Interviews
Everything To Know About Galestian’s New Remix Compilation — Interview
‘Galestian Remixed: Selected Proton Works’ is fresh material for clubs and festival stages. The new release features sensational producers within the Progressive and Melodic House/Techno circles. Scroll down to read the full interview.
1 — What did you have in mind with your new ‘Galestian Remixed’ compilation? Is it a way to give fans another dimension of your music?
I’ve been releasing music for years now, and I’m super grateful to have worked with certain people and labels, especially over the last several years since splitting my time between LA and Berlin. I realized that there are some truly fantastic remixes of my work over these years, which all hold a common thread. The compilation is a way to celebrate the artists and remixers who have added a new dimension to some of my original bodies of work. It’s a way to tie the torchbearers of our scene together, and to showcase their work to fans. The compilation is a collaboration not just between myself and the remixers involved, but also some of the labels I’ve worked with – Desert Hearts Black, Click Records, and Perspectives Digital. Huge thanks to everyone involved for their contributions, it really means a lot.
2 — Remixers on this album are Fur Coat, Olivier Giacomotto, Matan Caspi, Stefano Richetta, Ian O’Donovan, and Fat Sushi. How did you choose the remixers and based on what?
How the remixers were chosen depends entirely on the track. For example, with “Hindsight”, I collaborated with vocalist Sebu from the band Capital Cities. We had a few remixers in mind and Olivier Giacomotto ended up being the perfect fit. He truly reworked the original into a harder melodic techno piece geared for clubs, which gained the support of artists like Nicole Moudaber and Joris Voorn. “Reset” was a collaboration I’d done with Darin Epsilon, and we bounced a list of potential remixers back and forth until deciding to pitch the idea to Fur Coat, who loved the record and turned it into a dark, late-night banger. I’ve been a fan of Matan Caspi’s work for a very long time, so when I worked with vocalist Denitia on “One”, we ran the track by Matan, who had some great ideas to give it a more retro spin. I had a release on his and Stan Kolev’s Outta Limits Recordings label many years ago, so it was only natural for us to reconnect. “Alles Klar” was one of the first records I had produced shortly after arriving in Berlin. We put it out on Perspectives Digital. I was a big fan of Fat Sushi’s work, they’re based in Switzerland, and I really wanted to connect more with the music scenes in Germany and Switzerland, so naturally they came to mind when we were discussing potential remixers. I was thrilled when they agreed to remix the record – they truly did some great work on that one. Ian O’Donovan did an excellent job too, love the synthwork in his remix. “Dreaming” is a special tune that’s filled with optimism, it’s one of the few records I’ve written in a major key. I collaborated with vocalist Brooke Higgins on that, we met through Berklee College of Music. Click Records’ label head Stefano Richetta had signed it to his label and offered to remix the record, as he was really inspired by it. The original was written right when I got back from Nevada’s Burning Man festival in 2019. Really happy with what Stefano did with it. So you see, there’s a bit of a story behind each one of these remixes and I’m deeply grateful for the artists and labels who have helped make this all possible.
3 — Your compilation covers dancefloor-focused genres like melodic house and techno, progressive house and organic house. Do you think all of these remixes are club-oriented?
I’d say most of these remixes are made with the dancefloors in mind, and sound best on big sound systems for that reason – like Fur Coat’s Remix of “Reset” and Olivier Giacomotto’s remix of “Hindsight”. You can really experience these tracks best when your entire body can feel the bass too. Others can also be great while driving, working, train rides, working out at the gym, or in a Spotify playlist that fits your own tastes. I don’t want to limit how these tracks are enjoyed though, so I’ll let fans decide how they want to listen. I fell in love with listening to electronic music years before I even knew about clubs, raves, or festivals, and before I was even old enough to go to any of those events, so there are no rules here!
4 — Seems like Beatport has been loving your remix compilation. They chose it as a Melodic House & Techno “Hype Pick” and a few other tracks made it into the “Best New Hype” charts in various categories. Which tracks are your personal favorites and why?
Yes, definitely grateful for Beatport’s love and attention. Stefano Richetta’s remix of “Dreaming” made it into the “Best New Hype” chart for Organic House/Downtempo at #2 and Fur Coat’s remix of “Reset” into the Melodic House & Techno chart at #23. Hard to say which ones are my own favorites, because I enjoy all of them in different ways. That’s why they all made it onto the compilation!
5 — Are there any of your original tracks that didn’t make it onto this remix EP?
