For those who don’t know Starfuckers very well, can you give us a quick idea of Starfuckers and how it started?

Starfuckers started out as a weekly party that we put on and played at, which quickly became a DJ group, which in turn became a production team, now we’re all of these things.

Last year you released your breakthrough single ‘One Night’ what was the reaction like?

The reaction was much greater than we’d imagined. The single got a high rotation on radio and TV, somewhere we never thought we’d see our music… Now the pressure is on to keep the bar high.

You’ve run your own infamous club night in Sydney now for just under 7 years, can you remember how the first night went?

Like it was yesterday. We had a very different format back then. An Australian band ‘British India’ played on the night, followed by a bunch of us trying to DJ afterwards. Many Costumes, club kids, drag queens, slippery floors and tight kick drums.

You’ve recently provided the guest mix for The Squatters Monthly Mix Podcast, how did this come about?

The Squatters did an amazing remix of our single ‘One Night’, and we’ve kept in touch with the boys since then, their podcast is so fun to listen to, it was an honour to be asked to be featured.

Can we expect to see more of the Starfuckers outside of Australia this year?

We certainly hope so. We have tour plans in the works and are keen to pop over to Amsterdam for the EDM conference, so we’ll be hard to get rid of in that part of the world.

You run your own music label as well called House Of Fun, what can we expect to see from it this year?

We’ve already had tonnes of exciting releases this year, and there are plenty more in the works. Starfuckers singles and remixes peppered in between some of the world’s best emerging EDM artists.

If you could achieve one thing in your career, what would it be and why?

To be comfortable enough to spend our time being creative and making music in the south of france.

What do the Starfuckers have planned for this year?

We’ve got a really busy tour schedule at the moment, abridged by weekly studio time working on various singles, collaborations with some amazing artists, and some huge mix tapes and a new podcast series on the way entitled ‘Hour Of Power’… Basically if it involves dance music – we’re doing it.

What has been your favourite moment being in the Starfuckers so far?

Not having a 9-5 job.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

Woody Allen

Do you prepare your sets before arriving at gigs?

Somewhat. Because there are three of us, there needs to be a certain flow to the music as we switch who is mixing, but there’s always lots of room to change direction if the mood calls for it.

What would I find in your fridge right now?

Lots of Vodka and fresh produce.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?

Mr. Disorder – Ryan Phillippe / Hookie – Philip Seymour Hoffman / Trent – Selma Blair

If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?

Invest the money in a high yielding stock, bond and/or property and use the proceeds to fund an endless holiday in which we move to Venice (or similar), hire out a massive house and write an album. Repeat.

If you were a biscuit, which would you be?

Whatever is best drenched in litres of coffee.

What’s the state of House and Techno in Perth at the moment?

JM: Things are getting healthier. Techno in particular seems to be enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The amount of quality international acts touring at the moment is a really good thing but attendances at local nights could be better; there’s a lot of talent in Perth. As always, there is a chronic shortage of venues, especially clubs. Promoters and punters seem to be more willing to think outside the square in terms of venues though. D.I.Y. parties are becoming more frequent, which is definitely a good thing.

CH: The house and techno sect in Perth is currently experiencing a period of vibrancy. Stables such as The Likes Of You and Habitat who have been bringing over seminal acts such as Jeff Mills, Lucy, Marcel Dettmann, Derrick May, Planetary Assault Systems, Ben Sims, Robert Hood, Xhin, Ben Klock, DJ Hell etc are pivotal to movement, however ventures from companies such as Next Hype bringing over people such as Blawan or Pariah, Kick!, putting on acts such as Peter Van Hoesen and some of the sold out shows that the {Move} crew or ICSSC are doing, injects different life into the whole thing as well.  The fact that Perth now has initiatives such as Eightoeight, Void/Persistance, Face, and also Before 12 (who recently put on a packed out locals only techno show on a rainy Wednesday night at The Bird in Northbridge) really illustrates the current surge in popularity of the genre as a whole.

Craig, you took out the PDMA for Best Techno DJ last year. What would a Craig Hollywood set be like? Can you describe the Craig Hollywood sound?

