• PROMOTION
  • HOUSE MUSIC NEWS
    • EDM NEWS
    • INTERVIEWS
  • CONTACT
House Music PR | a service of Dancemusicpr.com
  • PROMOTION
  • HOUSE MUSIC NEWS
    • EDM NEWS
    • INTERVIEWS
  • CONTACT
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • RSS

EDM NEWS

Hammarica.com Daily DJ Interview: Solarstone

Hammarica.com Daily DJ Interview: Solarstone
DANCE MUSIC PR
December 1, 2012

[wp_ad_camp_2]

DJ Interviews

For over a decade he has been roadblocking dancefloors with a procession of illustrious club classics, all-out anthems and critically acclaimed albums. As a DJ, he performs weekly at clubs around the planet, and for globally recognized names like A State of Trance, Cream @ Amnesia, Ministry of Sound, Gatecrasher, Full-On-Ferry, Zouk and countless others.

He left an indelible mark on EDM with one of his very first releases. ‘Seven Cities’ scored a UK Top 40 hit, has been remixed by Armin van Buuren, was re-released 3 times and cumulatively went on to sell in excess of ½ million copies. Give a warm welcome to SOLARSTONE!

You recently launched your new label Touchstone Recordings under the supervision of Black Hole Recordings. What makes this label different than your other labels and could you tell us a bit more about the philosophy behind it?

Up until Touchstone all my labels were administered for me by a specific company with a certain reach & influence, upon signing to Black Hole I decided to use their status and experience to launch a new label, aimed directly at Djs & fans who were embracing my new music. The music policy is geared towards the Pure Trance sound, so it made sense to start afresh.

Dance Music NewsYour most recent album Pure features several highly acclaimed stars from the international EDM scene. How did all these collaborations form? Collaboration seems like a recurring theme in your work since you also are known as the founder of the first social networking label Solarswarm.

Indeed, I’m a big fan of bringing like-minded people together with my music. Aly & Fila and also Giuseppe Ottaviani are both artists from the roster of my management agency Twenty4Seven – and we share the same love of a particular Trance sound, so it made sense to ‘keep it in the family’ so to speak. Both collabs were over the Internet – not my ideal way of working if I’m honest, but they both worked out well. Both tracks were fleshed out from demos I had already created, the other guys then added their parts and signature sounds, sent them back to me, then I finished them off in my studio. The Solarswarm thing is my attempt to give Trance fans the opportunity to get inside the workings of a label, to influence the signings, remixes and artwork for each release. It’s a fun project, anybody who is passionate about Trance music would probably enjoy being a part of it. The website is Solarswarm.com – it’s easy to join and take part.

DJ PromotionYou made a statement with your new album that you want to reclaim the meaning of trance. You have been a strong force of the scene for years on end, so to put it in a few words, what does true trance mean to you?

Trance is, for me, a spiritual thing; it goes far beyond just another sub-genre of electronic music. Trance music connects people in a way that other styles do not. The feeling of community and togetherness, which Trance music evokes, cannot be under estimated. Self-appointed style councils attempt to belittle and criticize the music, because they are not part of it and do not understand how important it is to many people. I feel very strongly about this music and that is one of the reasons I decided to stick my head above the parapet and start flying the trance flag in a more vocal way than most of my contemporaries. I’m proud to be a trance producer and Dj. You should listen to the music that moves you, not what is ‘cool’ or ‘the latest fashion’. Trends come and go, but a form of music as spiritual and deep reaching as Trance music will always endure.

Dance Music BlogWhich elements in the trance tracks that you don’t like bother you?

It’s the obsession with being ‘fashionable’, the obsession with loudness and complicated production trickery which diverts attention away from the core elements of what I feel makes trance music so unique – warmth, melody, simplicity, that ‘close your eyes and be taken on a journey’ essence which defines the genre it is true sense. Of course, there is room within the scene for all kinds of Trance, I’m not saying that Pure Trance is better, but as Mixmag said in their review of the Pure Trance compilation; Pure Trance is just part of the genre’s labyrinthine make-up. To counterbalance every Trouse or trancestep variation though, it’s a very valuable one”. I think that comment is spot-on.

