), which questions the human urge to conceal self-doubt. ‘The Road Less Travelled’ (on which he partners with Ferry Tayle) makes a quiet statement about authenticity over alignment. This thread resolves naturally on the album’s title track (one of his two ‘Finding Me’ collaborations) with singer-songwriter Zara Taylor.
“Finding Me’s ‘false start’, says Ciaran “came at a time when I felt lost in many areas of my life, foremost amongst them music and my relationships”. As they say, “to be found, one must first be lost”, and I certainly related more to the latter around that time.
I was at a fork in the road, and I knew I needed to look inward for the answers. So, I set out to ‘find me’, exercising, getting outdoors more and surrounding myself only with the ones who lift me. That, over time, allowed me to re-discover my ‘good old self’; the sounds I love, and the arrangements that’ll forever pull at my heartstrings.”
That inner reset also opened up a space for Ciaran and his singer-songwriters to address some of their more personal fractures. Rather than arriving with fixed concepts out of the gate, McAuley and his vocalists went back and forth sharing their own experiences and allowing those exchanges to inform the lyrics that followed. As the album progresses, it gives rise to affirmation songs like ‘Finding You’ (with Amos & Riot Night), ‘You’re Enough’ (sung by Christian Burns) and ‘Not Letting You Go’ (further combining the talents of Roger Shah & Sue McLaren).
Among ‘Finding Me’s many highlights is Ciaran’s reteaming (after ‘Someone Like You’) with Paul van Dyk. Through the sleek instrumental meeting point of ‘When I Found You’, McAuley’s melodic sensibilities and van Dyk’s signature propulsive architecture brilliantly reestablishes that creative rapport.
The album’s final quarter brings Ciaran’s journey to a resolution point of sorts. ‘Stay’, ‘Fool’s Gold’, ‘Hurricane’, and ‘The Party’ move away from more overt forms of introspection and lean into more opaque lyrics. This allows their meaning to emerge through tone, phrasing, and musical interplay rather than direct statement. Collectively, they close ‘Finding Me’ in a resolutely assured fashion, leaving room for listener and clubber alike to interpret what lies behind the words.
‘Finding Me’ stands as Ciaran McAuley’s most self-defined album to date — a record shaped by trust and the confidence to begin again. It’s available to order here blackhole.lnk.to/FindingMe
BOOK COMMEMORATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC’S SEMINAL ALBUM WORKS PUBLISHED AUTUMN OF 2023. RELEASE IS ACCOMPANIED BY A FOUR DISC REMASTERED EDITION OF THE ‘TRIPOMATIC FAIRYTALES' LPS (2001 ‘02 & 3003). ALSO INCLUDED IS A REMIXED DISC, WITH REWORKS OF TRACKS FROM JAM & SPOON’S ‘TRIPOMATIC FAIRYTALES 2001' FROM PAUL DALEY (LEFTFIELD), PIG&DAN, JEROME ISMA-AE, M.I.K.E. PUSH, WHEBBA & MANY OTHERS.
In April of 1993, Jam & Spoon released an LP that became the first artist album example of a major new electronic music sub-genre. The visionary ‘Tripomatic Fairytales 2001’ proved to be an instant success for SONY Music and through its singles (not least the timeless ‘Stella’), was instrumental in touching off the trance music phenomena. Since, ‘Tripomatic’ has been ranked by MIXMAG as the 21st Most Influential Dance Music Album Of All Time, while DJ Mag has cited ‘Stella’ as being the best track inside the genre’s first 25 years.
Seminal, influential, inspirational, and thanks to its artwork, visually iconic, it became a lightning rod for a style of music that in 1999 became electronic music’s most prominent form.
The idea to mark ‘Tripomatic’s 30th anniversary came from Arny Bink - the owner of Holland’s Black Hole Recordings. Played daily at his and Tiësto’s Magik Muzik record shop in the 90s, the album became highly influential on the pair. However, it was only 25 years later (at 2018’s Amsterdam Dance Event) that Jam El Mar and Arny first shook hands. From that meeting, the idea to do commemorative justice to the beloved, scene-setting album became a joint venture and the project began to take shape. Jam and artist Klaus Mai, who through his KM7 design bureau had created the original, now instantly recognisable ‘Tripomatic’ artwork, had remained close friends. KM7 however had long since left the world of music design to focus on other areas (amongst them, famously, the design of the Leica Museum in Wetzlar, Germany). Rolf offered to fly Klaus over (literally, having just qualified for his pilot’s license) to Black Hole’s Breda home base to discuss his participation.
