Dakota’s Nine Skies At Dreamstate SF

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Since the release of Thoughts Become Things (2009) and Thoughts Become Things ll (2011), fans of Markus Schulz’s experiment with the darker, progressive side of electronic music have been yearning for a Dakota performance. Those who were at Dreamstate San Francisco 2017 had the privilege of witnessing the reemergence of Schulz’s Dakota alias and the debut of his Nine Skies project.

Schulz told Angus Thomas Paterson in an interview for Insomniac that the tragic shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and the “turbulent political developments” of 2016 were some of the events that motivated the Miami-based artist to resurrect his techno infused trance. 

Schulz said about the upcoming project:

“What I’m doing with the Dakota show, it’s almost like a dark dancefloor musical. It’s called Nine Skies, and it’s the nine steps we go through in our quest for enlightenment . . . The live show has big moments . . . But it’s essentially a deeper, more thoughtful affair, and definitely not one of the shows where we’re shooting off fireworks at every drop.”

When the lights finally turned off Saturday night for Dakota, all of the chattering conversations turned into a roar as the screen behind Schulz was filled with bright stars mapping out a constellation of Earth and then of a (trance) baby. An ominous voice introduced us to the first “sky” as hymns filled the room. Everyone’s eyes glistened like the constellations on the screen, reflecting the LED lights projected from behind the man of the hour.

“I have been listening to Markus Schulz for years, and I love his Dakota stuff,” David Lopez, 28, Marin, told me before the set started. “To be honest, I never thought that we would even see a Dakota set. At least not in America.”

Fans were hypnotized by the beautiful visuals composed of vivid color and eliciting images that ranged from political strife to vast landscapes, to lustful bodies falling into carnal temptation. Schulz used symbolic images like the All-Seeing Eye (representing the physical, spiritual, and mental aspect of enlightenment) and the Power Fist to further highlight the message of a “sky” .

Dreamers heard a range of music from the familiar horns of “Mota-Mota”, a new production from Dakota, to classic tunes like “Cafe del Mar”. Schulz set was flawlessly strung together by powerful percussion and heavy synths. The crowd’s bodies became puppets to the string of beats from Dakota’s turntables. Aggressive kickdrums determined the intensity of one’s dance moves while euphoric melodies encompassed lovers to sway back-and-forth.   

Schulz also used lighting as a means to reflect the tone of the “skies”. When the theme contained pain, anger, and lust, shades of red and orange were used on the LED screen and shot through as lasers. Washes of blue and white illuminated the Civic Center during times of happiness and euphoria. A prime example was during Dakota’s recent release “Running Up That Hill” (featuring the angelic vocals of Bev Wild).

Emotions ran high during Sky Five: The Activist, the path of change in humanity. Fans saluted their middle fingers to the screen when a video of President Donald Trump’s inauguration played in black and white. The audio recording of Trump being sworn in was met with thundering anger from the fans. All of the rage in the room was soon soothed by images of Dr. King, Tupac, and the famous Tank Man at Tiananmen Square. Along with the iconic chords of “The Way It Is”, the duality of hate and peace was perfectly put together.

This was the moment in Schulz’s Nine Skies where I felt a connection with Dakota. A connection that I have not felt before in my ten years of festival attendance.

To be honest, I felt nervous during the first red-tinted video of CGI soldiers marching under a red sun. This feeling during a music festival was foreign to me, a little uncomfortable. I’m sure many others were in the same situation. But I realized this uneasy feeling was what Schulz wanted to evoke out of us, something that connects us to his artwork that transcends cliches of DJs and festivals. At the end of the whole journey, I was glad I was able to feel a rollercoaster of emotions at a music festival. Experiences like this are what makes a performance memorable.  

Before Schulz finished his time with Paterson, he spoke of his legacy and what he wanted to leave behind. “I want to create something that will endure for many, many years to come,” he said. “Something that people can look back at whenever they have hard times to listen to, watch it, and hopefully be enlightened by it as well.” It’s hard to not dwell on your own legacy when a man who has traveled the world and achieved many accomplishments in his life leaves you with pondering words.

The audiovisual experience of the Nine Skies sets a new benchmark of storytelling at a music festival. Trance Family SF will remember this masterpiece in their hearts as they reflect on Schulz’s legacy. With promises of a unique Nine Skies experience every show, I can only hope to see what Dakota has in store for the Electric Daisy Carnival.

