raver Magazine
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
ARMIN van BUUREN
S J E FF E R Y
WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE 19 Interviews with AFROJACK EDX SANDER van DOORN MATISSE & SADKO + MORE
IU S R O UT
Table o f Conte nts 3 JEFFE RY SU 5 TORIU AFRO S JACK 7 WINT ER M 9 USIC PURE CONF POWE 11 EREN MATIS R CE SE AN 13 ARMI D SAD N 15 K SAND van BUUR O EN ER va 17 n HAPE DOOR RON 18 N EDX
OUR STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Beas OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Kristine Kennedy CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tom Colleran LEAD VIDEOGRAPHER Bobby Ben-Gal PHOTOGRAPHERS Nhan Tran Tran Ngoc Nguyen SENIOR WRITERS Kimberly Phan Miguel Tost STAFF WRITERS Charolette Vosbeck Sandra Santana CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Dar Dowling MEDIA PARTNER Speir TV
Jeffrey Sutorius A Story of Courage, Commitment and Triumph
Jeffrey Sutorius – the comeback kid of electronic music – is back where he belongs in the studio producing, on stage performing, and connecting with fans worldwide. When the news first broke about the separation of Dash Berlin, we were saddened and left wondering what would come of this fallout. Then news began to break little by little as Jeffrey began to tell his story. What this man had to overcome was a great hurdle in life and it is one that could have easily deterred anybody from losing their love for their passion in life. For Jeffrey Sutorius that passion is music and he was making sure nothing would step in the path between him and connecting his music to his fans. It is this achievement, this act of courage, this triumph, that we are honored to name Jeffrey Sutorius as Raver Magazine’s Artist of the Year. We were able to meet with Jeffrey in Miami this past March to speak with him and provide him with his award. We’re more than proud to present this award to him and nobody deserved this year’s award more. We hope you enjoy this interview and we hope you find inspiration whether you are struggling through your own personal hurdle or even if your life is fabulous at the moment. Everybody can take time to appreciate and respect how Jeffrey turned his life around and found happiness in his passion once again. Interview by Kristine Kennedy and Michael Beas Your story from your transition as the frontman of Dash Berlin to your return to dance music as your own name, Jeffrey Sutorius, is one of courage, commitment and triumph. Can you talk to us about this? I don’t give up. I’m not that kind of guy. I think I’m really easy to get along with. But I’m definitely a Scorpio – we don’t let go until we’re satisfied. What I do is what I love the most in life and that is interacting with people on stage - that’s my core. I love translating music to people and making a connection with them. It’s been like that since I first started DJ’ing. It is a form of craft. I see it as a craft. You know, everybody can press a start and stop button – that’s not so hard. You can make a whole prepared mix on your laptop and pretend like you’re mixing but I’m a little bit old-school in a sense. It’s almost philosophical, like you want to tell a story with music and for the people who have been following Dash Berlin over the years,
they actually do understand what’s been going on because that is a very sincere way of connecting with people – people also feel it’s real. Now even on my new social media, people can sense a difference. We’re just all being real people and everyone is so happy. We can finally speak here. I’m able to interact with people all over the world. It’s crazy – I love it! We hear you have a new label now also! Tell us about it. So I’ve started up a new label called BODYWRMR. The philosophy comes from two parts. First, if you’re at a party and you start dancing you’re actually warming up your body. Secondly, if you meet people in that party and give them a hug, your warmness transmits with that hug. That’s how the label name came about. We’ve been releasing new tracks on the label and the support has been amazing. I have big plans to release original tracks with some trance remixes and a little bit of future house remixes.