It really depends on when, where and what time you are playing. If it’s 4am then the chances of hearing artists who produce a tougher sound such as Rrose, Milton Bradley or Shifted would be fairly high. Whereas if you are warming up the room for an international then you would play a less abrasive and more accommodating style which could involve the likes of Virginia, Len Faki, Barnt, Roll The Dice, Adam Marshall or even Four Tet. So the sound really can change pretty much all the time.

Jeremy, as allstate, you’ve supported massive international artists including Miles Dyson, Ben UFO, Mosca, Ikonika, Doc Daneeka, Teddy Music/Silencer, Whistla and MC Flipside. What would an allstate set be like? Can you describe the allstate sound?

It really varies depending on the time, place and atmosphere. My tastes are pretty broad and I guess that’s reflected in my sets. I enjoy the challenge of trying to blend different styles into something resembling cohesion. At the moment, I’m playing a lot of house and techno, both old and new, as well as some more bass heavy stuff. But it’s anything goes really – as long as it’s a good tune and will still be a good tune years from now. Everything needs to have a groove though, even the stompers.

What’s been your most memorable performance / gig to date and why?

JM: Playing with Ben UFO at a warehouse last April was pretty amazing. The atmosphere and energy in that room was fantastic – everyone wanted to be there and had made an effort to be there, it was dark, the soundsystem was loud and punchy, and there were people on the dancefloor until the power was turned off after sunrise. Some of the Night Class gigs I’ve played at The Bird have also been heaps of fun.

CH: Looking back there have been some pretty brilliant experiences. Some stand outs would include supporting Matthew Dear as the sun set on a beach in South Perth, playing before or after the likes of Bonobo, Marcel Dettmann, Laurent Garnier, Jamie XX, Carl Craig, Blawan, Scuba, Magda – also DJ’ing the closing set after Luke Slater performed his live Planetary Assault Systems show at The Bakery, or perhaps some of the festival shows I’ve played back to back with Darren J. A most recent memorable evening involved sampling more than a few sociable beverages with Ricardo Villalobos and Seth Troxler and playing at a house party whilst they were over for the 2013 Future Music Festival.

What would be your ultimate booking?

JM: Probably a 10 hour + back to back marathon with Laurent Garnier or Ben UFO, at Stattbad in Berlin or The End (R.I.P.) in London. No toilet breaks.

CH: I enjoy DJ’ing at local nights just as much as a big festival or international or what not. Getting together, playing music and having a beer with people who are into the music just as much as you are is pretty much the whole point of why it would be done in the first place. So the perfect event for me would be setting up a bar and some music gear and then attempting to squeeze the following into a room – Massiv Trav, Allstate, Joel Pember, Mono Lisa, Diger Rokwell, Ben M, Boy Prince, Owen McGough, Aarom Wilson, The Empty Cup, Adam Trainer, Lightsteed, Travis Doom, Darren J, Ben Taaffe, Joe Stawarz, Reece Walker, Luke Reti, Cameron Duff, Luke Arnold, Rex Monsoon, Special, Mathas, The Empty Cup, Alex Campbell, Declan, Manimal, Progress Inn, Naik, Clunk, Jaymes Brown, Jack Faulkner, Rok Riley and also James A and Christoph Krogel.

Compared to the Eastern states, our population is quite small and our dance scene is somewhat limited. How hard is it to break into the local dance music scene? What were your biggest obstacles?

JM: I think it’s probably getting harder. With easier access to digital music and DJ equipment, everyone and their dog is a DJ these days. So I think you need to be willing to spend the extra time practicing, digging for tunes, getting out there meeting people and promoting your sound. My biggest obstacle was probably a matter of practice – getting to the point where I thought I was ready to gig, and then doing something about it.