There were so many others that didn’t make it into this one, not because they weren’t good enough, but simply because there was a certain theme tying all of the remixes together and not all of them fit that theme coherently. Also, not all of the tracks I had in mind blended so well into the DJ mix version for Spotify and Apple Music. That said, we may perhaps consider a “Galestian Remixed: Volume 2” compilation sometime down the line.
6 — As a music producer, what are you most grateful for?
Oh man, that’s a hard one to answer because I’m grateful for so much. It’s not an easy industry, and you have to be very comfortable with uncertainty. Namely, it’s the challenge of personal growth that comes with being a music producer, and an artist as an extension of that. I’m grateful for all of the challenges this path has put in my way, because at the end of the day, it has made me a more centered and confident person. The challenges have given me inspiration, creative fodder, and on a macro level – an understanding of the human condition, an understanding of the dynamics of the world, a humbling feeling that we will never know it all, see it all, or experience it all in our lifetimes, and that there’s a unifying force that connects us all, and is far greater than all of us will ever know. For me, the creative process is about tapping into all of that, tapping into that force that keeps us all together, that keeps all of life together. It’s about transcending our stories, our politics, our struggles, our biases, our fears, our hurts, our thoughts, any bitterness or sadness – and cutting straight into the core of who we are. Music, for me, is a sacred space that transcends these limitations. I’m grateful that I’m able to do something which I’m so deeply passionate about, and that I’m able to positively influence those who enjoy experiencing the music just as much as I enjoy creating it.
7 — What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given by another artist?
I’ve worked pretty closely with Paul Oakenfold for years since he signed my first record “Rituals” back in 2017. In a nutshell, his advice to me was to be consistent with releasing music. I’ve found this to be very valuable advice, so thanks to Paul for that. When I worked with Sebu (from Capital Cities) on “Hindsight”, we had come to a crossroads when it came to deciding how to release the track. A few labels were interested, and we couldn’t come to a consensus on what was best for the record. Either the release date would be too far out, or we couldn’t get the remixers we wanted, or communication was way too slow, or we weren’t happy with the overall direction a potential label wanted to take the record. So, at the end of the day, we decided to release the record ourselves, and after some hesitation, this essentially was the final push I needed to launch Global Entry Recordings, which is now an offshoot of my syndicated Global Entry Radio show. So, I’m very grateful for that catalyst towards a more self-directed route. “Hindsight” was the first release on the label in April of 2021.
8 — If you could choose a different career, what would it be and why?
Before going full-time with music, I had a short stint doing sales in music retail and even within the travel industry. I also worked in our family business (a music store), but eventually found my way into radio – first as an intern on college/public radio, then running my own show for years, eventually a board operator on a big commercial radio station, then as an assistant producer, and eventually a producer for radio stations in LA. Later, I worked in digital media in different producer roles, working my way up to senior management at iHeartMedia (who owns iHeartRadio). So, in the past, I actually had explored different career paths, all of which somehow led me to this point. In hindsight, every job I’d taken was done to somehow help me learn how to get to where I am today – with a fuller scope of understanding and in a way that’s coherent with my highest drive and inner values. So, to answer your question, I wouldn’t want to do anything else. Though who knows? Maybe in another life, I’d have loved to be an astronaut or skydiving instructor. As a kid, I wanted to be a movie director. I’d run around the house with a video camera and direct mock-up stages with my sister and cousins. Those days were fun.
9 — Before the pandemic, you wrote a digital book called “The Nomadic Music Producer’s Handbook” which was inspired by your many years of traveling to different countries before the pandemic hit the world. How do you see Galestian in the next 10 years?
Hard to see that far into the future, but I can definitely see more travel, especially through South America, which I’ve yet to visit. Would love to continue touring and seeing the world, creating and releasing more music, continually pushing myself, and being in a position to somehow make the world a better place for the next generation. Hope my life’s work inspires others to live lives that are authentic and meaningful, as I believe this creates a positive ripple effect throughout the rest of the world. I see my future self as happy and healthy and in a position to make a big difference, especially within our global music scene.
10 — How did you come up with the “Global Entry” name for your radio show and record label?
