[INTERVIEW] Michael Alan Reflects On His Superb Paul Skelton & Andy Newtz ‘Angel’ Remix

We recently chatted with an absolute star on the rise for his latest work.

Trance is a beautiful thing. And when we found out about one of the most beautiful Trance releases of the year, Paul Skelton, Andy Newtz and Tara Green’s ‘Angel‘, we decided to go hands-on about it. You’d have read by now our review of the remix EP, which included remixes by Michael Alan and Ciaran McAuley. Well, we sat down with the former to catch up on it all.

DJ, Vocalist and Producer from Perth, Mike has grown to develop a rather strong bond with Electronic music. Once a fan and a devoted listener, now he contributes to the rich history of Dance music with his own creations. Made famous for his endless sets on his YouTube channel, things have escalated steadily for him.

And now that he landed this impeccable old-school sounding remix for ‘Angel’, it was the absolute right time to speak with him about the release, his career, and his vision as a fellow artist. So, without further to do, here’s our sincere, warm little chat with the one and only Michael Alan.

The Interview

Congratulations on the release of your remixes for ‘Angel’! To begin with, we’d love to know, how do you like the original version? What does it make you feel?

Thank you so much! To put it simply, the original is such a banger. It’s overflowing with the uplifting Trance vibes that I grew up listening to, and Paul’s piano work – as a classical pianist myself – is something I’ve always been really attracted to. There’s no doubt the original has all of the important hallmarks of what I love about dance music: deep, driving, melodic, emotional, uplifting Trance! That should be enough for any man or woman!

Talk us through your remixing process for the track. How did you come to work on it? Were there any challenges while flipping the track to your style?

Big shout out to Marcel @ Amon Vision for hooking us up with this one! My sound is really heavily influenced by early 2000s Trance, House and progressive. I also love film score, so you’ll usually see at least some thick Hans Zimmer-like strings in my breakdowns. Because so many of those classic Trance elements were already kind of there, I found it a relatively easy flip – definitely a lot of fun to remix!

I guess it’s a surprise to no one that we’re constantly being bombarded with oceans of meh music released at all times. What would you say makes your remix of ‘Angel’ special, how does it stand out?

I’m really trying to hone in on a focused sound at the moment. To consistently produce music that has a recognizable trademark. I love a really clean, focused mix that should sound sweet on the ear, without anything harsh or fatiguing. To give an example, I think tracks like ATB – ‘Till I Come’ are basically timeless, because they bounce like house and emote like only Trance can!

Have you had the chance to test your remix while DJing? If so, how’s the audience reaction been?

I haven’t yet! We’re just coming out of quite a long, cold winter here in Perth – so, while the shows are booked – road testing it is a few weeks away!

What’s one track, either yours or not, that you’d say changed your life in a way? If you’ve got a song with a strong personal story linked to it, for example.

Oh, there are so many. Always hard to pick one. But one that always stands out is Ferry Corsten’s remix of OceanLab – Clear Blue Water. Back in 2012, my old production partner Joe and I were playing to a sold-out Villa crowd for Amon Vision’s Trance Anthems night, wall-to-wall people in white, pure energy in the air. I’d planned to play the Mike Shiver remix, but Joe stopped me mid-reach and said, “Trust me. Play the Ferry mix.” I’d never even heard it before.

The moment I dropped it in blind… everything stopped. Seven minutes of absolute euphoria – like DJing to the crowd AND being in the crowd all at once. That experience, that feeling of being completely swept away by the music you’re sharing & simultaneously learning – it’s something I’ve spent my whole life trying to recreate since.

We still call Ferry “The Lord” to this day haha.

Why is Trance such a special genre of music to listen to? What would you say is the core characteristic of the genre?

It feels to me like unfiltered emotion – like it’s specifically designed to make people feel something more deeply than what’s at the surface. That in itself is a uniquely human experience – which I think especially today – is possibly the most important thing we can place a premium on.

If you could go back in time, say 10 years or any number of years you’d find interesting, and meet your past self, what would you tell that younger you? Were you worrying about something that wasn’t really necessary?

I’d just pass on all my production techniques & knowledge! I wouldn’t change anything else – and I reckon younger me would be pretty happy with a few level ups 🙂

How do you see yourself in a few years’ time? How do you want people to know/remember you by?

I want to keep making honest music and enjoying the process! Outside of the studio, I’m at my absolute happiest and complete when I’m playing live – sharing the music and expressing/performing what the music means to me. There’s nothing better than that!

Final Words

What a legend. Loved hearing from Mike, and what he had to say about the scene, as well as the remix itself. Gosh, I got remembered of that Ferry remix of ‘Clear Blue Water’, such a powerful tune. As is his remix of ‘Angel’! Elegant Progressive Trance reminiscent of yesteryear, it’s a jewel if you dare play it!

Thanks again for this interview, and thanks to Marcel from Amon Vision for linking us as well! The label is consistently putting out bangers, if you haven’t yet, you must give it a listen: they don’t miss. And stay tuned to our page for more.