Interview with Phynn

Hi Phynn, welcome on Trance Hub.
How is the weather of Utrecht treating you?
Thank you. I'm actually in the United States right now, and it's pretty chilly. I like it though, it gets me in the holiday mood.

It's been almost two months since you released your debut brainchild 'Metamorphosis'. What kind of response have you been receiving from this album?
The response has been very good so far. It's great to get messages from fans saying how much they like the album and the different types of songs on it. In the first week, we even got licensing requests from two big labels in Taiwan and the United States, who have released the album in those territories as well.

Can you specially mention the reactions from some of the top jocks of Trance on your debut album?
We have not received feedback about the complete album from other DJs, because we use a single based promo system. The first single that was sent out is called 'Try Again feat. Tiff Lacey', and the feedback for that has been very positive. I look forward to more feedback when we release the upcoming singles from the album over the next few months.

Which track is the closest to you in this album and does it carry a story behind it?
Try Again feat. Tiff Lacey. The instrumental track was finished a couple of months before the album deadline, but I decided I wanted vocals for it. So one and a half week before the deadline Tiff Lacey and I did a last minute recording and 2 days before the deadline it was finished.

How was the tune "Starfire At Night" titled? What a brilliant title to come up with!
I got the vocals for Starfire At Night from Alexander Perls (Los Angeles). He recorded the vocals a capella and sent them to me. After listening to the lyrics I decided that Starfire At Night was the best title to go with the song.

You have used some really good electro sounds in tunes like 'Metamorphosis' and 'Elektro Magnetik'. How did you try to keep off recurrence away in this album?
When I blend electro sounds into my tracks, I try to always use different synths and samples and not using the same sound twice.

You are also touring a lot, how is your album tour going on?
Which has been the most special one?
I did a small tour in the United States, which was really cool. Amongst others, I played in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, both shows had a really good turnout and the crowds were great. Next week I will do two shows in China, one in Shanghai and one in Yiwu City. I haven't been to China before but I have great expectations of that trip as well.

How does it feel to be affiliated with Black Hole Recordings, the label that released your debut album?
Black Hole Recordings is one of the top trance labels, and I'm very happy to work with them. The crew is very supportive and they work hard to get involved with my work, giving feedback and tips about tracks and discussing release / marketing strategies.

Which has been your favorite artist of 2008? Tell us both: the one you look up to and the one you think will be big in future.
Me of course! (laughs)

Anything that upsets you if we talk about sharing music online? What is your take on internet playing a major role in popularizing Trance music, or even for the matter, EDM?
I don't really get upset about online music sharing anymore. I try to be realistic about it: it's always going to be there. Also, music sharing is one of the reasons that trance gained so much popularity over the years. In the early days, not everybody was rich enough to spend $10 per track (on vinyl) to listen to their favorite music.
Of course it sucks that some people just download music without making the effort to pay a small amount of money for a CD or track (nowadays you can buy a track for a buck and a half at mp3 download stores), to support the artist that put a lot of time and money into a product. For artists, the truth is that nowadays in order to make a living in the music business, it's all about doing gigs. That's the main income for EDM artists nowadays.

What can your fans expect from you in 2009?
I have a few very exciting vocal projects in the works, and I intend to release a new mix compilation as well.

One of the most essential parts of your career are your equipments, how do you choose them to deliver great sounds? Of course you need to be updated with what's hot in the sound market!
You don't really need a huge recording studio for EDM music. I try to stick to software synthesizers when I can, but I have some hardware for when I want analog sounds. The warm analog sound from hardware synthesizers can not (or not completely) be reproduced by a software synth. So I prefer to use hardware for melodies and basslines, while I use the software and samples for percussion an other gimmicks. I regularly check for new plugins and synths to keep up with new technology.

Here is a streak of randomers, which you can answer briefly:
Your favourite city in the world: Amsterdam
Your favourite food: I can never decide between Chicken Tikka Masala (Indian dish) and Torta's (Mexican dish).
Single or Taken: Taken
Favourite gadget: Macbook
Your current mobile phone: Blackberry Storm
Describe Trance music in one word: Euphoric
Best professional year: 2008
One embarrassing moment: Locking myself into a hotel bedroom after the doorknob came off. They had to call somebody to free me.

Message for your fans.
Thanks to all of you who listen to my music and come to my shows. I truly appreciate your support and love.

For more info related to Phynn check out the following links:
www.phynn.com
www.myspace.com/phynn
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=500585385

Written by: Apoorv
Compiled by: Priyank

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