Armin van Buuren sits down with Dancing Astronaut before Pier 36 NYE show
In case you missed it, Armin van Buuren graced Manhattan with his trance god presence on New Year's Eve. Not only were we lucky enough to get a front row seat to his four-hour set at Pier 36, but we also got some time with him earlier in the day to sit down and pick his brain a little bit. We asked him how he's seen the role of the DJ change in his long career, his thoughts on the controversial trend of ghost-producing, his big plans for ASOT 600 (specifically in NYC), his future plans for the "state of trance" and his peers and mentees, and his analysis on whether he's a "DJ" or an "artist." His answers were thorough and thoughtful and we think you'll really enjoy getting a peek inside the mind of this prolific figure in dance music.
Ørjan Nilsen – Copperfield
Norwegian producer Ørjan Nilsen is out with his latest single "Copperfield" on Armin van Buuren's Armind Recordings. If his popularity wasn't already apparent fro m the success of other recent releases like "Viking," "Endymion," and his Armin collab "Better," Ørjan also snagged a #32 spot on this year's DJ Mag poll. "Copperfield" is a ravey trance track with a chunky bassline and topline that manages to feel pretty old school. It's obvious Ørjan draws influence from Armin's sound (the track was also featured on A State of Trance back in October), but also toes the line between trance and a more tech house feel. Listen and purchase after the break.
A Tale of Two Armins: Armin Van Buuren at EDC NY (review)
It's true that to most of us the addition of a third day for EDC NY seemed like an afterthought. An entire stage was cut from the lineup and the addition of Armin Van Buuren as the closer felt forced, wouldn't two closing sets cheapen the Armin experience? The answer after two days at EDC NY is a resounding "HELL NO!" Armin Van Buuren is the world's biggest DJ for a reason -- he is one of the few left whose sets are true artistry. He masterfully mixes tracks to create an atmosphere rather than a party, taking listeners on a journey with peaks and valleys and highs and lows. While many popular artists play nearly identical sets at every big festival, Armin's is always a surprise.