You're going to get Vandit

The moment you hear or read the word “Vandit,” the only name that pops into your musical brain is Paul van Dyk.

Vandit Records is famously known for releasing the highest quality level of electronic music productions, spiced with edgy remixes from tribal house masters like Austin Leeds & Nick Terranova, techno legend Chris Liebing and even chillout and lounge versions by Aural Float. Vandit Digital will blow away all electronic musical boundaries. “My DJ sets and the VONYC Sessions radio shows are full of diversity! That’s what I stand for,” says Van Dyk. “That’s what Vandit Digital will bring to you.”

Vandit Records, home to some of the most respected electronic dance music producers and headquarters of Paul van Dyk and crew, proudly presents the long-anticipated launch of its digital imprint — Vandit Digital. “We are really excited about the new outlet. It allows us a much broader sound variety, giving new names and talents a chance to spread their music and be acknowledged all around the world,” says PvD in one of his interviews during the press launch of the digital label in Germany.

Commercial or underground, trance, techno or electro — it’s not about a genre or implied coolness factor. On the dance floor it’s simply about the greatness of the track, the impact, the vibe, the energy it is releasing in the crowd. It’s all about Advanced Electronic Dance Music!

No art without artists — this sober-sounding statement is a major one, and one that the philosophy of Vandit Records builds upon. They don’t focus their label so much as their artists and the vision of what they want to promote, help develop and support.

Vandit Records is an independent label based in Germany’s capital Berlin which strives to offer large and broad audience access to the sound of Vandit. In order to achieve this goal they offer a full-service platform for their artists which includes production, promotion and distribution coordination. Additionally, strategic coalitions with major and independent record labels nationwide and abroad strengthen the position of Vandit Records.

Usually they sign artists directly to the label. And both artists and productions from abroad benefit from their network through individual license deals that they negotiate allowing them direct access to the German market. This is the soul of a real record label, compared to those that just sign an artist to grab a killer percentage, just happy with another CD on the shelves. We often see this happen with major labels as they have tons of artists signed, so they don’t even know who to promote. Working with indie labels gives you the freedom to take the music anywhere you want to go.

The New Single: Home

Paul van Dyk’s latest single release, Home, is yet another collaboration with Johnny McDaid, former singer of the British cult band VEGA4, and the man behind the massive PvD release “Time of Our Lives.” Bringing the very best from these two amazing artists, Home electrifies hardcore fans, while keeping a finger on the emotional pulse of music lovers the world over. A mixture of classic Paul van Dyk energy and Johnny’s iconic lyrical style, this track perfectly embodies the fusion of electronic and rock sensibilities, blending emotive vocals with hard-hitting beats or a track that simply can’t be topped.

With three gorgeous remixes, this classic in the making takes a turn in the hands of PvD himself, Wippenberg and Cosmic Gate, each lending their inimitable styles to this stellar release, offering new perspectives on a track that is no doubt destined for dance music greatness. I can attest to this amazing track, and for some reason, every track named Home has made it to the top (there was another hit single by Above & Beyond called Home that also came in three different mixes — Balearic, Club and John O’Callaghan Mix). Surprisingly, all of these mixes made it to the top of the UK charts back in 2008.

PvD is renowned as one of the hardest-working artists, with sold-out tours across each continent, headline spots at every major festival, and a hugely successful recording career. With over 3.5 million albums sold worldwide, Van Dyk travels around the world over 16 times each year to sold-out performances internationally. The year 2007 alone has brought us PvD remixes of Depeche Mode’s Martyr, Britney Spears’ Gimme Moreand Justin Timberlake’s What Goes Around... Comes Around. In 2008 he collaborated with Peter Heppner and The Wombats and did remixes for The Dark Night movie soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, Mirror’s Edge, the video game by EA Games, and compiled and mixed the annual Cream Ibiza Compilation.

Touring In 2009

February 2009 saw PvD in a unique collaboration with double Grammy winner and master conductor Paavo Järvi for the Music Discovery Project of internationally renowned HR Symphony Orchestra. At Frankfurt’s Jahrhunderthalle, the electronic music artist and Paavo Järvi experimented with the music styles of faraway galaxies. Both interpreted The Planets by Gustav Holst, the mighty orchestra suite with its powerful sound that even fans of Star Trek, Star Wars and The Simpsons will recognize.

In the little time remaining between all his travels and his scheduled performance in Manila which will take place on Oct. 13, Tuesday at the A. Venue hall Makati City, Paul van Dyk hosts his own radio show — Paul van Dyk’s VONYC Sessions — which airs weekly on radio stations all around the world to millions of listeners, including the Philippines exclusively on Big Fish radio every Saturday, 9 p.m. onwards on 89.9 FM and Killerbee Nationwide.

If you haven’t gotten your tickets for the event yet, call the Big Fish office at 634-8238 or 632-7762 as they are promising you one electrifying dance performance combined with a whole new production, lights and sound experience.

We work hard, we party even harder. Visit www.bigfishmanila.com.

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For comments and suggestions feel free to e-mail me at rickydaker@gmail.com.

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“Beat Generation” is the only column featuring the best of the electronica scene, DJ interviews, CD reviews, parties and events around the world, exclusively in Philippine STAR’s YS section every Friday.