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 i:Vibes speaks with promising young Swedish producer, Bjorn Hodel, who is one half of the Foundry project...
Bjorn Hodel AKA Foundry With Melodic Magic From Sweden
After progressive trance beats had its climax, it seems like melodic trance is making a comeback and is as strong as ever. Sometimes it takes ten listens or even four or five tracks before a love affair can start with a track, but sometimes it can be one listen and with ‘Believe’, a stunning and breathtaking melodic smasher, the Swedish duo of Foundry, Jannis Kantsaporidis and Björn Hödel, surely hasn’t only won over this interviewer, but many more trancers in the world and more down the road...
Björn was introduced to the music program Fruity Loops at a young age and soon fell in love with melodic trance. He had some experience of music with a guitar. In 2004, he started to get very involved with DJing as well as continuing the process of producing. He took the route of DJing, and got his break through getting his own two hour DJ show ‘Vision 33’ on Party 107. Soon after, he had the chance to spin in Stockholm’s most famous club, Monday Bar. Late in 2007, Foundry was formed and their first track ‘Foundation’ was released on Tranceflo Records. Two remixes will also be released for Digitalis and Myk Bee. And the possible hit of the future ‘Believe’ has recently been released on Monster Tunes. It isn’t Holland or the UK any more that is tearing up the trance scene, but the Scandinavian countries as well as Poland have been establishing incredible acts in the last two years. The future is more than bright and i:Vibes had the chance to talk with Björn...
i:Vibes: Hi Björn, thanks for taking some time to talk to i:Vibes. First of all, thank you for ‘Believe’, I heard it tonight for the first time and as I heard the emotion in the build up of the break, I was just blown away. Are you at all aware what kind of masterpiece you two have produced?
Bjorn Hodel: Hi! Thanks a lot! No haha! :D I’m not! I was really pleased with it, but didn’t think it would get such great support and attention. I’m really happy that it did =)
i:Vibes: How has your summer been? Did you have a summer in the north? What were you up to?
Bjorn Hodel: My summer was actually really short. I only had a 3 week vacation from work. I went to Greece with my girlfriend for 1 week and stayed in Sweden for 2 weeks. I used most of the time to relax and sleep but also to produce a bit and spend some time with my girl.
i:Vibes: You mention many influences like the famous Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren or Above & Beyond. But also in your short list is Ron van Den Beuken, who had serious trance smashers back in 2002-2004. What fascinates you so much about this artist?
Bjorn Hodel: The man is a legend! His massive bomb ‘Timeless’ says it all I think. And generally he’s such a talent. I mean, he went to University as a law student, he has been a conductor for like 12 years and he’s an amazing producer and DJ. What more do you want!?
And I really love his tunes under the Clokx alias. Wonderful stuff!
i:Vibes: You got interested in music at a very young age. What was the deciding moment when you knew that you wanted to be connected with music in some way?
Bjorn Hodel: I think it was through my guitar lessons, when I learned how to play on a classical guitar. The beauty of the melodies in classical music touched me. And then I fell in love with trance and that took it to the next level. I was sure that it was something that I really wanted to do in the future, to create trance music so that people could dance to it.
i:Vibes: What was your first record that you bought?
Bjorn Hodel: Trance Nation 2002 mixed by Ferry Corsten. Maybe one of the best albums I’ve ever heard! I also got it signed some years ago!
i:Vibes: You’re in your early twenties. Do you still go to University? What kind of job would you like to do later in life should music not work out?
Bjorn Hodel: I went to college one term, studied mathematics and physics, but I quit. I thought it was really boring and took up too much of my time hehe. I didn’t even have time to produce trance and that’s a no no. No, but seriously that just wasn’t my thing, mathematics and physics. We’ll see when and if I’ll get back studying something else. But for now I’m going to listen to my heart and produce music and DJ. And if this won’t work out in the future I’ll probably still want to work with something that has to do with music and trance like A&R for a label and such.
i:Vibes: How would you describe your sound? Is it only melodic trance or could you give an adjective before the word melodic to give your sound a special description?
Bjorn Hodel: I guess you could also call it emotional trance. Always when I make a track I want people to be touched by it emotionally and filled with energy.
i:Vibes: Does Foundry have a special meaning and why did you call yourself this?
Bjorn Hodel: As the name implies, Foundry is a place of creation, whether it’s metal, electronics or music. I thought it would be cool and meaningful to have such a name. And we are the music foundry that create emotional trance.
i:Vibes: You produce beautiful melodic trance. What inspires you to make such beautiful music?
