1. The "Now & Then" album, conceptually what does this title represent ?
Johan Gielen: We have chosen this title because the album contains the classic Airscape tracks (then) and the new productions (now).
2. What are some of Your personal favourite things on or about the album ?
Johan Gielen: My personal favourite thing about this album is that your making a musical journey with old and new songs. My favourite tracks are "My Love", "Pacific Melody" and the wonderful chill track "Not Today, Maybe Tomorrow"
3. How does "Now & Then" compare to that of Your well known maxi single "L'Esperanza" ?
Johan Gielen: There's some similar tracks on the album with the same energy although we made room for some other styles as well.
4. We all know that Jes Brieden is one of the most prolific, acclaimed and renowned female vocalist within the EDM spectrum and not only. So tell me, how did You eventually end up with this amazing track, actually Your first track of the album "My Love" ?
Johan Gielen: The original version of "My Love" was an instrumental track and at that moment I was thinking of putting a good vocal in it. After a meeting with my record company we came with the idea to use Jes, so I sent her the instrumental and she took care of the vocals.
5. Where do You draw Your lyrical inspirations from ?
Johan Gielen: Sometimes I take things out of my daily life and try to put it on paper. I always try to tell a message to the people with my songs.
6. Myself, being a Vocal EDM lover, especially Vocal Trance, I need to know please, who wrote the lines for "Feel Alive Like I Do" featuring Jennifer Hershman.
Johan Gielen: That was done by herself and I must say: great job !
7. Production-wise, who else did You work with to establish this amazing tracklist for the album ?
Johan Gielen: The old ones on the album are made together with Chris Inger, Sven Maes and for the new ones I teamed up with Cor Fijneman, Ben Huijbrechts, Daniel Wanrooy and Mark Green.
8. How involved are You actually in the whole creative musical process ?
Johan Gielen: 100% involved, which means I'm always working on ideas together with my producer.
9. So aside from this album, what else is on Your plate, futuristically speaking ?
Johan Gielen: At this moment we are working on a Johan Gielen album and some remixes for Lost Stories, Loverush UK and more to come!
10. "Many a DJ seems to think that having the ability of mixing two records will bring instant stardom. Johan Gielen doesn’t belong to that breed". Please share some further details about it, coming from someone like You, more Bedroom Djs might be able to learn something from that, thanks
Johan Gielen: I think the best way to do it is follow your own heart and try to be original. Everything has to come with passion, I never became a dj, I was born with it.
11. With huge and heavily support from the best Dutch performing artists of the moment, Armin van Buuren and Dj Tiesto, along the 2009's version, I have heard that "L'Esperanza",* is going to be a full EP release soon, is that right ?
Johan Gielen: Yes that's right, besides the album we will be coming with some EP's with new remixes anno 2010.
12. "My Love" for the "L'Esperanza", it's so huge, therefore, I have the "Faith", that somehow I will be listening the "Pacific Melody" of the album, over and over again, so "Feel Alive Like I Do" while "Cruising" the album. "Not Today, Maybe Tomorrow" I have the feeling, that "Sosei" will be the "Certification" of Your huge support and hard work for the EDM, becoming an "Amazon Chant" for all the EDM "Saints Ltd" (lovers). What do You think about that ?
Johan Gielen: These are the right words to put the album into a story, a musical journey into the Airscape sounds.
One Love One Sound One Unity.
Johan Gielen
Interview made by Cosmin Lukacs (TranceSound.net admin/founder)
Links:
Johan Gielen official website
Johan Gielen @ MySpace
Cosmin Lukacs official website
Cosmin Lukacs @ MySpace
TranceSound.net official website