CH:  I don’t think that the dance scene in WA is limited. If anything I’d say that Perth’s remoteness offers avenue for people and or promoters to experiment as much as they want. There is an obvious issue with regards to the number of venue spaces available around the city, which I think is solely related to fact that Perth has been colonised for approximately 184 years, which pales in comparison to the amount of time the other electronic music strongholds around the globe have had to find their feet.  As for becoming involved in the electronic music community I think there are only going to be barriers if you make them up in your own head. If you want to get involved or put on a night then do it. If you want to hand in a DJ mix to a promoter or a radio station then do it. Nobody is going to stand there and tell you that you can’t, unless you’re the one that’s doing so.

Let’s set the record straight. A DJs’ life – glamorous or all grind?

JM: If there’s any glamour, then I’m doing it wrong.

CH: Some people around the place would probably subscribe to the more glitzed up aesthetic of the whole thing. But considering most of a techno DJ’s work is primarily done in a pitch-black, sweaty, dank club, I definitely couldn’t say it was all that glamorous.

Full Frequency is all about showcasing the range and breadth of the house and techno genres. What does Full Frequency mean to you?

CH: Full Frequency is a platform to share music with other people. For me, that’s the simplest way of explaining it. RTRFM 92.1 is a station that is provided for the local community, by the local community, and is something that the people who are involved treat with a great deal of respect. Being able to be part of a team that involves the likes of Micah, Philly Blunt, Dart, Sardi, Declan, Ben M and Rok Riley is something that is a definitely hell of a lot of fun.

JM: It’s RTR so you know it’s quality. 2 hours of tunes, 5 days a week, presented by some of Perth’s best DJs.

You’re both playing at Altered States. Can you tell us a little about the event?

CH: Allstate and I are going to play a back to back closing set for the upcoming Altered States night which I’m really looking forward to. The event will feature a range of both established and also up and coming acts that hold their origins in this city – including live performances by Joe Stawarz from Soma Records, Basic Mind, Reece Walker & Emerald Cabal who are all fresh from supporting Actress and Oneohtrix Point Never. Also there will be DJ sets from El Dario (who took out the 2012 PDMA for Best House DJ) and also Declan from the Thursday Full Frequency show who has held down the position of one of Perth’s most respected track selectors since ’95.

JM: The lineup features some amazing live acts and DJs and provides just a snapshot of the wealth of talent in Perth. Importantly, it’s also a fundraiser for RTR FM – come down and show your support. Should be a great party.

Make sure you head down to Geisha Bar for Altered States on the 17^th May 2013.  World-class producer Joe Stawarz headlines the bill, bringing his gorgeously blissed- out sonic terrain of ambient-house and various flavours of techno that feature on his releases with premier Scottish techno label Soma Records.  Reece Walker returns from honing his skills in the European home of Techno – Berlin – to deliver a live show with new collaborator Emerald Cabal (aka Alex Campbell) bursting with slamming house assaults, glitched out industrial textures, and squelchy acid rave.  Expect spaced-out melodic compositions and left field beats that take techno and turn it on its head from emerging beat maker Basic Mind (solo moniker of local producer Tim Loughman).  Not forgetting Allstate, Dario Krsic aka El Dario (winner of the Perth Dance Music Awards Best House DJ 2012), Full Frequency’s Thursday presenter Declan Doherty and Tuesday presenter Craig Hollywood (and winner of the PDMA Best Techno DJ 2012).

One of bass music’s hottest artists, Karl Thomas, released his first EP as ShockOne in 2009, which featured the smash hit: ‘Polygon’ and the experimental Dubstep anthem ‘Adachigahara’s Theme.’ Since then, he has been behind a string of successful singles that have seen Beatport and iTunes number ones, YouTube hits by the millions, as well as support from influential industry tastemakers such as triple j Annie Mac, Zane Lowe, Pendulum, Knife Party, Matrix & Futurebound, Sub Focus and Chase & Status.

The album opens up with ‘Chaos Theory’, the latest in ShockOne’s array of chart storming singles he has unleashed on the Bass music community. Having already ranked #1 on iTunes Australia’s dance charts and racking up close to 122 million views on YouTube, Chaos Theory’s screaming bass-lines and hard hitting beats have already cemented ShockOne’s place as one of Australia’s premiere bass producers. The ascending synths of ‘Chaos Theory’ prevail, while an epic film trailer-voice pushes punters towards the dancefloor.

