Recently we were able to sit down with international trance dj, producer Bixx, and spoke about his new and forthcoming releases, djing, production plus loads more…
Disclaimer: The words from the interviewee are their own words. We are not responsible for any language they may use.
So you have a new single out… Can you tell us more about it and what inspired it?
In the trance music scene, producers are constantly asking each other if they want to do a collaboration. Imagine if you were asked to go out on a date by someone. You wouldn’t just say yes without trying to figure out what you have in common.
Is there enough alignment to take it a little further? I have said yes to a couple of producers because of their name or because it would help my brand, but we did not have much in common, so the end result was just okay.
The track serves as a message that to make something truly great, you must first have alignment. Alignment of work processes, standards, values, communication, and musical styles, whether they be similar or complementary.
So the track is just a reminder about the importance of alignment.
You would be surprised about how many people get into situations and even relationships where there is very little alignment, and they wonder why it was not successful. Great things happen when there is proper alignment.
How do you see the evolution of trance music from its early roots in the 1990s to its current form influencing your own production style?
Personally, the early roots of trance do not affect my production style.
There are so many more new sounds available in today’s software libraries and better search options.
I prefer to use newer and more unique sounds rather than classic ones. I listen to trance tracks mostly from the last 5-10 years for ideas.
For my ears, many of the older trance tracks sound thin and often lack layers of interesting sounds like modern trance.
But there is a trend where less is more—more simple and clean rather than all the many layers of sounds in trance.
While I understand this, I prefer many layers of leads in melodies and counter melodies, plus complementary sounds to create the wow. To make the track unique. Most of my tracks have over 100 music files.
The trance scene has witnessed a resurgence of its classic sound alongside the rise of sub-genres like psytrance and progressive trance. From your perspective, what drives this dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation within the trance community?
What drives this is the law of innovation. Back in my business days, I was very passionate about product development.
There is a creative process that applies to just about everything regarding innovation. There are very few original ideas—just improvements of existing ideas.
Apple did not invent digital downloading and streaming; they just improved what Napster and Limewire illegally did.
The iPhone improved what the iPod did, and the iPod improved what you could do on your computer.
You get the idea. So think of trance as a big white canvas of about 132-142 bpm—anything goes.
What drives innovation is the universal law of innovation. In trance, we can bring in the best sounds from just about every genre. Personally,
I bring in choirs, Gregorian chants, opera sounds, symphonic sounds, cinema, and whatever else I can find that is interesting. I am currently reviewing dance music sounds from the 80s and 90s to influence my tracks.
Other producers marry melodic-driven sounds found in trance to techno music, so now we have melodic techno. Progressive trance is a slower version of trance which focuses more on the purity of the sounds rather than hard energy. Psy Trance brings in unique sounds from other genres but creates a hard energetic bassline to elevate your energy level.
Take out the melody from uplifting trance, create more energy with call and response sounds to create tech trance. This pattern follows the law of innovation, which is common throughout the world. Make existing ideas better, and when genres overlap, new music styles happen.
Considering the global reach of trance music, how do regional scenes influence the global trance landscape?
From a person who loves to give long answers to questions, you have stumped me with this question. I really don’t know how regional scenes influence the global trance landscape.
But I can answer this from the perspective of impactful festivals and business conferences. The biggest and most influential business networking conference is the Amsterdam Dance Event. Amsterdam influences trance.
ADE is a brilliant event where people from all levels in the trance music industry get together to meet in person. There are lots of networking events and educational opportunities as well. Nothing like meeting in person.
Great things happen at this event. I rely on ADE quite heavily to create and build important relationships.
There is a smaller version of this at Miami Music Week in Miami, Florida. The three biggest trance festivals that influence the global landscape are A State of Trance, Transmission, and Luminosity. Both the ASOT radio show and festival put trance music on the map. A State of Trance has broadened their music reach, so while still a great place for trance fans and artists to network, it is becoming less about trance.
Transmission focuses on the best production in the world, a five-star experience. The trance audio and visual experience where Las Vegas meets Cirque du Soleil. I believe the most influential trance festival in the world is Luminosity, which is on the beach outside of Amsterdam.