From about 2015-2018, I lived a semi-nomadic life, mostly traveling through Asia. My dream at the time was to travel around the world long-term, and if I really liked a certain place, to stay there for as long as I liked. That was one of my dreams. It was around that time that I found out about a program called “Global Entry” that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection was offering. It essentially allows you to travel with super quick clearance, sometimes completely skipping the long queues at certain airports. Music and travel are my biggest passions, so when it came time to come up with a name, I remember I was in the car with a friend as we were driving through Santa Monica in California, and this all came up in a conversation. We weren’t too far from the airport, you could even see planes flying in the sky. The name just sort of clicked and stuck after that moment. It was a perfect way to sum up my life at the time. If you look closely at the logo, it encapsulates my love for music and travel: there’s a vinyl record, which can also be the world or our planet; there’s an airplane that’s flying around that world, but it’s leaving a trail that looks like an audio cable. Or the plane and the audio cable are moving towards one another. Kind of like that old phrase “music makes the world go round”. Well, at least in my world it does.
11 — Anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Thanks for taking the time to read this, really do appreciate it! I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to follow me on social media and say hello. I’m galestianmusic on all platforms. You can also subscribe to my Global Entry Radio show, which is available as a free podcast. It’s a one-hour show that goes out once a month, now in its fourth year. Hope you enjoy it!
CONNECT WITH GALESTIAN NOW!
I had the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with VE/RA, an up-and-coming Techno musician, to talk about her recent popular single, “Love & Peace” in collaboration with The Rocketman. During the interview, she talks about the process of creating her unique and powerful sound, juggling her music career alongside other responsibilities, her aspirations as an artist in the long run, and various other topics.
1 — How did the idea of mixing elements of Rap and Techno come about in your new track “Love & Peace”?
The Rocketman and I, both being Techno artists, decided to create a track in our genre. However, we wanted to make it unique and distinct. Upon discovering a Rap vocal, we immediately started building music around it.
2 — What was your reaction to receiving support from industry heavyweights like Charlotte De Witte, Nicky Romero, and Maddix?
After finishing the track, we sent it to Charlotte de Witte. Over the weekend, while scrolling through my Instagram stories, I came across a post where she was playing “Love & Peace.” Overwhelmed with excitement, I immediately called The Rocketman. Getting support from Charlotte de Witte is a huge deal within the Techno scene. Soon after, Maddix also supported us multiple times, which was great since I’ve always enjoyed his productions. A little while later, I received a video of Nicky Romero playing our track on the main stage at EDC Mexico. It was surreal to see the huge audience react so positively to our track. In short, it was a very cool experience!
3 — Did you face any challenges in achieving the hard-hitting sound?
No, not really. The track was there within 5 hours. After finding the vocals, a hard-hitting kick, psy bass, acid line, and trance synth were built around it. The result was not overly complicated, as simplicity was key.
4 — What do you think sets “Love & Peace” apart from other Techno tracks?
“Love & Peace” is a highly accessible Techno track that appeals to a wide audience. While Nicky Romero and Avao are not necessarily Techno artists, they still play the genre. Additionally, the Rap vocal adds a unique touch to the whole sound.
5 — Can you share any details about your upcoming collaborations in 2023?
No, unfortunately, I can’t say anything about that this time.
6 — How do you balance your music production career with other commitments?
I still live at home with my parents, so my expenses are not that high. I do this on purpose, to put my full focus on my music career.
7 — What’s the most unforgettable experience you’ve had while performing on stage?
That was when I was playing at Dutchweek in Saalbach, Austria, on top of the mountain. My sister, father, and his girlfriend were with me. After finishing my performance, my father stood with tears in his eyes and said, “I’m so proud.” My sister also wrote me a message expressing her pride. The warmth and positive energy from both my family and fans always stay with me the longest.
8 — How has your music evolved since you first started producing?
I made a lot of strides in the field of producing. I took private lessons producing in Den Bosch, and took a lot of online courses, including those from Alex Stein, ANNA & Wehbba, Amazingblaze, and UMEK. I also took a course at the Herman Brood Academy and learned a lot from other producers.
9 — What are your long-term goals as an artist, and where do you see yourself in the future?
I would love to set up my own label and event. Besides that, I would love to travel the world and share my music with as many people as possible. There are too many events to list where I would love to play, but one of my biggest dreams is Tomorrowland, Awakenings, Ultra, Time Warp, EDC, and Soundstorm.
10 — Finally, is there something else you would like to share with your fans?
I want to thank my fans very much for all the support I have received. I get so much positive energy from them all the time. You can expect new tracks from me this year and I will be debuting at a lot of cool events. Keep an eye on my socials and hopefully, I will see you soon!
CONNECT WITH VE/RA NOW!
