Another spark from the Kingdom of EDM, Martijn ten Velden. He is recognised for his outstanding performance in international scenes such as the 2015 No.1 club selected by DJ Mag TOP 100 Clubs, GREEN VALLEY in Brazil, Vanguard in LA, Redlight in Paris, Space in Ibiza and so on. Let us share about Martijn ten Velden’s upcoming release and his feelings towards DJ Mag.

 

Q1. We heard your remix for Armin van Buuren “Mirage” has been released by Armada on 1st of September. Can you tell us something about the track?

Earlier this summer Armada approached me to ask which classic Armin track i wanted to remix. So I went through his whole catalogue and 'Mirage' was the track that spoke to me most because i love the feeling of the chord progression and the eerie evangelical vocal. So Armada Music sent me the parts and I got to work. I slowed it down and blended it into a deep tech house track building to a big uplifting moment in the drop with the original chords to recreate the feeling of the original, then the track flips and comes back hard again with the drums and bass.

 

 

Q2. When did you decide to start producing music and why?

In my teens, first I started drumming and driving the neighbours mad. Two years later I started going to hip hop parties and loved the whole culture so much I started scratching, making beats on drummachines and sampling. I soon became the dj in a hip hop band with a bunch of friends and we started playing shows all over Holland and warming up for old school hip hop legends like Kool Mo Dee and Stetsasonic. it was all such a buzz I was hooked. 

 

Q3. What projects are you most proud of and why?

All my music comes from the heart but highlights for me are my remix of Soul Central  'Strings of life' on Defected Records and my own track 'I wish you would'. They both became house classics and i cannot count the amount of times I have played them. When I hear them played now it brings back so many great memories of countries, festivals and clubs I've been to over the years. Also my remix of Banda Sonora 'Guitar G' is a track very close to my heart. This became a huge anthem in Ibiza last year and it was really my return to the scene with a fresh new 2.0 sound after taking time off to look after my newborn son. Everybody from Luciano to Bob Sinclair was playing it. It was such a great feeling to hear my music being played everywhere again.

 

 

Q4. Name 2 of your biggest mentors/inspirations, what it is/was that inspires you.

Quincy Jones is for me the number one disco producer of the 70's who took song arrangements and recording techniques to a new level and helped to create the foundation for electronic dance music. I love the precision he used in arranging all the separate parts of the instrumentation and how he made the different parts 'talk' to each other. At the moment my favourite DJ is Solomun. He is the DJ who gave me inspiration again to create music after taking some time off with his refreshing blend of house, deep house, techno, and progressive all built into a great story. His sets just make me want to go to the studio and start a new track. Which is easy because my house is 5 minutes from Pacha Ibiza where he holds a summer residency :-)

 

Q5. What is keeping you busy this summer?

I have just remixed Armin van Buuren "Mirage' as part of his 'Club Embrace' project. Also my remix for Horatio 'Serengeti' was just released on Seamless Recordings. I am also working on new solo material and some exciting collaborations so watch this space... Some of my new unfinished tracks are already being played by djs like Damian Lazarus and Nicole Moudaber. And of course I've been DJing around Europe and in the place I live, Ibiza!

 

Q6. You have had a lot of gigs all over the world for a long time now. What is the biggest change in dance music for you?

The biggest change in the last 15 years was the start of 'EDM' which created a big division in the electronic scene. It pushed a lot of house and techno dj's to become much more commercial and others, including myself, to go more underground because the 'middle ground' was gone all of a sudden.

 

Q7. Which event had the most impact on you? And why was it? 

I played at the opening of Space Ibiza in 2003 before Carl Cox b2b John Digweed in the carpark which is only used for the opening and closing, and it made such a big and lasting impression on me because it was also the first time i came to the island so i was blown away!

 

Q8. What is DJMag for you as a DJ/Producer? 

DJ MAG has always represented the electronic scene and helped bring the music to a larger audience, so 'respect'!

 

Q9. What would you like to say to the Japanese audience? 

I love your culture and love your food and can't wait to come back to play some music for you again.

 

Martijn ten Velden never fails to disappoint his fans in any situation. He has been nominated as the Best Artist and Outstanding Remix in 2006 for the House Music Awards and in 2007, he was awarded as the Best International DJ in Danish Dance Music Awards. His effort and dedication towards music never stops and he continues to make the crowd go wild today. He’s also known as a father to a recently born son and takes his days off to spend time with his family. Papa DJ will continue to be one of the International DJs leading the EDM scenes. 

 

BACK TO TOP