 

 

Arkham Knights’ “Odyssey” Towards Stardom

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As we enter a new year, we cannot help but reflect on the rising stars of 2016. No other trance DJs have had a better year than Arkham Knights. Fans quickly took a liking to Ben and Stuart’s genre-breaking style that incorporates euphoric melodies with the dark progression of electro and house. Since signing with the Schulz Music Group earlier this year, the two have been bombarding music sites -like SoundCloud- with groovy Afterhours mixes and live sets. The Turner brothers capped off their year with the same fiery momentum that sparked their ascension to fame with a release that pays tribute to their “Odyssey” so far.

Their recent production carries the legacy of the AKs’ sound. A heavy percussion starts off this musical voyage that immediately bangs on the eardrums, leading into the main melody that washes in. Sharp chords establish the rhythm of the track with a continuous loop. A rolling snare kicks-off the drop into an aggressive bassline that pushes the climax to euphoric boundaries, while a reiterating kick drum and tapping hi-hats cycle in the background. There isn’t a lot of bells and whistles to this track, allowing the perfectly orchestrated melody to shine with such sharp precision, leaving a yearning for more.

Although the single was formally released on the 5th of December, fans were first capsized by it’s hypnotizing timbre by Mr. Coldharbour himself at Transmission in Prague. Audiences around the world got an opportunity to hear the track on the Nov. 10th episode of Global DJ Broadcast. Since then, “Odyssey” was heard throughout the Coldharbour families sets. Paul van Dyk also supported AKs’ new hit on his VONYC Session 529, and Armin van Buuren played it on A State Of Trance 793. The fan’s of GDJB showed their love for the track by voting it as the Global Selection (Track of the Week) two consecutive times.

With Ben and Stuart’s freshmen CHRL hit, “Knightfall,” surpassing over 100K plays on Spotify on Dec. 13th, there is no denying that the electronic music world has noticed the two men from the former wool capital of England. Leeds name originally derives from ‘Ladenses,’ an old Brythonic word that translates to “people of the fast-flowing river,” perfectly describing Ben and Stuart’s rise on the trance charts. Insomniac Events, the powerhouse behind the iconic Electric Daisy Carnival, eventually caught wind of the two and featured them in the August episode of Metronome.

Stuart’s visit to the iconic Avalon in Hollywood last April was the start of AKs’ presence in the US. His visit was the start of many world tours in dark nightclubs and on festival stages around the world. The growing list includes the Transmission “The Lost Oracle” Pre-Party in October, sharing the main stage with fellow CHRL DJ Fisherman & Hawkins at the iconic Club Mecca and a gig right in their backyard at Mint Club Leeds. The two showed their hometown some love with a three hour set at the Leeds Trance Family event Trance Awakenings Part 2.

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AKs’ most recent conquest was taking the stage with fellow CHRL mate Dave Neven and Solid Stone this past January. Despite missing Ben on the stage, the lineup was stacked in Montreal as those three warmed up the cold Canadian night for the Boss Man, readying the crowd for some good-ole-fashioned unicorn slaying. Pictures from the January event looked massive as dance music fans covered two floors and over 40,000 square feet of the old coal factory. Lively fans danced the night away inside an old industrial building that contrasted the modern technology of pulsing speakers and futuristic strobe lights.

Odyssey is an epic word that describes a long wandering but fulfilling journey. For many, the word odyssey is synonymous with Homer’s epic poem. The word loses no value here as Ben and Stuart chose it to title their latest hymn. The timing of this release could not have been more perfect as we prepare for new music in 2017. “Odyssey” firmly makes a statement for everyone in the EDM community and TranceFamilies across the world: Arkham Knights are here and are a force to watch out for as they continue their quest to stardom.

You can stream “Odyssey” on Spotify or SoundCloud or download it at Beatport.