©Jerry Sumit Suksawat
T@NE is a multi-talented artist who wears many hats – musician, saxophonist, composer, producer, rapper, vocalist, and director. His recent collaboration with Dronez resulted in an epic remix of a new track called “Autumn.”
In this interview, he shares his inspiration for the remix, how the collaboration with Dronez came about, what sets this remix apart from the original version, and much more…
1 — What inspired the decision to remix “Autumn”?
I felt the composition really lends itself to being remixed. I mean you can remix anything, so yeah it’s great to hear what someone else can do with the work. And, it’s a great way to collaborate with people and build each other’s brands.
2 — How did the collaboration with Dronez come about?
I was studying (and still studying) the genre Future Riddim and I was listening to a track Dronez released called “Quest;” I was thinking to myself, man Dronez is gonna rock a remix of “Autumn.” We should work together, let’s collaborate.
3 — What sets this remix apart from the original version?
One of the main things was to give Dronez the freedom to do whatever he wanted with the track. When discussing what to do, I said to Dronez, “go in and do your thing” and yeah he demolished it; Dronez absolutely rocked it.
4 — What kind of emotions do you hope to evoke in listeners through this remix?
You know, the beautiful thing about putting out work is that everybody can get something different out of it.
For me, it’s hey, just keep believing in yourself, keep believing in your dreams, and put in the hard work. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from my experiences it’s that not only do you have to be the hardest worker and smartest worker in the room, but you also have to be up working before everybody else. I try to set my alarm for 3:30 am/4:00 am because those extra hours of correct practice really add up in helping you to be prepared for when opportunities arise.
Whatever it is you do, your career, romantic relationships, or friendships, it’s about really trying to bring your A-game all the time, and that comes in the preparation and putting in the hard work. So yeah, keep working and always try and be a better version of yourself.
But, like I said what people get from our work, I really believe depends on the individual.
©Jerry Sumit Suksawat
5 — How did you go about selecting the beats and harmonies for “Autumn”?
For the original, I had been talking to my friend Be Steadwell about working on a song together, so I went to her place and we pretty much wrote the whole composition and lyrics in like three days, I remember working on a few chords when I got back to my place.
And for the remix, I sent Dronez some stems from the original; the vocals stems, guitar stems, keyboard stems and some synth and pad stems. Stems are exports of the individual tracks out of a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), that you can then import into your production/mixing session in another (same or different companies) DAW.
The vocals already had production on them (i.e. EQ, Compression, Reverb, Delay, Etc.) by my guy Johannes Raassina, and then Dronez added more of his own production to the vocals.
So yeah, once Dronez had the stems from the original, he used some of what Be and I composed, and then he came up with his own incredible composition.
6 — Can you elaborate on the concept that the lyrics convey?
Be Steadwell wrote the lyrics, I just remember her composing all these lyrics on the spot, I was thinking to myself this is incredible.
©Fishman Art 89
7 — The artwork looks very striking! What was the idea behind it?
Thank you, yeah the album artwork is by my guy Fishman Art 89, he’s amazing. Fishman has done a lot of our album covers, I love working with him.
This artwork is a variation of the original. The lady on the cover isn’t anyone in particular, that was just my idea that I had for the cover; usually, when I think of a song there’s also a visual that comes into my head that goes along with it. So I’ll sketch out the concept and send it to Fishman, then Fishman will send me a few of his sketches, and we’ll pick one and take it from there. But yeah, I really just let Fishman go in and do his thing.
8 — Do you have any plans for future collaborations?
I would love to collaborate with Dronez again, and whoever is down to collaborate. I love collaborating with people whether it’s for an original, remix, or anything else.
9 — Are you already working on your next release?
Yeah working on more music projects with my bandmates, and also working on my Nightwing script. I really believe I’m the guy to play Nightwing and direct the film. It’s coming along great, at the moment I have around 106 pages of script. I’m not gonna say too much about the script at the moment but I will say Batman/Bruce Wayne is in the screenplay and I’m writing those parts with Ben Affleck in mind. So yeah just working on that.
10 — How do you see your artistry evolving over the next 10 years?
Just taking it one day at a time, trying to make sure I put the correct hard work in and keep moving forward.
CONNECT WITH T@NE NOW!
Jordana Moon, who is a member of the musical duo Moon And Aries, talks about the new EP ‘Break The Matrix (Episode Three).’ This material draws inspiration from the idea of breaking away from the old world and building a new, healthier paradigm. Learn more via this exclusive interview.
1 — What was the inspiration behind the concept for your new EP, ‘Break the Matrix (Episode Three)’?
