From one-to-watch to leader of the pack, Julian Jordan’s rapid ascent through the dance music world has been something to behold. It’s no surprise given the fresh quality of his productions, which always surprise and delight in equal measures. Not beholden to tired formulas or following the latest trend, he instead paves his own way with innovative rhythms, atypical riffs and endlessly inventive production.
Having made his name with a slew of anthems on scene-leading labels like Spinnin’ Records, DOORN Records and Revealed Recordings, he has now made great strides with his own label GOLDKID (Records). Increasingly the place for his own output, he has shown great diversity with his first few releases on the label, covering peak-time anthems and electronic pop. Then there was also the matter of his collaboration with Martin Garrix as part of his ADE 7 tracks in 7 days giveaway, the fierce electro of Welcome, which has accrued 15 million streams to date. All this lead to a well-deserved nomination for Best Dutch Act at the MTV EMAs in 2016. On the DJ front, he joined the likes of Garrix and Calvin Harris in holding a monthly residency at Las Vegas’ prestigious Omnia, while he’s a regular at world-leading festivals like Tomorrowland and Electric Daisy Carnival. Reaching further afield, he has also dipped into the world of fashion, launching his own capsule collection with Chasin‘ to great acclaim. His advice to aspiring producers is simple: be yourself: “Always try to create the music you want to create and don’t care too much about what other people say about your music. If it’s something that you are proud of that’s the only thing that matters, because you created it.” These wise words have served him very well indeed.
So tell us more about your new Track "Chinook"? The song is amazing, what does it mean Chinook? And what did thought when you created this song?
How I came up with the title is actually a pretty funny story. I was in San Diego with my girlfriend, I just played a show there and the next day we visited the Zoo. There was this polar bear called Chinook and I said "I like this name, I'm going to name a track after him one day!" and that's how the track name came about! GOLDKID Records is your own record label! How did you decide to create your own record label? Was this something you always wanted? It's something I always wanted , have creative freedom, create a label that represents my style and create a platform for other people to play/release their music as well. I've been working for a long time on that label, just releasing my own tracks and now I'm thinking about adding other people as well, to give other people a chance. Young producers to be exposed as well. I didn't really have good times with some records labels back in the days so I want to give the young kids the best experience. What type of songs are you looking for GOLDKID? Can you tell your fans what they can expect for next releases? My sound for "Goldkid"... I'm actually looking for different genres. As long as they put their love and passion into the tracks I'm down for everything because I like to play so much different music in my sets, If it's good enough and I play it in my set I definitely want to release it. Can you tell us about your project "Play on"? What was your idea when you created the concept for it? I started playing music and producing when I was 15 years old. I actually started producing when I was twelve. I couldn't go to festivals, I couldn't go to clubs. As a Dj, I had the chance to play in the clubs but I was always the really young kid. And I was like " I want to create something for people to experience that at a younger age." because I never had the chance to experience that and I really wanted to give the kids the chance to see it. So "Play On" for me, the concept is giving the kids a chance to play, have a good time and to go on the crowd as well. It's just for all the kids to go there, party and that's it. That's what I want to do. Did you already accomplish one of your big goals? Was it the way you imagine it would be? One of my big goals was always Ultra Miami main stage and I did that one, It was really cool. There's only one goal left, It's Tomorrowland main stage, closing the Tomorrowland main stage. Let's hope so, even after 10 years, I would do it. Just thinking on the strategy, on how I'm going to do it, visualize it and then I'm gonna work for it. How are you feeling about your residency in Omnia at Las Vegas? This year you already joined Calvin Harris, Hardwell and Martin Garrix, share with us how it was? It's amazing to be part of that club. Such an amazing vibe. Great people, if you are there you can see the effects. I can't describe in words how playing that clubs feels. The big chandelier, everything is so super sick.. Two years ago I was playing Omnia as Martin's support dj act, and it felt so sick to be there. The Omnia team saw my opening sets and they were like " Alright, we want you to play all nights as well" and I was like "Wow". So that's how it all started.. How are your feelings about playing here on Tomorrowland? It's always amazing to be here, actually, last time was so super super sick, . I'm really curious about this year and it's going to be better. Let's hope. Let's make the most of it!! Follow Julian Jordan: https://www.facebook.com/itsjulianjordan https://twitter.com/julianjordan http://www.instagram.com/itsjulianjordan Follow GOLDKID Records https://www.facebook.com/goldkidrecords https://twitter.com/goldkidrecords http://www.instagram.com/goldkidrecords @2017 DJ Mag Malaysia The Kraken Music - Tomorrowland 
