1. Hello Bart, are you looking forward to coming to Edinburgh?

Hi Paul. Yeah, sure!! A place I haven’t played before, so I’m really curious for the venue, and of course even more for the crowd. I’m always up for a good party, so if the mood is right, nothing could possibly go wrong :)

2. Can you give some brief background on your music production and dj career for anyone that may not know?

For me everything started, and went really fast, with my first release “On The Move” under the Barthezz guise. It was released all around the globe and became a huge clubhit, and afterwards, single chart hit in many countries. Which also gave me the opportunity to take my dj’ing to the highest level instantly. I played at many gigs from Japan to New Zealand, Canada to Russia, and of course at many venues in Europe. But somehow... never in the UK, don’t ask me why. The sudden success was a big surprise to me, but I loved it!
After a few years and some trouble around the Barthezz-name, I was kinda sick of it and decided to start producing under my own name, Bart Claessen, from then. The second release, “Playmo”, had the biggest impact. And after some remixes I did for Chocolate Puma, Ferry Corsten, Signalrunners and Public Domain, and the follow up called “When Morning Comes”, I feel I’m on the right track and it’s going just great!
I was very honoured to hear DJMag naming me an “artist expected to blow up in 2007”, and of course I’m so glad to be invited to play at this year’s Coloursfest in the main arena, and Cream Ibiza on the end of June!

3. How have things changed from the days of Barthezz to your new productions coming out in your own name?

Well, probably not as much as you’d expect. Just as back then, I now still produce exactly what I want. The change of style is just a reflection of the music I love nowadays, more than a choice. If I would be producing as Barthezz at this moment, you’d hear more or less the same sound as you hear from me right now, I’m sure of that.

4. The last year and have have been very successful for you, arguably kicked off by Playmo. What was your reaction to Playmo’s success?

When I was working on “Playmo”, I actually didn’t know exactly what to do or which direction to go. I tried so many things and when the result was finally there after a few months, I was extremely happy with it. It sounded exactly like I wanted, like the style I played in my sets, and was quite confident there should be more dj’s out there who’d like it.
When the promos were sent out, I was a little nervous on the feedback, especially when there still wasn’t any useful feedback after four or five weeks! Ok, it was summer, so everything takes a little longer then. When suddenly everybody seemed to start playing it at the same time, I felt just great to discover my feeling about it had been right.
And I felt relieved somehow, you’ll never know what happens with a track of course. Trying to do something different maybe is not the easiest way, there’s always quite a chance it doesn’t work, but it’s definitely much more fun!

Anjuna beats & Above and Beyond!

5. You have recently been commisiond to do remix work for Anjuna beats, how do you feel about this? Anjuna are arguably one of the best club trance labels out there.

Yep, I love the label and it’s really good to hear Above & Beyond being so enthousiastic about my recent work. For me, Anjunabeats stands for a warm sound, for trance, but they’re also very much about trying something new and different. They just liked what I was doing and gave me total freedom on how I should remix Signalrunners, the first remix I did for them. Because I could basically do what I wanted, it resulted in something that sounded really different than my other tracks. Also love the fact they signed my remix of Remo-con’s “Cold Front” from Avex Japan, a track which for me was kinda un-Anjunabeats, just because they love it. I like their attitude.

6. You recently made your UK debut at the legendary London nightclub “Turnmills”.
How was that?

Superb experience! Many out there seemed to know exáctly what I was doing, which tracks and remixes I produced, even months before release. And the atmosphere was just right. A good crowd makes my set just better!

7. What’s on the cards for later this year? Anything that has you overly excited?

Of course the new Bart Claessen tracks. It’s taking a little longer than planned but now there are so many new ideas coming out of my head, feel good about that. And again, I want to do just what I like. So there might be some new stuff you didn’t expect from me maybe, but to me that just makes it more interesting. Everything that fits in my sets, could be released as a Bart Claessen track, I don’t like to have too many aliases and projects.
One of the new tracks may sound familiar. Remember the Reflekt bootleg I did? I still receive so many questions about that one I decided to take out everything of the original Reflekt track and turn it into a new vocal techtrancer. Well, more like a trancetecher, is that a style? :P
Also I’m working on a remix for a new track from Matt Darey. Those samples and vocals are só damn amazing! Definitely one of the most exciting remix jobs I’ve ever taken.

8. Other than your own productions, what other producers are exciting you at the moment?

Difficult question... Cosmic Gate never dissapoints, and Ferry Corsten always comes up with new great stuff, the recent tracks of the Above & Beyond team are amazing. For the rest, just anybody who tries to do something different. There’s already way too much of the same out there.

9. What is your favourite Bart Claessen production so far?

“Playmo” I think. And if remixes also count, that would be my remix for Public Domain, “I Feel Love”. Mostly when I finish a track, there’s álways something I think that should be better, I’m a little too precise sometimes. But when I finished that one, everything seemed to be exactly in it’s place, not too loud, not too soft, just like how it should be :)
Generally, the tracks I produce with very little different sounds in there, and still sound full enough, those are the best ones. Like “Playmo”; a rhythm, a lead, two other sounds, that’s it.

10. What are your favourite tracks outside EDM?

I listen to so many things. I love Muse (especially live!), and Keane, listen to many film scores, like jazz or classical music sometimes, love those new tunes Timbaland produced for Nelly Furtado, Saybia, Air, The Killers, that unplugged Jay-Z album, there’s so many good stuff. I just love good music.
Maybe Keane’s “Bedshaped” is one of my favourites of the last years. The production is amazing. Very close and direct, full of emotion, great sounds and piano production, and that Theremin-like solo in the end just finishes it off, pure class.

11. What kind of Studio equipment can be found in your studios?

Still have a lot of old stuff here I rarely use, or don’t use anymore. Like my old Akai samplers, the Novation Supernova, the Roland JP8080, or the Lexicon MPX1 effects.
Things I dó use a lot are my Access Virus C, which I mostly resample again to get total control of the sound. The Roland XV5050, very useful for more accoustic sounds, like violins and stuff. My Behringer DDX3216 digital mixer, just works for me. Cubase SX2 sequencer software, softsynths like the V-Station, Vanguard, and many many effects. I always look for things to make my sound dirty and raw, so I use a lot of the cheapest (in price and sound :)) reverbs, delays and other effects. Sounds strange to many people but I’d rather rely on my ears than on the rules.

12. Software or Hardware?

Both! I must say I’m working more and more with software but I like the feeling of buttons and knobs. I hate to work on digital mixers with my mouse. Maybe I’m just oldfashioned haha :)
Yep, I probably am, I’m thinking I was still working on my old Atari 1040ST 4 years ago! Sounds really unbelievable now.

13. For everyone coming to see you this month, can you describe in three words what your set is going to be like?

Energetic, funky, techtrance.

Hope to see you all on the 22nd!