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Features
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| 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 | | A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | DJ talk with Psyrenzo ahead of his debut set at Tribal Village, the Steelyard this Friday 14th January 2022! | | TENZO aka Overdrive talks freely about launching his new act which will be showcased at Tribal Village, Steelyard on 14 January 2022! | | A long overdue catch up with JourneyOM ahead of his next Tribal Village party this Friday 14th January 2022 at the Steelyard, London! | | Goa based party animal and artist extraordinaire Nirmal talks punk concerts, metal sculptures, flying and rippin' it up on a High Tide! | | DJ Wired talks to us about the Rise of the Hope and parties, ahead of his upcoming set at Tribal Village on 14th January 2022! |
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HarderFaster's first ever live interview with Technikal and Spencer Freeland
Reported by HarderFaster
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Submitted 23-08-06 18:59
On the 18th August 2006 Harderfaster was proud to announce the first ever LIVE interview. Technikal and Spencer Freeland were both online from 12.20–14.00 to answer those questions that you have always wanted to know (with the help of super-fast typist Malik.)
Spencer Freeland discovered Alf’s technical ability on one of his earlier productions when the youngster was only 17 years old and had never set foot inside a club. Technikal has since gone on to become one of the world’s leading hard dance producers, with dj highlights such as the midnight set at last year’s HeatNYE, the recent Dance Valley and is soon to be seen at Creamfields and Evolution’s Third Birthday this Saturday night at the Fridge.
Some of the best questions asked were put into this feature for you to enjoy!
AfterShok — What inspired him to get into music production?
Technikal — I started when I was about 13. After watching my brother DJing since I was about ten. I was inspired by that and wanted to make a track for him to play out. Eventually it spiralled and I started playing tracks for my mates at school and they used to take the piss. So I didn’t play anything until I got to sufficient standard, and then Spencer found me under a rock. So my main inspiration came from my brother.
Andy T — When are you next working in the studio together, and have you any ideas as to what the next project will be? I.e. another classic remix or an original production?
Spencer — Original Stuff, we have some new projects on the go, under the guise ofSubliminal Sluts!
Technikal – It’s half way between the tech trance sound and the UK hard trance.
It’s quite a evolving sound . . . E v o l u t i o n.
Swiss Toni — why do you think so many UK hard trance artists feel the need to rape and pillage classic trance tunes all the time, can't they come up with anything original?
Technikal — I agree . . . It’s all been done to death. Mostly by me in the past, but they serve their purpose for the dance floor. And in the past year I feel that I have been evolving as an artist. This isn’t to say that the odd remix wont work. (For instance Nick Sentience recent remix of Carte Blanche and Strange World) But you won't be seeing many from me anymore.
Spencer - I second that!
Maxine — Alf: - your still quite young and yet you have done so much already, where do you see yourself in 10 and then 20 years from now?
Technikal — Mmm, in rehab (chuckle). To be doing the same thing in 10 years time would be a dream come true, maybe not in HD, but who knows where my personal taste will take me. E V O L U T I O N.
Spencer — Getting my OAP bus pass! Pretty much more of the same, concentrating more on keeping an eye out on future artists like Technikal and taking them under my wing.
Swiss Toni — Valid question, is it because they want to let the new clubbers know what they missed out on a long time ago and bring them an update, or is it just to cash in on an already popular track?
Technikal — It’s more to the fact that I love the original tune! So I want to put it in my set with a unique way that nobody else has done before, whether it is a new remix or a re-edit.
Spencer — I agree most producers love the original to start off with, which gives them an inspiration to do a remix.
Maxine — Spencer, dance music is such a forever changing style, how have you managed to keep yourself current?
Spencer — Ahhhh mmmmmmm keeping my ear to ground. Besides listening to the constant artists like BK etc., it’s good to check out the future stars because they have so much to offer.
Hoochie Koochi Man — Who will they be voting for in the Hard Dance category of the 2006 DJ Mag Awards?
Spencer — Justin Bourne, technically untouchable!
Technikal — MDA & Spherical, the best new talent in hard dance (End of).
K8-e — Alf, how did working with the Raverbaby crew come about? Are you planning to remix every Darren Styles tune and make it hard dance friendly?
Technikal — Round about 3 years ago. I got a call from Hixxy, basically asking me if I was interested in helping him out with a few commercial pieces. I’d never heard of Hard CORE. But when I heard it, IT SCARED THE SH*T out of ME! He gave me a few hard core tracks to take away on CD and I found myself more and more interested in it.