Armin Van Buuren is one of those names that doesn’t require
introduction! Like, if you never hear of him, you don’t know anything about electronic music, especially trance music! We had the wonderful chance to have this great interview with him just before his set at Tomorrowland! So DJs and Fans, take note! We are about to share his advices, thoughts and the latest updates of this giant on the electronic music world! Armin Only is the name of Armin’s solo show that in the past few years became an amazing dance music experience. His biggest Armin Only show happened at Amsterdam Arena celebrating 20 years of Armin as a DJ and musician. He also had special guests like singers, DJs, dancers and many other artists joining him on this amazing performance. We wanted to know by his words how much this event meant to him and as the great and humble artist that he is he replied with this kind words: Armin: “It was the biggest thing I ever done, maybe the biggest thing I’ll ever do, I don’t know. I feel so much gratitude towards my fans, towards all the artist that was there, towards Armada, towards all live events, everybody that helped me to make this possible. I mean, It was a really fun journey, not only because of my fans but also to make this show together, you know, together with my crew, with the people that I work every day. I mean, you look at me, at the person Armin Van Buuren but Armin Van Buuren is a brand and a lot of people are working on that brand every day.” And talking more about the team behind Armin Van Buuren as a brand he also shares this piece of advice that everyone should take note right now! “It’s great to have success on your own but it’s a lot more fun to share success with the people around you.” We couldn’t forget to ask him about ASOT Radio that stands for Armin Van Buuren’s State Of Trance radio show broadcast weekly all over de world to over 41 million listeners! What did you expect?! It’s Armin Van Buuren! So he told us the reason why he loves the show and more: Armin: “What I love about doing this radio show is that I get to see and listen other DJs set, which I normally don’t have the time to do because I’m always in the studio or traveling and this really gets me excited because I’m close to my fans. I’m close to the people that I work all the time and we broadcast to millions of people in around the world right now, so it’s really cool to be in touch and spread the love about trance music all around the world.” Our next step was asking him about right now! What were his news and updates, and as a pretty busy artist he shares almost a list of thing you can check right now! “I do have some exciting news about my new compilation that is coming up on the 18 of August, I’m dropping a new two CD with a new guide track as well, some other brand new tracks and we just announce state of trance 850 in Jaarbeurs in Utrecht on the 17 of February of 2018, so that’s coming up. Just released my new single called Sunny Days and also just released a track with Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano called “You Are” that is doing really well. And I’m just working really hard in the studio right now and I haven’t made any plans for Armin Only tours or any albums yet. I just want to, you know enjoy a little bit the ride that a had at the Amsterdam Arena, I was super happy with what happened there and I’m having a super busy summer with my residency in Ibiza, Tomorrowland, and that’s all going really well. I got some exciting stuff laying up for the rest of the year and next year.” 
This is a man driven by an unbridled and relentless passion for music. Armin van Buuren is a born perfectionist, striving to stay on top of the scene he’s helped build. As the flag-bearer of the trance movement, he’s one of the most influential figures in EDM worldwide. Even though he lives an extraordinary life as one of the world’s most popular DJs, he has always remained a down-to-earth guy. Armin van Buuren is constantly on the move, whether creating music in his studio or en route to his next high-end club or festival show around the globe. Armin: “It’s not just love for music, it’s my passion. It goes beyond liking, and beyond a hobby. It’s about a way of living. Music is essential to my life.” For more than twenty years, the Grammy-nominated Dutchman has been living to the rhythm of his own interna- tional success. His five-time number one position in the critically acclaimed DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll has been the result of his loyalty to fans, his creativity in the studio, the perseverance with which he hosts his weekly radio show ‘A State of Trance’, and the energy he brings to the crowds in front of him. Despite the heavy pressure that comes with being one of the world’s most popular DJs, Armin has always kept his focus on the music. And that’s exactly what keeps him going. Born in Leiden, the Netherlands (December 25, 1976) to a musical family, Armin indulged his passion for music from a young age. He spent all of the money he earned from his paper route on records. His mom won a computer when he was 10, piquing Armin’s interest in technology. “So as a little nerdy kid I was writing my own basic pro- grams and learnt about