There, Klaus was drawn by the suggestion that he expand his original, single piece of ‘Tripomatic’ art into a substantial, coffee table-sized book. This in turn would essentially form a new gallery-like exhibition, taking his original ‘Tripomatic’ vision to its ultimate conclusion. Mai went to work and over a three-year period, designed dozens of new pieces inspired by his original sleeve, all of which are now richly detailed between the book’s pages.
With its art in motion, Arny began looking for someone to author the book, ultimately bringing in Tim Stark, who, during his 20 years as DJ Mag’s Trance Editor, had become a prominent voice on the scene and its music. Through a series of articles and interviews, Stark pieced together ‘Tripomatic’s fascinating backstory. The book also examines the cultural, social and political climate inside J&S’s native Germany at the time of its creation, and the impact it had on the album itself. In conversation, Jam El Mar also reflects on where this first-of-its-kind LP drew its own inspirations from (some dating back another 30 years), as well as the tragic loss of the duo’s Mark Spoon in 2006.
The book is also accompanied by a 4xCD ‘Tripomatic Fairytales - 30 Years’ album. It features remastered versions of the three Tripomatic LPs (2001, 2002 & 3003), as well as a disc of new reworks of ‘2001’s. tracks. Working in close collaboration with Jam El Mar, over several years, Black Hole Recordings A@Rs Arny Bink & Mark Meeuwissen collaborated with many remixers on the project. That brought about a fascinating ‘Sliding Doors’-type perspective, giving an idea of what ‘Tripomatic 2001’ might sound like, had it been produced today. Among those contributing new visions are Paul Daley (formerly of Leftfield), Pig&Dan, Jerome Isma-Ae, M.I.K.E. Push, Whebba and others. Spanning, trance, its loco parentis, techno, dub and other sub-genres, it provides a fantastic 30-years-later revision of the album.
An immense multifaceted and multimedia salute to a seismic LP, Jam & Spoon’s Tripomatic Fairytales by KM7 and Tim Stark is available through all good booksellers, or online via this link from October 19. FIND IT HERE
Dream for a dozen years and you couldn’t come up with a career route the likes of which Ryan Farish has taken. First coming to prominence when his compositions found their way onto the then nascent mp3.com, through it they took on lives of their own. Downloaded upwards of 2 million times, with snowball-like-effect his first track-drop garnered vast exposure. It’s a career beginning he describes as “almost pure chance”.
Ryan Farish
As an artist though, it’s a type of ‘overground-underground’ success that’s hidden him somewhat in plain sight. Hugely successful - albeit on an independent platform, ground-up his fanbase has built itself through online word-of-mouth. Despite racking up a run of Billboard top 10s, becoming a co-writer of a GRAMMY Award-Nominated Recording and notching up a cumulative platform stream count of 270 million, to the mainstream he remains something of an indefinite article.
That may however be about change. For the first time in his now 16-album history, the Virginia-born/LA-based producer has placed one of his longplayers in the hands of a world-renowned label.
To that, Black Hole Recordings are delighted to put centrestage Ryan Farish’s astonishing ‘Primary Colors’.
If its advance guard singles (‘Stories In Motion’ and ‘Stars Collide’) have reached your ears, well you should at least have some idea of what ‘Primary’s 13 ‘Colors’ entail. Ryan is a man admittedly influenced less by others music and more by their approach. He cites the methodology adopted by artists such as Bonobo, collectives like Tycho and even the grandmaster of liberated electronic music-making Ulrich Schnauss - as his inspiration. Very much the aftereffect of Ryan’s formative years, this album is unfettered by sub-genre confines. When describing its audio, Ryan is loath to stretch any further than simply “electronic music”.
Farish sees the tracks contained on ‘Primary Colors’ as falling into just three broad sectors. “On songs like ‘We Are the Colors’, Time Lapse’, ‘Golden Sky’ and ‘Release” he expands “there's a heavy use of analogue synths”. That gives those tracks a shared tone and feel, which are distinct to ‘Primary Colors’. There are also the collaborations with Christian Burns (‘Safe In This Place’ and ‘Find You’), whose incredible voice and talent really created a new dimension for it. That adds a whole lot of vibe to the album. The last areas ‘Primary Colors’ extends into into are the chilled/breakbeat, tropical house (‘Endless Summer’ a perfect example) and downtempo.”
Shorn of the trappings of brackets and divisions, your most foremost takeaway from this album is that it’s music produced intuitively straight from the soul. Heartfelt, sometimes esoteric, but always valuing the musical path less travelled, it is electronic expressionism in its purest form. Says Ryan: “I worked on this for nearly 2 years, and for me what's most exciting about this release is that I feel it's something that isn't following any trends. Its a body of work focused purely on the music that moves me personally, from a technical, artistic & emotional place”.