Next up is ‘Harmonize’, an uplifting D&B workout with an eastern tinge. Grimey undercurrents complement tearing beats, causing severe dancefloor damage. Moving on, we get into ‘Big Bounce’, a funky jolting contrast from the first few tracks of the album. At first, swaggering bass works closely with chopped up funk synths and off beat drum patterns. Then mid-track, we drop into an epic, arpeggiated keyboard solo, displaying subtlety and refinement, before dropping back into the meat of the 4/4 take on ShockOne’s sound. ‘Lose Control’ doesn’t need much imagination to know where this one is headed. With vocoder vocals leading up to the drop and a funky head-nodding bassline, watch out for the ‘sign of the horns’ on the dancefloor!

Mid-album is ‘Crucify Me’, an epic D&B adventure with fellow-Australian Phetsta along for the ride. Successfully released as a two part single in 2011, this mini D&B saga has already been a festival favourite since its release. Next we have ‘Universes’ (with an “e”). Taking its name from the album title, this vocal anthem features the beautiful vocals of ShockOne’s sister, Reija Lee, as well as Phetsta once again on the production collaboration. The frenetic sirens and rap vocals of Kyza instantly alert the listener that ‘Lazerbeam’ is going to be a heavy dancefloor smasher once it drops. Perfectly capturing the sounds of today’s Drum & Bass, this is the apex predator of 2013!

Lazerbeam

Switching gears, ‘Infinity’s Silence’ delivers vintage ShockOne in its truest form with signature chopped up vocals and a bouncy bassline. Taking us into Dubstep territory, ‘Relapse’ features an epic melody and emotive vocals from Sam Nafie. Previously released as a single, ‘Relapse’ has already registered over 1 million YouTube hits since its release. Once again, ShockOne cranks up the energy with ‘Age of Enlightenment’. Destined to be a clap-along favourite at festivals, this one is sure to keep the crowd jumping. To finish off the LP, we are softly brought back down to ground level, with a beautiful euphoric outro, ‘Light Cycles’. An epic journey through the cosmos, ‘Light Cycles’ truly shows the range of ShockOne’s producing skills in what will likely be pegged as the crown jewel of ‘Universus’ when all is said and done.

TEKNOSCAPE HAS 5 CDS OF UNIVERSUS TO GIVE AWAY. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN IS TO GO TO THE TEKNOSCAPE FACEBOOK PAGE AND FINISH THIS SENTENCE: I DESERVE A SHOCKONE CD BECAUSE ….. TOO EASY!

Competition ends 14 May 2013. Winners will be announced on the Teknoscape Facebook page and notified via Facebook.

UNIVERSUS (ARTIST ALBUM)

Label: Viper Recordings in association with Onelove Recordings

Release Date: 26/4/13

Tracklist:

01. SINGULARITY (THE MONOCHORD OF CREATION)

02. CHAOS THEORY

03. HARMONIZE

04. HOME (FEAT. REIJA LEE)

05. BIG BOUNCE

06. LOSE CONTROL

07. CRUCIFY ME (FEAT. PHETSTA)

08. UNIVERSES (FEAT. PHETSTA & REIJA LEE)

09. LAZERBEAM (FEAT. METRIK & KYZA)

10. INFINITY’S SILENCE

11. RELAPSE (FEAT. SAM NAFIE)

12. AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

13. LIGHT CYCLES (PRELUDE)

14. LIGHT CYCLES

ShockOne ‘Universus’ Launch Tour:

Wednesday 24th April – Metro City, Perth

Thursday 25th April – Liberty Social, Melbourne

Saturday 27th April – Groovin’ The Moo, Maitland

Sunday 28th April – Groovin’ The Moo, Canberra

Friday 3rd May – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

Saturday 4th May – Groovin’ The Moo, Bendigo

Sunday 5th May – Groovin’ The Moo, Townsville

Friday 10th May – oh Hello!, Brisbane

Saturday 11th May – Groovin’ The Moo, Bunbury

Friday 24th May- HQ, Adelaide

Friday 31st May – SECRET SHOW

Saturday1st June – SECRET SHOW

Multi-award winning British producer/DJ Maya Jane Coles, 25, ends months of speculation by revealing that she will release her debut studio album “Comfort” on her own I/AM/ME label through a new global deal with Kobalt Label Services.