Bjorn Hodel: Thank you! Anything inspires me. May it be movies, other music, sounds you hear during the day, sounds of nature. Only your imagination sets the boundaries.
i:Vibes: ‘November Sky’ is a dreamy remix. How do you go about making a remix? Do you like to make a completely new sound or try to keep parts of original in remix?
Bjorn Hodel: It all depends how the original sounds and if the samples are nice enough to keep in a remix. Usually I use my own sound completely, because it gives a better interpretation than if I would have used many original samples. But sure, if a sound from the original is really good I’ll use it in my remixes, like for example the sample from Blue Mountain. I really love that one! It’s epic.
i:Vibes: Your remix of ‘Blue Mountain’ is a real beauty, but seems very complex. Was the middle part difficult to make?
Bjorn Hodel: Thanks!! No, not that hard. It’s all about coordinating the sounds as I said. Making an emotional break and achieving an explosive climax before the chorus is the key.
i:Vibes: ‘Hydrogen’ will be released on Enhanced soon. How happy are you with the outcome of this track?
Bjorn Hodel: Yeah, I’m really happy! Very, very proud of it! Jonas Hornblad that I produced the track with is an amazing trance artist. So I am very pleased that I had the chance to be locked in the studio with him, I think the whole release is an amazing package of energy and beautiful riffs. It will feature remixes from David Newsum, Michael Angelo & Sundriver. It will be really exciting to see which kind of support it will get. It’s coming out on promo in like October/November, so you should be able to hear it sometime by then.
i:Vibes: ‘Believe’ is an incredible track. What was the inspiration behind this track?
Bjorn Hodel: Thank you once again, Miles! I don’t think that we had one special inspiration behind this track. It was many different inspirations, but I can’t really recall them now since we made ‘Believe’ some while ago. I think we made it during the end of this winter, so we probably were dreaming of the beach or something haha, thinking of summer vibes.
i:Vibes: Have you received any nice feedback from the famous DJs?
Bjorn Hodel: Actually we haven’t had any at all from the big jocks yet... But the most important feedback is that many DJs support the release by playing it!
i:Vibes: The break in ‘Believe’ is by no means something cheesy but really first rate. What was the most difficult thing you had to do to get the break as perfect as it is?
Bjorn Hodel: I’m glad you like it! I think the hardest thing was to coordinate the sounds together and making a nice build up of it. That everything in the beginning of the break was really quiet and emotional, with only a pad + orchestra string and a piano. Then taking away the piano smoothly and introducing the pluck and lead, and having the pad + orchestra string rising through the whole climax. That really gave the break more emotion and beauty.
i:Vibes: How would ‘Believe’ sound with an Above & Beyond remix?
Bjorn Hodel: It would sound like an Above & Beyond Remix! Don’t know what more there is to say actually. They have established their A&B sound very well so the answer is simple. Of course it would be nice, but I think I would rather have a remix under their other alias, Tranquility Base. Would be nice with a touch of ‘Buzz’ sound on it! ;)
i:Vibes: Your remix for Myk Bee - Mistaken will be released soon. What can we await from this track?
Bjorn Hodel: There will be some nice atmosphere and sounds going on in this remix. A lot of nice vibes and emotions. I hope you will enjoy it!
i:Vibes: When you’re in the studio, is there a certain way how you go about attacking a new track? Some producers first search for an atmosphere or go with a bassline. How do you do it?
Bjorn Hodel: Nope, I don’t have certain ways. Sometimes I start off with a bassline, sometimes with a pad, sometimes with a melody riff. It’s different every time. Depends on which mood I’m in.
i:Vibes: The Swedish music scene is big especially the house and techno scene. How do you get along with the other Swedish trance producers?
Bjorn Hodel: Yea it’s really big for house and techno, but sadly very small for trance. So there aren’t many trance clubs and parties here. The biggest trance club brand is Monday Bar. I go to those parties as often as I can, especially the world famous Monday Bar Cruises. And because the scene is so small it’s not hard to get in touch with other trance producers if you’re also producing. I’ve met many great producers at these cruises and parties like for example Jonas Hornblad, Carl B and Mike Shiver. Outside the party scene I’ve also hooked up with some other amazing artists online like Sebastian Brandt, Airbase, Björn Akesson, Algarve, Onova.
i:Vibes: With what artist would you like to be locked away in the studio for 24 hours and what kind of track would you create?
Bjorn Hodel: I would love to be locked away with Stoneface & Terminal. We would probably create what we’re best at, emotional & energetic trance.
i:Vibes: What German trance producers do you respect and like? I think Cold Blue is a producer you respect!
