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 These guys' next single is to be released on ID&T, their track "Witness" was played at Tiesto's concert and they have worked with many huge names in the industry such as Signum and Mark Norman. This interview is not to be missed!
First off, thank you for doing this interview with i:Vibes.
i:Vibes: Q01. How has your music life in general been so far?
A: We both started out solo and producing together with other people.
In 1998 we met at a party at the university and when we got talking, we couldn’t stop... We exactly had the same ideas about producing and decided to try something out together. This worked out really well and we got signed to BPM Dance in 2000. They released our first vinyl "Witness" and after that "Anticipating / State of thrust". We also did a remix for Jas van Houten’s trance-anthem “Heaven’s Gate” for the famous Silver Premium imprint.
Because BPM Dance went bankrupt, we started looking for another company to release our tracks. In 2003 we got signed to Armin van Buuren’s Armada Music. They released "Aragon" on the well known Captivating Sounds label. The support for this track was enormous and we were very happy to see it do so well!
In the second half of 2003, we got in touch with Belgian top jock Yves Deruyter, who appreciated our production work a lot. At his invitation, we got in contact with Bonzai Music, re-born as Banshee Worx, where our new project "Primer" was born. The first "Primer"- release was a double header on the Progrez imprint, featuring the tracks "Indulge" and "The Silver Lining". The follow up is almost ready and will be released after the summer.
Now, in 2004 we have also hooked up with ID&T Music, who is going to release our newest: DJ Danjo & Rob Styles - “Duende”, backed with a stunning Signum remix!
Our remix for The Shove Brothers – “Paranoia” is out now on 020 Recordings and this one is doing really well. Furthermore we have just finished our remix for Signum’s “Come around again” (no release date confirmed yet).
We also started to DJ together and we play the sound that we are known for: high-quality progressive and trance “with bite”. We have had some really nice gigs in Belgium and Holland so far and our radio show “Playground” is doing quite well. Right now we are doing some guest mixes for Markus Schulz, Victor Dinaire and DJ Shah and a lot more is coming up!
i:Vibes: Q02. Has the music affected other areas in your life? If so please explain.
A: Danjo: Definitely, music is a big part of my life ever since I started collecting mixtapes (1988). From then on it gradually got more serious and I got involved more and more, first DJ-ing (1994) and later on producing (1997). My girlfriend sometimes makes some complaints about the amounts of time I put in the music. ;)
Rob: It has affected my study Industrial Design Engineering. Due to the time we put into the music this is taking a bit longer than expected. But of course that’s all worth it!
i:Vibes: Q03. You have worked with Mark Norman and Signum, these artists are quite popular on i:Vibes, how was your experiences with them?
A: During our time at BPM Dance, we got to know a few guys pretty good, especially Signum, Mark Norman, Katana and The Freak. Every Friday, an A&R meeting was held, where all BPM artists were welcome to judge and discuss each others productions. Something quite unique if you ask us, this “BPM family” feeling. This really helped us improving our sound and developing our own style.
Now, after BPM, Signum and we are labelmates again (Armada) and we speak each other quite often: actually they did a remix for our track “Duende” (out on ID&T Music soon) and we have just finished a remix for their track “Come around again” (Armada). The guys asked us to join them in the studio one day, so who knows what that may bring…
Mark and Norman got contracted at BPM Dance about the same time as we did. We haven’t produced together, but we did give feedback on each others tracks. A few weeks ago we were DJ-ing on the same party in Belgium and that was a blast! It’s great to see these guys doing such a wonderful job at Blackhole right now.
i:Vibes: Q04. You have hooked up with ID&T, what do you think or expect in the future from this relationship?
A: First the release of “Duende”. We have had a lot of reactions on the track ourselves already and ID&T told us that the feedback on the track by Tiësto and Paul van Dijk was very positive! So we are really curious about what it will do!
After that release we hope to bring more of our sound on ID&T. Because ID&T is such a big company that also organizes the biggest trance events, we hope to be able to feature on the line up of one of those massive parties in the near future... :P
i:Vibes: Q05. Your upcoming single on ID&T is to be released soon, please elaborate on how you feel about this release and the track itself.
A: Like we said we are really pleased with the trust ID&T has put in us and “Duende”.
The track starts out with a progressive touch to it. The melody in the break is melancholic and builds up to a massive climax. Then the kick comes in and the party is complete.... ooh lala ;) We know from own experience that it works really well with an audience!
i:Vibes: Q06. Do you get a bigger buzz from DJing or Producing?