Interview: Arkham Knights’ USA Debut at Avalon Hollywood

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On the first Saturday of April I found myself dancing under illuminated neon lights at the historic Avalon Hollywood nightclub. I only arrived in Los Angeles a few hours before on an early Megabus from San Francisco. Prior to boarding the 12 hour overnight bus to LA, I was stepping off a plane from my month long vacation in Thailand. The journey from the other side of the world to the dance floor of Avalon was a long one: my body still jet lagged from the long flight, my mind still trying to grasp the change in time zones and my skin still smelled like a freshly burned tan from the Southeast Asian heat. But I made it to L.A., I made it onto the sticky, cocktail spilled dance floor (which has seen cleaner days) and I finally made it to my first Coldharbour Night in the City of Angels.

As the late Saturday night quickly bled into the dawning Sunday morning, I mentally prepared myself alongside a crowd of trance lovers ­who also craved dark, progressive melodies for the American debut of Leed’s rising star. Once the early clock struck two, the eager fans who had been waiting for hours, dancing their way through four amazing DJs, filled Avalon’s atmosphere with cries of joy, giving a warm California Trance Family welcome for Arkham Knights.

Before Stuart Turner, brother and one-half of AK, got behind the decks, I had an opportunity to sit down with him: getting a chance to peek underneath one of the masks that makes up this trance sensation that has been captivating fans with their techno-­infused style.

Hey, how’s it going?

All good thanks.

Where is Ben at right now?

He’s at home in the studio most probably, I have him chained up in there working 24/7 (laughs). It’s Mainly going to be me on the road playing gigs, Ben is more focused on production, although we are always in the studio together working on tracks. He’s got this real knack of bringing my ideas to fruition…he knows exactly what to do when we discuss an idea.

So I guess, everyone wants to know, where did the name Arkham Knights come from?

Well, (laughter) I was just trying to think of names and I had Arkham in my head for some reason. I used to be a fan of the old Batman comics. And I just put that with knights and bam! It was as simple as that. Then, like literally weeks later the actual game came out. It (Arkham) just really suit’s our style of the dark, groovy, techno-y kind of trance. We both loved the name and it stuck.

You guys definitely do a great job blending those two genres together. I remember I was on SoundCloud, refreshing your page, trying to catch a new Afterhours set, I saw that you posted your guest mix from the Judge Jules show. And it blew my mind. I like how you guys opened up with trance and blended it with techno and back to trance and ended it out with some hard tech-trance remixes. Are you guys like a trance first or techno?

You know, we love the techno grooves. Fuse that with trance and you got something special. We love the big lead lines too because trance was our first love. We focus a lot on grooves and you get a lot of groove from techno. So yeah, it makes sense to fuse the two together. Defiantly for our sets, I love playing techno and trance because it’s a great fusion.

Your last two tracks, “Legacy” and “Knightfall”, are huge success.

Yeah, they did real good. Did better than we thought.

Yeah?

Because obviously when you’re making them in the studio, you’re locked into this track for like two months or so. And you’re hearing it constantly everyday, and over and over, same bits and by the end of it you don’t realize whether it’s big or whatever, you just know that it’s something you like. So, you just go with it. The feedback from fans and of course Markus & the Coldharbour team is awesome…makes it all worth while.

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So how do you find that perfect medium between techno and trance?

There isn’t a script really. It’s hard to put into words, it just kind of happens, it’s just our vision of music built on what we love and are passionate about. We love it dark, lots of percs, heavy bass, driving grooves and in all that dark madness an uplifting lead. When writing a track I always imagine myself stood on a dance floor and getting that feeling you get when the DJ just dropped something special…if I get that feeling i know we are on to a good thing.

So how long have you and Ben been at this craft of blending those two genres together.

Since we started, in about 2008. We both sat down and started producing. Obviously, it took quite a long time to get there because it’s a hard thing to learn and  crafting your own sound is hard too.

Did you face any difficulties when you started coming out with this style?

Yeah sure, when your doing something different it’s always worrying how it’s going to be received. We still worry now, sometimes I think “have we gone to far out of the box this time” but Ben is always the voice of reason (laughs). Markus is such a great mentor, he really gets us & what we do, so we worry less these days since we joined Coldharbour.

I remember reading a quote in February edition of Raver Magazine where Markus (Schulz) compared your guys sound to the old school Tiesto sound. (Laughter) That’s a huge pedestal to be compared to. How did that make you guys feel?

