- Dec 1, 2024
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Trance Weekend is a Trance organisation in China, also a community of hundred of Trance enthusiasts, I am one of them. There was an interview with @EnigmaState in 2023 by my friends. I think it's a good time to share it here too (reposting allowed), hope you don't mind if I post it here Nathan. Google Translate is used from Chinese to English, so if there are any doubts, I am here to answer. Some comments by me will be written in red.
Original post link (in Chinese):
Finally, we had the pleasure of reaching out to him for an interview. Thanks to YUIHIM、nohanhan、小高、灵秀之韵 and many other group members (including me haha) for their support on the issue, it was finally combined into the following content.
*A little vote included in the article
Because TranceFix, a well-known trance forum, has already conducted a very professional interview with him, so if you are more interested in production and technology, I recommend reading that interview first.
Well, it's here
www.trancefix.nl
When I was working on this tune, I posted a video on my YouTube channel showing how it was made. Then the "Trance Classics" YouTube channel saw the video, and we decided to release it on vinyl together. For me, I wasn't focused on creating a name with a modern sound, but rather wanted to make Trance the way I love the classic Trance period Trance.
When I make a song in my own style, I tend to draw inspiration from many songs from the classic Trance period. One of the main sources of inspiration for State of Mind was Matt Darey. I love the dark edges he adds to his music, so he undoubtedly inspired "State of Mind."
I also want it to be a follow-up to Enigmatic. Both songs have a similar tone, with a soft introduction that then builds up and ends with a soft ending.
There's no set style for an artist like Calvin Harris, he'll do it for any genre and turn it into a dance pop record, but he's not going to have any long-term investment in Trance as a whole. I think tracks like "Miracle" will get some people interested in Trance and start discovering some of the great artists on the Trance scene.
I do agree with him that I think the Trance scene as a whole, the future of Trance isn't something that sounds like tracks from the classic Trance period. Trance and other music genres always need to evolve and move forward. It's okay to look back and take elements from it to create something new, but if everyone made music like they did 20 years ago, we'd never evolve the Trance scene.
In my own composition, I make music in a style similar to the classical period because when I started, I felt that the Trance scene was a bit bland, and I wanted to do something that I loved, or reach my ideal target tag, rather than chasing something that ASOT played. I think it's better for me to get my name known by going my own way and doing something different than if I were following what's going on in the current mainstream Trance scene.
For my own composition, I try not to call it "Classic Trance" because for a song to be a "classic", it needs to stand the test of time. So I prefer to call my music "classic inspired" (Is it this word in English? I don't know, translated by Google.), using a lot of the methods, hardware, and samples used to make the classic period.
Armin, Tiesto, Ferry, Lange have all changed their style, but that's not a bad thing. I don't really like some of their modern work right now. But I think for those who like their new music, people look back at their historical work and find Trance.
It's an event I've wanted to attend for a while, so it was awesome to be invited to perform there when I first attended. I'm glad that my music and the Enigma State brand have received some recognition and have been invited to perform there.
I've been to a lot of events in the UK, Gatecrasher, Creamfields, Passion, some of my favourite events over the years. But I never thought I could perform at such an event.
I usually spend 2 to 3 evenings a week and some weekends in the studio, and when I'm not in the studio, I spend time with my family, walks with my dog, and watching football games.
I'm also a big fan of The Thrillseekers. I love how active and passionate he is with his approach to classic trance and vinyl.
For a young producers, I would say that the important thing is to be yourself, create music the way you like, don't copy others, and be yourself.
I grew up with my parents and siblings, who were all Manchester United fans, so it was a bit embarrassed to be the only Manchester City fan in the family at times. But both of my kids are also rooting for City.
Trance is a much more underground scene compared to dance pop, so it won't always attract a large crowd. But I'd rather enjoy activities that are less person-a-person, but all people who truly love Trance; And not the activity of a whole bunch of people who don't like Trance. (We have Pure Trance China now, not so bad, maybe..)
Original post link (in Chinese):
Interview with Enigma State: Try not to call my work "Classic Trance" (Posted on 2024.01.11)
Enigma State, a Trance producer from the United Kingdom, has become a special artist for deep Trance lovers in the past two years with her unique production style. In the group chat of Trance Weekend, he was also warmly discussed and loved by everyone.Finally, we had the pleasure of reaching out to him for an interview. Thanks to YUIHIM、nohanhan、小高、灵秀之韵 and many other group members (including me haha) for their support on the issue, it was finally combined into the following content.
*A little vote included in the article
Because TranceFix, a well-known trance forum, has already conducted a very professional interview with him, so if you are more interested in production and technology, I recommend reading that interview first.