[wp_ad_camp_1]

Is there a tour connected to the Pure concept?

Yes indeed, we launched the Pure Trance Events concept at ADE on October 18th – it was a sell out success, packed, hot and very passionate from all the Djs and clubbers involved. We are rolling tour out world wide in 2013 and details of all the forthcoming parties will be posted on the puretrance website as they are confirmed. I’m particularly excited about the USA shows we have planned, they will bring the pure sound of trance to those shores for the first time.

Your music has a very warm sound to it. Does that mean you get booked more often to play at hot summer night beach parties? Or do you find it a challenge to warm up a ‘cold’ room like a warehouse with you Balearic sounds and melodies?

I adjust what I play depending on the venue, the crowd etc. A sunrise beach party calls of a different vibe that a 4 A.M hot smokey warehouse in Helsinki!

The latest developments in technology continue to grow at lightning speed. Is there any sort of technology not on the market today that you would wish for? One future technology to utilize in your performances?

Not really, I’m not a slave to technological developments or trends. In the studio I tend to stick with what I know, rather than filling my computer with the latest gadgets I like to get inside the instruments I have and really make them work for their money. My guitars and other acoustic instruments can be incredibly expressive and create original sounds when I process them; I have less need of clever presets than a lot of producers. but that maybe because when I started producing, equipment was incredibly expensive and cumbersome, so I learnt to make the best of what I had.

We won’t tell anyone else, but we’d like to know.. Do you ever experiment with completely different styles than the one that people know you for? IE, are there secret dubstep releases floating around under an alias?

Ha! Not really, I did release one or two funky house / disco / electro house / breakbeat records over the years, but they are not a secret, they are all there in my discography.

Dance Music MagazineHow important are live instruments to your music like guitar and piano?

Well as I said previously, I love to create new sounds by processing my acoustic instruments. At the moment I am unfortunately piano-less due to moving to a smaller place with less room, but a new piano is on my buy list next year.

After a long day of work, what is your guilty pleasure?

I’m a huge Sherlock Holmes fan – the ones starring Jeremy Brett, I watch them nearly every day when I turn in. Midsommers Murders is another favorite. That’s about it for guilty pleasures.. And I don’t feel guilty at all about them!

If there is one thing you could change in the EDM scene, what would that be?

I’d like to remove all the fake votes, likes, followers & views from the scene completely. Fans don’t like to be cheated.

A last word for your fans?

Support the Pure Trance movement in any way you can, because together we are stronger. Oh.. And Happy Christmas!

Thank you Solarstone for taking the time for this interview!

My pleasure.

Connect:
http://www.solarstone.co.uk
http://www.puretrance.com

http://www.twitter.com/richsolarstone

[wp_ad_camp_5]

[wp_ad_camp_4]

Related Posts

  • Dance Music ReviewsKatie’s Corner: Pure Trance Mixed By Solarstone And Orkidea
  • Dance Music NewsA-LUSION: HOLLAND IS THE #1 COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO HARDSTYLE
  • ZAXX & TIFF LACEY UNLEASH VOCAL SMASH ON SOUTHERN STATE MUSICZAXX & TIFF LACEY UNLEASH VOCAL SMASH ON SOUTHERN STATE MUSIC
  • DJ InterviewsHammarica.com Daily DJ Interview: XILENT
  • COSMIC GATE & CHRISTIAN BURNS ‘BRAVE’COSMIC GATE & CHRISTIAN BURNS ‘BRAVE’
  • Luca Draccar419 (Short For For One Night Aka One Night Stand) By Luca Draccar Is A Masterful Work
Related Itemspure tranceroch mowattsolarstonesolarswarmtouchstone
EDM NEWS
December 1, 2012
DANCE MUSIC PR

Related Itemspure tranceroch mowattsolarstonesolarswarmtouchstone

More in EDM NEWS

Old School Vibes Meet Timeless Trance: Peran & BOB LTD Drop “Unbelievable” on Armada Music!

