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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna |
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Preview to the Nu Energy Collective’s Freeformation with Tranzlation’s Phil York
Reported by Allan@Nu Energy
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Submitted 19-06-06 13:37
Few labels in the past twelve months have made such a strong and bold statement in the name of futuristic hard trance as Phil York’s trailblazing Tranzlation outlet. Sticking to a stern quality over quantity dogma, each of the label’s seven releases has provided a fresh, innovative twist on the euphoric hard trance template yet remained as accessible, anthemic and uplifting as hard trance music gets.
From the spine-tingling euphoria of opener ‘Mad & Confused’ to Technikal’s spell-binding magnus opus ‘Summasault’ and recent epic ‘My Angel’ by Kain Marco, the tracks have all become certified UK hard trance classics and in a time when hard dance — and particularly hard trance — vinyl labels are dropping like flies, Tranzlation’s progress has been encouraging to say the least.
Charismatic Northerner, label boss and all round party fiend, Phil York has duly seen his profile rise rapidly in tandem with the label picking up gigs at Storm, cult Northern night Parlez-Vous and London’s Wildchild as well as tours beyond in Australia, Ibiza and South Africa. Of course, it’s no flash in the pan success. Flame-haired Phil has been burning brightly within the hard dance scene for the past five years now, with his Nuklear Puppy nights in Scotland attracting guests like the Tidy Boys, Judge Jules and Lisa Lashes and picking up the best Scottish club from Mixmag in 2004.
On the production front he’s been no slacker either, delivering track after track of pure hard trance gold alongside producers such as Colin Barrett, Chris Hoff, Dark By Design and his Nuklear Puppy co-hort Jason Cortez. As he gears up for his debut on the world beating Tidy label and also at the Nu Energy Collective’s Freeformation party this Friday 23rd June we catch up with Phil to learn about his shiny clubbing days, the future of Tranzlation and also the exciting new ‘Elevate’ album project with the Nu Energy Collective.
First of all, Phil can you tell us a little bit about your first clubbing adventures and what got you hooked up in this crazy world of clubbing? What were your first key clubbing experiences?
Sure, well I grew up in the north-east, so I first got into clubbing at the age of 16 going to nights like Peach at Legends and Promise at Foundation. I used to go out every week to catch djs such as Guy Ornadale, John Kelly, Lisa Lashes, Fergie, Judge Jules etc. so it was really a mixture of pumping trance and hard house. We also used to zoom down the A1 once a month for Gatecrasher, so many awesome nights and not very clear memories to be honest but I know that I had a lot of fun haha!
You’re well known for euphoric hard trance. Was it always the more euphoric and feel good end of things that you’ve favoured? Have you ever been a filth fan or a techno demon?
Since I can remember I’ve always been into the euphoric side of dance music, from playing uplifting happy hardcore and trance when I was a young un. Over the years my preferences progressed from trance into much more energetic driving hard trance including lots of the old Overdose releases, but I really liked the drive hard house had at the time so a fusion of both sounds was a kind of natural step for me. Never really been a fan of the really filthy stuff, hard house I like if it’s done right and has interest to the tracks. I can be lured by techno occasionally though, but only the odd track not really a whole set of it as am always stood there thinking, “where’s the riffs?!” Haha!
With tracks like Technikal’s massive ‘Summersault’, Dark By Design’s ‘Meaning Of Life’ and your own ‘Stage Rage’, I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say that your Tranzlation main label has been the most reliable and exciting UK hard trance label of the last twelve months. What was your main ambition in first setting it up and has Tranzlation’s success exceeded your expectations, or is there a long way to go yet?
Tranzlation was set up to be our flagship label for hard trance providing a mixture of both UK and German style hard trance tracks, using the best established artists in the UK with a release schedule of only 6–8 releases a year we can really pick the best of the best to put out on the label. I always had an inkling that it would be a successful label due to the accessible sound of the releases but I didn’t know to what scale it would take off, we have a really strong fan base globally for our releases and we get a fair few emails each week from around the globe asking about future releases, so that’s got to be a sign we are doing something right.
A little birdie tells me that you’re also in the process of getting a fresh album project ready with Kevin Energy and the Nu Energy Collective. What is the idea behind the album? Given the fact that you and Kevin are both well known for big hooks and soaring melodies, can we assume that its going be pumping euphoric trance all the way?
We certainly are and are very excited about this project! Hardtimez and the Nu Energy Collective are teaming up to release a series of mix cd compilations called ‘Elevate’, the first will be mixed by Myself and Kevin (one cd each) and we have a huge tour planned for the 2nd half of this year to promote it! My mix will certainly reflect my style but what’s good about mix cds is you can build up the CD to progress nicely from start to finish so expect a few hands on the air trance tracks along with some real pumping German hard trance numbers! Myself and Kevin are both franticly busy in the studio at them moment cooking up some exclusive tracks for the album and we will e releasing an E.P of tracks to coincide with the album’s releases, The ‘Elevate E,P.’
How did you first come into contact with the Nu Energy Collective and their many assorted characters?
Many moons ago I got an email off Kevin saying he liked the tracks I was making and asked for a cd, we then got in touch to sell vinyl to their lovely online store, we kept in contact and our paths finally crossed in December of last year when we were both out touring Oz in Sydney at the same time. Kevin, John and Pete were all our there so got to enjoy some of the lovely sunshine, beach and beer with them all, quality stuff!
You’ve also let out, are there any tracks already in the bag that you’re particularly pant-wettingly excited about? Will there be any exclusive collaborations taking place for the album also?
