Stuart Langelaan (Lange) is recognized as one of the most influential dance artists of the past decade. A DJ who has remained at the forefront of the scene throughout his career and a producer that continues to push all boundaries.

Rocketing on to the scene 10 years ago, Lange has nothing but achievement to look back on. He is the producer behind an astonishing 20 UK top 40 hits, the talent responsible for the UK Top 10 trance anthem "Drifting Away", the classic "SuReal - You Take My Breath Away" and the remixer that brought tracks such as "DJ Sakin - Protect Your Mind" and "Lost Witness – Happiness Happening" to a mainstream global audience, gaining him undiminished support from industry leaders such as Paul van Dyk, Sasha, Paul Oakenfold, Judge Jules, and Pete Tong, and even an appearance on Top of the Pops.

Recently, we caught up with him to have a word about his newest release, the long-awaited debut album.

 

Hi Stuart! First of all congratulations for your first album. How are things right now, and what have you been up to recently?

Thanks! The album is coming along nicely, although the pressure is on now as the deadline to finish it very close. It’s been quite a hectic time with moving house recently too and being away a lot with gigs.
 

After 10 years in the industry, you have finally announced your debut album. What took you so long?

Good question! I don’t really have an excuse for why it’s taken so long but I definitely feel it’s a good time to have done it as I am producing much more varied music styles these days. I think the album will be much better than if I had just focussed on trance, which I probably would have done a few years back.

  

What can you tell us about the album?

There will be plenty of nods to my melodic trance past, but I’m trying to push into new areas of music that I’m finding really exciting at the moment. There’s going to be a 2nd CD featuring some of my previous singles and remixes too. I thought this was important as I haven’t previously released these older tracks together and with it being exactly 10 years in October since I signed my first record deal it seemed the best time to do it!

 
The release of the album will be followed by a world tour. Can you tell us something about it? What can we expect from this tour?

I can’t wait to start the full tour. My tour agent is still putting the finer touches to it and it’s looking like it’s going to be a very busy few months! The tour kicks off in London at one of my favourite clubs, Turnmills and then it’s over to Europe, an Australian tour in November, then Asia and the US.

 
What are the best crowds you have ever played to?

I've played some amazing events from Godskitchen’s Global Gathering to the Zurich Street parade which attracted some 800,000 people. I often prefer the smaller venues though as it can be a much more intimate experience. One place I really enjoy playing time and time again is on a small island in the Western Isles of Scotland. I was invited up there some 7 years ago and have been going there ever since. The club is very small and holds only a couple of hundred poeple but I’ve had some of my most memorable gigs there!

 
Your collaboration with Gareth Emery last year resulted in a stunning dance floor stomper: "Another You, Another Me". Are there any plans for future collaborations with him or any other producers?

Gareth and I have both been busy concentrating on our own solo careers, and although we intended on following up "Another You, Another Me", we haven’t managed to get back in the studio yet! Co-write wise, I’ve mainly been working with vocalists and songwriters for the album, but will no doubt be co-producing in the near future.

How do you see yourself more, as a DJ or producer?

I’ll always be a producer first. That’s what got me into this business and although it can be tough spending so much time in the studio, it’s still the most rewarding part of my work. The DJ'ing is a lot fun, and I get to travel to some great places, but I don’t rate it as something that requires such a high level of skill. All you need is good taste and a love of the music! OK, maybe a little skill mixing-wise and judging what to play next is needed too!

 
Last year you were ranked #54 on the DJ Mag top 100 DJ list. How important do you think being on that list is? Did it get you more exposure and gigs?

It’s hard to judge, it’s definitely not a bad thing to be in the top 100! I know the poll is highly rated in Asia, especially China too. I’ve seen it pinned to walls in the offices of clubs.

 
How much has your sound changed over the years? Do you still make the same music as you used to about 10 years ago?

I think my sound has really evolved over the past decade. More recently this has been due to a deliberate effort to move away from the clichés of the scene’s past sound. I actually got very bored with the whole trance music scene a couple of years ago and had a long period of "writer’s block". It wasn’t that I couldn’t write anything, it was that I didn’t like what I was writing. Fortunately I found new inspiration this year and have not been short of possible tracks for the album.

 
Can you describe your studio? What kind of equipment and software do you work with?

My studio is now incredibly minimal. When I moved house recently I decided to get rid of what I haven’t been using. Pretty much everything is now coming from within the PC. I use Cubase SX3 for sequencing and have quite a few softsynths including Nexus, Imposcar, and Battery. I’m also a big fan of the access virus; the only hardware I really still use.

 
Most of the new music gets leaked on the internet as soon as it gets released and is available for illegal download. How does that affect you and your label? Do you do something to prevent it?

This has been a major problem and is the main reason the industry has been struggling in recent years. It’s made it difficult to earn significant money from releasing music and most of my income is generated from DJ performances now.

 
I presume being a label owner, a producer and a DJ at the same time is very time consuming. How do you manage all of it? Do you have enough free time for your friends and family?

Yes, you have to work crazy hours for this job now. I often work 12+ hour days in the week and then have to travel to gigs. It takes over your life! My girlfriend Ruth supports me a lot, and she occasionally travels with me so we get to see each other more! But really, I don’t have enough time to see my family as much as I would like.
 

Speaking of free time, what are your hobbies?

Free time? I’m not sure I have any! Music started as my hobby, and now I have little time for much else. I enjoy getting away from the hectic lifestyle when I can. I’ve recently moved to Wales and enjoy a walk down the beach or getting out into the countryside.
 

So, what are your plans for the future? Do you plan to release more albums?

Yes, I plan to write further albums and intend on keeping the momentum going by making a start on the next one pretty much straight away!

 
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview for Trance Podium, and good luck.

My pleasure! Thanks for your support!  

 

www.lange-music.com

www.myspace.com/djlange