A: Talking in terms of “getting a buzz”, DJ-ing is more pleasing, because we directly see the feedback from the crowd and we are partying ourselves too when we DJ. Producing however, gets us excited in a whole different way, anticipating in our studio on what the reactions of the musiclovers will be…
We get the biggest buzz from playing our own productions, having everybody whistling and going crazy. :D This combination of DJ-ing and Producing is absolutely magical… just bringing our OWN sound and watching the people enjoying it.
i:Vibes: Q07. In 2003 you began a monthly radio show called Playground, please elaborate on your experiences for this project.
A: In November 2003 we started our own online radioshow "Playground": a monthly live-mix filled with the finest tech, progressive and trance sounds. Either mixing after one another, or back 2 back, we bring the best of both record bags for two hours in a row...The show is broadcasted by TranceAirwaves, XTC Radio London, ETS Global, TranceSphere and BasicBeats. Check our websites for the broadcast-schedule. We have noticed that we gain more listeners every show and that this is a great way to bring our music and sound to the musiclovers!
i:Vibes: Q08. What are your top 5 records right now?
A: Danjo:
1. DJ Danjo & Rob Styles - Duende
2. Signum - Come Around Again (DJ Danjo & Rob Styles remix)
3. Audioholics - External key
4. Primer - Everlast
5. Odyssee presents NeverMind - Freelancer
Rob:
1. DJ Danjo & Rob Styles - Duende
2. Signum - Come Around Again (DJ Danjo & Rob Styles remix)
3. Probspot – Foreplay
4. Signum - The Timelord (Spectral balance rmx)
5. Day Breakes (Signum remix)
i:Vibes: Q09. What are your all time top 10 records that you still drop every now and then (if any)?
A: Well this is rather difficult, but to name ten in no particular order:
All James Holden productions and remixes
All Katana productions and remixes
Boca – Miami (Silvio Ecomo remix)
D- Factor - The Wrong shake
Mark Norman – Overkill
Max Walder – Crown
Ron Hagen & Pascal M. - On stream
Secret Cinema - Timeless Altitude
3 Drives on A Vinyl - Greece 2000
Signum – Afterglow
i:Vibes: Q10. Will you always produce as a team or do you work with other aliases?
A: Before we met, we both did solo projects, but now, producing as a team is working out really well for us; we both like the same sound and have the same musical interest. But collaborations with other artists are always an option of course. Right now “DJ Danjo & Rob Styles” is our most important alias, because we also DJ and do remixes under this name. “Primer” is our project name for Bonzai Music and we will be releasing more tracks under this moniker after the summer.
i:Vibes: Q11. Have you visited ivibes much before or ever?
A: About once every week
i:Vibes: Q12. What has been the high point of your careers so far?
A: Tiësto playing Witness at his concert, getting signed to ID&T.
i:Vibes: Q13. Do you prefer to use Software or Hardware for your productions?
A: Software!
i:Vibes: Q14. You will be doing an appearance with Markus Schulz on May 31, what can we expect from this?
A: Expect two hours of pure ear pleasing stuff featuring some pretty exclusive new tracks! Starting of with some nice progressive tunes and building up to trance, techtrance and the more harder stuff… We always try to integrate those styles in our sets.
i:Vibes: Q15. Are you pro-mp3 or anti-mp3? please explain your answers individually if different.
A: Well, this one is tricky. We are pro, because it is a very useful format for file sharing and to get your music out there. We get e-mails from all over the world and I don’t think we had gotten those without the internet and mp3. BUT artists should get what they deserve for all their effort (blood, sweat and tears ;) ). We definitely think payed downloads are the future.
i:Vibes: Q16. Which producers are able to just blow you away with the sheer quality of their productions and remixes?
A: Katana, James Holden, Lemon 8, Signum, Gabriel & Dresden, Filterheadz, Jeroen Verheij, Laurent Verronez and Perry O'Neil
i:Vibes: Q17. In your opinions what is the making of a solid tune, and what is the foundation for that solid tune to become big?
A: If you have a good melody or other important element of a track, work that out quickly and fine-tune later. Otherwise you only have half-finished tracks for which you cannot find the inspiration to make them full worthy tracks. So act quickly, if you have a good concept.
For that track to become big, you need support from a company, colleague DJ’s, and above of all: the audience, which can only be accomplished by producing a song that has the “x” factor… (whatever that is ;) )
i:Vibes: Q18. Finally a last word from both of you individually?
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