At the moment there a few little hotties that have been doing it for me, these include . . . MDA & Spherical’s ‘Dutch Courage’ (which is probably the freshest hard trance track I’ve heard in a while and it absolutely tears the roof off), my new single called ‘Intellect’ (more groove oriented hard trance with a really fucked up breakdown, works every time), and Bootek 16 — ‘Raining Down’ (a remix of Moby’s ‘Raining Again’ by the Hoffmeister, pounding techno beast a plenty! Also definitely worth a mention is Technikal & JK — ‘Crank It Up’, a solid follow up to ‘Summasault, very tough, groovy hard dance. Then there’s my new collabs with Colin Barrat — ‘Stronger’ and ‘Master your fears’ — which are due out on tidy in July.
For the album there are a few exciting collabs underway at the moment. Myself and Kev are booked in to work on a track the week leading up to Freeformation, so expect an airing of that on the night. I’m also working on collabs with Nick Rowland, Gaz West, Technikal and Colin Barrat which will all most definitely be featured on the Elevate album!
You’re always keeping bang on top of what’s hot and what’s not . . . which producers are breaking the most new ground in the current hard dance climate? And in general, do you feel things are caught in a creative cul de sac, or is there a wealth of exciting music out there if you’re prepared to look hard enough?
Good question! For me at the moment the producers that are really doing it for me are MDA & Spherical, as they really are pushing boundaries of hard trance with they’re productions. Other new acts to look out for include Adrenaline Dept (2 lads from Norway), Interphaze (from South Africa) along with the usual suspects: Technikal, Gaz West, Steve Hill etc.
There are a lot of good tunes out there but you really have to dig for them. The problem with hard trance is the formulaic structure to a lot of the tracks and we have all been guilty of it. Things are being spiced up at the moment and we have a lot of really exciting fresh sounding tracks coming out over the coming months and I’m trying a load of new collabs to develop different approaches to hard trance . . . watch this space!
On Friday 23rd June, you’re playing the Nu Energy Collective’s Freeformation party too. This will be your first time at Freeformation, have you got any idea what to expect?
I am indeed and I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve heard many things about the party atmosphere and am really looking forward to experiencing it firsthand! Expect a lot of fresh material straight out of the studio as I’m busy as hell over the next couple of weeks, with loads of new cheeky bootlegs from HTUK and Bootek mixed up with the best hands in the air hard trance!
Freeformation parties are always a bit on the silly side, probably aided by the NEC boys’ catchphrase of ‘Wise Up Get Stupid’. What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen in a club this year?
Errm that’s a tough one, I think its got to be a guy dancing away with his ball sack hanging out when was over in the USA a month or so ago, pretty disturbing to be honest, if you’re reading this . . . shame on you!
There’s an energised Max Factor hardcore remix of your York and Cortez track ‘Give It All’ on Sharkey & CLSM’s Bonkers 16 mix. Who is behind the mysterious Max Factor guise?
Haha! Now that would be telling wouldn’t it!
We will be seeing you blowing a whistle, doing the running man and cutting some 300 bpm in our Freeformation hardcore room and can we assume you’re down for the night to party once your set is done?
I’ll be there from the start to the very end getting the party in full flow. I’m well looking forward to checking out some of the hardcore sets throughout the night. I’ll be there white gloves and all! lol!
Freeformation
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On:
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Friday 23rd June 2006
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At:
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Hidden [map]
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From:
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10 PM - 6 AM
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Cost:
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FREE!! NADA!! GRACIAS!! ZILCH!!
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Website:
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www.nuenergy.co.uk
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Ticket Info:
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The only way to secure a 100% free guaranteed door entry is to send your full name and email address to 07962928623 or freeformation@nuenergy.co.uk. All names will be added to the door list and then contacted 7 days priory to the event and asked to confirm their door number. No confirmed door number, no entry till after 12 pm!
Remember this is the last completely FREE ENTRY Freeformation so don\\\'t miss out! Get your names in NOW and get ready to wise up, get stupid and rave on with Team Rave!!!
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More:
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Calling Team Rave!! It’s barely 5 months since our need to celebrate the festive period in style collided with pure chance to bring us the first Freeformation at Hidden and it’s a been a non stop rollercoaster of pure party mayhem ever since…
Two manic capacity crowd rave sessions, some truly mesmerising DJ sets, men dressed and ostriches and Sharkey, Kevin Energy and all the Nu Energy Collective crew and Team Ravepartying til dawn! It's been truly mental and we've got you lot to thank for much of it so for our third and final free partyexperience we've pulled out all the stops once more...
In our hardcore room Next Generation’s hardcore legend Ham makes a rare London appearance, Freeformation leaders Kevin Energy & Sharkey go head to head, whilst Robbie Long & Marc Smith get together for an exclusive party b2b session!
The trailblazing producer Greg Brookman headlines our hard dance room alongside Insekt’s filth experts James Nardi & Marc Johson, Tranzlation’s hard trance master Phil York and a special one off from party nutbags Kevin Energy & The *Ting*. With sets from Druid, Ham and RSR crew in the old skool room, you’ve got a night of priceless rave revelry that is just that…. Priceless. It aint costing ya a penny so get on it
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Other Features By Allan@Nu Energy:
The Elevate interview — Phil York & Kevin Energy get ready to take you higher
Decimation interview with Alter Ego of Opeum
A preview To Tasty's Generation E with underground legend Eryk Orpheus
Preview To Freeformation’s final free party with Exeter’s answer to Scott Project, Nick The Kid
PUSH goes Deepgrooving
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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