199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008     back | search     8: Markus Schulz STYLE: Somewhere between progressive and trance. KNOWN FOR: Bassline-driven prog trance. TUNE OF 2008: Mr Pit 'Shana (Duderstadt Remix)' PRODUCER OF 2008: Kyau & Albert. First record you ever bought? Zapp 'More Bounce To the Ounce' - maybe not what you'd expect! Weirdest thing you've seen all year? At several gigs this year I witnessed go-go dancers fall off the stage. I'm not joking, those stages were high! Top gadget of 2008? Mixed In Key software. This is an amazing piece of kit that lets you find which tracks harmonise the best together. Most important thing you've learned this year? Obama’s speeches that sound great over breakdowns. He’s the new Martin Luther King as far as a cappellas go!  Music from Markus Schulz German trance DJ Markus Schulz must get confused. Living in Berlin and Miami, his touring schedule in 2008 focused on every major city in between his two bases. Neither city has a big trance scene, so why does he divide his time between them? 'I love both cities for the lifestyle,' he explains. 'Miami is great because I have always loved the ocean and the calm of the beach. When you live in Miami you get to know the places where there are not a lot of tourists. 'As for Berlin, I was born in Germany and when we were making plans to have a European home during the summer, I knew the history of Berlin and the eclectic variety of people that live there. 'I love the fact that in both cities I am just one of the people, experiencing the cities as everyone else does. These normal things are what inspire me and keep me grounded,' he adds. When DJmag finally tracks Markus down, he's in Ibiza, and he remains upbeat about the island's future as a party destination, despite the authorities' attempts to clamp down on clubs this year. 'Ibiza was amazing for me this year. I think trance is on its way back in a big way. Mind you, this is not your big brother's trance music circa 1999,' Schulz says. 'This is a whole new attitude and the new generation of clubbers are loving it. I think the island is going through a transformation to the next generation of clubbers. Of course, there will be some growing pains while clubs try to adapt, but from my point of view, in the clubs the energy was terrific.' Markus is adamant that the resurgence in trance's popularity isn't confined to Ibiza and sees a gradual change in sound, in particular a renewed focus on melodies, as the main reasons for its global appeal. 'My sound has really changed this year. The tempos are higher and there is a lot more drama and tension in my sets, but I think it also goes back to melodies,' Markus believes. 'Whenever trance re-invents itself, the one constant is the powerful melodies. These are the things that touch people of all nationalities, age, religions, race and sexual preferences. Great melodies can make a connection whether you're hearing it on an iPod, laptop speaker or boom box, not just on a massive club or festival soundsystem.' An ardent supporter of technology, the Markus feels that the software revolution is also responsible for trance's latest evolution. 'There is a new generation of kids that have grown up with computers and software. These kids have developed a new twist to trance with many interesting sub-genres. Back in the day, to make a track you needed thousands of dollars to have the proper gear. Today, the same stuff is available as software. Of course, with this technology a lot of stuff is made that is not up to standard but with so many young people with fresh ideas, these are exciting times. You just have to search harder to find those special gems,' he says. Schulz has a residency for The Gallery at London's Ministry of Sound. A regular guest at the club's former home, Turnmills, he is happy with the move. 'The Ministry is my brand new home and the first time I played there the soundsystem blew me away. It's a good move for The Gallery and I think the night has fitted in there perfectly,' he says. In 2008, he also found time to put out three EPs on Coldharbour and remix Ronski Speed. For the rest of the year, he says: 'After a gruelling summer of festivals and non-stop travelling, I'm looking forward to getting back to the clubs and doing longer sets again. The festivals are great but the sets are much shorter, leaving little room to go down the rabbit hole and get twisted.' Words: Richard Brophy