“It’s very exciting to be in charge of my debut album. Kobalt has given me total creative freedom and that is a necessity for me as an artist. The infrastructure is also there to support my music internationally so I look forward to seeing the response and hope that others will love the album just as much as I loved working on it,” Cole said.

Set for release in July 2013, “Comfort” was produced, mixed, engineered and performed by Maya herself, with additional guest vocal performances. In support of the upcoming release, Maya has already booked to promote the album in 30 countries during 2013, with a string of high profile Ibiza shows including the Ushuaia opening party, and a festival schedule that includes every major festival in the world from the likes of Glastonbury (UK) and Fuji Rocks (Japan) through to Coachella (USA) where Maya will perform on both 14th April 2013 and on the 21st April 2013 respectively.

“I think it’s a very exciting model for both artist and management as it allows management to really empower the artist and their vision. Moreover, Kobalt can offer all the resources one needs to drive things both domestically and internationally combined with a commercial model that is perfectly aligned with the interests of the artist,” said Maya Jane Coles’ manager Steven Braines of the deal.

Paul Hitchman, Managing Director of Kobalt Label Services, added “Maya is exactly the kind of artist client we want to be working with. She has an extraordinary talent combined with a clear vision of what she wants to achieve and an inspiring independence of spirit. We are truly excited by the opportunity of working with Maya and her management team.”

Under her own name and the aliases She is Danger and Nocturnal Sunshine, Maya has remixed artists such as Massive Attack, Little Dragon, Florence & The Machine, Gorillaz, Tricky, 2:54 and Lianne La Havas, as well as for labels such as Leftroom, Cross Town Rebels, and Get Physical.

Maya has been featured on front covers of 14 international magazines including DJ Mag Weekly (UK), Groove (Germany), Mixmag (UK), Trax (France), Vicious (Spain) and Village Voice (USA), whilst also enjoying coverage in LA Times, Rolling Stone, Dazed and Confused, Fader, Clash, Spin, The Metro, The Guardian, Flaunt, ID, Nylon, The Sun, Village Voice, Vibe, Pitchfork, NYC Timeout and beyond.

During 2012, Maya enjoyed compilation chart success around the globe with the release of her mix in the DJ Kicks series, which was named compilation of 2012 by both Mixmag and DJ Mag amongst others. With inclusions in the top 20 International DJs of 2012 polls, including placing: 9th in Resident Advisor (International), 5th in Mixmag (UK), no.1 in Timeout: London (UK) and 15th in Rolling Stone (USA), cementing her reputation as one of the world’s best DJs.

Your new video clip for The Prophet – ‘Everlasting’, can you tell us a bit more about the story behind this interesting video and the track itself?

The video shows the world that you can create yourself in whatever way you want. Your only limit is your own imagination. True art, music, always has its own everlasting reality, and that is what makes this track so special to me. It tells you that whatever you want to create or do in life, there will always be the everlasting reality to yourself.

The Prophet – Everlasting

How would you describe the role of the Scantraxx Records label within the scene of hard dance?

Well, that’s a pretty easy one! We stimulate the young talents, known or unknown, to make the highest quality hardstyle as possible. Scantraxx Recordz is the ultimate stepping-stone worldwide for new hardstyle talents!

As a producer and label manager at Scantraxx Recordz: what is the advantage of being in such a main position within the scene?

To be honest with you, there are lots of advantages having this beautiful position in the scene. For instance, I am surrounded with young hardstyle producers on a daily basis and these young minds keep me fresh and updated with the latest developments in hardstyle world. Everyday, I learn a lot of these young fellas. With that said, the future of the label looks very bright. We have a great amount of ‘A Label Artists’ and a lot of new, young talents, on their way to show the world what they have in store for you – So you all better watch out!

