Simon Patterson opens up about his latest compilation album

There’s fewer better marks of recognition for DJs working inside the genre, than getting that Trance Nation call from Ministry of Sound. Since Ferry Corsten and Judge Jules helmed the first releases in the series, luminaries like Above & Beyond, Cosmic Gate, Aly & Fila, Andy Moor and Lange have all received the call-up. And now, Simon Patterson has been passed the reins for the 2015 of the compilation album.

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Interview

Hey Simon, where do we find you today and what are you up to?
I just had a great weekend in LA playing Beyond Wonderland for Insomniac. It was a great show and I got to play an extra half hour because Astrix got there late. I just got back to Miami so I’m taking the day off.

Nice! So, we’re here, predominantly to talk about the release of your Trance Nation album. The series is among the genre’s longest running. What’s it like to get a phone call where Ministry asks you to take something like this on?
It was amazing. Like I said before, it’s such an iconic compilation series and I grew up listening to it for years when I was a kid. It’s an honour to be asked to be apart of this legacy.

What approach did you take with the compiling and mixing of this Trance Nation?
Finding the key ingredients for a mix that can be played morning, noon or night. Just simply – the right tracks.

What kind of music mix/progression did you develop for it?
Like I said, it’s everything. No stone is unturned. It progresses perfectly from each track to each CD – from more laidback tracks to the tougher end of things.

Are there any well-known trance sub-genres that you purposefully steered away from.
No. I never would. A good track is a good track regardless of genre. That’s what Open Up is about and that’s what I applied to this CD.

There’s a good deal of exclusives on the album, among them your remix of indie-rockers Hard Fi’s ‘Fire In The House’. How did that cooperation come about?
I loved the original and wanted to make my own version of it. Thankfully the band liked the remix and Warners agreed to let me use it on the Trance Nation compilation.

There’s also your new track ‘Drop The Bass’, which is the first track you’ve signed to Ministry. You tend to record for a wider range of labels than your average trance artist. Why is that?
I like to branch out. It’s good to have different teams and different labels pushing you in different ways.

Which single track that you’ve produced has had the single greatest impact on your career?
I would say ‘Smack’ or ‘Bulldozer’.

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Personally, in club, what’s your favourite time of the night to play?
I like the 2-4 slot.

You’ve recently moved to the States. How long ago did you make that move and what prompted it?
I moved about 6 months ago because over the last two years I have played here so much. Also my fiancé lives here and it’s a good place for me to settle down. I like it here – it’s a good way of life and good for family.

With you holding residencies at Esscala and Avalon (in NYC and LA respectively), fans might have expected you to base in one of those cities. But you chose Miami. Why was that?
As a said before It’s where my fiancé lives and I like the weather. Next year I will be moving up north to Boston/NYC area to settle down and buy a home.

Tell us the ethos behind your Open Up movement?
Open Up is exactly what it says on the tin. It’s about being open minded and anything goes. Not being confined to certain genres.

How do you get Open Up’s message across to fans?
My weekly radio show on DI is a good notice board for showing what’s hot in my world right now.

If you had to pick three adjectives to describe what you’d like clubbers to experience when you’re behind the decks, what would they be?
Good mixing, effective progression and driving music.