Miguel Ramirez
“I’m going to try mixing it up a bit and play some classics people have forgotten,” Daniel Kandi told The Trance Project.
Daniel Kandi will reach our shores this weekend for two massive shows with Adam Ellis, hitting Melbourne March 3 (grab tix here) and he’ll be playing a special classics set in Sydney on March 4 (find tix here).
“The fans can expect something different from me, not the usual type of classics sets I have been doing the last 6-7 months at different places,” he says. “Melbourne will get something different again, I’ll be playing some of my favourite tracks from 2016, some new promos and also a lot of the new stuff coming out on Always Alive Recordings and the sub labels.”
The Trance Project caught up with the Trance legend ahead of his Australia tour, check out the full interview below.
We’re excited to have you back in Australia this March! What are you looking forward to the most about touring our shores and what do you love most about Australia’s scene?
What I really like about the Australian trance scene is that’s it’s quite diverse, they like uplifting progressive, tech, psy and it’s refreshing to go to a place where all styles are accepted not just one style like some other places in the world. Looking forward to doing some sight seeing again, I like both Melbourne and Sydney which happen to be my favourite cities in Australia.
Could you tell us a few of your most favourite classic trance tracks?
One of my favourites which I rediscovered and had completely forgotten about, which I’m not quite sure how I forgot about this track, I really like Young Parisians – Jump The Next Train and there are many great versions of it and one is even non trancy with the piano and pads. Another of my favourite tracks is Tranquillity Base – Razorfish the Above & Beyond mix, another is Base One – Oceanic with an epic melody and Headstrong – The Truth as well is quite good and this is just to name a few.
When did your love for Trance begin and what does Trance mean to you?
I first discovered trance in the dream dance period when it was a mix between the Euro trancy dancy stuff and knew a few tracks from Way Out West in 1997, their track Domination was great and one of my first trips into trance. Obviously, you had Signum, Rank One as well as ATB’s German producer Andre Tanneberger who has been a major influence in me using pads and piano’s in my tracks, those are the first memories I have of trance.
What can we expect from you in the near future production-wise? Any exciting things your fans should be looking forward to?
I still have quite a few collabs lined up as well as some new solo tracks which will be out in the next few months, finally I’m getting back in the groove again in making my own tracks and have reworked my sound a little bit here and there, so I will be making a range of tracks from prog 135bpm to banging 138-140bpm and exciting to be back in the studio producing.
I’m playing a few parties in the European summer and I’m looking forward to the 10 year anniversary of Luminosity as it will be 4 days of wonderful music from a long list of fantastic artists. Also working on bringing back my Youtube videos to give people production tips and some funny stuff here and there.
Apart from music, what are your other passions in life?
Funnily enough I’m in Italy pursuing my other passion in life which is snooker and pool, I just finished playing a tournament here and sadly played badly so only lasted 2 matches, but generally I do quite well in the international circuit and get top 16/top 8 finishes. I also like traveling and food so it’s great to sample some local flavour whenever I travel.
Is there anything you’d like to say to all your die-hard Aussie fans?
I’d like to say, stick together, be nice to each other and help each other out in the nightlife, I remember talking to people last year and there had been some stabbings and some violence that happened, so treat everyone with respect, if you bump into someone have a beer instead of punching them in the face and I hope and pray that the government sees that’s it’s a minority of fans that go overboard with alcohol/drugs/violence and that 99% of the people go for the love of the music and that authorities don’t put too many restrictions on you guys.
Lastly, I would like to thank James and the Trancegression Events team for having me over finally, after we have been talking about it for a year and a half and it’s finally happening. I have heard wonderful things about Trancegression from colleagues and friends from the trance scene like Ferry Tayle, I can’t wait to play for them and it will also be the first time playing for Trancendence in Sydney and I have heard great things about them as well.
Right now, I’m battling the flu but rest assured I will battle through, be ready for a fantastic tour of Australia and I’m looking forward to partying with my Australian fans and friends. See you all very soon.