Finally, what can we expect from your performance at IQON on the 20th of April?

I have lots of new productions in store for you so I better see you on the 20th of April if you want to hear some exclusive previews of my new tracks. See you at IQON!

You don’t have to wait until IQON to get your fix of The Prophet.

Get all over this mix!

THE PROPHET PROMO MIX

https://soundcloud.com/qdance/iqon-theprophet-promo-mix

With his unique dark sound, Zatox causes absolute mayhem wherever he performs. Before he turns the Sydney Dragway upside down at IQON, we were fortunate to get the opportunity to ask him a couple of questions about his recent works and also score a special IQON mix to get everyone warmed-up for his performance on the 20th of April.

You are definitely one of the most prolific producers within the hard dance scene. Do you have a steady regime with regular studio hours, or do you hit the studio whenever you feel like?
Making tracks takes a lot of work and time. So yes, I pretty much spend most of my days in the studio making new music. It also often happens that while working on a track I discover a new sound that I can use for another new project, so ideas bring forth new ideas and it never stops.

Some of your tracks feature quite daring lyrics. Do you come up with those yourself?

I teamed up with Harald Bruystens, and he wrote the lyrics for some of my latest hits such as ‘My Life’ and ‘Fuck You Up’, and recently I also had a great collaboration with MC Villain for my new track called Action.

Zatox and Villain – Action

You recently started your own label called Unite Records. Can you tell us a bit more about it?
The concept of Unite Records is created around the new Italian talents emerging in the hardstyle scene, just to mention a few: Vamper, Kronos, Atom and Eretik. I have chosen all these artists because they have an incredible passion for hardstyle and their skills are rockin! Some of them already created some amazing tracks.

If you had to describe Zatox in 3 words, what would those words be?
Freedom, creativity, passion.

 
Your tracks Bitch Slap, Brutal and Check Out The Drop seem to have a similar style. Is this the sort of direction you are planning to head in for the coming year?
Actually, I think the drop is the most important part to make people move. A melody over a kick is a very old concept overtaken also in others music genres like house and electro. I would say: melody… yes, uplifting break … ok, but people got to go crazy on the drop! Check out the tracks below, and judge for yourself.

Zatox feat. The Eretik vs. Kendra – Bitch Slap

Zatox – Brutal

Zatox – Check Out The Drop

Is there anything else you have planned for 2013 that you want to share with us?

I don’t like to make plans. I like to surprise, so you’d better stay tuned!

Get pumped for his upcoming performance at IQON with this special promo mix from the Italian Stallion https://soundcloud.com/qdance/iqon-zatox-promo-mix

He is considered as one of the founding fathers of our modern hardstyle scene. For the last 20 years Isaac has been a key-player in the world of harder dance music, and there are no signs of slowing down. We had a chat with the hard dance king in the lead up to his performance at IQON…

In February last year, Isaac made the switch to the Belgium record label Dirty Workz, run by Belgium hardstyle pioneer Coone. Ever since, his career seems to have gotten a new impulse. His recent discography includes chart toppers like ‘DJ, Ease My Mind, and his latest hit ‘Sweetest Sin’, but also remixes of tracks by Cosmic Gate and Dash Berlin. His secret to success is to simply keep making the music that you love the most, as we found out in a chat with the mix master himself.

Lately you have been producing successful remixes for Dash Berlin’s ‘Till The Sky Falls Down’ and Cosmic Gate’s ‘Exploration Of Space’. It seems you like to remix tracks from other EDM genres. When and how did this start for you, and how do these collaborations usually start?
Remixing tracks from other genres is great because it gives me the opportunity to play tracks I love, but don’t match my dj sets. Dash Berlin and I are friends and studio neighbours, and we were in Ibiza together spreading some ideas. One of the ideas that came to life was to remix Till The Sky Falls Down, as in my opinion this is one of the best Trance tunes ever made. Cosmic Gate’s Exploration Of Space is one of my other all time favourites. They had a big influence on me back in the days. This remix has never been released officially by the way.