the technology from there.” Armin progressed from making low-profile mix tapes for friends to high-end mixes when he started experimenting with different sequences on his computer through his un- cle. “I was so stunned by what I saw him doing on the computer that I got addicted to creating music right there and then!” “I loved dance music immediately – this great rebellious sound that was so different from the ‘beautiful’ songs of the years before.” Armin cites electronic pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre as a major influence, as well as Dutch producer Ben Liebrand, who later mentored him in his mixing and producing. In the early days, Armin thought it was wise to have a back-up plan, and so he studied for a law degree. The final year of his course was inevitably stretched out as he juggled his studies with his increasingly hectic schedule; his rise to fame included lots of productions and remixes, as well as playing in front of packed clubs every weekend. It took him three years to graduate, but his determination made him succeed. Despite having a Master’s degree in Law, the main ingredient in Armin’s life has always been music. Armin: “I see it as my responsibility to promote trance as a genre, and I want to support it in every way I can. Music should con- nect us. As long as the music keeps evolving like it is, I will continue and I don’t see any reason to slow down.” No matter how many hours Armin van Buuren has travelled to get there, as soon as he enters the DJ booth, the Dutchman puts his full focus on the music, the crowd, and how those two will combine. Once the beats of his first record kicks in, the room lights up and chanting starts to fill the air. To witness a set by Armin van Buuren is to be blown away -- to lose yourself completely in the music and become one with the people around you. Mixing seam- lessly, he has created his own sound and style, making his DJ sets a truly unique experience. He unites millions, not only through the gigs in his challenging schedule, but also through his ‘Armin Only’ and ‘A State of Trance’ world tours. His busy life as a DJ has inspired countless people both personally and professionally. In 2009, Dutch author Coen Bom presented his on-the-road biography of Armin called ‘Eén op één’ / ‘Armin Only’, in which he reported on the hectic life of Armin and tried to find the secret behind the grand success of the humble Dutchman. In October 2012, the official documentary ‘A Year With Armin van Buuren’ was released, in which Armin was followed during an important year in his life, offering a unique look behind the scenes and inside his personality. Again and again, his life as a superstar DJ continues to inspire others. Armin has had the privilege of performing at some of the world’s biggest and best festivals, clubs, events, and shows. One of the highlights of his career was Armin’s performance for the newly crowned King and Queen of the Netherlands in 2013, Willem-Alexander and Máxima. Together with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and in front of the monarchs and 15,000 fans, he performed both ‘The Bolero’ as well as an orchestral version of the title track from his ‘Intense’ album. During the ‘Koningsvaart’ (a special, cultural boat trip through the city of Amster- dam), the King and Queen surprised both the crowd and Armin by getting on stage and dancing along with him. Without question, another memorable highlight of Armin’s career was his DJ set at the Museumplein in Amsterdam in July of 2010, during the ceremonial honoring of the Dutch national soccer team. Even though the national team lost in the FIFA World Cup final, they partied like they were the absolute winners with a crowd of 200,000 strong. In 2013, Armin’s career hit another milestone when he was the first solo dance artist to play in Madison Square Gar- den. The event was completely sold out, representing another crowning achievement for the DJ. After the 2013 summer season had ended (along with his residency at the world’s biggest club, Privilege in Ibiza), Armin kicked off a new ‘Armin Only’ world tour based on his ‘Intense’ album, in collaboration with theatre director Jos Thie. More than 33 dates were set, with shows landing in cities such as Kiev, Mumbai, Saint-Petersburg, Hel- sinki, New York, Toronto, Mexico City, Sydney, Johannesburg, and more. With the ‘Armin Only’ tour, Armin bran- dished a unique and exclusive show format, which unfolded like the many layers of his ‘Intense’ album. In total, more than 500,000 visitors attended, spanning 5 continents. A ‘Road Movie’ series was also created, documenting behind-the-scenes footage of the entire tour as it took place. In 2014, Armin began a highly successful weekly residency at the famous Ushuaïa Beach Hotel in Ibiza, playing every Thursday night from June 26th to September 11th alongside top DJs from the Armada Music roster. After the residency, he released a compilation entitled ‘A State of Trance at Ushuaïa Ibiza’ to commemorate the season. As if to underline the success of the residency, Armin returned to the Ushuaïa Beach Hotel a year later for another ‘A State Of Trance at Ushuaïa, Ibiza’ summer. His performances in the center of the Ushuaïa pool were met with widespread passion and enthusiasm amongst his fans, subsequently leading to the release of the second volume of his Ushuaïa compilation series: ‘A State Of Trance at Ushuaïa, Ibiza 2015’. 
