Ferry Corsten is one of the world’s most famous and prolific trance producers. The Rotterdam based DJ has been a full-time producer since 1991 and has developed into a true prodigy of the international dance scene.
After initially producing some hardcore gabba tracks Ferry became more interested in clubhouse and trance. In 1996 Ferry achieved a position in the U.K. singles chart at #46 with ‘Don’t be Afraid’ by Moonman, his first major and European breakthrough as a solo dance artist, producer & composer. In 1997 Ferry and his partner Robert Smit established the Tsunami dance label together with the Dutch based dance company Purple Eye Entertainment.
In February 1999 Ferry’s second solo project, System F, was released on the Tsunami imprint. The title ‘Out Of The Blue’ is a melodic and powerful twister and turned out to be one of the biggest trance track of 1999, achieved a top twenty position in the U.K. singles chart and put Ferry on the world-wide dance map permanently.
Other projects of Ferry Corsten are: “Carte Blanche” by Veracocha (produced together with Vincent de Moor) and in May 1999 the title “Gouryella” by the act Gouryella was released, an Artist-project Ferry produces together with the famous Dutch DJ Tiësto. The first single “Gouryella” entered the U.K. Singles Top 75 at #15 and achieved various hit positions throughout the world. The follow-up of Gouryella, entitled “Walhalla” has been released worldwide. Furthermore Ferry remixed William Orbit’s ” Adagio for Strings” as well as “New Years Day” for the famous band U2.
The rest is history, as they say, and ever since Ferry Corsten has ridden the tsunami of success (bad pun intended) which has led him to his second tour of Australia in one year. His DJ set in Sydney last year was lauded as one of the most uplifting an enjoyable sets of the year, and his sound today is still reminiscent of the emotion his music purveys.
It’s only a few more days and the Ministry of Sound Annual Tour will be upon us. Whilst in transit in Singapore, Ferry took time out to answer some questions for inthemix.com.au:
ITM: You toured Australia last year with the ‘Trance Nation tour’. I saw you in Sydney and the crowd absolutely loved you. And it was very clear that you were enjoying yourself behind the decks. Did you have any expectations or any idea how you would be received when you came to this country?
Ferry: It’s always very difficult to expect something of a place you’ve never been before! I heard a lot of good stories about Australia, but to actually go there and doing it yourself is a completely different thing. The Sydney crowd was very good and I certainly enjoyed playing there! To be honest? The “hands up in the air” kind of atmospheres are my favourite and that was just what I received there! I can’t wait to be back again!:-)
ITM: For this tour, you are travelling with Anthony Pappa. What are your opinions on Anthony as a DJ and a producer?
Ferry: To be honest, I’m not that familiar with Anthony as a DJ. I know that he plays quite deep, but I never heard him play live. I have heard his Global Underground album and that was great! On the production side I like his work! It’s progressive but still with some sort of lift into it. One of his tunes was in my box for a while a few months ago!!
ITM: Your live set at Trance Energy in April 2000 is such a huge hit with people who have a copy of it, either recorded live or on mp3. Trance fans today still talk about how good that set is and that they still listen to it constantly because it was so uplifting and anthemic. What do you remember of that particular gig and do you still play DJ sets along that same style?
Ferry: Trance Energie was a big rave type of party! 15,000 people in a conference centre in Eindhoven in Holland! There was a great and uplifting vibe already when I came in. I always try to adjust to the atmophere and take it from there. People who have heard me play at Judgement Sunday in Eden in Ibiza this year, know that I’m still playing that euforic sound with a bit of a deeper twist to it in the beginning of my set! In the end I love to see smiles on peoples faces and hands in the air… 
ITM: Your dance music label ‘Tsunami’ has been a very successful label. Tell us about your new venture with your new label ‘Polar State’.
Ferry: Tsunami is a label that stands for powerful music! Most of the tunes released on Tsunami are trancey, but with a seriouse touch to it. People know what to expect and know that they can also expect some deeper material. As long it has that ooomph to it! Polar state is more of a hard housey kind. The tunes released on Polar State are more banging.
ITM: After breaking through the charts with ‘Don’t Be Afraid’, your first ever major hit was ‘Out of the Blue’. Did you ever expect that track to be the career maker it had become?
Ferry: I knew that “Out Of The Blue” was different from anything else that was out at that time. Of coarse when you do something so new and so different, it can go two ways. It either doesn’t do anything at all, or it explodes! In my case, it EXPLODED! Because of that tune, I tied up with Ministry Of Sound for Trance Nation and the DJ gigs came in! And after the successes with Gouryella and many more projects, plus some succesful remixes, I can truly say that this has definately been my career maker, but I never expected it to turn out like this!
ITM: Your last track released was System F – Exhale. What other tracks, remixes or CDs can we see coming out soon?
Ferry: I just released the new System F single called “Dance Valley theme 2001”! It’s a big anthemic party record and like the title says, it’s the theme song for this year’s edition of Dance Valley! The biggest outdoor rave in Europe. A 90,000 people outdoor event in Amsterdam! As soon as I’m back from my Australian tour, I’ll go into the studio again with Tiesto to work on the new Gouryella single. So that will come out soon. Further there is a lot more coming within the next few weeks. I just started remixing again after a long stop and one of the first remixes to come out is the new Kosheen single “Catch U”. And of course the next Trance Nation 2001 will come out in a couple of weeks, as well our own compilation Tsunami 2!
ITM: Today trance music seems to be moving slowly away from the euro-trance genre, and once again some DJs are becoming more progressive and some are moving towards a harder trance sound. As one of the pioneers trance and still one of the best and biggest trance DJs/producers, how do you see the genre of trance changing and developing?
Ferry: Music will always move forward and that’s a good thing. A new style starts somewhere and progresses into different sub-genres. The only thing I see is that there is always an “action – reaction” effect. When the “Eurotrance” sound was at it’s peak, progressive came up as a reaction to the uplifting and happy, euforic trance. It suddenly all had to be deep and dark. As a counter effect to that, Hard House came up and those two sub-genres were the leading sounds in Ibiza last year! Now as far as I can see, Trance is getting big again because a lot of people want to hear melodies again! The only thing is that it’s not the same kind of trance as, let’s say, two years ago. It’s certainly very uplifting and melodic but with a deeper and fatter underlayer! For example: Push – Strange World/ The legacy. Also vocal trance is coming up very strong now! In the months to come, I think it will progress towards that kind of sound.
Catch Ferry Corsten at the Ministry of Sound Annual Tour on the following dates:
19th October – Melbourne
20th October – Sydney
21st October – Auckland
26th October – Adelaide
27th October – Perth