Dash Berlin – Till The Sky Falls Down (Isaac Remix)

You recently joined the Belgium Hardstyle label Dirty Workz. How has this been for you so far, is this the start of a new beginning for Isaac?
Definitely! Now that I’ve joined Dirty Workz I can fully concentrate on new music without worrying about labels/contract etc. Besides that they are great guys to work with. DJ, Ease My Mind was my first release on Dirty Workz and became a big hit in the scene. This stimulated me making new music. My latest track ‘Sweetest Sin’ has been released on Dirty Workz on February 18th and the reactions are overwhelming so far.

Isaac – DJ, Ease My Mind

YouTube sensation Keenan Cahill lip-syncing ‘Sweetest Sin’ by Isaac

You have been in the hard dance scene for the last 20 years. What is your secret to keep on refreshing your music?
Simple, I make the music I love.
If you don’t love what your doing, how can you expect other people to like your music?

If we take a look at your past and future performance, we noticed your schedule is absolutely jam-packed with performances all over the world. What are your experiences so far from playing outside Europe on a regular base, how are the crowd reactions to your music, and what do you think of the globalization of hardstyle?
Travelling is something I absolutely love. It is like an addiction to me.
It might sound like a cliché but it’s amazing to see people go crazy to my tracks at the other side of the globe. I will never get used to this feeling. Sometimes I realize how big hardstyle scene became over the last few years. I played in Chile a few months ago (which was one of the best experiences in my life) and the crowd knew all the new music. Hardstyle is taking over!

What can we expect from Isaac in 2013?
2013 is going be my most productive year ever. I’m on a roll!

You have been in Australia many times. What has been your absolute highlight up-to-date?
That’s a difficult one. I have been to Australia 10 times and I have too many good memories just to pick one. With some help of the OZ’s, I will try to make IQON my best memory so far!

Check out the latest episode of Isaac’s Hardstyle Sessions below, which includes Isaac’s new track ‘Believe’ and the official IQON anthem by Noisecontrollers.

Download Isaac’s Hardstyle Sessions #43 via SoundCloud

Right down to business, you’ve had a career that’s spanned many genres over two decades, ranging from early 90’s Jungle, House and probably most critically acclaimed for Ambient electronica.  For the uninitiated, what should people expect to hear from you at your upcoming gig?

Well I always like to keep things fresh and the people moving but if you want to put a name to it, I guess kinda footwork/Juke type stuff but with definite Jungle overtones all around 140-150bpm, maybe a touch of hip hop, just good beats and big bass.

Awesome, I caught your last set here when you played at the Bakery as Africa Hitech, got to say you killed it that night and I was really impressed by the response to the Jungle type bits you played. Proper vibes.  On that note how does your music go down here in Australia as opposed to say Europe? Where, dare I say it, you’re probably better known.

Well I have to say I have always found playing here to be pretty good.  In Europe I might have a slightly bigger profile but wherever I play there always seem to be people willing to see me. The underground is the underground but people have a way of following and promoting acts they want to hear.  I do think though, back here in Oz the scene is more open to new ideas and new sounds.  This makes it a good place for people like me. I got to say I always seem to be well received when I play in Perth.

Now you have had a stellar production career, spanning over 20 years. What keeps you going? Why keep doing it?

Well I guess the simple answer is I love it. I don’t write music for the commercial success, I go into the studio and just start to write and sometimes it’s something heavy or something melancholic. Whatever it is I generally have some sort of emotional connection to it. Whatever that is, I run with it and see where the journey takes me.

Got to say in this day and age of rampant commercialism that’s a pretty refreshing and inspiring attitude, respect for that. Now over the course of your career you have collaborated with some stellar artists, names like Steve Spacek, Tom Middleton and Kristy Hawkshaw spring to mind. Is there anyone out there who you haven’t but would like to collaborate with?

Well without giving too much away I’m working on an album at the moment and I’m planning on asking some really big names to have an influence. I don’t know what they are going to say and some might be surprised by who they are if they do say yes but at this stage in my career I’m kinda like what’s the worst that can happen? Say no? Either way I’m excited by the possibilities.