I’ve also been able to sign new talent to the new label. I’m working with a 17 year old from India and people from the Netherlands – really raw talent. I’m working with two guys about 25 years old who made their first track and the worked on it for two years. It’s amazing – they did such a great job with it. I’m also working with a guy from Russia currently – there is so much talent from Russia! He’s a sheer genius and I’m really happy that with BODYWRMR I can have a platform to share this talent with fans. More of what I used to do in my sets was about 90% old material and I am slowing that down a bit to create a little bit more of a mix with other work from producers and new talent. I think with that mix, I can create my own signature. What was your first show out as Jeffrey Sutorius after your break? It was ZoukOut in Singapore. It’s known as the Tomorrowland of Asia. It’s huge but it’s also an
amazing party. I was so happy to have my first show back as Jeffrey Sutorius there. I’m fortunate with so much support from this industry as a whole. What is one thing you want to tell your fans, new and old alike? You know, someone recently told me a story of how they started tearing up during a part of one of my Dash Berlin sets. Honestly I was crying myself too because I can feel the same thing. It’s not that I’m crying because you’re crying, but we are crying because of the same reason. We can feel the music. We can feel the power of what music can really do to you and that story that’s been told with the music emotionally or melodically is just the icing on the cake. You’re broken down with something so beautiful but also so fragile and that’s music. I’m so thankful and lucky I can connect with people this way because it only happens when people are really open for it, and that says a lot about my fans right there.
Perfecting His Passions • Exclusive Interview with
AFROJACK Interview by Kristine Kennedy and Michael Beas Support from Nhan Tran When most think of Dutch extraordinaire producer and DJ, Afrojack, they probably envision a constant party, a lavish lifestyle. And maybe there was some of that dabbled in the past, but truth be told, Afrojack is the artist he is today because he has put in countless hours of work daily and he’s showing no signs of slowing down those work hours. He has the drive, the ambition, the vision to guide both himself personally and his career towards success. The following interview – this is the real Afrojack. We hope you truly enjoy getting to know this side of him. As we sat down for our interview with Afrojack, he was deep in thought on his phone while we got settled. “Actually, I was in a moment – like when you’re in a moment where you’re about to do something. You go to your phone and text the give people you’re talking to “Great idea. Love you baby. See you later. Okay I will see you tomorrow. Thank you, yes, no problem. Okay, thanks.” I was doing that.” This actually leads us up to our first question for you. How do you manage so many things at one time when everybody is trying to get a piece of Afrojack’s time? You just figure out how to do it. How do you poop and read the newspaper at the same time? And chew gum? I don’t know. How do you brush your teeth and look at Instagram at the same time? It just becomes second nature. You have so much going on in your life these days. What makes Miami special to you? Ultra. I’ve been saying that for 12 years now but definitely it’s Ultra. Also there’s a really nice beach here. I love the place. The first time I experienced Miami was at Ultra. So I remember there was all dance music and all the little restaurants and stuff and of course that only happens during Ultra. I was very disappointed the first time I came to Miami and there was no Ultra. I was like “wow – this is not much fun.” How did you feel about playing at the new location versus the old one at Bayfront Park?
It was amazing. Now there is a lot more space for main stage and the other stages around. So it used to be people at main stage would have to settle around the trees and stuff but now main stage goes all the way back. It was crazy! It was weird to walk through Brickell [downtown Miami] and not be surrounded by everything Ultra by Bayfront Park. I know. I went to the old location a few days before I played at the new location this year and the park is just a regular park now. I walked over to where main stage was where the DJ’s play and look out over that crowd and I opened a beer and just sat there and reminisced. That would have been an amazing shot to catch – what a great idea. We know you have some new music coming out very soon – give us the scoop. When you cross genres, do you as an artist find it difficult to do? It’s very difficult to keep up the façade of being passionate about everything at all times. Most artists are very self-conscious because they are aware they are lying about 50% of what they are truly passionate about. I’ve always loved hip hop and I will always love dance music. I have a new track out called ‘Sober’ and I’m super excited that I got to do a hip hop record. As a producer, it is a very fun challenge. I used to be a break dancer and a street dancer, so it’s like a natural thing. But at the same time, if I went to Ultra and just played it like that in the set and tried to act as natural then I’m moving the wrong things. Just like it is great to put peanut butter and jelly together on a sandwich but then you go play tennis and while your forehead with it and it just doesn’t work. That’s basically what happens a lot of times when people cross over genres. So I’m aware of the risk of the process. So I’m excited to have released the hip hop track. Next I will do a club remix of the track and I’ll probably release a pop album this year. I think people are ready enough to understand that. I have a pretty successful career and I’ve been doing all kinds of stuff throughout it. Of course I get some hate and they’re like “oh, this is way too slow or oh this is too poppy or oh, this is too hard” but at the end of the day, every time I do a show, people accept that from me. One time in an interview I said “I’m not EDM.” But I said that in a way that if you eat chicken, you love chicken, it does not mean that you are chicken. You might also love pancakes and some days a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich. So for me back then I cared about my career as Afrojack as that was the only thing I had. Now I’m in a position that I only care about my fans. I love my fans. I love my career but I will never try to let my career success precede my personal success. When I was younger and a lot artist are definitely there, you tend to think your career is all of your life. I went through a lot of stuff that showed me there’s more to life than just that. So I love it but I will never place it before my personal happiness anymore. Since I’ve learned that everything has been way better. I have a better connection with my fans, my music comes out more easy, my DJ’ing is more fun. It works its best this way.