Well, it's here
Enigma State | Interview
Finally we get the pleasure to post this interview with Enigma State, one of the most talked about Producers on our Forum, and whose managed two no1 track positions in our best of year voting... a confirmed and solidified as a TF legend. Hope you enjoy this guys! How did your Trance journey...
www.trancefix.nl
Q1: Hi，Nathan. Thanks for the interview with Trance Weekend, and if you could say hello to Chinese trance enthusiasts in the simplest sentence or two, what would you say?
Hello Chinese Trance enthusiasts! I'm Nathan, my stage name is Enigma State, and I'm excited to share my music with you and give this interview.Q2: Are you now a full-time music producer? Do you have any other professional identities besides music?
I make Trance music as a hobby, not my full-time job. My actual job is in the telecommunications field in data analysis and SQL.Q3: In 2022, after the release of the EP "In My Fantasy / Enigmatic", Trance lovers all over the world were amazed. It's hard to believe that in 2022, there will be such a high-quality new classic trance song. When were these two pieces made? Are there any special stories to share?
Before and during the pandemic in 2020, I was rebuilding my studio with the hardware and synthesizers I used during the "classic trance" era in 1990. One of those synthesizers is the Yamaha AN1X (haha, Lately), which is a synthesizer used to create melodies for "In My Fantasy".When I was working on this tune, I posted a video on my YouTube channel showing how it was made. Then the "Trance Classics" YouTube channel saw the video, and we decided to release it on vinyl together. For me, I wasn't focused on creating a name with a modern sound, but rather wanted to make Trance the way I love the classic Trance period Trance.
Q4: How's the progress of your album production, can you tell us a little bit about it? For example, how many songs are planned to be included and how will they be released? (Okay, we all know that now)
I'm still working on the album, but I think it's going to take a while to finish. I recently moved and have renovated the garage in the studio for the past two months, so I'll be going to spend the next month or so getting used to the new studio and then continuing to work on the album. My goal is to make 10 tracks, and all of them are similar in style to what I have now. (Emm, succeed)Q5: Friends in our community love your "State Of Mind" and I found it to have a similar sound to Vincent de Moor's "Eternity". Was this piece your inspiration? (This question was from me)
This is one of Vincent's best works in my opinion.When I make a song in my own style, I tend to draw inspiration from many songs from the classic Trance period. One of the main sources of inspiration for State of Mind was Matt Darey. I love the dark edges he adds to his music, so he undoubtedly inspired "State of Mind."
I also want it to be a follow-up to Enigmatic. Both songs have a similar tone, with a soft introduction that then builds up and ends with a soft ending.
Q6: As your work is all solo for now, do you have any ideas for collaborating with others in the future, such as Slipstream, a veteran Trance brand who is currently active on Borderline, or Allan Morrow, who is also trying to make Classic Trance-style pieces? (Also question from me)
I'm a big fan of George and Allan Morrow, so if there's an opportunity that I think fits to present itself, then I will. Another artist I really admire is Activa. I really like his sound fusion, which resonates with the sounds of the classic period with the modern Trance sounds. (alright @Allan_Morrow_AM_Studios )Q7: Calvin Harris' "Miracle" became one of the biggest hits of the year (year 2023), and Hardwell's remix of it was played and praised several times on the scene. Of course, the popularity of Classic Trance's dance pop music doesn't seem to have aroused much interest in the world of Trance, what do you think of this phenomenon?
I think in any genre of music, people always look to the past, take elements from it, and transform it into something new and modern.There's no set style for an artist like Calvin Harris, he'll do it for any genre and turn it into a dance pop record, but he's not going to have any long-term investment in Trance as a whole. I think tracks like "Miracle" will get some people interested in Trance and start discovering some of the great artists on the Trance scene.
Q8: Solarstone said in an interview (during a performance to Guangzhou China in summer 2023) that he appreciates and supports your work, but he also believes that "Classic Trance is not the future of Trance". Besides the Classic style, what do you think are the outstanding advantages of your work? (Also question from me)
Solarstone has been a big promoter of my music for the past few years, and I have always respected and appreciated what he has to say. I followed him a lot when I was 15/16 years old, when he was working on well-known tracks like "Solarcoaster" and "Seven Cities."I do agree with him that I think the Trance scene as a whole, the future of Trance isn't something that sounds like tracks from the classic Trance period. Trance and other music genres always need to evolve and move forward. It's okay to look back and take elements from it to create something new, but if everyone made music like they did 20 years ago, we'd never evolve the Trance scene.
In my own composition, I make music in a style similar to the classical period because when I started, I felt that the Trance scene was a bit bland, and I wanted to do something that I loved, or reach my ideal target tag, rather than chasing something that ASOT played. I think it's better for me to get my name known by going my own way and doing something different than if I were following what's going on in the current mainstream Trance scene.
