Lange is acknowledged by many as the UK’s leading Trance music producer/remixer. His consistency over the previous five years has ensured support for his records by some of the biggest names in dance music including Judge Jules, Scott Bond, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren and DJ Tiesto. He has a string of production hits and has made plenty of quality remixes for artists such as Pet Shop Boys, Faithless, Agnelli and Nelson, Lost Witness, Space Brothers, Sash!, Ruff Driverz, Dumonde, DJ Sakin and DJ Quicksilver.

Originally from Shrewsbury, UK, Lange’s career and reputation has been constantly growing and he is now reaching some amazing heights. Last year saw Lange take the natural progression from production into the DJ booth. His DJing style can be best described as tough progressive house through to trance – on the melodic, progressive, Euro and sometimes harder scale. He is also very proud to have DJ-mixed the ‘Tranceformer 2000’ compilation along with Mauro Picotto.

Lange has been made monthly resident for 2002 at the midlands superclub ‘Passion’. Passion is currently drawing in more people then their main rival Gatecrasher and continues to be the busiest Saturday night in the UK. Lange will also be DJing at some of the UK’s and Worlds most established clubs throughout 2002 including International trips to Japan, America, Finland and hopefully Australia!

On the production front Lange’s new single ‘Drifting Away’, is growing by the week, with huge radio support from Jules, Tong, Fontaine, Pearce and Gold, amongst others. Other new production includes the club anthem Lange Vs Dumonde – ‘Memory’, which has been receiving heavy club play.

He has several production aliases such as Firewall, with the tracks ‘Touched’ and ‘Reflections’ and also Surreal with the UK Top 40 hit ‘You Take My Breath Away’ and the new single ‘Always On My Mind’ which was Dave Pearce’s ‘Record of the Week’ on his Radio 1 show. Two of his greatest tunes under his own Lange name are ‘I Believe’ and ‘Follow Me’, both featured heavily in the movie ‘Kevin & Perry Go Large’.

Lange has been quoted as saying: “I have always tried to put a lot of energy, emotion and drama into my mixes. The trance scene took off just at the right time for me”; and this is indeed correct as Lange has become one of the most known names in the trance scene. A producer that really did stand out from the others with his emotion filled mixes. Lange is very respected and he himself does greatly respect other great DJs that made trance what it is today such as Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten and Judge Jules.

I caught up with Lange the other day and asked him several questions regarding how his career has gone, the future of his career and a big question on many people’s lips, where trance is headed.

ITM: Briefly, how did it all start out for Lange?
Lange: It just started as a hobby. I sent a couple of tracks to a magazine called ‘Future Music’ and they featured my Demo on the cover CD. I then got contacted by someone (Steve Long) in the industry who put me in contact with Positiva records. I had my first release on Additive (Positiva’s sister label) and was offered Remix work. Things really took off for me with my remix of DJ Sakin & Friends ‘Protect Your Mind’ which entered the UK charts in the Top 5.

ITM: What’s the best track you have made, best remix you have done and the best remix done for you?
Lange: My best original track is probably my latest single ‘Drifting Away’. It’s been getting some great reactions & support and looks likely to be my most successful to date. From a commercial point of view I would say the DJ Sakin ‘Protect Your Mind’ was my best remix, but my own personal favourite is my Breakbeat mix of Brainchild’s ‘Symmetry C’. My favourite remix of one of my tracks is DJ Tandu’s remix of ‘I Believe’.


ITM: What is your fav gig so far? Would you consider your live gig as Surreal in front of 8,000 people at Creamfields one of your best?
Lange: I have several favourites. The first time I played ‘Quench’ at Warwick University was great (as pictured) – they love their Trance! I also enjoyed playing ‘Illusions’ in Finland in June – I couldn’t believe the reaction I got from the Crowd at 9am on a Sunday morning! I started my monthly residency at Passion last Saturday (8th Dec) and really enjoyed that too – they’re the perfect crowd for what I want to play – can’t wait ‘till next month’s gig there!

ITM: What are your 5 fav tunes at the moment and top 5 of all time?
Lange: Here are my favourite 5 at the moment (in no particular order!) –
DJ Cyber – ‘Marco Antonio’ – Cyber Records
4 Strings – ‘Into The Night’ – Liquid/Nebula
M.I.K.E. – ‘Future – Platform One’ – Bonzai (Belgium)
Hemstock & Jennings – ‘Mirage (Of Hope)’ – Five AM
Jose Amnesia – ‘The Eternal (Pulser Remix)’ – V.C. Recordings

Can’t answer top 5 of all time!! – It’s too difficult, but my favourite track of this year would probably be ‘Strange World’ by Push – HUGE!

ITM: Which DJs/producers do you really admire?
Lange: M.I.K.E, Vincent De Moor, Tiesto, Ferry Corsten, Bervoets & De Goej (a.k.a. Rank 1), Pulser, Matt Darey, Above & Beyond, Armin van Buuren.

ITM: What has been happening over the past few months both DJing and producing wise?
Lange: Recently I’ve done a few remixes: Ian Van Dahl ‘Will I’ which has just been released in the UK, ‘Mirage’ by Hemstock & Jennings which will be out in February on Five AM records, and D.B. Boulevards ‘Point of View’ for Illustrious records. My own productions include ‘Drifting Away’ (my new ‘Lange’ single) and ‘Memory’ by Dumonde Vs Lange. A collaboration with German producers Jam X & De Leon (aka Dumonde). DJing-wise, I have just started my monthly residency at Passion in Coalville, UK.

ITM: Have you had any particular influences for making music, such as other DJs/producers or aspects of life?
Lange: I obviously get influenced a lot by my favourite producers (previously mentioned!) but I think originally I must have developed my interest in music because of my Dad! – He’s always been very musical and takes a big interest in what I’m up to.


ITM: Is there something your really looking to get at, a certain ambition, a goal that your looking to reach in terms of music?
Lange: I don’t really have a specific goal, I just enjoy making the music. At the moment it’s my ‘full-time’ occupation – I hope I will be able to maintain my career in the music industry in years to come!

ITM: Do you think that UK trance artists are a bit behind the Dutch or the German’s in terms of trance production?
Lange: What has surprised me is the lack of UK Trance artists. Bearing in mind the massive UK Trance explosion in 1999 you’d think more people in the UK would be producing it! I often get mistaken for being German or Dutch!!

ITM: What does the future hold for trance? It has headed in many directions, harder, progressive and commercial. Do you think that melodic/uplifting trance sound can make its way back to be just as big as it was years ago?
Lange: I don’t think Trance will ever peak again as it did in 1999, but at the moment we are experiencing a Trance revival. The UK media went through a phase of knocking all Trance, and saying ‘Progressive’ was the next big thing. Trance never left us, it was just suppressed for a while – but its back and the clubbers are hungry for it again!

ITM: And finally, What does the future hold for Lange, an artist album or maybe your own label?
Lange: I’m just about to start work on a follow up to ‘Drifting Away’ and also the next ‘SuReal’ record. The longer term aim is to do an Album – I’d like to experiment more with different styles. Also, I’m hoping to see more of the world next year with my DJ-ing activities – maybe see you soon!

* Check out Lange’s official site at www.lange-music.com. It contains News, Biography, Discography, Sound Clips, Top Ten, DJ Gigs and More!