Oh man that was overwhelming to read, because the old sets from Tiesto, the old Tiesto tracks were where we first really got into trance. Myself and Ben were big fans back in the day. I mean, I played around with trance on vinyl back in the mid to late 90’s. Defiantly like the early days of Tiesto & Markus saying that about us was like, “Wow”.

So, that must have been a huge confidence booster.

Oh, absolutely. We’re massive Markus fans. He’s a huge inspiration to us. I’ve followed Markus since 2005. Having him as a mentor and having these kind of comments come from him is just  overwhelming sometimes. And being sign on his label obviously is just…wow, it’s where we always wanted to be. So, it’s a massive achievement. To be honest, he’s  one of a few DJs that I go out of my way to go and listen to and make the effort to go see. His sets are both inspiring and educational.

Are there any other DJs that inspire your music?

We really like Eric Prydz. Another great artist is Solid Stone, He’s just amazing. But there are so many good artist out there, Nifra is blowing up as are Fisherman & Hawkins too. But really for inspiration we  look to the past, rather than the now, because I don’t really think that many people are doing the same thing that we do. We always go for that raw industrial feel. It really takes us back to the old days.

Do you think Arkham Knights are going to stay in the same realm of sound in the future? Or, maybe experiment with another sound?

Oh yes, definitely. But we’re always experimenting. We always try and aim to make each track different, changing the key elements in a track. Like in “Knightfall” you got the drums and “Legacy” has a big focus on a lead. We always try and do something different. In “Blackgate” we got a drum roll that comes out of the breakdown. So we always try and get those main characteristics, that really stands out, to fit in each track. Obviously, that takes a long time because you can run out of ideas. (Laughter).

When you and Ben throw together ideas, do you guys perhaps develop a track that is sometimes a little more techno than trance, or progressive trance, or big-room? Maybe creating another alias to produce those different kinds of music?

I mean, alias’s is good and works well for some, but for us we really want to keep focus on what & who we are. We don’t want to start doing alias’s right now while we are in the infancy of our career and have fans wonder who we are. Then when you start branching out people don’t know whether you’re going to turn up at a gig as this guy or this guy and same goes for tracks. So we just really need to be consistent with what we do, really have that focus on who we are as an artist and what identifies our sound.

And that sound has been doing really well. This week you guys had your debut guest mix on the Global DJ Broadcast and now you’re here for Arkham Knights first Coldharbour Night in L.A., a lot of great things and success are coming your way. Congrats on that. Are there any more goals left for you two?

You know, we never really expected this to be honest. If somebody would have asked us last year would we be here now, I would have said no. Because you just don’t expect it, it all just comes out of nowhere. There is no checklist to be honest, we love music and are very passionate about it. We’ll just keep going with what we love doing and see where it takes us.

Do you guys like to do anything else in your free time?

It really soaks up all your time. There is no free time. (Laughter) It’s the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. Now we’re here at Avalon. A dream come true.

Any words out there for Arkham Knights fans?

Thanks for your support we wouldn’t be here without you. We have now signed to Schulz Music Group so expect to see a lot more of us at future club nights.

Well, thank you for your time and speaking with Schulz Army.

Awesome mate, thank you, anytime.

 

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Review: Fisherman & Hawkins “Oblivion”

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A few months ago, I heard an incredible track played by Markus during one of his sets. I immediately fell in love with this track but had no idea at that time who was behind it. It’s not so long ago that I had finally found out it was the new track from the Venlo’s dutch duo composed by Rob Koopmans & Isaac Vissers, better known as Fisherman & Hawkins.

This track, named “Oblivion”, has been released today and the original mix is really a 6:45 piece of gold. The piano break starting after about 2 minutes is really incredible. I have goosebumps every time I hear it! But it’s just the beginning… progressively the track goes from this beautiful piano solo to a very energetic and powerful section! It’s simply perfect!

Many of the best trance artists in the industry, including names like Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Cosmic Gate are already playing this epic track, which is, as Markus Schulz said, “One of the biggest anthems of the summer, and maybe for the entire year.” Indeed, this track has everything to become, as Gouryella’s “Anahera” last year, the 2016 tune of the year!

Fisherman & Hawkins will be at the first Coldharbour Beach festival in a few weeks in the Netherlands, before they head to Canada and the USA. Do not hesitate to go to a party were they are playing, you will not regret it!