WMC was insane in 2019! SiriusXM broadcasted live from Faena District throughout the week. Their live programming offered an insider’s look at WMC festivities through a combination of candid artist interviews and DJ performances from some of the world’s most renowned electronic music artists. SiriusXM also broadcasted the 33rd annual IDMA Awards Ceremony After Party, live from The Faena Theater on Thursday, March 28 and the DJ sets from MK, Illenium, Galantis were definitely the highlights of the night. Raver Magazine was proud to be part of all the events and it was a pleasure to share the news across all of our social media channels and blog reports. Its going to be exciting to see what 2020 will bring especially knowing that Ultra Music Festival will be moving to a new location. Until then we sign off from WMC 2019 and hope you can all party with us in 2020! ABOUT INTERNATIONAL DANCE MUSIC AWARDS Running concurrently with Winter Music Conference in Miami, FL (March 25-28 in the spectacular Faena District), the IDMAs generate over two million votes annually from music enthusiasts in 209 countries and territories to recognize and honor exceptional achievements in various award categories. ABOUT FAENA FORUM Faena Forum is a pioneering public venue dedicated to presenting and showcasing the ambitious, the innovative and the groundbreaking in fields ranging from art and entertainment to business and beyond. Faena Forum, evocative of the ancient civic and architectural concept of a forum, aims to offer Miami a dynamic setting, allowing for ongoing programming under the direction of Faena Art, as well as use by private companies, institutions, and individuals. Alan Faena worked closely with OMA, the firm founded by Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu, partner at OMA and Director of the New York office, who served as the lead architect for the three buildings, to ensure the 43,000 square-foot Forum is designed for ultimate flexibility. The space accommodates everything from a temporary culinary pop up to an acoustically optimal concert. Two volumes, a cylinder and a cube that are similar in size, can be combined or subdivided to support any type of production, from projects and commissions to performances, exhibitions and events. The building has two main levels. The lobby amphitheater features pink marble floors and technical capabilities for surround projections. The upper floor assembly hall features a 40-foot-high dome with a central glazed oculus and a floor-to-ceiling window
overlooking Indian Creek. A walkway that spirals up the interior wall of the Forum from street level to the top of the dome which provides visitors with a range of perspectives on the space. ABOUT FAENA DISTRICT Miami is a city that has experienced the transformative power of the arts. With this conviction in mind, Alan Faena and Len Blavatnik debuted Faena Hotel Miami Beach in December 2015, marking the first phase of openings in the Faena District Miami Beach. A new neighborhood rooted in the arts, Faena District will help catalyze a cultural renaissance in Miami and further enhance its reputation as a vital link between North and South. Located in the heart of Miami Beach, Faena District stretches north from 32nd Street to 36th Street, between the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Creek. Every single one of its elements defies convention while promoting cultural inclusiveness that will benefit the entire community. Faena District is the result of a collaboration between some of the most talented and creative minds who continue to challenge existing concepts of culture, entertainment and community. By integrating art, architecture, nature and technology, Faena District has changed the physical and cultural landscape of Miami Beach forever. For more information about WMC please visit wintermusicconference.com
Inspiration Makes Beautiful Music for Matisse & Sadko – Exclusive Interview
By Kristine Kennedy and Michael Beas Russian DJ and production duo hailing from St. Petersburg, Matisse & Sadko consists of brothers Alexander and Yury Parkhomenko. We know them best as producers of beautiful tracks such as “Forever”, “Break Through The Silence”, “Together”, and “Light Me Up”. These talented brothers sure know how to bring the euphoric and melodic beauty to their tracks they produce – the kind of feelgood music that can instantly turn your mood around. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see them live, we highly recommend you take advantage if they are remotely near you. We finally got to see them live at Ultra Music Festival this year and the experience was pure energy and pure magic. One thing is for certain, Matisse & Sadko are here to stay and have a ton of creativity to supply this music industry with for many, many years to come.