Primary Colors by Ryan Farish is out on November 3rd and is available to download/stream here.
"I’ve been a huge fan of Ryan Farish and his ability to create massive atmospherics in such hauntingly beautiful music. This is music to concentrate to. This is music to have sex to. This is music to listen to." - Sean Tyas
What the Media say:
"Packed with emotion and brimming with technical prowess, each one of his tracks flies in the face of critics who dismiss EDM as inconsequential" - TheUntz.com
"A symphony of tranquil piano melodies with invigorating beats titled, (former album) ‘Spectrum’, takes listeners on a soul searching journey from start to finish" - Only the Beat
Tracklist:
01. Time Lapse (5:12)
02. Stories In Motion (5:00)
03. Voyager (5:02)
04. We Are The Colors (5:31)
05. Endless Summer (3:34)
06. Find You (with Christian Burns) (6:51)
07. In Your Arms (4:46)
08. Exhale (8:21)
09. Safe In This Place (with Christian Burns) (4:26)
Time flies. Especially when you’re doing what you love, and that’s undeniably the case for Mark Sherry and his radio show. Weekly, for nigh on 10 years, his Outburst outreach has done more than any other to develop and advance the nexus between trance and techno. Mark has been assiduous in his calibrations - edging its tonal needle back to emphasize its sometimes-overshadowed techno end. This judicious approach has paid righteous dividends, marking him out and seeing him achieve the type of rebirth only a handful of trance operators have experienced.
To celebrate 500 episodes, Mark has painstakingly selected and mixed a sonic portrait of his last 10 radio years. ‘Outburst 500’ may yet even prove to be the new definitive of what tougher techno x trance means.
Mark Sherry
One eye always focussed on its future, the other reverently on the sub-genre’s heritage riches, ‘Outburst 500’ sports both the Future Fire and Tech Gold mixes/discs. Musical contributors to the album naturally include regular Outburst quartermasters, Alex Di Stefano, 2nd Phase, Vlind, Jamie Walker, Stephen Kirkwood and Lostly to mention but a few. There’s also much from tech-trance’s mid-Noughties class too (we’re talking about you Richard Durand, Joy Kitikonti, Igor S, Ricky Fobis, David Forbes and JOOP!). Straight-up legends? Served! Mauro Picotto, Tiësto, Marcel Woods, Ton TB, Marco V… and just for starters.
Angular sounds, breezeblock beats, sharp waveforms, super-hard claps, acid (oh, so much acid!) and FX that electrifies… charge those shock paddles, here comes ‘Outburst 500’!
Across 80 thermobaric minutes, Future Fire future-proofs tech-trance. ‘Backburn’ - Marco V’s latest Outburst-er gets the disc off the blocks and sprinting. From there, well its one speaker-reaper after another. Mark's rework of Max Graham & Estiva’s ‘Generation’, ‘Bloody Nora’ from Will Atkinson and Lostly gem ‘Nothing Left’ apply the jumper cables. Charging up hard on their heels are ‘Wormhole’ from David Forbes, Indecent Noise’s fearsome ‘War Cry’, ‘Freeeze’ from Richard Durand and Paul Denton’s tech-tribal ‘Curtain Call’. Bringing Future Fire to a head, Mark Sherry drops his and Jamie Walker’s forward thinking 'trance meets drum ‘n’ bass-er ‘The Only One’.
On reaching his radio show milestone, Mark says: “I’ve devoted well over 1500 hours of my life to bringing the Outburst Radioshow podcast to listeners on a weekly basis for over 500 episodes now. I started my ‘Outburst’ project as a solo artist in 2004 and I can’t thank you enough for following me all this time. To all of my long term fans and of course the new followers that have just discovered me, my show or even the ‘tech-trance’ genre, this album is dedicated to YOU! It has been very carefully put together as a reminder to you all that the Outburst Radioshow is ‘the home of tech-trance’ and always will be...long live the #techtrancerevolution! ”
Not putting the cause on pause for a second, the Tech Gold disc fires a 21-track salute to tech-trance’s foundation years. Bleached distortion heralds Marcel Woods’ ‘Advanced’ and from their you’re headfirst into Johan Gielen’s ‘Flash’, the Richard Durand Remix of Tiësto’s ‘Lethal Industry’ and Mark’s own seminal ‘Vengeance’. There’s a more than healthy nod to ID&T’s formative tech-trance canon too, with Igor S’ ‘Boomerang’, ‘Godd’ from Marco V, Ricky Fobis’ No Regular and JOOP’s ‘The Future’ all lining up to deal. Arterially between are the timeless ‘Joyenergizer’ from Joy Kitikonti, Picotto’s mix of Megamind’s ‘Taub’, Mark’s rewire of Lost Tribe’s ‘Gamemaster’ and Mauro’s stormy ‘Darkroom’.