DANCE MUSIC PRJune 6, 2025
Read More

elx Drops Electrifying New Album ‘Groove Echoes’

DANCE MUSIC PRJune 5, 2025
Read More
DJ Samantha XO

DJ Samantha XO Blends Genres in New Single “Forever in Your Arms”

DANCE MUSIC PRMay 30, 2025
Read More

Vogel Unveils Mesmerizing New Single Pauson, A Journey Between Stillness and Motion

DANCE MUSIC PRMay 9, 2025
Read More
Wilf Libgott

From the pulse of house music to illuminating Seattle: the journey of Wilf Libgott

DANCE MUSIC PRApril 29, 2025
Read More

TWO DECADES DEEP: LEXLAY DROPS ANNIVERSARY ALBUM ‘20 YEARS OF MUSIC’

DANCE MUSIC PRApril 22, 2025
Read More

INTO THE BLOOD UNVEILS A MESMERIZING 11-MINUTE ODYSSEY THROUGH HUMAN EVOLUTION WITH DESTINATION 11

DANCE MUSIC PRApril 22, 2025
Read More

ANCE. DROPS A 2025 REMIX OF CLUB CLASSIC HAMMER HOUSE “THE JUMPER”

DANCE MUSIC PRApril 18, 2025
Read More

FEEDSPOT RANKS HAMMARICA.COM #27 ON ITS 90 BEST EDM BLOGS AND WEBSITES TO FOLLOW IN 2025

DANCE MUSIC PRApril 7, 2025
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Promoted Posts

  • CLAES ROSEN FINALLY UNVEILS VIRAL REMAKE OF MARVIN GAYE HIT ‘IF THIS WORLD WERE MINE’
    DANCEJune 12, 2025
  • Boris Way Is Back On Ultra Records With Melodic Tech House banger ‘Uber On Call’
    DANCEJune 8, 2025
  • LIQUIDFIVE COLLABORATES WITH BILLBOARD-CHARTING VOCALIST VELDOR ON BLISSFUL HOUSE TRACK ‘LIGHT IN THE DARK’ – OUT NOW!
    DANCEJune 8, 2025
  • DJ Samantha XO
    DJ Samantha XO Blends Genres in New Single “Forever in Your Arms”
    DANCEMay 30, 2025
  • Luca Draccar
    Electronic Crossover: Luca Draccar’s Exploration of Techno Boundaries
    FeaturedMay 22, 2025
  • Homecoming in Harmony: Javi Lozano Returns with Progressive House Single Where I Wanna Be
    DANCEMay 17, 2025
  • HYPNOTISED – A JOURNEY THROUGH AMERICAN TRANCE MUSIC 1992 – 2002
    FeaturedMay 2, 2025
  • W&W x KSHMR FINALLY JOIN FORCES ON FESTIVAL-READY ANTHEM ‘BAD’
    BIG ROOMApril 25, 2025
  • SPIKY & DJ DOBREL UNLEASH HARD-HITTING TECHNO SINGLE “SEX SOUNDS” WITH CLEAN VERSION “YES SOUNDS”
    DANCEApril 18, 2025
  • PAUL VAN DYK RETURNS WITH HIS FIRST ARTIST ALBUM IN 5 YEARS – ‘THIS WORLD IS OURS’
    FeaturedApril 10, 2025

Facebook

Get 10% off MaestroDMXMaestroDMX

(affiliate link)

House Music PR | a service of Dancemusicpr.com
Public relations agency for the global dance music industry powered by Hammarica.
HOME | CLIENTS | PORTFOLIO | EDM NEWS | INTERVIEWS | HAMMARICA | DANCE MUSIC PR | PRIVACY | CONTACT

© 2013-2016 HAMMARICA.COM LLC | Phone: +1-657-DEEJAYS

Hammarica.com Daily DJ Interview: Richard Dinsdale
Hammarica.com Daily DJ Interview: Sean Tyas