How did you guys enjoy Miami Music Week? We were super happy to be there and we even got a little time to check out the pool and the beach.
So, you guys have worked with so many talents people – Tiesto, Raiden, Martin Garrix, to name a few. What is it like working so closely with Martin Garrix on so many projects?
We know you’re from Russia and it’s quite a different We are really excited to work with Martin. We have the temperature from Miami. We hope you packed same vision for the tracks which makes it really easy. sunscreen! We love the same music and he’s so friendly and openminded. He’s a nice guy – probably the nicest guy in this Actually, no we didn’t. Sunscreen is not really popular in Russia because it’s winter for half of the year and it’s industry. It’s a super good feeling working with him. snowy and windy. But we bought all of our beach stuff So speaking about the music you guys produce, in Miami! especially the tracks with Martin that carry so much euphoric feeling to them, what is it like when you see How did you first get into making music? the crowd reaction when you play them at festivals or other events? It must be amazing seeing everyone It’s a pretty long story. Since our childhood we’ve jumping in the air with their hands up and smiles on been into music and started making music at school. their faces. I [Matisse] produced deep house, down tempo and different genres. I also worked as a ghost producer It’s really hard to describe with words, actually. For some. My brother was into rap music. us, it’s pure happiness because this is not only our After a few years, we decided to join forces and started profession, but our passion and lifestyle. Everybody should get to experience that in life. It’s the best feeling Matisse & Sadko, our family project. By the way, our to make people smile and to share your music with mom was really happy about the band decision. them. It’s something very exciting for us. It is a gift for us. Wow – rap music to your current sound is a huge Have you ever gotten nervous in front of a crowd? change! Because we have, I think, a very wide musical spectrum, we can produce any genre. For us, it’s not really hard
All the time! Even four or ten people, we get nervous because we want everything to go well and have
to go from one to the other. It’s why we have decided in the future, maybe in the next one or two months, to start two new projects with different genres. We’re excited to do it!
people enjoy our music, no matter how big the crowd is.
Excellent! Anything you can spill the beans on these new projects? They’re completely different themes than the Matisse & Sadko brand. It’s still secret though.
How do you guys enjoy traveling? It’s hard sometimes because of long flights and long layovers and jetlag. But it’s such a great opportunity to see new people, meet amazing people and to taste different foods also. Each city we visit has a different culture and we get to learn new things about the city which makes us happy guys.
