DJNews Interview: Ferry Corsten

[Cupe]

Ferry Corsten - Creative pioneer in the new world

One of Holland’s greatest pioneers is still at the top of his game. Ferry Corsten already underlined it with his successful album WKND last year as well as the many performances he’s doing these days. A more obvious main act Electronic Family couldn’t ask for. During his stay in the United States we asked the Rotterdam DJ about this upcoming summer climax.

Miami, Dallas, Houston, New York.. you’re have some busy days in the US. How are you experiencing these gigs now the country as gone all the way with dance music / EDM?

“It’s fantastic how Americans respond to the music. They’re always so enthusiastic and completely go for it. The better the audience responds the more fun it is for me to play for them.”

You also present New World Punx over there, your collab with Markus Schulz. How did this come about?

“Last year I played back to back with Markus a couple of times and we also produced two tracks together, Stella and Loops & Tings. This really felt good so we thought ‘let’s do this more!’. The name New World Punx actually comes from a track Markus made titled The New World and my track Punk.”

What’s the result of this? Will there be more releases and gigs together (in Holland as well)?

“There’s definitely more releases scheduled but I can’t say too much about this now. We’ll also be doing more shows as New World Punx but again I can’t say any more about this. I’d say, keep an eye on the worldwide web for this…”

You’re headlining Electronic Family. How important is this gig for you?

“EF is one of my most important Dutch performances. You notice it’s all about the music for the fans here, it’s all music lovers at this festival. That makes it a big deal for me to be headlining here.”

Could you indicate what exactly creates this family feeling at the festival?

“I think it’s really about the music. Trance has always had a very strong following that really backs the music as a big family. The artists, the fans and promoters all feel this which only bonds them even more.”

What can the public expect from you at EF?

“New music and a great show!”

How do you see trance music evolve at the moment?

“You notice the influences between styles is becoming bigger and bigger. House elements are recurring in trance records and vice versa.”

Does this influence your DJ sets and productions?

“These last years I’ve learned so many productional techniques allowing me to work more creative than ever. I’ve also noticed the tempo of my sets is much lower. Where you used to start with 140 BPM now it’s regular if this is somewhere around 130 BPM.”

Finally, what are the plans and ambitions for this year?

“Releasing new records, doing lots of gigs around the world and of course keep broadcasting Corsten’s Countdown!”