“Oblivion” is available at : https://coldharbour.choons.at/oblivion

Follow Fisherman & Hawkins
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Review: ‘Watch The World’ Acoustic Tracks

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News of a new artist album by Markus Schulz has been brewing for quite some time now. If you have had a chance to attend one of his sets in this past couple of years, you have been paying attention to the IDs. Not to mention the ID teases in the Global DJ Broadcast. Once the date of April 29th, 2016 was announced, and the release of the acoustic versions of the album on YouTube, the anticipation of the album was upon us.

The ability to get all of the acoustic versions with a Pre-Order on iTunes as well as access on Spotify has been great. Other than the normal interview or article about the album, the Unicorn Slayer has been gracious enough to share back stories of the tracks via Facebook Live videos.  From his passion through creative writing to the ideas shared with vocalists and co-writers, you can tell Markus has put his heart and soul into the album.

For all of us who enjoy trance and the melodies, it makes complete sense to start with acoustic versions of the tracks. “In the Night” featuring Brooke Tomlinson tells a beautiful story of a relationship struggles highlighted beautifully by Brooke’s vocals.  “Love Me Like You Never Did” featuring Ethan Thompson continues the story telling, but the journey through the vocals as well as the music itself keeps you compelled.

It was nice to listen to the acoustic version of “Destiny” after loving the trance version released over a year ago. This different version gives you a new perspective on the track entirely. Without becoming a broken record, the vocals from everybody on this album are fantastic. Please take the time to listen and digest the acoustic versions before you find yourself engrossed in the trance versions.

 

Artist Spotlight: The Arkham Knights Rises

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Exploding out of Leeds, UK, Arkham Knights quickly gained the attention of trance lovers with their dark, progressive sound. Stuart and Ben Turner are the two brothers under the vigilant name that resembles the one and only DC’s Dark Knight, Batman.

When Arkham Knights started to make their presence in Markus Schulz’s live sets and on various track listings, I, like many others, became intrigued with this mysterious duo; their sound lured my ears to shake my body with unorthodox dance moves, while the strength in their name caught my eyes.

“Stu (Stuart) actually thought of the name a couple of months before the (Batman) game came out and it was just coincidentally called Arkham Knight, ha”, Ben told me in a Facebook message. “But the name is based upon the Batman theme (😀)”.

The name that the Turner brothers chose isn’t just for appearances, their productions and mixes affirms their right for such a strong DJ alias. However, the Coldharbour Recordings Label was not the first to discover the captivating sounds of the Turner brothers. Arkham Knights actually entered the scene a year ago on Infrasonic and Interstate Recordings.

Arkham Knights

With freshmen hits like “Tomorrow’s World” in 2014, Arkham Knights gained the support of DJs like Solid Stone, Paul Van Dyk and Ben Gold. Then in 2015, many Coldharbour fans fell in love with the euphoric percussions of “Blackgate”. It wasn’t long after that their massive hit “Knightfall” was feature on Schulz’s label. This was a dream comes true (as they described Coldharbour Recordings to be their dream label in their Facebook bio).

After it was featured on the Global DJ Broadcast radio show, the track rapidly became a fan-favorite for all the Trance Warriors battling the good fight on dance floors and in festivals worldwide. It’s not surprising that Arkham Knights’ first track on the Coldharbour swiftly won the support of veteran DJs like Mark Sixma, Simon Patterson and Lange.

The success of “Knightfall” is benchmark as their first Top 10 track in the Beatport Trance Chart, reaching up to the #3 spot. Another notable achievement is its featured on the iconic Ministry of Sound compilation: Trance Nation, which is mixed by the Coldharbour label Boss himself.

Arkham Knights’ follow up track on the Coldharbour label, “Legacy”, is no slouch either, and lives up to the track’s name. Many fans loved their second Coldharbour release, voting it up to the #7 spot on the Beatport Trance chart. Their notches of success not only proves that the two brothers from Leeds are no one hit wonder, but they also have the ability to hold their own with the current stars of trance.