For my own composition, I try not to call it "Classic Trance" because for a song to be a "classic", it needs to stand the test of time. So I prefer to call my music "classic inspired" (Is it this word in English? I don't know, translated by Google.), using a lot of the methods, hardware, and samples used to make the classic period.
Q9: In recent years, the development of modern Trance has not been smooth. But unlike when you turn to classic trance, more producers have turned to Deep & Progressive House and Melodic Techno in the first two years. For example, Ferry Corsen is more Melodic House/Progressive House in terms of live performances and track releases, what do you think about this phenomenon? (haha, didn't expect what will come by Ferry in 2024)
I think every artist will develop and change at some stage. Some will change their tastes, others will change direction to suit the crowd.Armin, Tiesto, Ferry, Lange have all changed their style, but that's not a bad thing. I don't really like some of their modern work right now. But I think for those who like their new music, people look back at their historical work and find Trance.
Q10: Chinese ravars haven't been too interested in Trance in recent years, but in the past two years, many people have seen chasing Melodic Techno as a trend. Do you usually listen to some of Melodic Techno's works? Solarstone once described Melodic Techno as "Deep Trance", and even ASOT began to invite Melodic Techno artists to perform, what do you think about this?
I do think Melodic Techno is just bringing the sounds of the past into another dimension of the modern age. It does have the kind of Deep Trance texture that Solarstone describes. I don't take the initiative to listen to Melodic Techno, but when I hear it, I do love it.Q11: Luminosity 2024 is your debut at a major music festival, what does that mean for you? Have you ever experienced a memorable Trance site or event? What do you think is the unique appeal of this kind of event? (excellent show, also the Enigma State @ Studio, Luminosity pres. THIS IS TRANCE ADE 2024)
Yes, this will be my first time at a major music festival and my first time at Luminosity.It's an event I've wanted to attend for a while, so it was awesome to be invited to perform there when I first attended. I'm glad that my music and the Enigma State brand have received some recognition and have been invited to perform there.
I've been to a lot of events in the UK, Gatecrasher, Creamfields, Passion, some of my favourite events over the years. But I never thought I could perform at such an event.
Q12: How much time each week do you spend making music? Will there be times when you feel tired? What's the best way for you to relax?
I struggle to strike a balance between work, family life, and taking care of my family. I've found that if I spend a lot of time in the studio, I end up having a hard time doing what I want to do, so it's good for me to balance and control my time in the studio.I usually spend 2 to 3 evenings a week and some weekends in the studio, and when I'm not in the studio, I spend time with my family, walks with my dog, and watching football games.
Q13: Among today's new Trance DJs/producers, who do you admire or like the most? What do you think are the most important qualities of a young producer? (I think the answer is off topic. What to asked is the 'new' Trance DJs/producers. Anyway.)
As mentioned before, I'm a big fan of Activa. I think he's one of the few artists who doesn't follow trends and tries to get creative and do something different.I'm also a big fan of The Thrillseekers. I love how active and passionate he is with his approach to classic trance and vinyl.
For a young producers, I would say that the important thing is to be yourself, create music the way you like, don't copy others, and be yourself.
Q14: Through your social media, we see that you seem to be a Manchester City fan and your daughter also seems to have received very professional football training. What kind of existence is football to you? (Emm.. I know nothing about football)
Yes, I am a big Manchester City fan and will be a Manchester City fan for the rest of my life.I grew up with my parents and siblings, who were all Manchester United fans, so it was a bit embarrassed to be the only Manchester City fan in the family at times. But both of my kids are also rooting for City.
Q15: We had some Trance parties in China, but we were often faced with the dilemma of earning less than spending. Some lovers of trance music who are deeply fond of trance have too little spending power, while club-obsessed dancers and drunkards are not interested in this kind of music. What advice do you have as a big name in the industry?
It's hard for me to give advice because I don't organize events, but I think it's better to let the Trance scene develop naturally than force a boost.Trance is a much more underground scene compared to dance pop, so it won't always attract a large crowd. But I'd rather enjoy activities that are less person-a-person, but all people who truly love Trance; And not the activity of a whole bunch of people who don't like Trance. (We have Pure Trance China now, not so bad, maybe..)
Q16: Have you ever been to China? Solarstone, Sean Tyas, XiJaro & Pitch, Paul Denton, Metta & Glyde are all performing in China in 2023, would you try it if you had an opportunity in the future? (We might be willing to try to do an event that focuses on Classic Trance, although this can be very difficult.)
So far, I've never been to China to listen to music or go on vacation, but maybe one day I'll have the opportunity and will definitely consider it.End
Thanks Nathan for the interview, hope you hear more from you in the future.
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