Interview with Don McLaughlin If you are getting ready to RAVE or you’re looking for an energy boost that is unlike anything on the planet then PurePower Botanicals is a product you definitely need to try out. Without a doubt, the PurePower Botanicals product line includes a full lineup of high-performance products that contain hemp-derived CBD, along with other potent plant extracts from some of the most powerful plants on the planet. Why try anything else party people? Check out PurePower Botanicals and as they say... Power Up and Definitely Party ON! Pure Power Botanicals is fully endorsed by us at Raver Magazine People in the Rave Community party hard and party smart – and staying fit is part of that equation. How can PurePower Botanicals help them stay fit and healthy? PurePower’s plant-based supplements boost health and vitality by combining some key herbs and vital minerals with ultra pure, potent hemp-derived CBD craft grown in our home state of Colorado. PurePower was specifically formulated to naturally and sustainably boost energy and endurance, deepen sleep, and accelerate recovery. By addressing these fundamentals, PurePower provides a means to elevate performance while enhancing overall health and well-being. PurePower Botanicals harnesses the power of hemp and other herbs to help people get the most out of their work out, and this case a rave. What can guys and girls expect from your product line to ensure that they feel their finest during an event or party? PurePower combines ultra pure, potent full spectrum hemp CBD with other potent plants, adaptogens, and minerals to help you feel at your best consistently and sustainably (without the ugly side effects that come with many artificial performance aids). Our flagship Daily Boost hemp CBD oil gets absorbed in the body rapidly in ways that deliver both an energy charge but also clear-headed focus and calm. To sustain that energy and focus, our PowerUp product boosts long-term energy and resilience through a combination of powerful herbs and botanicals, including our Performance CBD combined with powerhouse adaptogens like Cordyceps and Lion’s Mane mushroom, clean Green Tea extract, and 16 other natural ingredients. To help you reset and recharge, our Reboot product accelerates recovery by quickly reducing pain and inflammation and recharging
mind and body. It’s a great way to quickly rejuvenate during an event or party. And to maximize your sleep after the event, our PowerDown product includes 15 natural ingredients (like Passion Flower and Chamomile) that deliver what many customers say is the best sleep of their lives. Our PurePower System bundles include all of these products to help you make the most of every event, party or outing. Since this is a dance magazine, what music are you listening to in your day to day life? We want it all, so don’t be shy. We want to know what are you listening while you are at the gym, cooking, and even when creating your products. How does music inspire you to keep being the powerhouse that you are? I love music! It inspires and nourishes me in deep ways. I especially love to listen to Pandora or Spotify while cooking with my kids, and my selections range widely including Steve Aoki, Thievery Corp., BBC music, Bob
Markely, Post Malone, Grateful Dead, George Winston, Van Morrison, and even John Denver - all depending on the time of day and setting/mood. Music inspires me most through the energy and expression that comes from the artist through their music. I believe that everything is energy and music is perhaps the best conduit for connecting with that energy in ways that can elevate and enrich my life and the lives of my children. We have to ask because we are sure our readers are wondering - are you looking to add a street team or brand ambassadors to help get the word out to the community? YES! Our mission is to spread far and wide a message that hemp and other plants can help rebalance and regenerate human and environmental health. Within just a few months of launching PurePower, we already have a team of 30+ PurePower Ambassadors in 5 countries, and we want to grow our family around the world to help spread our mission. We offer great product discounts and giveaways along with a monthly video meetup to help you take things to the next level in your life. Please visit us at https://livepurepower.com/prosambassadors/ to join our PurePower family!