 

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The Boss of Coldharbour had some kind words for the new rising stars in February’s edition of Raver Magazine. In an interview with Michael Beas, Schulz explains what he is looking for when it comes to the Coldharbour sound:

“As for Coldharbour and me, I am not just looking for a new track. I am not just looking for a new vibe. I am looking for a new attitude. I am looking for someone who is going to blow me away with the whole package . . . Right now, Arkham Knights is doing that for me. They have really come up with this new Tech Trance old Tiesto sound that is filled with energy. I think that is really what Trance is missing right now. It’s missing that groove and sometimes there is too much standing around . . . I think that Arkham Knights does it perfectly.”

The perfect sound that Schulz described in his interview is the intense techno infused trance that delivers a progressive punch. Their productions are powered by driving percussion, rumbling bass-lines & infectious melodies that is a synergy of uplifting beauty and passionate aggression. Their sets and mixes are composed of songs that contains looping melodies that progressively builds up to release an orchestra of sounds that penetrates the genre of trance, strung together by a techno synth.

The Turner brothers have an ability to travel through both genres that is refreshing to fans. This is the reason why fans are quick to jump on the dancefloor when they hear the hypnotizing drums and hi-hats of Arkham Knights. Don’t believe me? Check out their Twitter page that is filled with complimenting Tweets. As for their ability to travel in between genres, check out their guest mix on Judge Jules radio show, Global Warm Up. If trance and techno had a musical baby, this is what it would sound like.

If you want to get more acquaint with the sounds of Arkham Knights, be sure to catch their weekly radio show: Arkham Knights Presents: Arkham Afterhours. Every month, their hourly show features new music that incorporates the deep and progressive side trance. Be careful that you don’t fall into their rabbit hole, fair warning.

 

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Don’t miss your chance to catch these two as they join fellow Coldharbour DJs Fisherman & Hawkins, MIKE EFEX, Dave Neven, with special guest, the legendary Ronski Speed for another Coldharbour Night at Avalon in LA, April 9th. Tickets are cheap, so they’re sure to sell out.

Tickets: http://bit.ly/avalon49

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Follow Arkham Knights
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Interview: Schulz Army Gets to Know Tenishia

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As the Malta superstar duos Tenishia continues their epic quest for international DJ domination, the rising stars made their appearance on Coldharbour Night at the legendary Avalon Hollywood last December. Joven Grech and Cyprian Cassar are the two that have been winning the hearts of fans since 2005 on their intimate island. Their story started after the two met through mutual friends in the Summer of 2004 with a conversation about music. It was a perfect duo match. Joven was already DJing in the flourishing Maltese nightlife, while Cyprian, who started playing the piano at an early age, brought a little taste of classical music to the Tenishia sound, which would soon engulf their little island.

It wasn’t long until the two conquered their island and started to invade other form of media with their own TV shows and radio show. It wasn’t long until the head of Armada, Armin Van Buuren took noticed and signed these two in 2005 with their collaboration with Kirsty Hawkshaw, “Outsiders”. Tenishia eventually broke into the Top 100 of DJ MAG’s list, and eventually landing the 71st spot earlier last year. However, the two have been winning awards prior to their DJ MAG breakthrough. The two have won the “Best Dance Tune Award” three times in a row at the Malta Music Awards, “Best Live Performance 2005”, an IDMA Award nomination in 2011 at the WMC and many more that could be listed.

Tenishia

Having only played in America a few times, not many fans in the States have had an intimate chance to get to know the minds behind Tenishia. After joining the Schulz Music Group last year, Schulz Army took this opportunity to ask the two a few question.

How would you define the style of the music that you produce?

We definitely like to produce emotional music, with emotional melodies. We definitely prefer eyes closing rather than hands in the air. Obviously, trance is one of our favorite genres but it has changed so much now, and it has become so vast that it goes from one extreme to the other and we have to admit that we do not like some of it. Progressive was always our favorite though. Dark, emotional and aggressive would be our main ingredients.  

When it comes to international touring, you guys have a pretty diverse tour calendar in Europe, Asia and Australia. Over the past few years, it appears as though your US tour dates have only included LA and San Francisco. In 2016 are you hoping to start to play more often in North America? What new cities are you hoping to get a chance to spin in?

Yes and yes… We do tend to play in various continents, especially in Asia, which is our biggest market at the moment. Our fan base there is growing by the minute and we have played some unreal events. We also have a monthly guest spot on MTV Asia, showcasing an hour of music videos and requests from China seem to be never ending. However, we plan to turn our focus on North America, now, and start growing our fan base bigger over there as well.

