Looking for something to do the night before Defqon? Looking to hang out with other Americans?
Join us for International Hard Dance Meeting (The Official QSA Meet up)
27 June 2019
Facebook info: https://www.facebook.com/events/300685847499305/
*A five minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station
*A portion of the proceeds from the party will go to Musicians Without Borders
On Sunday August 5th I finally had the opportunity to take advantage of this incredibly warm weather this summer and go to the beach! Instead of just being a normal person and spending the day laying out, tanning, and swimming of course as always there was a pre-game meet up and a festival, Hardcore at Sea!
I met up with my friends after rushing from work (nothing like changing into rave clothes and dashing out the door) on the beach in Bloemendaal in the afternoon for a QSA picnic. If you don’t know by now or are just reading my blog for the first time, QSA is a group of American hard dance ravers who go to festivals and parties together. The best part about having a picnic outside the venue was being able to hear the music during the sound check not only from Hardcore at Sea but from Hard Classics next door.
Then after a few hours we wrapped up the picnic and headed inside to the festival. First let me start by saying the stage was SO COOL it was a giant inflatable shark, perfect for the beach vibes theme. This is my second edition of Hardcore at Sea and this year was even bigger and better than last year. The venue, Beachclub Fuel is a small but intimate bar situated right on the beach with three stages: main stage, frenchcore, and rawstyle. I have to say out of all of the festivals I’ve been to since I can remember this was the longest amount of time I have spent at a main stage. Usually I am a side stage girl (terror, uptempo, frenchcore, etc.) but the music was just so on point at the main stage and the weather was so nice, it was really the place to be.
The first set of the day was of course my besties Rob GEE and Da Mouth of Madness. As always they crushed it packing in a wild thirty minute set ranging all the way from early hardcore classics like “Ecstasy You Got What I Need” to Rob’s new hit of the summer “A DJ Saved My Life.” Of course for me with Rob GEE sets always consist of singing, yelling, and shaky Iphone videos.
Next up was probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen at a party. During Destructive Tendencies vs. Dr Peacock, which was an AMAZING first time ever set, the shark ate the stage, there was literal shark week at Hardcore at Sea. The giant inflatable shark mouth ate the stage! So epic!
I spent the rest of the day wandering around and catching up with everyone. One really amazing thing about the party was all the Americans there! Partyraiser even introduced me to his two friends from Illinois, so cool!
Perfect weather, perfect music, and therefore a perfect day! See you next time!
When you hear the words “Raw Hardstyle”, E-Force is a name that certainly comes to mind. This legendary Dutch Hardstyle producer has taken his career past many milestones, including a solo album, bookings on some of the biggest festivals in Europe, and en extensive personalized merchandise line. E-Force is one of the true pioneers of Raw Hardstyle, even landing the prestigious award of having the top Hardstyle track in the Q-dance Hardstyle Top 100 in 2014. We spoke with him about his plans for 2018 and beyond!
THD: Thanks for speaking to us! Many of our readers are already familiar with E-Force.
E-Force: Hey guys, thanks for taking time to do this interview with me!
THD: Can you tell us how you have evolved over the years, and what the difference is between the old E-Force, and the new?
E-Force: That’s a good first question, haha! I think there has been a big growth in music quality the last years. I’m always trying to keep the “E-Force roots” in my music, but always trying to evolve that. I also moved my studio to the Scantraxx office, into Wildstylez’ old studio. It has amazing acoustics. Before that, I just had a studio in one of the rooms in my house – my productions definitely improved in the new one . My management and the people working at Scantraxx are of course also there, so the whole vibe in the studio and the office is good inspiration for me.
THD: What do you think is needed for Hard Music to take off in America? How would you like to contribute?
E-Force: I expected that it would be bigger now than it actually is. In 2012 everyone expected that I think. Unfortunately it didn’t work out the way everyone hoped for, but I hope I can contribute in it. I think it’s important that all artists apply for a VISA, although it’s really difficult to get one. I hope all artists who have the option to go there also go for it, so we can build the scene bigger together!
THD: Where do you think it will go from here? You touched on some different elements of Hard Music, such as Schranz and Hardcore in the new style you have created. Can you tell us more about this?
E-Force: Like I said, I’m always trying to evolve my sound with my roots sounds combines. Especially on my album I had the chance to do everything I like, a bit more euphoric, but also things like Schranz and Hardcore indeed. When you’re just doing single releases it’s a bit difficult to do this, but on an album you can go for “the edge”.
THD: Can you tell us a bit about your new line of merchandise? How does it stand out?
E-Force: My merchandise was a part of the album campaign, and it turned out amazing. It’s really nice to have a new branding style, and to translate that in an album artwork, but also in merchandise. As you all know we’ve launched the new icon logo about one year ago, and this icon was the main focus on the merchandise. All merchandise was sold out very fast, and on events I see people walking around with a lot and that’s really cool to see!