Mixed by two of the label's most prominent artists, every season Grotesque Essentials offers you a brand new compilation including the latest and greatest releases in trance. After the runaway success of the Autumn 2016 Edition by Daniel Skyver & Amir Hussain, Grotesque again spotlights a pair of true trance masters.
With their latest productions both ReOrder and McAuley are unstoppably assaulting the scene and this edition of Grotesque Essentials invites you to listen to their most recent productions in two mindblowingly uplifting trance tours.
Grotesque Essentials - Spring Edition 2017 features tracks by Solarstone, Ferry Corsten, Andy Moor, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Mark Sixma, RAM and of course ReOrder & Ciaran McAuley themselves.
ReOrder: Having his home base in Prague, where trance always has been and will be, ReOrder works devotedly on his career and these days, is harvesting some serious crops from it. ‘Venice Beach’ and ‘Spirit Of Ecstasy’, his latest productions for FSOE, both landed #1s on the Beatport charts, hovering up praise aplenty from DJs and fans alike. In addition to his original releases on the major trance labels, ReOrder has also delivered top-draw remixes for Armin van Buuren, Aly & Fila, Tritonal, The Thrillseekers, Mark Sixma and others.
Ciaran McAuley: Now among the brightest emeralds in Ireland’s rich trance history, Ciaran is one of his country’s most admired producers. That’s no more clearly demonstrated than by his own impressive discography through leading labels like Armada, Black Hole and VANDIT, which gain Top 10 access with almost every release. His 2017 is off to a great start with huge support from industry icons Armin van Buuren, Aly & Fila, Solarstone, Paul Oakenfold, Gareth Emery, RAM, Giuseppe Ottaviani and Sean Tyas amongst others! Off the back of ‘In Memory of You’ - his most recent singles success - the imprint and heartily offered him the opportunity to showcase himself on the Grotesque Essentials - Spring Edition 2017.
Order/listen to ReOrder & Ciaran McAuley - Grotesque Essentials Spring 2017 Edition here Mix 1 - ReOrder
01. Solarstone & Ferry Tayle - Lifeline (Intro Edit)
02. Stoneface & Terminal - Southern Lights
03. Ferry Corsten featuring Aruna - Live Forever (Gareth Emery Remix)
04. Jak Aggas - Subversion
05. Sam Laxton - Bliss
06. Gerome featuring Cassandra Grey - Secret Of Light
07. Alan Morris - Digital Eye
08. Eryon Stocker - Skyscrapers (Perrelli & Mankoff Remix)
09. Project 8 - Willy Wonka
10. ReOrder - Spirit Of Ecstasy
11. Chris Metcalfe - Orbit
12. Daniel Skyver - Heatwave
13. ReOrder - Venice Beach
14. The Quest - C Sharp (Allen & Envy Remix)
15. Paul Denton - Curtain Call
16. James Kiedis - The Kraken
Mix 2 - Ciaran McAuley
01. Ciaran McAuley - Tears (Intro Edit)
02. Andy Moor & Somna - Look Back (Bjorn Akesson Remix)
03. Talla 2XLC - Alternate Dreams
04. Ciaran McAuley - The Sunrise Through Your Eyes
05. Tim Verkruissen - Fade Out
06. Giuseppe Ottaviani featuring Tricia McTeague - Loneliest Night (OnAir Mix)
07. Starpicker - Sinophia
08. Estigma - Ascension
09. RAM featuring Stine Grove - Forever And A Day (Giuseppe Ottaviani Remix)
10. Marmion - Schöneberg (Sean Tyas Remix)
11. Solarstone & Alex Karweit - Breakaway (John Askew Remix)
12. Mark Sixma - Visionary (Vlind Remix)
13. Midway - Monkey Forest (Casey Rasch Remix)
14. Ross Rayer - Within Me (Original Mix)
15. Ahmed Romel - City Of Life (RAM Remix)
Concluding an extraordinary 2016, Stockholm-born/LA-based producer Danny ‘Novaspace’ Coggin has received his first platinum disc award. The most recent signing to Markus Schulz’s Schulz Music Group has been recognized for his work on the 1 million selling / 6 million streaming ‘Redefined’ radio smash, which he produced & engineered for Australian artist TyDi.