I think you might be underplaying your own reputation, I’m sure other artists would be equally happy collaborating with you. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for that release. Well mate thanks very much for taking the time to speak to me and all the best. Look forward to catching your set here in Perth.

No worries and yeah, I’m looking forward to the Perth date too.

Mark Pritchard hits The Bakery on Thursday the 28^th of March courtesy of lifeisnoise.

IQON: An important and enduring event that will live in the hearts and memories of festival-goers for a lifetime.

Q-dance and Teknoscape partner up to give you the once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the launch of IQON – the next level in festival experiences.

Featuring 12 of the world’s leading hard dance acts

Headhunterz (NL)

Noisecontrollers (NL)

Zatox (IT)

Brennan Heart (NL)

Frontliner (NL)

The Prophet (NL)

Coone (BE)

Isaac (NL)

Toneshifterz (AU)

Code Black (AU)

Stana (SWE)

MC Villain (NL)

on one phenomenal stage complete with cutting edge technology to bring you the sickest stage show spectacle any Australian festival has ever witnessed.

Teknoscape and Q-dance are making it unbelievably easy to score yourself one of the TWO DOUBLE PASSES on offer. All you have to do is to go to our Facebook page and share the competition on your own page and then post ‘Shared! We love Teknoscape & Q-dance’ underneath the competition thread on the Teknoscape Facebook page.

You must be over 18 to enter. Competition ends 30 March 2013 and winners will be notified via Facebook and announced on the Teknoscape Facebook page.

IQON – Experience the Beyond

Saturday 20 April 2013

Sydney International Dragway

Tickets: http://q-dance.com.au/IQON/

Some people are born to live and breath music, Edu Imbernon is one such person. A meteoritic rise pushed by superb releases and DJ skills has seen him play all over the world in a short manner of time, barely taking a moment to breath of the last two years. This weekend he will perform alongside M.A.N.D.Y., Butch and Felix Cartel at the Habitat Garden Party which will no doubt be a very successful continuation of the series of gigs which have proved to always being a unreal with their relaxed vibe, perfect atmosphere and some of the best music to reach our ears. Teknoscape Deputy Editor Kyle Woodward shares a few words with Imbernon ahead of the tour!

Your debut Australian tour is going to be here in a hurry, what are you looking forward to most about coming down under?

I’m really looking forward to having some summer vibes and meeting the amazing Aussie crowd, i’m sure its gonna be cool!

The last months have been really busy regarding tour dates, i’m really passionate about what I do, so I don’t think the miles are a problem at all, I love what I do and travelling is one of the parts of my job!

I would say the first South African tour, the european dates at places like Fabric, Watergate or Space ibiza and all the awesome people I met being on tour.

2013 is the year i’m recording my first album, i’m really excited about it and will start with it in a couple of months.

My thing is that im too perfectionist in the studio, sometimes i take so long to develop the idea that i really like, but i guess thats not a bad thing…

I like to produce in my studio, in Valencia, I normally try to produce more during the winter and then play more during the summer, but this year winter has been hectic so i guess that changes the plans a little bit

It didn’t change, i just sit in the studio and let the ideas flow like the first day.

I like it, I think its a positive thing for electronic music, some people think it is bad, some people think it is good, what is obvious is that it is changing the game a little bit and in my opinion it is pretty exciting.

In my case it was a party (Amnesia Ibiza opening party) that made me start playing records and artists like Agoria or Gregor Tresher set me on the path to  producing music.

When I was 17 years old (almost 18), I bought my first home studio and that changed everything!

I think it was a Behringer 700 mixer and 2 Pioneer CDJ-200. Its amazing how technology changed in only a few years.

Thank you!

Habitat Garden Party

featuring…
M.A.N.D.Y. (Germany)
Butch (Germany)
Edu Imbernon (Spain)
Felix Cartal (Canada)
Flex
Darren J
Richard Lee
El Dario
Ace Basik
Paul Scott
Kno Agents
Kill Dyl
Travis Le Brun

VISUALS by VJ Martino

10.2.13

The Court Hotel Outdoor Garden

Doors open 2pm-10pm

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