A Trip Down The Road to Finding Success - Exclusive Interview with
Armin van Buuren As a common household name in the music industry, this man certainly needs no introduction. We all know him, love his music, and applaud him for his countless contributions to our music industry. Armin van Buuren is equal parts talented and humble, and it was a true pleasure to have the opportunity once again to interview him. We hope you enjoy the interview and find some inspiration from him to be true to yourself, no matter what your dreams are in life. Interview by Kristine Kennedy and Michael Beas Support from Nhan Tran It seems that you bring your ‘A’ game wherever you go. You have the best parties, the best artists signed to your Armada label. Everybody is always looking forward to you playing. How do you create the momentum and the vibe to always have endless energy, not just in yourself but in your entire label and the artists you represent? Well with the label, we’re just focused on the quality of the music and it’s not always easy because we get sent so much great music and we have the honor to work with so many great artists. And all these artists that we decide to work with, they decide on our label. They deserve the equal amount of attention. So we want to create a vibe to not only promote myself but the label as a whole and every individual artists that is signed to our label. Currently we have about 80 artists exclusively signed to Armada and another 200 we work with on and off. That’s a lot. That’s a big responsibility. We as a label are expanding – we have the office in Amsterdam with 120 people divided over two companies and we recently set up shop in New York. We really are setting roots with the offices in New York and London, which was opened last year. It’s important to do so, we feel, especially for the American acts that we sign, so that they can get promoted by American representation in a local office. That was always our dream. Not necessarily to have many people in many offices around the world, but to spread our love for dance music
globally, which is what we try to do via livestream, social media, and now offices in various cities globally. We are hopeful to be in Asia pretty soon because it’s an extremely important market that we want to be in. When you set up a shop, whether it’s in Amsterdam or New York (which we have gotten the opportunity to experience both and they’re awesome), is there a common theme that you look for when setting them up and making them your home? Well, I am not the CEO of Armada – that’s Maykel [Piron]. He runs the company and he’s in charge of the business decisions such as hiring staff. Of course, behind the scenes I have my say in the company and I do decide mainly on things for A State of Trance and Who’s Afraid of 138, but I’m not actively involved in the office and how the office is presented. Obviously if it was terrible and I wouldn’t like it, I would tell Maykel and he would know about it, but that would just be an internal discussion. We’re very fortunate that Maykel and I often agree on a lot of topics, including the difficult ones, such as where do we want to go with our music? The music we represent is first and foremost the music that we love, not necessarily the music that we think will sell well. So we still sign a lot of obscure tracks that may not necessarily be chart successes instantly, but Maykel and I are dance music lovers first and foremost. That’s the most important thing – you have to be true to yourself.
What sets Miami Music Week and Ultra Music Festival apart from the other events and festivals that you play at during the year? Miami is different because it’s the start of the dance music calendar. This is where the DJ’s come out of their holes from a few months over the winter working in their studios. This is where they showcase their brand new music for the first time. That’s why Ultra Miami and Miami Music Week are important because it’s the start of festival season. Miami is where you bring your ‘A’ game. Numbers-wise, it isn’t the biggest festival, but because of the timing of it at the beginning of festival season, it is a great opportunity to plug your new music, to build your relationships. Well, speaking of the start of festival season and all this talk of new music, you have a new track out with our buddies Lucas & Steve. Can you tell us about it?
It’s called “Don’t Give Up On Me” and it was super cool working with the guys because they’re kind of the young up and coming talent in the industry. They’re in their third year in Miami and I admire them a lot. I like them a lot. They come from house Music and I come from Trance, so to find a common ground was a fun experience. Working with them was a breath of fresh air because you have to understand, I’ve been a producer for more than 20 years and it’s very easy to get stuck into the same formula and I make myself very aware of that. Even all my knowledge can sometimes hold me back if I don’t take a little bit of a risk here and there. When I got the stems from Lucas & Steve’s version to do my part, I was blown away by the details of their production. I think I got 115 tracks with audio information, so that shows you the care they put into it. They’re super talented and all the sounds they have going into that track – it’s phenomenal.
SANDER van DOORN Sander Ketelaars was always a man of many hats. So it should come to no surprise that he’s added yet another hat to his collection and is mastering the art of balance between being a dad, a husband, a DJ, a producer, and delivering his fans epic sets as both Sander van Doorn and Purple Haze, all while always seeming to have a smile on his face. We can’t forget the time needed for him to personally master and finish each new track he delivers to his fans. His production work is superb and he’s got an amazing podcast currently celebrating 15 years this year that we highly suggest you check out if you haven’t already. This talented artist should clearly be dubbed “Super Sander”. Raver Mag, we know that Sander van Doorn is one of your favorites but if you happen to be a new EDM fan, itis best advised to put this artist on your watch list. You’ll definitely thank us!
