With Kyau & Albert making their much anticipated return to Beta Nightclub in Waterloo this weekend, Edmund from Team EDMTOR caught up with the dynamic trance duo. As veterans in the scene, we’re always interested in hearing more about what the German artists have been up to, and the process that has gotten them to where they are today. Edmund gets the exclusive scoop for us about their thoughts on EDM and the evolution of dance music, some hints on new and unrealeased tracks to keep an eye out for, and their excitement to play in Canada once again, and more. Take a look!
Edmund: We heard a new track played in Sydney during Above & Beyond’s set. Tell us about that?
Ralph Kyau: You mean About the Sun which was premiered on ABGT150? This is a new K&A vocal track with Steven on the microphone again. It is getting released as single on Anjunbeats in early 2016. Possibly featured before exclusively on some big compilation…
Steven Albert: But there’s another strong vocal track which we’ll release on our own label Euphonic on November 13th. The track is called Lover in the Dark and will be premiered on our Facebook page in the next days. A-list DJ promo is starting next week, so you will hear this one in the usual radio shows soon.
E: What kind of thought process do you follow during production? Does it vary?
SA: It doesn’t vary too much. We always do lots of demos and then select the best ones on a later date to make the final production.
RK: And when we’re happy with a production in the studio, we start testing the track live at our gigs and adjust it over a few weeks to become the final version. For example for our next single Lover in the Dark we thought to have the final production ready which everyone in the Euphonic team loved so much but literally last minute we tried something out in the arrangement and added a few more Trance elements and this brought the track to another level. I am so happy with it now. So making music is indeed a process which sometimes needs the magic moments to become a beast.
E: Who, or what, have you been listening to a lot lately?
SA: When we’re travelling or in the evenings at home we’re listening to hundreds of promos every month to pick tracks for our radio show ‘Euphonic Sessions’, so beside this and our studio work I don’t listen too much other music at the moment.
RK: Same with me. There are a lot of new names and great talents out there, which we scan right now. Some of them will remix the Kyau & Albert classic hits for our big 20 year anniversary in 2016. More details early next year!
E: How do you feel about the evolution of dance music since the start of your partnership in the early 90’s?
RK: It has changed a lot. Dance music is much more mainstream today,; it has become much more popular. For me, the most significant difference from the 90’s to today, is that there is much more music coming out. Personally I think there’s way too much music out there which really shouldn’t be released. Releasing music digitally is so easy compared to the 90’s or early 2000’s when there were a real investment in releasing music with pressing CDs and vinyl records without knowing if the money comes back. So I mean back in the old days the label’s quality control was way better due to the financial risks. Also the product cycle of a single was much longer. I remember we re-pressed Euphonic vinyl releases many times, and even months after the first release a record was still selling.
E: Where do you think EDM is headed next?
SA: Hard to say as EDM has so many sub genres. If you’re referring to mainstream EDM, it will still be a lot of commercial EDM. North America seems to have a fascination with Deep House, so we may see more of that in the next while.
RK: It’s so funny. With all this commercial and simple made EDM, the dance music industry has reared a new young audience of club music fans, which are no more able to feel music whether emotional or intellectual, if you know what I mean. I have the feeling that those clubbers are simply overcharged to feel music. I hope this is not the end of the road. Maybe it’s just the dumbing down of our society. I don’t know. My positive view for the future is that every hype ends up in a crash and this extreme will open musical niches for the ones who are already searching for more, because music is always in progress. Of course progress can also be some retro or recycling of music as the clubbers of the 90’s are today the parents of the new clubber’s generation. I mean what sounds old school for the old ones can be new for the next generation with just a little innovation. We will see.
E: What kind of set do you have in mind for BETA Waterloo?
RK: We plan on playing a combination of old and new material to give our fans a wholesome trance experience.
E: What do you feel are each of your strengths and weaknesses?
RK: Steven is a very orderly person and I like his enthusiasm. In my opinion he could sometimes have more self-consciousness and in the studio it can happen that he loses himself too much in details.
SA: Ralph is always honest and he loves to talk. You can see this in both ways here I think. Haha.
E: What do you like most about coming to Canada to perform?
RK: Canada is a huge country. We have played in every major city in Canada throughout our career. I really look forward to playing at Beta Nightclub, as we have yet to play in Waterloo. In all honestly, a few months ago I had no idea where Waterloo was exactly located!
E: Anything to say to your Toronto fans?
SA: I remember when we played the first time at the TranceAddict party at the docks. A long time ago, but we still have great memories!
A few more updates from K&A and things to look out for:
Upcoming releases, including Above & Beyond – Treasure (Kyau & Albert Remix), and Kyau & Albert – About the sun. Release dates to be announced soon! Also, K&A are busy in the studio working on new tracks for their upcoming 20 year anniversary next year!
Thank you Kyau & Albert for taking the time to talk with Team EDMTOR! We can’t wait to see you at Beta on Saturday, October 17the, 2015.
LINKS:
Kyau & Albert
Website
Facebook
Twitter
SoundCloud
Instagram
Euphonic Sessions
SoundCloud
Edmund Wong – EDM TOR