THD: Could you please tell us about the 2017 edit of “Seven”?
E-Force: This is just an edit I made for fun. I still love to play Seven every time, because the response on the track always stays very good. I made this edit to play at Rebirth festival for the first time, where I was doing a special live set. The response on the edit was crazy. I prefer to play this new 2017 edit now instead of the original mix.
THD: We heard you had quite the private party at Cloud 9 Studios. Could you tell us about this event, and what Cloud 9 Studios is?
E-Force: You heard that correctly ☺ Cloud 9 Music is my music publisher, and they have a very cool studio inside their office. You really don’t expect that when you see the office from outside haha. It’s a very small club for like 150 people, and Cloud 9 offered me the opportunity to use this club for a small, invite only, party. It was such a cool night, because all my dedicated fans were there and it’s nice to be in a small area, so you also have the chance to speak with the fans one on one.
THD: What is the plan for 2018? Any big stuff inbound? Thanks for talking to us – we really appreciate it!
E-Force: Expect a lot of new stuff coming your way! Working my ass off in the studio now, and really trying to my music to a new level again, and experimenting / searching for new cool elements. Thanks for your time, and see you in 2018 during my first USA gigs!
Check out Hardstyle.com’s E-Force Store here!
Where are you from? What is the music scene like in the area you are from?
I am from Lichfield in the UK. The UK is very influential in all aspects of dance music from drum & bass to house to garage to UK / happy hardcore, gabber and more, we have a deep history of rave music!
How did you come up with your DJ name?
My friends came up with the name as I ‘stomped my feet behind the decks like the rabbit from Bambi’ when I DJ’ed. 20 years later it is still my DJ name!
What animal best personifies your music and why?
See above haha!
What are you trying to convey with your music?
I have always enjoyed progressing a set, whatever style I play I always want to end in a different place to where I started, I think it is very important to take the crowd on some kind of journey and open their ears to something different whether it is brand new, classic, underplayed and underappreciated or just something totally different. I like to get faster and harder as the set goes on.
Can you describe the feeling you get when you’re on stage?
I have never been interested in being ‘on stage’, I just love DJ’ing and the excitement of DJ’ing comes from sharing the music and finding a dancefloor that loves the music as much as me, I do not make music and do not care about a DJ logo or photoshoots or any of that stuff, just give me decks and a crowd and a set longer than 60 minutes! I am old skool, I just love mixing and seeing a crowd go crazy.
What moment do you cherish the most so far in your career as a DJ/artist?
Playing at Westfest (the UK’s biggest indoor party) was pretty special, seeing thousands of people in the crowd. I have been lucky enough to play in USA, Japan, Canada and all over Europe but Japan was pretty cool, people coming up to me with CDs from my label and asking me to sign them was insane!
What was the first song or album that you remember listening to?
I remember it clearly, I was in my bedroom in 1996 and DJ Vibes played at a big festival here in the UK called Tribal Gathering, BBC Radio One broadcasted his set and he played ‘My Little Fantasy’ by 4 Tune Fairytales, it was a huge moment for me as I had never heard that kind of sound before. 21 years later I still love it!
What are your major influences?
I do not make music but as a DJ I have been heavily influenced by Brisk, Vibes, Sharkey, Slipmatt, The DJ Producer, HMS, Scorpio, Kenny Ken, Nicky Blackmarket. My favourite artists and labels are Ruffneck, Chosen Few, Coolman Records, Tellurian & Cenobite, The Destroyer, Hellfish & Deathchant, Noisekick, Drokz, Akira, Catscan, DJ Promo and Predator.
Where do you see yoursrlf in a year from now?
Hopefully playing at something big in Holland, now I have played there a few times I just want to play there every week!
djthumpa@hotmail.com
www.facebook.com/thedjthumpa
www.soundcloud.com/rebuild_music
Where are you from? What is the music scene like, in the area where you are from?
I am Duane Borra and i was born in Haarlem. Nowadays i live in Ijmuiden.
The music in my region is wide spread with all sorts of styles.
How did you come up with your DJ Name?
Well my full name is Duane Borra, so DBA was not so hard to come up with. Originally it’s dB(A) but that’s hard to search or find around the web.
What animal best personifies your music and why?
A T-Rex? I don’t know.. Just think there funny haha
What are you trying to convey with your music?
Just banging tracks🤘🏻
Can you describe the feeling you get when you’re on stage?
The feeling on stage i think is still one of the best there is!
What moment do you cherish the most so far in your career as a DJ/artist or musician?
The time i was on stage at the mainstage of Pandemonium and Decade.
What was the first song or album that you remember listening too?
That’s pretty far back in time, i think it was Juggernaut – Ruffneck rules on the television, and some of the Party Animals.
What are your major influences?
My friend Martijn was one of the influences of dj ing, together with him we also preform as Dj team The Greasemonkeys. The other one is the feeling from the music and mixing it all together.
Where do you see yourself a year from now?
I will see what the future will bring!