By Kristine Kennedy and Michael Beas Photo Credit: JOO MURGA How was Miami Music Week for you this year? It was really good! I arrived on Wednesday and went to the Spinnin’ Sessions party for a bit then went to see Chocolate Puma that night with the guys from Spinnin’. I made a quick run to Toronto on Friday and then went back to Miami for my pool party on Saturday. It was pretty crazy! For your pool party you hosted, you played two sets – one as Sander van Doorn and one as Purple Haze. How is it that you go from one to the other in one evening? Well you know, in a creative way, it is a little like Jekyll and Hyde to be honest. It’s a completely different approach towards producing music, where Purple Haze is produced with a lot of feel to it, and a lot more storytelling and euphoric work and Sander van Doorn is a lot more about experimenting with different genres and mixing it up a bit. You know, I love doing both and I particularly love the whole combination. We know that your birthday this year was extra special. You welcomed a new addition to the family. Yeah, best birthday present ever! My little daughter was born the day before my birthday this year. She’s the best! It’s been phenomenal being a dad. It was actually weird to be in Miami because I missed my family. Definitely next year they are all coming to Miami for the week! It was pretty crazy because two weeks after my wife gave birth, I had to go to Australia for a week. It wasn’t great timing because you want to be home helping to take care of your child and sharing the responsibility of our little daughter. She’s doing great though – really healthy and a very happy baby! We’re sure you’ve been juggling your new responsibilities and your music just fine. What do you have coming up in the works? We’re always listening to your podcast and love hearing new tracks of yours! Actually yeah, I’ve produced a lot of new tracks recently. When I was on daddy-leave for a couple of weeks, it gave me a lot of time in the studio. It’s always difficult balancing time between DJing on the road and producing so it was nice to be home and have that time. I produce everything myself from start to finish, so it’s a big process. But with the time off from touring I think I have about eight new Purple Haze tracks coming up and I think six or seven as Sander van Doorn – it’s crazy. We know you have a track named after your wife, so can we expect to have one of the many new releases you have coming out soon, that one will be named after your daughter as well? Yes, there is definitely one that will be a reference to my daughter. For a few weeks before summer season starts up, I’ll be in the studio finishing the new tracks and some other projects. I love touring but it will be good to be home and get to spend time with my family as well.
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W o t g n i o G You’re
Exclusive Interview with Harparam and Ashley Sandhu One of the most annoying issues we find as ravers is not finding enough ways to hydrate when we are partying at a festival and or an event. Time and time again we are looking for ways to water up so that we can party on. Sure the festivals will give us the “FREE” water at the almost impossible water stations or we can buy a bottle of normal water for 10+ dollars to hydrate but does it really help? I mean surely some water is better than no water at all but in the end, does it really help? We looked to answer that question and the reality is that there isn’t really a product out there that truly gets the job done. That is until now! SKN H2O is unique and different in that it will literally give you the right balance of vitamins and nutrients you need to keep going no matter how dehydrated you are. Without a doubt, Harparam and Ashley Sandhu, the couple behind SKN H2O, have revolutionized the water industry with a groundbreaking new concept on how we drink water and get back the energy that we need to keep the party going. Best of all it helps your skin in the process. While SKN H2O is not currently at festivals soon you will be able to stock up and get it ready for the next fest or the next event you are planning on attending this year. For more information check out this interview we had with founders, Harparam and Ashley. They get 100% support from us and I know that you will agree when you give it a go this year. People in the Rave Community, not only party hard but they also party smart. All of us want to stay fit and healthy what does your water bring to the rave that can help us before, during and after the rave? SKN H2O is the next generation of bottled water. We call it “Hydration Evolved”. SKN H2O provides muchneeded Antioxidants from Resveratrol, for a complete hydration experience: before, during and after the rave. SKN H2O will allow you to be fully immersed in the rave experience while keeping you energized, active, hydrated & a faster recovery after the fun is over. What can guys and girls expect from SKN H2O to ensure that they look their finest during an event or party? Are there special ingredients that you use in SKN H2O to boost skin health, help people get that special glow?
