Kirsty: How does it feel to sign for NoEscape?
Anthony: Signing to NoEscape Music Promotions has given me a clientele to work with. As I see it as a DJ/Producer, promotion work is not just the job of the promoter; the artist has to display the same if not more enthusiasm to the audience at hand, thus creating more work for the promoter and the artist. NoEscape as a Music Promotions business, up and coming within the Manchester club scene, has offered me guidance in an ambitious professional manner to help me gain access to Manchester’s club scene as a Trance DJ, offering me somewhere I can call home.
K: Where did you first hear about NE?
A: Whilst I was browsing through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, adding and building up a following on a global scale, I came across one of NoEscape’s newsletters – what’s hot, what’s not, what’s going on around Manchester’s club scene etc. When I looked into NoEscape’s profile in more detail, I discovered that NoEscape was a new Music Promotion business, branching off from their counterpart over in Sweden. I found out that NoEscape was looking for up and coming talent within the Manchester region, whilst making a name within Manchester’s club scene as an additional sister Company.
K: How would you describe the style of music you play?A: The music I play is a form of Trance, and known to Trance fans as High Energy Uplifting Trance. Trance is what I DJ, its construction is based around a mixture of elements from other Trance sub genres, mixing the styles of Happy Hardcore/ Hard Trance/ Psy Trance and Emotion/Epic Trance, to create High Energy Uplifting Trance.
K: At what age did you begin DJing?
A: I started DJing in the late 90s, ‘96 to be more precise. I began DJing Happy Hardcore and Hard Trance (the Energy factor was just being born at this time), then I broke off from DJing as I was still partying hard. It was around 2003 when I started DJing again, around the time when trance music was evolving once more; Hard Trance as I knew it was changing for the worse, so this was when I started listening to Uplifting Trance. As I was getting older and starting to DJ again, I started to want more from Trance music, and this led me to education. I studied Creative Music and Sound Technology at Leeds Metropolitan University for a BSc (Hons) in Music Science.
K: Who inspires you as a DJ?
A: There are not many DJs who inspire me at the moment. The few I do like are DJs Dave 202, DJ Gard, Sean Tyas and John O’ Callaghan. Most of my inspiration comes from myself, as most of the DJs I have listened to don’t or only play one or two tracks that I really love. This is why I started to DJ for a second time – I wanted to play my own style of trance (now I do, and love every minute of it!)
K: What was the first record you bought?
A: Thinking back, it was a long time ago, I think it was Moby’s ‘Feel So Real’. The mix I like of that Record is the WestBam Remix, the ‘94 release. From then on I only bought the best of the best Tunes, and to this date I still do the same.
K: Who is your favourite DJ?
A: I don’t really favour any one DJ. The selected DJs I do like are Sean Tyas, Dave 202, John O’Callaghan and a couple more. I do respect all DJs/ Producers, whether they be major or up and coming, for keeping the music scene alive.
K: Track you’d play to smash it during a set?
A: I don’t have a particular track to smash the dancefloor. I don’t consider DJing to be playing the same tracks all the time. When DJing I would prepare and structure the set; I want to give the audience a musical experience, which would differ depending on the length of the set. The structure I prefer with my sets goes as follows: I would start with a nice Energy Trance track to set the mood, taking it a little higher in tempo about a third of the way into the hour, then from half way in, play tunes that hit the roof – the highest quality in Uplifting Energy Trance, then go on to finish with whatever type of style the next DJ is playing, or of a similar type, but still keeping to the theme of my set.
Here are some recommendations of High Quality, High Energy Uplifting Trance.
K: What is your ultimate end of the night track?
A: Same as the last question, the mix would depend on what type or who is playing next, but if I were finishing the night myself, I would make the set arrangement as to leave the audience in a nice mood to go home! When constructing the DJ sets I anticipate the mood of the audience. Without the audience a DJ is just a normal person playing some music.
K: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
A: I would like to see myself as an international trance DJ/Producer. I am working on this by making friends and gaining followers in fans in other countries, using social media sites to promote my music. With the technology of today its can be really easy to get your work out there to people around the world.
K: What is your favourite club night/venue?
A: My love is the audience and the music I play and produce, so as long as the venue as good and has all the latest DJing facilities, I am very happy wherever I ply, as long all health and safety issues have been met.
K: What, if anything, do you feel is missing from the club scene in Manchester?
A: The only thing I reckon Manchester’s nightlife is missing is me and my outstanding Energised Uplifting Trance mix selection. Manchester is a good place for music as pretty much all of the genres are represented on the club scene.
