Above & Beyond Interview

Above & Beyond Interview

8 June, 2007 | 1.11AM

• Written by: Terry Church
• Filed under: Music News: above & beyond, anjunabeats, anjunadeep

Beatportal caught up with Paavo Siljamäki from Above & Beyond to find out what he thinks about the current state of trance, and to chat about the trio’s new mix compilation.

How is trance evolving?

“It’s definitely changing. Seven or eight years ago everyone was using hardware and analogue instruments to make the music, but now everyone is using computers and you can tell.

“Before the music was getting a little stale but now new sounds are coming through. The music is diversifying.”

Can you give any examples of this new ‘diversifying’ trance sound?

“Our new mix compilation ‘Anjunabeats Volume 5’ is pretty diverse, and it’s the first time in this series that we’ve decided to release a double mix.

“The first mix features quite housey and progressive/electro productions from cool producers like Michael Cassette and Super8 & Tab. It’s more bassline-driven music, not typical trance.”

What’s your favourite track at the moment?
“I have to say Purple Mood ‘One Night in Tokyo’, which features on the comp. It’s such a superb piece of music, it is fantastically well produced.”

Why do you think trance is becoming more popular around the world?

“Because of the Internet and things like Myspace, the global community is getting bigger and stronger.

“Whilst trance reached its peak in the UK around 1999, there are lots of countries that are just discovering this amazing music for the first time.

“South America and Eastern Europe are huge for us right now.”

But is trance actually growing in popularity?

“To give you an example, our label Anjunabeats has grown stupidly big in just the last year.

“We are now selling three times as much music as we were a year ago, and 10 times as many downloads. That’s just 12 months growth.”

Is that because Above & Beyond getting more popular?

“We’re definitely getting busier. We take it in turns with the gigs - two of us are constantly on the road whilst the third one stays behind in London and works in the studio.

“But our studio output is definitely slowing because we’re always touring.

“We’re currently writing an album for Oceanlab, and have plans to do more song-based music, but it’s hard to get into the studio these days.”

With all the touring, are you guys getting used to the rock & roll lifestyle?

“It’s hard to always be rock & roll when you’re playing in Ibiza on the Friday night, New York on the Saturday and San Francisco on the Sunday.

“There’s only so much partying you can do when you’re tired.

“But sometimes rock & roll things do happen to us.

“Once in Indonesia, we turned up at this club expecting a VIP area backstage to hang out, but the promoter instead had put a red couch slap bang in the middle of the dancefloor for us, which was roped off with lots of bouncers.

“There were at least 25 gorgeous girls waiting for us around the couch, plus our entire drinks rider and fresh fruit. We thought to ourselves ‘Shit yeah, this is rock & roll’.”

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