Hello! This is Jordana Moon speaking with you today. Thanks so much for your time and inquiry about our latest “Moon And Aries: Break The Matrix Episode 3”
That’s definitely a loaded question that leans into a loaded answer, but I’ll do my best to give the cliff notes. Tom (Aries ) and I have a deep fascination with how reality works in this realm or matrix. Concepts of laws of physics, the law of attraction, laws of nature… things like that. Exploring the illusion, the limitations, the potentials, the infinite perspectives of truth …the ultimate truth. Why we are here? Who are we now and where are we going. These are the questions we explore in the full trilogy of “Break The Matrix”. Basically, challenging and breaking free from the old World to help create a new, healthier, paradigm.
2 — How would you describe the creative process of this project?
Tom and I talk about the concept of each song for a few months before Tom begins his initial ideas for the composition. We flush out the idea, see how it’s resonating through our lives, and then Tom captures the essence of our thoughts and feelings and puts them into his incredible compositions. So, we talk about each song individually and explore the concept of the album in full, simultaneously. We sort of live the concepts during the making of each song. Then I write the lyrics once the composition is near to complete, and it unfolds from there.
3 — What was your favorite song to work on from the EP and why?
Illumination Society. Tom and I love this concept a lot. It’s like, the whole trilogy leads up to this song. It’s a song about winning! The instrumental is so dynamic and I loved writing the lyrics in sort of a rap song type of way! This song has become our calling card.
4 — Is there a formula to create such futuristic sounds?
Yes and no. I feel like if you are in a state of creative channeling, almost like meditation, you’ll become a very clear channel of what the World possibly needs to hear. Indie music has the potential to be at the very tip of the music industry because we don’t need to play by the same trending rules. So, we have creative freedom. But from the conception of a song to its release, is usually a 9-month period for us. So, we need to always be hanging in the future and bringing that into the now in order to be at the forefront of the industry. Like the musical Marty McFly!
But, on the flip side, we are just doing what comes naturally to us. Some people think our sound is very nostalgic! Some think it’s current. Some think it’s futuristic because of the Sci-Fi type of concept. Tom and I are just acting on impulse and intuition. Creating the music, we want to hear.
5 — Did you face any challenges while working on this material?
This project was actually pretty smooth. We just had finished writing a 9-song album and a 5-song EP and we worked out a lot of kinks with those songs. Sometimes my lyrics are not in full alignment with my emotions if that makes sense. So, I have to get all of me to surrender to the song so that my vocal performance is on par with Tom’s instrumentals and my lyrics. My voice has to really sell the song. And I’m not going to lie, sometimes it takes me 8 to 10hrs to record a song, especially if I need to transmit a deep level of vulnerability.
6 — How does ‘Break the Matrix (Episode Three)’ differ from your previous works?
It’s definitely the episode with the most energetic songs. All dance floor vibes, a little more playful, a little more fun.
7 — What is your message to your listeners with your latest release?
Honestly, we just try to create music that activates and puts people into a higher state as they listen. If you feel better during and after, that means the most to us. If you’ve had a few existential moments, even better 🙏🙌
8 — Can you talk about the music video for your recent single “From Another Dimension”?
The music video was created by our friend Lissete Real from Ecuador. She’s actually made around 10 of our videos, I believe. We love animation and simple videos that don’t overcomplicate the song’s meaning. This video highlights a lone astronaut who is both on land and in water. Now, it doesn’t exactly go into which planet he’s on, but water is consciousness and rebirth… so he’s on his existential journey of self-discovery, no matter which dimension he’s in. There are infinite versions of ourselves, and you could say there is a version of ourselves “watching and waiting” as we look upon the version of ourselves that is exploring and discovering.
9 — As a duo, how has your collaboration evolved throughout the years?
Tom and I have now known each other for 3 years! But have still not met in person! We are 9 hrs apart lol We will be meeting in person soon tho. And as we get to know each other better, our music becomes more cohesive. Even tho we clicked right off the bat, like anything, you grow and evolve and naturally get better if that’s what you desire. So now when we go to work on a song, our vision, and our truth is much more aligned.
10 — What can we expect from Moon And Aries in the upcoming months?
We will be re-releasing all 3 episodes as one full concept album. That will happen very soon! And after that, more music, and new concepts. We’ve got a lot we are working on right now. And we also have big plans (currently a secret) but that also revolve around meeting in person and performing live on stage together. So, stay tuned for those updates!! Thanks so much for chatting, it’s been a pleasure.