DJ, producer, remixer and radio broadcaster Armin van Buuren has more than enough on his plate to keep the average DJ pretty busy. ITM’s djway managed to grab a few minutes of phone time with this prolific Dutchman whilst on a production break in his Holland based studio.

Armin van Buuren is without doubt one of the biggest names in trance. A number 5 ranking in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 poll only confirms that what he’s managed to achieve running his own successful label Armind. With countless remixes under his belt for the likes of Oceanlab, Solar Stone and Yahel, and massive hits of his own like ‘Communication’ he’s in demand all over the world for what are invariably impressive three hour plus sets.

I asked Armin what he thought of Australia when he was out here under the Godskitchen banner in 2002. “The highlight was definitely the amazing and ecstatic crowd, they reminded me of my first time to the US. I’m really looking forward to coming out to Two Tribes, it’s such a big event”. Australia is obviously close to the Dutchman’s heart. It’s westernised and open-minded like Europe, but there also seems to be a lot of space and freedom.”

I queried whether Armin’s radio show ‘A State of Trance (ASOT)’ was successful in the promotion of new vinyl sales, and if it affected what he played when he toured. “I still find it amazing finding that people talk about my weekly show, it’s almost comparable to the likes of Pete Tong and the old Radio 1 Broadcasts. The show itself doesn’t affect what I pack when I’m touring though, I play what I am passionate about. The show really started as a joke when they had a free show on the radio. I grabbed a few records I liked, and it blew up from there. I’m honoured that the show is what it is. ASOT isn’t about or for myself, I want to play expose trance music to a bigger audience, which is why I plays a lot of unreleased records and demos.”

With Two Tribes 2003 coming up rather soon, I thought it would be a good idea to find out what he has in store for us. “I’ll be playing some currently never played before tracks from my as yet un-released album. I’ll also be playing some unreleased European tracks but my main focus will be to build a nice long set, not something that will be rushed, something that flows.”

So will Australia ever hear one of these three-hour-plus sets Armin’s bio boasts about? “I would like to, but probably not this time. I hope to play a longer set in Australia one day. I love the idea of some longer sets, so I can spread out the famous tunes a bit more, let the crowd rest a bit and show what I can do as a DJ. The problem with a 90 minute sets is that if you play one wrong record (out of 12) you get labelled as playing a bad set”. His regular four-hour sets at Gatecrasher in the UK seem to agree with this.

Armin received a number 5 ranking in this year’s DJ Magazine Top 100 poll, with good friend and sometimes co-producer DJ Tieso ranked first. I asked Armin what he thought of their rankings, and what he thought it meant for the sound of trance. “It shows that trance is still here, a year ago people were saying that trance is kind of dead. I’ve always said that there were two kinds of trance the Lasgo [commercial] trance, and the progressive edge, which we are supporting, which is trance without the pop riff – and that never died. We’re trying to keep trance new and fresh. I’m proud to be a Dutchmen with the help I’ve received from Tiesto, and the determination Tiesto has shown over the last 15 years. The ranking isn’t important, I’m just out to play and promote the music I really like”.

So what does he think about the changes he’s seen in trance worldwide. I like the change that’s going on, it “keeps them [DJs] fresh. It’s not as easy to fill a club anymore, not for any DJ, so I’m quite thankful that I’m able to play for the bigger arenas. I like the evolution in trance that’s keeping myself and other DJs progressing. It stops us from playing the same old tracks, week in and week out.”

Obviously with this level of success Armin has to narrow down the selection of tracks he chooses to remix. I asked him what his selection process is, and how long a remix takes. “Remixing is obviously not as long as a new production as there’s something to work with already”. The selection of a track to remix is based on a pre-selection his management makes of it “being a good song, and a song worth remixing”. From there Armin takes the track and goes and works in the studio converting it. As he produces purely to what he wants he said he has more freedom and likes to produce, which is something you hear in his remixes. New productions we can expect to hear from him this year will include productions involving Justin Suissa (‘Sky Falls Down’ features her magical vocals), Ferry Corsten and Airwave. As for who he’d most like to remix? “Enya, but her management rejected the idea,” he smiles.

Armin’s new CD is still currently still in production, expect it to be released around May of this year. And, of course, don’t miss Armin at Two Tribes 2003. Sydney Show Grounds, March 1; Perth, The Globe, Metro City, March 2 and
Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena March 9.