DJ Zany: Defqon.1's #1 destroyer

The big day for Australia’s hard dance community is oh-so very close. The Defqon.1 Festival hits the International Regatta Centre in Sydney this Saturday, and rarely has there been so much excitement and hype surrounding an event. If the annual Holland event is anything to go by, it’s going to be a sight that will collectively blow our minds. As one of headliners for Defqon.1, Holland’s DJ Zany is getting ready to show us all why his country does hard so very, very well. As he told ITM, “If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much.” Without further ado…

You’re back in Australia for Defqon.1, Aussie crowds don’t get to experience massive stadium hardstyle events that often, what can they expect from your set? Any new tracks? Are there any tracks you already know you are going to play?

You can expect a true hardstyle fusion of sound! Of course I’m gonna play new stuff, always trying to innovate my sets. Since I made the anthem for the first Australian version of the Defqon 1 Festival, you can count on me playing that! And like I said, some nice new stuff is gonna hit the crowd, be ready for a powerful Zany set.

Hardstyle is quite popular in little pockets of Australia, especially Melbourne. But it’s still not as huge as, say, electro or house. What do think the reason for this is? How do you find the Aussie crowds responds to hardstyle compared to the Dutch crowds?

Hardstyle is, and will be louder than let’s say electro house. Therefore it’s not that easy to play it on the radio or on MTV. That’s why it’s smaller I guess, but I like it the way it is now. I don’t have to be on television. It’s always great to play Aussie crowds, the just keep on partying hard! I think that’s the only way to go. In Holland the party crowd is offered a wide variety of parties to choose from. That’s why sometimes they tend to be more obtained with grading the party instead of enjoying it. But the scene is still doing great in Holland, because of a critical audience standards are raised every party. Bigger, better, louder.

You have worked under many aliases in the past. What made you choose to stick with Zany? What does it mean?

Well Zany has always been my main alias, even back in my hardcore days. I think the meaning of ‘Zany’ describes me perfectly. Grab a dictionary, it should be in there.

Your remix of Nothing Else Matters with MC DV8 was a huge hit with Australian fans. Besides Metallica, what other artists do you look for inspiration when you produce tracks?

I don’t specifically go digging in stuff other artists made. If the concept is good, I start working on it. My inspiration can come from a lot of different things. It could come from a good rock-song but it can also be based on stuff I experienced in my personal life. It varies. I do listen to a lot of hip hop, minimal and pop music, so you get a lot of influences in types of mixing for example. I just listen to music I like, no matter who made it.

The sound of hardstyle has changed quite a bit in the last couple of years. Do you like the way its heading? There seems to be a bit of a formula these days with the shuffle synth lines and sub-bass kicks.

When hardstyle started, hardcore had a quiet period, and I just wanted to go on producing tracks, that’s why I started to create some hardstyle tracks. The hardstyle sound developed and changed through the years, and I think it’s good for a style to evolve. So yeah, the formula changes every once in while, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Italian, German or Dutch hardstyle? Is there even a difference in the sounds any more?

If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much.

If you could collaborate with anyone in the world, from any other genre of music, who would it be and why?

Dr. Dre, just because he is the absolute king of the beats! I admire him a lot, working with him would be my ultimate dream. Maybe one day, you never know.

What advice do you have for young producers trying to make powerful thumping sounds?

Listen carefully to other tracks, and try to make your synths fatter… Some analogue synths would do the trick! And try to be original, I know it’s hard sometimes, but being different gets you noticed. Furthermore be determined to reach your goal, you will in the end.

So, one of your songs with the Donkey Rollers is called LMPSJNK. What the heck does that stand for?

It’s the expression LOMPE SJANK without the vowels. Which is Southern Dutch dialect for ‘ruff stuff’.

What’s next after the Defqon.1 tour? More touring? Productions? Side projects?

We always will be touring around the globe. Next year hopefully the USA and Asia is about to get injected with the Fusion of Sound. Of course I will keep on working on my side projects. Remember that music is a neverending journey!

DJ Zany plays the Defqon.1 Festival at the Sydney International Regatta Centre this Saturday September 19th. Limited tickets still on sale from tickets.q-dance.com.au.