[AS PUBLISHED IN MALAY MAIL]
W&W: Trance is the way forward
By Jordan Barnes
DUTCH DJ and record producers W&W revealed their first single under new trance-focused project NWYR is just two weeks away.
The duo plan to release their material for free.
Speaking backstage before their set in Kuala Lumpur last Friday, Willem van Hanegem and Wardt van der Harst said they have between 15 and 20 tracks currently being mixed.
They made their first appearance as side project NWYR at the Ultra Music Festival, Miami in March.
“It was scary. The set was all new music. We didn’t know what to expect,” van Hanegem said.
“As a producer, it’s a huge challenge. I’ve never seen anyone (play a full set of new music) like we did (at Ultra).”
The pair told Malay Mail Afternoon the response has been overwhelming.
“We just came from Japan and there were so many fans here with NWYR signs,” van der Harst said.
Though they are currently in preparation for their second show as NWYR, the duo assured fans it wasn’t the end of W&W as they plan to move forward with both projects.
W&W fans would be pleased to know the DJs are recording three new tracks under their original ensemble.
Van Hanegem and van der Harst’s careers started 10 years ago at the Trance Energy Festival in the Netherlands.
Their latest set in Kuala Lumpur, since they last performed in Zouk two years ago, featured seven songs from their latest trance mixes.
Van Hanegem believes underground music is beginning to push out mainstream dance numbers.
“Big room used to dominate festival main stages, but dance music has become so commercial — there is a different movement coming.”
On returning to their roots with trance, the lads said they always love big melodies, big leads, euphoric sounds and plenty of emotions.
“Trance is always our influence, you can still hear it in our sound now,” van der Harst said.
Van Hanegem said Kuala Lumpur is one of their favourite stops in Southeast Asia.
“Malaysia was one of the first countries to embrace our sound and the first in Southeast Asia where we played big shows.”
More than 2,000 packed into KL Live to watch the duo, who are supported by Justin Oh, Maurice West, Chukiess & Whackboi and Hypeembeats.
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