How many days a year are you on the road touring? How hard is it to find time to work on new productions with your tour schedule?

2015 has been crazy with touring and it’s starting to feel like home is actually a holiday. However, home means more work at the studio as we try to fit in our production in between the shows. We live on an island, weather is quite beautiful here and the beach is just around the corner from the studio. So yes it is quite tempting at times to just get a towel and just go to the beach but when you got music hungry fans waiting for their food, we have the duty of baking more cookies!

In recent interview, we read that you guys like to keep your health and fitness up, How do you two keep fit and eat healthy while being on the road?

This honestly keeps getting harder and harder. Being jet lagged most of the time after long flights doesn’t help at all but yes we do try our best. Eating healthy is also hard on the road but and it is quite frustrating at times when you step on the scales again after a three week tour. Sports, particularly Boxing, is the only thing that takes my mind off the music for a bit.

Your track “Five” was released on Coldharbour Recordings almost 10 years ago in 2006. How did you first get introduced to label boss Markus Schulz?

Markus was the one who introduced us properly in the international scene with that track! He was in Malta for a gig in a club where we used to play regularly and we handed him a CD with the track. At first we thought we’d just give it a try because we knew that he is a busy guy and god knows how many demo tracks he would get (we know that clearly now), however we thought we’ll give it a try. I believe it was October when we gave him the CD and six months after in March he played it on GDJB. There was a good reaction from the listeners and he liked the track and wanted to sign it to Coldharbour. It was the beginning of our international story.

A few more of your tracks were released on Coldharbour from 2007 to 2010, “Rush”, “Everything” and “Flesh”. After a five year break, how did it come about for Tenishia to be working more closely again with Markus and rest of the Coldharbour Recordings team releasing a new track “Don’t Let Go” featuring Adina Butar on vocals and then being signed to Schulz Music Group?

Wow, never thought there was a five year gap between our last and previous release on Coldharbour but that is actually true! Well, we still feel home at Coldharbour and also very comfortable to work with Markus. “Don’t let Go” was actually sitting on our hard drive for a while. We had a demo from Adina and we loved it but I think things got busy and it took a while to fully produce the track.

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You’ve placed in the DJ Magazine Top 100 DJs for the past few years. In the most recent 2015 poll you ranked number 71. What’s it like to be considered one of the world’s top DJs? How has it helped your career as a DJ?

It would be a total lie if I’d say that it didn’t help, but we surely do not do whatever we do to be in that list. Top 100 or not we love what we do and we’ll keep on doing it. Since EDM took over the scene, the list has become quite controversial and I think DJ MAG should really start categorizing it. Leave the top 100 as it is but also create sub lists, Trance, Underground, EDM, etc. I like to compare it with the list of top 100 athletes where Ronaldo or Messi would top the list because football is most popular sport, however how can I say that those football players are better than Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao who do a totally different sport.

What are some fun facts that Tenishia wants their fans to know that we probably don’t?

I’m a sucker for Boxing and Muhammad Ali. I love the guy to bits, I love his quotes and his funny moments, besides he is the greatest of all time! He is my total idol!

A little scared now after hearing about their boxing practices and idolization of Muhammad Ali. Just kidding. It was nice getting to know Joven Grech and Cyprian Cassar of Tenishia. Their love for sports and music explained why these two rapidly dominated all the top clubs in Malta. It was energizing to hear that Mr. Coldharbour, himself, was their first step to international stardom. Their addition to the Schulz Music Group will undoubtedly help these two with their dream to infiltrate more of the American scene. As life on the road continues to be home for Tenishia, let’s show them some good ole American hospitality as they continues to make music for the fans and not some Top 100 chart. You heard it from them earlier, Tenishia is baking trance cookies people, and let us chow down!

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Review: M.I.K.E. Push “Modus”

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An artist known to the world for his unique qualities as a producer under his many aliases, Belgian Mike Dierickx widely known as just M.I.K.E or Push boasts a vast number of productions already considered timeless classics, such as “Strange World”, “The Legacy” and “Silver Bath” under his belt.