Ever since then he’s been banging on at me to start producing hardcore since there are a severe lack of producers in that scene. Remixing for Darren came about after I remixed his track ‘Angel’ for me and my friends. It started getting played out by Whitby and Nukleuz signed it. Now every time Darren writes an A-star hard core record I usually ask him if I can give it the hard dance treatment, as all the elements of hiss tracks lend themselves amazingly well to hard trance.
Mark — Alf, how did it feel to play at Dance Valley this year? Spencer, where do you see hard dance going in the next few years?
Technikal — To be invited to play Dance Valley, it was probably one of the biggest achievements I have had to this day . . . yeah it was simply amazing. Probably one of my favourite gigs I’ve played.
Spencer — IN regards to music, this isn’t the 1st time. With the scene going back underground is a good thing. Over the past 5 years the scene has had so much exposure i.e. press, TV compilations etc, that it has become over-exposed! With it going underground it allows the people who involved in the industry (i.e. djs who playing, promoters who put on the party)
To concentrate on giving quality and not for the quick buck. This is why you have the likes of the Heats and the Frantics continuing to be pioneers of the scene today.
K8-e — Spencer, which was your favourite set at B2B Heat marathon back in March? How did you feel at the end of the night?
Spencer — The Legend that is Farley. I was up to play another 8 hours! Bring it on . . . Evolution rocks!
Matt — What do you think of the harder psy trance sounds that seem to be firing up London's dance floors?
Technical — I am a big fan of the psy trance sound we are being exposed to in London at the moment. Production-wise I can't fault it. The only problem I have with it that the tracks are a constant journey and never have a climatic point. This is why I am borrowing many ideas from psy-trance production but topping it off with a huge riff or hook. I think that this is the way to go. Oh certainly the way I will be going on the next year.
Maxine — Spencer and Alf: to date, do you remember all of your releases, and if so how many have you done?
Technikal — I remember that to this day! It is 40 releases and 35 remixes released individually. I can't reel off all the names, but the biggest ones have been ‘Global Panic’, ‘Summassault’, and ‘Mad & Confused’. By the end of the year I imagine it will be about 50. Stay tuned for newies from Masif and Nukleuz and Tidy!!!
Spencer — Shit . . . Alf . . . we should get back in the studio!!
K8-e — Who are the future stars in your opinion? Asides young Alf . . .
Spencer — Future stars: MDA & Spherical (hard dance), Lee Osborn (tech trance), Chrysus (trance), Olly Perris (mixture of all sounds and styles, *technically great*).
Pierre Pienaar — My actual question though is if you'd ever consider another profession besides DJing/producing?
Technikal — I have been very fortunate to not have to have a real job yet. So profession-wise, I think I am already in the one job that I will work in. If I was to take another job tomorrow, I'd have to say I would right straight back at the chip shop! Like my first job at 14, the only one I’ve had.
Latex Zebra — Are you looking forward to Evolution? Whose sets are you looking forward to? Also, much as the rehashing of old tunes has been done to death as you have already answered, what would be your dream track to remix?
Technikal — It would have to be an official remix of Britney Spears ‘Everytime’. I am not actually joking either!
Spencer — 2002, year of the Lawson.
agentshell_99 — Alf, have you ever considered doing a remix of Crazy Malamoot?
Technikal — I actually engineered a remix of this two days ago!!! For a friend of mine, Gush, who’s a Finger party resident. Speaking of which cheers for the nos.
shasa — Alf, What’s the hard dance scene like In Australia, and where else would you like to go on tour?
Technikal — Australia is a very different scene, in that they much more into their German sounds and hard style, rather than the UK hard dance. However I have gotten an amazing reception from them. And they are party animals. I really enjoy it over in Australia, and South Africa is where I would love to play.
Latex Zebra — Both of you. What's the most shameful tune in your collections?
Technikal — Actually Sean Paul and Blu Cantrall’s ‘Breathe’.
Spencer — Cher, I Believe (You can't beat that vocoder!).
Technikal — OK guys, cheers for all your questions . . . see you all at Evolution’s 3rd Birthday @ The Fridge (26/08/06)!
Photos courtesy of Alf and Spencer. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Other Features By HarderFaster:
HarderFaster Awards 2016 - The results are in!
HarderFaster Awards 2014 - The results are in!
Lashes, Dimples and the Brighton Music Conference
HarderFaster Awards 2013 - The results are in!
HarderFaster Awards 2012 - The results are in!
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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Was great 