Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us! You've been keeping pretty busy lately. What have been some major highlights for you over the past year or so?

The last years have been extremely quiet gigwise due to Corona. Of course that was a pity, but it gave me time for other things as well, things I wanted to do for years. Like starting up my own label. In collaboration with Black Hole Recordings I’ve started up Elpida Music, Elpida means 'Hope' in Greek. So that was a really beautiful thing to do in a really odd period for a DJ and producer.

There was a period of time you stepped away from trance music. What made you decide to come back to it and how has your music progressed since then?

I don’t think I really stepped away from trance music, but I stepped away from uplifting trance music years ago. In my opinion it’s a genre that doesn’t evolve for a decade or so. Some producers release a few tracks a month… and it’s all the same. That wouldn’t make me happy as a producer at all! Lately I feel that many more trance DJ’s and producers think this way, since a lot try different things for their productions. I have always tried to do new things, combine different styles. As long as it is melodic, innovative and as good as possible for me (quality wise), I am happy. It can be 124, 127 or 132 bpm, that doesn’t matter.

You're currently releasing tracks under the alias 'Truetone'. Can you describe the Truetone sound and how it differs from the 'Daniel Wanrooy' sound?

Yes! This is a side project I do for deeper sound, more deep house. I have done a few tracks with BLR (Leon Bolier) and the sound differs a bit too much from the things I release under Daniel Wanrooy, so to keep it less confusing I started Truetone. The first release got great support from David Guetta and many more, so that’s a promising start!

How did you decide on the name 'Truetone'?

I wanted a cool and easy name. Not too long, not too short… and something that fits the music. Truetone was born!  

Is there anything in particular you would hope your fans are able to take away from any of  your music you create?

Yes, I hope it helps them during certain periods in life. I can be a sad time, where one of the tracks can give them hope (Elpida) or strength. It can be a happy time, during an event for example, where that one track made their night complete. Or maybe holiday memories, where one track that brings you right back to the beach when you hear it. I get messages like that, that’s always really great to hear!

You've been working on your new label, Elpida Music. What challenges, if any, did you encounter while getting that going? 

Yes! I have seen a different part of the music industry, which is really cool as well. A whole new thing was the administration stuff like the contracts, write the label copies etc. Not the most exciting work, but cool to see the other side of the industry. The really nice part was making the producers that sign at my label happy with a cool release and try to get as many support as we can. I don’t think it were challenges so far, since I am in the industry for 20 years now.

What have been some of the biggest accomplishments with the label so far?

We’ve had a lot of support by the big names like Paul van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Markus Schulz, Cosmic Gate and many more. One of the tracks appeared on the In Search Of Sunrise compilation by Markus Schulz. We also do a classic remix from a big classic in a new jacket. Last time we did 'The Quest – C Sharp'. Misja Helsloot and me as Daniel Wanrooy did a remix for it and it had really good support!

What do you look for in an artist you're bringing to your label? What makes one artist stand out from the rest?

Good music! I get a good amount of demos every week, some producers don’t even look what style the releases of the label are and send me 140bpm psytrance tracks hahaha, that’s definitely a “no”. I do always answer them btw…. Politely. I like it when a producers puts a lot of effort in his tracks, you hear that right away. Sometimes I have a suggestion that a track could be better with a different approach on the break or the drop for example. It’s really cool when they try and eventually the track does get better.

You've had some major accomplishments yourself lately with support by major artists. What are your thoughts on that and what kind of an impact does that support have on you and your career?

It’s always great to have a track in one of the major shows, you see immediately that new people find you on the socials etc. It helps a lot! But even with a big show, you are one of many that get their track in that certain show, so you have to do get continuous support to get noticed and stand out I think.

Aside from the 'TrancePodium 15 Years Anniversary - The Final Celebration' show coming up here on the 29th of November, what other shows do you currently have lined up that you can tell us about?

I have Grotesque Indoor festival in December, Tivoli in Utrecht in January and a tour in Norway in February for now. It looks like it’s picking up, but at the other hand Corona is always around the corner…. Uncertain times!

What else do you have in store for yourself and for Elpida Music in the near future?

The classic remix pack in December on Elpida Music, it’s a very well known classic and I expect a lot of it. I have signed new music to Ferry Corsten’s label Flashover, a follow up on FRCST and one on Orjan Nilsen’s label IMO.

Thank you again for taking the time to chat with me today! Is there anything else you'd like to say to your fans before we go?

The pleasure was all mine! Thanks a lot to everyone for their everlasting support.