Always the creative mind and pioneer the maestro with the large amount of guises he changes like hats, is back making waves in the scene with his new single. “Modus”, released on Coldharbour Recordings, is a hybrid of the past and future all wrapped up in one. Attaining elements and influences from the classic M.I.K.E Push sound we have all come to love, while at the same time melding them perfectly with the new age sound. Classic trance leads fueled by deeper darker vibes progress harmoniously, making way for the blossoming of our emotions and thoughts throughout the voyage of this world our host takes us on. Within the core of this deep, dark anthem rays of positivity and hope emerge victorious, proving that it’s more than meets the eye with this one. Infectious, captivating, a true storm bringer. This is what trance is all about.

Rejoice dance fanatics! This is something that will be burning a hole in your mind and shoes for a mass amount of time.

“Modus” by M.I.K.E. Push is available at https://coldharbour.choons.at/modus

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Event Review: Markus Schulz Open to Close Set at Avalon Hollywood

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With the upcoming FIRST open to close set by Markus Schulz in Houston, Texas approaching, it is time to review the Open to Close set at Avalon Hollywood February 27-28 that blew my mind. Despite being a fan of the Unicorn Slayer for close to 10 years, this Open to Close experience was my first. Granted not the first time witnessing the man spinning, it was highly anticipated. From the previous reviews from Schulz Army, Trance Family, and Markus himself, missing a night/morning at Avalon Hollywood was not to be missed. As someone who has lived in Arizona for the majority of my life, knowing the history of Markus and Phoenix has been in the back of my mind. The set at Maya Dayclub/Nightclub in Scottsdale, Arizona January 16th was great, and it was ONLY 4 hours, granted Nifra got the party going right away.

Markus Schulz Avalon Hollywood 3

After all of the planning, the day finally came to hop on a flight, Uber to the area, and wait for another Schulz Army member to join me. Despite following other groups/artists in the past, the Trance Family really feels like a family. This is has been explained before, so no need to elaborate more. As predicted, the lines began early, and stretched around the blocks surrounding Avalon. The good news was that the wait was relatively short once the doors opened. The night was young, but you could feel the energy in the room already. The Schulz Army and Trance Family were ready to party, and like I make it throughout the journey Markus announced on the microphone. The first couple of hours got the party warmed up, and then you could tell as the club was pretty filled, Markus was ready to take it up a notch.

Markus Schulz Avalon Hollywood 1

Markus did NOT disappoint playing some new Coldharbour family tracks mixed in with other favorites produced by the man himself. The aerialists, the distribution of glowsticks, and the fun being had by all throughout Avalon was invigorating. Meeting other family added to the atmosphere along with again consideration by others. Everybody was there to dance and enjoy the music. Yes, there was exhaustion throughout the night, but don’t underestimate the power of drinking water. Obviously, the goal is to stay throughout the night, so once the infamous “Rabbit Hole” was announced by Markus it was time to return to the dance floor after a short break to rest the feet.

Markus Schulz Avalon Hollywood 5

Don’t get me wrong, the entire journey musically throughout the night is wonderful, but I FOREVER want to go down the Rabbit Hole with Markus Schulz. Just when you think you can’t continue, another great track is played by Markus giving you another wind to continue. The love of the music and anticipation of what Markus will play next keeps you longing to stay lost in the beats. If you ever have the chance to witness one or more of these legendary Open to Close sets by Markus Schulz, DO IT!

Here’s two hours from his 11 hour open to close set at Avalon Hollywood.

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Review: Solis & Sean Truby vs. Harry Square “Concrete Jungle”

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We were first introduced to “Concrete Jungle” from Markus Schulz’s ‘Trance Nation’ compilation which was released in October 2015. Well the waiting is over, this storm of a track has finally been released on Beatport. The track “Concrete Jungle” is a collaboration between the duo Solis & Sean Truby, who recently remixed Markus Schulz’s track “Destiny”, plus Harry Square.

This is a great tune that has the Coldharbour sound, a lovely melody and a perfect drive. When this track began I said, “Wow what a start!” It continues to build up, still changing the sound. Then melody begins and adds in more tones. The breakdown is unbelievable, a great melody and then comes a drop with same melody, but still is awesome. You should close your eyes and listen. “Concrete Jungle” is a perfect tune for every set.

My rating is 10/10.

“Concrete Jungle” is available on Beatport: Solis & Sean Truby vs. Harry Square – Concrete Jungle

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