On January 26th, 2016, Armin van Buuren announced the first two dates of his brand-new Armin Only Embrace world tour, to which even more dates were added later on through a live announcement at A State Of Trance Festi- val Utrecht on February 27th. ‘Armin Only: Embrace’ has since seen a spectacular kick-off in Amsterdam, the Neth- erlands and has brought a spectacular offering to other cities, including Gdansk (Poland), Dubai (UAE), Sofia (Bul- garia), Minsk (Belarus), and Mexico City (Mexico and more. At the end of 2016, Armin van Buuren announced that he’d be giving rise to an unmatched spectacle in 2017. On Friday May 12th and Saturday May 13th of 2017, the world-renowned DJ will touch down in one of the most prestig- ious venues of the Netherlands, the Amsterdam ArenA, for ‘The Best Of Armin Only’, celebrating the 20th anniver- sary of his career. Both shows sold out in no time. THE RADIO HOST What started as an obsession for radio has turned into a weekly highlight for more than 38 million listeners, broad- casting to over 100 FM stations and fans from over 84 countries. In June 2001, Armin van Buuren aired the first epi- sode of ‘A State of Trance’. Fourteen years later, he still hosts the weekly 2-hour show, where he presents the big- gest tunes of the moment and provides an interactive way for fans to discover new music. Regular features of the show are the ‘Tune of the Week’, ‘Service For Dreamers’, and the ‘Future Favorite’, which is based on an online voting poll. Celebrating each milestone, Armin did an extensive world tour based around the 650th episode of ASOT in early 2014. The ‘New Horizons’ world tour landed in the cities of Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Almaty, Utrecht, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Miami. The 8-week tour took place in January, February, and March of 2014 and included nine shows in countries all around the globe, with events broadcast live on the A State of Trance website. In continuation of the success of ASOT, Armin kicked off his A State of Trance Festival tour. ASOT Festival was a new concept developed for 2015 in conjunction with ASOT Episode #700. Armin van Buuren became the first DJ to have his own festival: the biggest trance festival tour in history. The tour invaded Utrecht, Buenos Aires, Ultra Mu- sic Festival in Miami, Sydney and Melbourne, Mexico, and other destinations worldwide. Episode #700 was also the first time that an entirely fan-created show was used, with fans being given the chance to present their favorite tracks on air. Fans were asked to submit voice recordings of themselves introducing their favorite trance tracks of all time, and the resultant songs and recordings were used to create an entirely fan-made episode, which marked the first time in the world a major dance radio show has ever done this. After hitting the world with another series of A State Of Trance events (A State Of Trance 750), the very first edi- tion of A State Of Trance 800 was also announced by Armin van Buuren during one of his radio show’s episodes. In February 2017, A State Of Trance 800 kicked off in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, the Netherlands, likely to be a spring- board to other full-blown A State Of Trance 800 events. Reflecting upon the ‘A State of Trance’ world tours, Armin says: “I’m deeply honored by all the positive things that are happening for the show and for the sound in general. I’ve always said ASOT is not only a show for, but also a show by the fans. The show wouldn’t be where it is without the fans, so it feels amazing to see so many people cel- ebrating along. It’s crazy to see groups of fans going crazy to the same music that we’re playing on the other side of the world. People wearing banners, flags, and making their own private party. This is what I meant with ‘turning the world into a dance floor’.” Each year, the listeners of the show are asked to vote for their favorite records of the year, with the ‘A State of Trance Top 20’ as the official result. Each track on this list ends up in the ‘A State of Trance Year Mix’, released at the end of December. Weeks of editing and mixing come together in a two-hour mega mix showcasing over a hun- dred tracks and countless memories. Several hundred thousand copies of the series have been sold to date, and the series has been going strong for over ten years. Another series that Armin has linked to the radio show is the ‘A State of Trance Classics’ compilation. After years of providing some of the most essential classics and all-time fa- vorites in EDM, the series continues to commemorate the early days of dance music. Furthermore, Armin was awarded 4x certified Platinum for his ASOT Year Mix series in late 2014. In addition to the radio show, Armin started the weekly ‘A State of Trance Podcast’ with a selection from the previ- ous episode of the radio show, ensuring that listeners never miss out on any highlights. Every Sunday, Armin also hosts a 24-hour radio day called ‘A State of Sundays’, broadcast on one of the biggest radio stations in the United States: Sirius XM Satellite Radio. In addition to the A State of Trance shows, A State of Sundays also introduces its listeners to the sets and radio shows of other popular