SKN H2O is not just an ordinary bottled water it’s a source of the most potent antioxidant in the world! Antioxidants provide numerous benefits including repairing the daily wear and tear in your body, keeping your skin healthy and glowing, helping you recover faster from any physical activity or hangovers. SKN H2O will not only keep you hydrated and moving on the dance floor but with its powerful antioxidant properties will keep you looking youthful and radiant. SKN H2O water contains Resveratrol & Pterostilbene, the most potent antioxidant known to mankind. You are a couple and you are working the business as a team, seeing that this is a dance magazine, what music do you both listen to together, don’t be shy either we want all scenarios, gym, cooking, working, etc. How does music unite you both as the team and powerhouse that you are? Ashley and I, we are an entrepreneurial couple with a lot of responsibilities and very little downtime for ourselves, so we try to make the best out of what we get. You might find us dancing or singing during breaks or in between meetings on the tunes of The Prodigy, Skillex, or Scooter just to name a few, trying to enjoy life while working hard to achieve our goals as one unit. With so many business ideas and so many successful businesses that you to have been a part of in the past, I have to ask - how was it that you became passionate about water? Water is essential to life! Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Majority of the American population is chronically dehydrated. When we looked around, we found just simple waters bottled in fancy bottles. With our backgrounds in Skincare, nutrition, and medicine we wanted to provide our consumers with the next generation hydration. A water, which not only hydrates your body but repairs your body and skin. After extensive research and testing ingredients from all over the world, SKN H2O was created. Once the product is launched are you looking to add a street team or brand ambassadors to help get the word out to the community? SKN H2O is a result of extensive research and knowledge. It’s a result of mine and Ashley’s passion to do something good for people. We would definitely be looking for like-minded and passionate people to be a part of our team as team members or brand ambassadors, in order to help us spread the goodness of SKN H2O.
GRAMMY-NOMINATED EDX RELEASES BRAND NEW ORIGINAL SINGLE TO KICKSTART 2019
Maurizio Colella, better known by his stage name EDX, is a Swiss-Italian producer and DJ. EDX has been a master in the house music scene for some time and is a highly regarded producer and DJ. He has a straight-forward approach towards his branding and development of quality music and he’s been an integral part of our music community. We had the opportunity to chat with Maurizio during Miami Music Week 2019 This is what Here’s what he had to say. By Michael Beas and Kristine Kennedy
What can fans expect from your Asian Tour that is coming up and are you excited about the places that you are going to be visiting soon in Asia? It’s a big continent, with a lot of cultures and huge diversity. I’m going back to Asia first time this year for a twoweekend tour, starting off in the very quiet and loving place Indonesia, Bali. I will be there for 14 hours, before taking another flight to Tokyo. I’m really looking forward to my Asia tour where I will be playing four shows in China around Shanghai. Then I’m going to Bangkok for their big, big, big holey weekend, which is a huge festival alongside people like Tiesto and so many other producers. From there I going back to Europe around Easter weekend then we will be back in the U.S again.
Talk to us in general with a busy tour schedule. How do you keep it all together on the road and does it become exhausting? When it comes to travel, I understand people have issues with the jet lag and the journey, but in my case I just really like to meet people, I love to travel it’s like all on a very kind of balanced level for me and my life.
You’re in Miami for Miami Music Week, how do you keep it all together between the parties, your own event and so much going on this week? It’s quiet blessing. It’s a journey to be able to do your own music and share it with the world, travel the world meet different cultures, people and it’s like a big, big family. I love Miami Music Week. I meet so many new people and friends that I haven’t seen for over 22 years. All of them they still have the light in their eyes, and are doing things for the love of music. It’s simply amazing to be a part of this family.
Talk you us about your Podcast, No Excuses? It’s about like a eight years old now, we kicked off the first of April of the first of March 8th I was actually getting a lot of love for my ‘Angel on My Shoulder’ remix, that I made for Kaskade and for my own originals out in the U.S. I had a lot of love in Europe and I was like how can we give something back to the fans and we came up with the radio show. It’s also a good way to look for new fresh music and also a good way to stay connected to the fans. ‘WHO CARES’ OUT NOW, VIA SPINNIN’ DEEP
BUY / STREAM HERE https://spinnindeep.release.link/who-cares