There are over 100 trance DJs from all genres of trance playing at Luminosity.
This festival brings micro groups of trance lovers together from all over the world. They all get to meet each other and artists at this magnificent trance festival, uniting and building relationships at the beach. The festival is quite big according to trance music standards. The regional area of Amsterdam has the greatest influence over trance.
Any other forthcoming tracks or events planned you can tell us about?
I am working hard on finishing my album which will be titled ‘The Voice of Reason’.
It is about discovering your own inner voice of reason—a journey through self-discovery and inspiration. I am following my passions to teach and inspire people to become their best selves.
Vocalists on the album will include Susana, Cari, Natalie Gioia, and That Girl. I hope to start releasing tracks in late third quarter of 2024. I have an upcoming collaboration with iconic tech trance producer, Mark Sherry.
The track will be a hybrid style marrying tech trance and uplifting trance. I have a crazy track, non-uplifting, coming out called ‘School of Hard Knocks’, which is about how the best way to achieve greatness is to fail many times.
Outside of the album, I have 8-10 new track ideas in the works. I had a health setback this past December, so I decided to stay home and work the first four months of 2024. I am doing great now and have finished a lot of new tracks.
I do have two events that I am playing in May, both Reason 2 Rise Label nights, in Rehem, Netherlands, and Edinburgh, Scotland.
I will be playing at the Unkonscious Festival in Croatia in July and at the Full Moon Festival in Amsterdam also in July.
What is your favourite venue or event you have played at, and what made it special?
My favorite event that I played was the Luminosity Beach Festival. The event unites trance fans from all over the world on the beach outside of Amsterdam. A beautiful venue that is set up for fans and artists to mingle.
For many trance DJs, this event is the highlight of their career. I met so many fans and friends that I have been communicating with over the last four years. Luminosity is a place to go to be loved and appreciated—like a shot of happiness. It was also the biggest festival that I played, so I was extremely motivated to prepare my set.
Another place that I played that was very special is Club Avalon in Hollywood, California. What a beautiful, historic, and iconic club. There were pictures of iconic entertainers on the wall—Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the Rolling Stones, and many others.
My wife, daughter, and her friends were there as well. It was a magical night. For me, it is all about the experience rather than the money or the ego.
Do you have any useful tips for upcoming DJs and producers in the trance scene?
Many young producers just jump right in by starting to produce music with no thought to their branding.
Your brand is everything. That includes your DJ name. But first, you must go through a Brand DNA process.
This is a list of questions that help you discover what you are passionate about.
What is your why? Why do you do this? To be famous or to be rich is not a proper why. It is so important to understand your why.
Google ‘The 5 Whys’. This is a great exercise. Once you find your why and what is important to you, create your brand and your brand strategy.
Your strategy will be what content you put out that forms people’s opinions and views of your brand. Just like a successful company.
The most successful long-lasting companies have the strongest brands and the best understanding of how to keep the brand strong.
As a DJ/Producer, you are a brand and a company.
Read the short book ‘Redesign’ by Sebastiaan Hooft. It is an easy and fun read, about 100 pages. He is a former tech entrepreneur who wrote this book about building a DJ brand and the importance of building a great team around you.
The last thing I will mention is to always be curious. Be addicted to growth and learning. The love of fame and success is guaranteed to make you crash and burn. Enjoy the journey, and the journey should be about growth and improvement. Stay humble.
Any final words to the Global Trance Family out there?
I will repeat what I say at the close of my Mentoring Monday videos.
It is never too late to reinvent yourself. If you don’t like what you are doing, it is never too late to change.
Figure out what you are passionate about. It is so important to live your life in line with your passion.
The ‘5 Whys’ exercise I mentioned above is very effective. If I can go from being a business entrepreneur to a DJ music producer at this stage of my life, you can do anything you set your mind to do as long as you are willing to do the work.
Check out Bixx’s latest collaboration with Christopher Corrigan out now on Reason II Rise Music
BiXX & Christopher Corrigan – Alignment