DJs and talented artists. In 2017, Armin van Buuren opened a brand-new radio studio in the HQ of Armada Music in Amsterdam, from which the A State Of Trance episodes are broadcast live. THE PRODUCER Whenever he’s not on tour or having a daddy day with his daughter Fenna and son Remy, Armin locks himself up in the studio. Giving meaning to his famous quote “Don’t be a prisoner of your own style”, he explores the boundaries of EDM through his originals and remixes. Some of his most beloved works, such as ‘Communication’, ‘Burned With Desire’, ‘Blue Fear’, ‘Shivers’, and ‘Yet Another Day’, have grown into highly revered classics, withstanding the test of time. Armin van Buuren can now look back on the success of his ‘76’ (2003), ‘Shivers’ (2005), ‘Imagine’ (2008), ‘Mi- rage’ (2010), ‘Intense’ (2013) and ‘Embrace’ (2015) albums. ‘Intense’ was nominated for the Dutch Edison Pop Award for ‘Best Dance Album’. The follow-up to his ‘Mirage’ album featured collaborations with Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari, Australian duo NERVO, and singers like Trevor Guthrie, Emma Hewitt, Laura Jansen, Fiora, and more. ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ ft. Trevor Guthrie (the first single off the album) was nominated for the Grammy award for ‘Best Dance Recording’ and also received a nomination for a Canadian Juno Award. It became a world- wide hit, reaching A-List rotation on radio stations all across the globe and receiving silver, gold, platinum, and dou- ble platinum certifications in countries such as Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, Australia, and Italy. The video has reached over 64 million views to date. After indulging his fans with a fresh Armin van Buuren presents. Rising Star record (‘Safe Inside You’ feat. Betsie Larkin), an official remix of the ‘Game Of Thrones Theme’, and a collaboration with Electronic Music pioneer Jean- Michel Jarre (‘Stardust’), Armin announced the name of his forthcoming artist album during his ASOT radio show on Thursday September 3rd of 2015. ‘Embrace’ emerged as Armin’s sixth full-length artist album on October 29th, filled with remarkable collaborations with the likes of Mr. Probz (‘Another You’), Hardwell (‘Off The Hook’), Cimo Fränkel (‘Strong Ones’), world-fa- mous Dutch Jazz trumpeter Eric Vloeimans (‘Embrace’) award-winning Dutch band Kensington (‘Heading Up High’), U.K. singer-songwriter BullySongs (‘Freefall’ and ‘Caught In The Slipstream’) and fellow Grammy nominee Gavin DeGraw (‘Looking For Your Name’). Said Armin of the stylistic diversity of ‘Embrace’, “Each of the instruments you see on the album cover – which was shot by Anton Corbijn – was an instrument actually used on the album! I thought it would be a real challenge to myself to try to create dance music using all of these disparate instruments. I really wanted to push myself past my comfort zone and create something very exciting not just for me, but for all the lovers of music out there. I hope you enjoy it.” Judging by the ecstatic reaction of audiences whenever Armin plays his album cuts onstage, he has, once again, suc- ceeded. In August 2016, Armin van Buuren put out his ‘Old Skool’ mini album. Inspired by the track ‘Old Skool’ on the ‘Embrace’ album, Armin van Buuren went on to revamp timeless classics such as Human Resource – ‘Dominator’, The Ultimate Seduction – ‘The Ultimate Seduction’, Speedy J – ‘Pull Over’, and more. The result, a seven-piece mini album, takes his fans back to where it all started by brandishing a piece of dance music history. 
THE LABEL OWNER In 2003, plans emerged to set up a record label: Armada Music. Together with Maykel Piron and David Lewis (Ar- Ma-Da), Armin built the foundation of one of the most successful record labels worldwide. Armada Music (voted ‘Best Global Record Label’ five years in a row) is home to more than 40 sub labels and releases productions by some of the industry’s biggest names and rising talents. Armin’s very own ‘Armind’, ‘A State of Trance’, and ‘Who’s Afraid Of 138?!’ labels have found a safe haven at Armada Music, as well as his ‘A State of Trance’ compi- lation series and artist albums. With imprints such as Armada Trice, Armada Deep, Armada Captivating, and The Bearded Man as the main pillars of the record label, the label has branched out to a whole array of different styles and genres, with Lost Frequencies’ hit singles ‘Are You With Me’ and ‘Reality’ (feat. Janieck Devy) as sterling examples of ensued success. Within the thirteen years of its existence, Armada Music has become one of the most diverse record labels in elec- tronic music, with over eighty employees contributing to the enormous growth of Armada. Despite his ambitious and hectic schedule, Armin still serves as A&R of the Armind, Who’s Afraid Of 138?! , and A State of Trance labels. 
Armin is truly leaving a beautiful imprint on this scene and we are excited to see all that comes out of 2017 for this legend. Make sure to grab yourself tickets to see Armin (http://www.arminvanbuuren.com/tour-dates/) in a city near you, and don't forget to grab a copy of his brand new ASOT 2017 Album here @2017 DJ Mag Malaysia The Kraken Music - Jonny Chiappetta - Peter McGuire |
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