Bjorn Hodel: Yes hehe that’s true! I totally love Cold Blue’s sound and tunes. I think he’s maybe Germany’s best producer at the moment. With songs like ‘Oasis’, ‘The Wolf’, ‘11 Days/Seven Ways’ together with Pedro Del Mar and ‘Sakura’ together with Algarve, this guy is surely one to look out for in the trance scene. I think it’s his way of blending progressive beats with truly uplifting melodies that makes him so special and successive.
Watch out for his upcoming bomb on Monster Tunes called ‘Paradise’! It’s so beautiful! One of my fave tunes this year. Two of my big trance idols are by the way from Germany, namely Henry Nix & Matthias Gierth - Stoneface & Terminal. They have actually done some of the best tunes I have ever heard. With songs like ‘Incognition’, ‘Summerscape’, ‘Super Nature’ and ‘Another Day’ the talented German duo really gave me shivers. Massive tunes!!! Other producers from Germany that I really love are: Kyau & Albert, Alex Morph, Talla 2XLC, Martin Roth, Mirco De Govia, Cosmic Gate, Ronski Speed, Dj Shah and Duderstadt.
i:Vibes: How important has MySpace been for you? I found you and your music so quickly at MySpace.
Bjorn Hodel: Yeah it has been important and is really important for all artists out there. MySpace is I think the best place to quickly showcase your stuff to people all around the globe. And if you’re lucky, labels / artists / DJs will like what you have created and they’ll contact you. MySpace plays a very important role for many producers.
i:Vibes: What other plans do you have with releases in the next six months?
Bjorn Hodel: Hmm... I’m currently working with Jonas Hornblad on the follow up to ‘Hydrogen’. Maybe it’ll see light within six months if we’re lucky. And I have in fact found a new talented producer to collab with on a long term basis. His name is Sean Truby. Only 18 years old from England. He will have an amazing release in like January on Red Force Recordings called ‘Unreal’. So I’m very happy that we found each other. You can expect some really nice remixes and originals from us. Besides those projects I’m doing stuff with other producers as well. We’ll see what the future holds.
i:Vibes: You seem to be 100% melodic trance at moment. What other kind of music style fascinates you? Could you think of making another style?
Bjorn Hodel: I also love progressive & tech trance. Yeah I’ve tried producing that for fun, but nothing serious yet. We’ll see in the future.
i:Vibes: Who do you think will be DJ Mags #1 this year? Will it be one of top three trance DJs, PVD, Armin or Tiesto, or could Above & beyond surprise everyone and sneak in at #1?
Bjorn Hodel: I think Armin is safe for now. It’s going really good for him and his label Armada. At best maybe Above & Beyond can reach #3, but not higher.
i:Vibes: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Bjorn Hodel: Hopefully spinning records all around the globe as a DJ, producing amazing music and working on Digitalis label Tranceflo Records as label A&R.
i:Vibes: What are your current five favourite tracks?
Bjorn Hodel: (in no specific order)
1. Immoral Monkeys - Portobello (Adam Nickey Remix) [Perceptive]
2. Super8 & Tab - Elektra (Bart Claessen & Dave Schiemann Remix) [Anjunabeats]
3. 7 Skies & Static Blue - Central Park (Nitrous Oxide Remix) [Breeze]
4. Adam Stodtko vs. Sundriver - Monique (Original Mix) [Red Force]
5. Hodel & Hornblad - Hydrogen (David Newsum Remix) [Enhanced]
i:Vibes: What are your five all-time favourite tracks?
Bjorn Hodel: (in no specific order)
1. System F - Out Of The Blue (Original Mix)
2. The Thrillseekers - Synaesthesia (Ferry Corsten Remix)
3. Rank 1 - Breathing (Airwave) (Original Mix)
4. The Quest - C Sharp (Original Mix)
5. Tiesto - Suburban Train (Original Mix) (co-produced with Ronald Van Gelderen)
i:Vibes: What are your hobbies?
Bjorn Hodel: Producing music, DJing, playing games, watching movies, playing soccer...
i:Vibes: What three things would you take on a deserted island?
Bjorn Hodel: My girlfriend, a nuclear powered stereo for playing music haha and last but not least, an ice cream machine that runs on coconut milk.
i:Vibes: Thanks Björn for the chat and all the best in future. And keep banging out those great melodic tracks!!!!
Bjorn Hodel: Thanks a lot Miles! I will try my very best! Cheers!
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