What inspiration did and still do you have to release your "pure music" for so many years (since
1997)?

I’ve always truly loved and believed in Trance music and it’s intrinsic validity, my passion has always been for this music since my first Solarstone release in 1997. I have dipped into the ambient side of things over the years as Solarstone and have indeed worked on different styles in collaboration with other artists under pseudonyms, but the essential elements of my music (which are warmth, melody & emotion) are always at the heart of what I do. I think that if, as an artist you cynically try to follow musical fashions in order to remain cutting-edge eventually you will become unstuck.

As far as musical inspirations are concerned, they come from all over the place… from the weather, snatches of music or conversation overheard, films, my mood – whatever. It’s a mystery really, the way the mind works. Sometimes my mind is just barren of ideas, other times it is like an avalanche of ideas. 

Besides Orkidea and Giuseppe Ottaviani, whomelse do you plan to invite to mix your future Pure Trance compilations?

Well, if I told you that now it would spoil the anticipation for the future albums, I can however tell you why I chose to work with Giuseppe Ottaviani on Volume 2. Giuseppe and I work closely on the Pure Trance events, but more importantly I have huge respect for him as an artist for both his sense of musicianship and approach to production; like me he follows his own path and refuses to be a slave to musical fads – all these things combined made him a logical choice to mix Disc 2 of Pure Trance2.

Which track of the compilation do you think is the most representative of the "Pure Trance"? 

All of them have something different to say musically, and are all-representative of the sound - but ultimately this is about the journey, rather than specific tracks. I do however have my personal favourites – but that is something which changes day to day. Currently I am loving Driftmoon ‘Howl At The Moon’ and Colonial One ‘Atlas’, last week it was Elfsong ‘Seldarine’ and also ‘Alex Matteo ‘Prophecy’.

Which artist do you believe creates the "purest" trance music?

I couldn’t answer that question by only giving one 

name, so rather than give a long list, people who listen to the Solaris International show regularly and follow what I am doing with Pure Trance will have a pretty good idea of which artists I find the most interesting.

Which up and coming new artists who produce "Pure Trance" do you recommend we listen out for?

I’d focus mainly here on artists from the Pure Trance 2 tracklist. Elfsong (a Hungarian producer who seems to get better with every release, his recent track ‘Seldarine’ is one of my favourites from Pure Trance 2), Suncatcher (his singles and remixes are a consistent feature in my sets and on the Solaris International show), Winkee has been around for a while but is definitely in the ascendance, Future Disciple is absolutely brilliant & Alan Morris, a German producer who has been turning out many quality trance tracks for the past 12 months on his own Transistic label is one to watch.

Having released Pure Trance Vol. 2 approx. 12 months after Vol. 1 was released, can we expect a Pure Trance Vol. 3 similar time next year?

Yes.

Thank you Solarstone for taking the time for us to have answered these questions.

Visit:

http://www.solarstone.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/solarstone
https://twitter.com/richsolarstone
https://soundcloud.com/solarstone
http://www.youtube.com/solarstonetube
Buy Solarstone pres. Pure Trance Vol. 2:
iTunes
Beatport
Trancepedia