Awarded annually by Sirius XM, the disc is given by the station for the #1 US Dance Airplay Record of the Year. ‘Redefined’ became the radio giant’s most requested and featured track through their BPM dance-oriented channel last year.
The award caps off a groundbreaking 12 months in Novaspace’s career. Through his releases and productions, it’s one that has seen Danny cross several electronic music borders. Among them has been trance-themed studio output for the Coldharbour Recordings label, including ‘Cygnus’ and ‘Stuck In The Shadows’, which saw him track partner with the singer (and fellow SMG artist) Adina Butar. He’s continued to burn the daytime radio waves at Sirius XM too, most recently through his ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ collaboration with fellow LA resident Joseph Vincent.
Taking delivery of the award just this week, Novaspace said: “the last 18 months have been the most exciting of my life. Receiving this accolade - especially at this relatively early stage in my career – though has been the single greatest moment amongst them. I would like to thank TyDi for hearing something in my music that others at the time didn’t and all at Sirius XM for their support in helping turn ‘Redefined’ into such a hit. I’d also like to pass on my heartfelt appreciation to the Schulz Music Group crew for their belief and backing for everything I do. 2017 is going to be an exciting year. I’m looking forward to bringing you all a whole lot more of what you like!”
SMG current roster: 4Strings // Adina Butar // Arkham Knights // Dave Neven //
You asked. They answered! Having hit its 125th show last month - and after two and a half years on the airwaves, Cosmic Gate’s celebrated weekly tune-in comes to Spotify and Apple Music this week. A response to heavy fan request, from Monday Oct 3rd (episode 130) you’ll also be able to catch WYM Radio through two of the world’s most popular streaming services.
As ever, across 60 minutes, each show features Nic & Bossi airing the tracks that have been - and will be – turning up the pressure on their floors. Wake Your Mind Radio also encompasses first-listen music premieres, the Big Bang single of the week, their Private Playlist selection and the week’s classic Throwback Track.
Spotify and Apple Music aside, you can catch WYM Radio through all its usual platforms. First broadcast takes place on Fridays through DI.FM between 13:00 and 14:00 US Eastern (18:00 – 19:00 UK / 19:00 – 20:00 Central Europe, before Above & Beyond’s show). That’s closely followed by its weekly airing on SiriusXM at 16:00 – 17:00 US Eastern (21:00 – 22:00 UK / 22:00 – 23:00 Central Europe) and then on 35 other FM and Internet stations around the world throughout the week.
If that’s not quite enough access, the show is also available Mondays as a Podcast through iTunes and via Cosmic Gate’s Soundcloud page. So now there’s even less reason to miss out on your weekly dose of Cosmology!
May Bank Holiday is now less than a month away and come the 29th, the JOOF roadshow will roll on London town, bringing with it a second-to-none DJ line-up.
The UK capital’s KOKO venue is the place, JOOF Editions 2016 is the event and on May 29th, its iconic surrounds will resound to the sonic ethics of John 00 Fleming’s hallmark label.
So who’s on the bill you ask/wonder/ponder!? Well, just to get you started, there’s the immortal Astrix, who will be flying in from the psy-heartlands to thrill the KOKO-gathered. Psy-chonauts Coming Soon!!! won’t be far behind him either, as the studio/turntable partnership of Dui Biton & Irad Brant make their London debut.
Having recently wowed listeners of John’s Global Trance Grooves radio show, with a deep, sophisticated (and deeply sophisticated!) guest mix, Steve Arnold will be conjuring up the very same kind of magic, live, in Camden Town.
Also joining John on the 29th will be… John - albeit wearing his JOOF Live mask! Having this month zeroed back in on his embryonic sound with his ‘Alter Ego’ album, JOOF Live will see him take studio-to-stage to project the Psy side of his soul.
Covering the full trance scope, John, naturally, will also be dropping an XL-sized DJ set too! So get those tickets fixed now through: JOOFLONDON.COM
Looking forward to JOOF Editions 2016, John said: “We return to this iconic early 19th century Grade 2 listed building, set in the heart of Camden, London and will be proud to perform on the same stage that has hosted such acts as Madonna, Elton John, Coldplay, Prince, Oasis and others. It’s a venue that is swamped in history, with its original decorated multi-tier balconies, along with a standout JBL Crown sound system, which is one of the best we’ve ever heard. We look forward to seeing you there to celebrate all things JOOF!“
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.
