The trance king from Norway does it again…’Fair Game’ absolutely smashing it
Interview : Dan Prince
Orjan welcome to DMCWORLD, where in the word are you today?
“Hey Dan, right now I’m sitting in an airport hotel in Oslo on my way to Vegas and EDC!”
Nice. Well you have done it again, ensuring much excitement in the Buzz Chart office thanks to your music. This time around it’s your bigroom trancer ‘Fair Game’ that you produced with Cosmic Gate. Talk us through the sound and history of the tune…
“Well, the sound was supposed to be the best of both worlds! Old fashion trancer with the new arrangements and sounds of now! Which, if I do say so myself, we succeeded in doing! Basically they sent me an idea for a collab and everything just clicked! Was really fun to do!”
When I told Buzz Chart boss Guy Garret I was interviewing you today they shouted “we love ‘Fair Game’, it’s sort of an old skool nu school battle of the producers, ask Orjan who the boss is!?” So…?
“Hahahaha!! I consider it a democracy! We’re all the bosses!”
You hail from a very musical family, both your father and brother played various instruments and sang. What are your earliest musical memories?
“My earliest musical memory is of my brother playing the drums in the same basement I now have my studio! I couldn’t have been more than 2-3 years old!”
What was it about trance music that captured your imagination in the first place…and who were your inspirations?
“The melodies, the atmosphere and the fact you could dictate every single part of a track and forge it by your own mental image. And obviously the usual suspects like Armin, Tiesto, PvD, Cosmic Gate and Mauro Picotto! Oh, and obviously M.I.K.E. Push.”
It was your birthday at the weekend, how did you celebrate the big 32…?
“Quietly…with my daughter and my family – just like I wanted to! Let’s face it, I get enough parties and wild memories elsewhere!”
You hail from the small town of Kirkenes in the far northeastern part of Norway. Are you the most famous person in town?!!!??
“Haha! Probably at the moment Dan! But we have the cross country skier Vegard Ulvang who originates from Kirkenes as well! He still has me beat I think.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
“Difficult question, but lets see…
Damian William – Knightrider
AvB – Ping Pong (Kryder & Tom Staar Remix)
David Gravell – Timebomb
Fair Game (obviously)
My own track The Late Anthem
Showtek – We Like To Party (I know it’s kinda old, but it still rocks)
Axwell & Ingrosso – We Come We Rave We Love
Nilson – Freaks
AvB & Andrew Rayel – EIFORYA
And last but not least a brand new remix Flatdisk just made of my track Hurricane with Christina Novelli!”
What are your plans for Ibiza this summer?
“Sun, Hierbas, beautiful women, Ushuaia, ASOT and more mischief in general!”
What track always reminds you of Ibiza?
“Andy Duguid – Wasted.”
Where is your favourite spot to enjoy a Mojito in Ibiza?
“Just outside Cafe del Mar as the sun set…and down in the Marina by Ocean Drive hotel!”
You recently completed a mammoth series of shows in Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Boston, Tampa, New York, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya – WOW! Who accompanies you on your travels and when did you last discover a new club and location?
“My manager Phillip is almost always with me, but I do from time to time persuade my friends into coming along as well! Although on trips like that it’s usually just Phillip and I! Well, I usually discover new stuff when I’m booked there! Colloseum in Jakarta was absolutely breathtaking.”
A quote from a superstar DJ this week……“I believe true DJing is actually an art, but it’s a dying art, as everyone is pushing the sync button…it’s a real shame when you see a ‘DJ’ plug his laptop in and call this DJing. Music will always evolve but sometimes not in the best way.” What are your thoughts on that?
“I’ve always loved the art of mixing – it was one of the things that got me interested in the whole scene, so obviously being an old vinyl DJ it kinda saddens me. But then again, as long as they do a good job and present it in a way people can enjoy, it’s alright.”
What is coming out next from you studio wise…?
“Loads and LOADS of new music. Sorry for the secrecy, but I got a LOT of new stuff coming up!”
What is the 1 record that…
Reminds you of first discovering dance music?
“Robert Miles – ‘Children’.”
Reminds you of having your heart broken?
“My own track, ‘Prison Break’.”
ALWAYS gets you dancing?
“Rui da Silva – ‘Touch Me’.”
…you wish you would have made yourselves?
“Push – ‘Strange World’.”
It’s that time of year again, the announcement of the DJ Top 100 Poll. There is still a huge divide on this annual poll, some producers really push it through their socials, some ignore it. What is your stance on it?
“Ambivalent I’d say…I respect DJ Mag, but I also don’t want to push my fans into voting! So I keep it on a ‘do as you feel’ basis.”
“A DJ has to have a piss every time before he goes on the decks, and if somebody tells me that’s not nerves they are full of shit.” – another great quote from a fellow DJ. So, do you still get nervous before DJing?
“Hahaha!! Lovely quote! Well of course!! I think that’s something every DJ has no matter when and where he’s playing! Keeps you focused! But of course, you do get more confident as time goes by, so nerves gets more easily replaced by anxiousness to get on the decks!”
And finally, was selling your moped at the age of 16 and buying your first synth the wisest decision you have ever made?
“It’s definitely in my top 5!”
