“I remember listening to trance music for the first time. I mean actually, purposely sitting down to listen to it ...approaching it the way a child might hesitantly approach the outside world for the first time after finding the gate left open. With no experience or knowledge of the music, no understanding of its construct, I was mesmerized by the simplicity of it all. How a catchy "hook" could completely be ingrained in my head within seconds of hearing it. I'd be humming the theme for the rest of the day. How ignorant I was to think that because of its "simplicity" that it would be easy to produce. Indeed, the art of producing this type of music is in making it sound so simple. Yet the truth is that it requires so much more than one might suppose -- intricacies like creative use of space, sound effects, timing, weaving melody lines and harmonies together, creating tension and even choosing the right instrument to set the proper tone or mood. Why had I avoided this music for so long? I had certainly heard of Trance, but chose to ignore it. I realize, only now, that there was a stigma preventing me from involving myself with the genre. The very word, "trance", was appalling to me as it implied a mindless, catatonic state. I figured the music was repetitious and boring, having no possible musical quality. Music for zombies. I was also guilty of stereotyping the music and its culture. After all, everyone knows that during the height of its popularity in the late 90's it was embraced by the rave culture and symbolized debauchery, hedonism, and reckless drug use (especially the use of ecstasy). All that was a blight on the genre and I truly missed out on what some have called Trance music's best years. Even if, now, it is less of a mystery to me I am even more passionate about the music. Trance music has the power to, not only capture a listener's emotions, but to change and control a persons mood entirely -- often several times within the course of one song! The whole phenomenon behind starting with one song and doing a remix to make a completely new one is intriguing to me. The transformation of a song beginning in one particular genre and evolving into another is fascinating. For this reason, I find trance to be more creative and fun then most other music. Doing a cover song shows a lack of originality, where a remix calls on an artist to interpret a song in his own way, to rediscover some of the same elements as the original but recreate it and make it something new by using different melodies, tempos, instruments, etc. I still cringe, somewhat, when I hear the word “trance”, but now I aim to change the popular myths about it!”

“No other musical genre places so many demands on an artist as Electronica does. (Well...maybe classical music! I can only imagine the difficulties scoring, teaching and conducting a symphony!). Very few pop-stars involve themselves in playing their own instruments. Very few rock 'n roll bands participate in the mixing of their vocals with their music. Indeed, these days who even writes their own music or crafts their own lyrics? In the realm of electronic music, however, everything from the inception of the song, the lyrics, the musical phrasing, the instrumentation, the performance...right down to the mix-down and mastering of the final audio file is done by the artist. Most people are completely unaware of what they DON'T hear in a song. Things like creating the proper structure for a track, so that tension is created. If a listener doesn't feel any tension in a build or if they don't anticipate a break in the music, then there is no climax, no sense of fulfillment and no thrill in the journey. This is the art. Also, most people would assume that you pick a sound and place it with many other different sounding synths to achieve a proper arrangement. The truth, once again, is that without a working knowledge of how to mix and balance volumes, frequencies and effects (FX) properly, the end result is a muddy, murky mess of indistinguishable timbres and instruments that aren't sharing space in the sound spectrum with other synth sounds. I recall burning my first song to CD and playing it back in my stereo. What shock and dismay. Rather than having some sounds in the forefront and others in the background, everything sounded congealed and indistinct. Having to spend twice as much time on mixing and mastering as I did creating the music was an eye-opener for me. Concepts like equalization, compression, normalization, limiting and panning are lost on many artists in other genres, where the record company takes care of all this behind closed doors. Surely, just being in the confines of the digital domain imposes such a steep learning curve...synths (while software based) mimic analog hardware instruments for the most part, and so require an artist to read up on synthesis, modulation, waveforms, oscillators, envelope generators, etc. This is the science. It's enough to make anyone think more than twice about joining a Country band! But all this "behind the scenes" work only adds to the sense of reward after a song is finalized and heard in the car stereo for the first time. Much of the electronica and trance found on commercial releases is untouched after leaving the artist's studio! Most of it is CD ready! The artist is responsible for every aspect of his song, and has been involved in his music through every stage. I feel very fortunate to have been able to realize this and experience this firsthand. It has given me a deeper appreciation for the electronic dance music producer more than for any other type of musical artist.”

“So many people find it either amusing or precocious of me that I class my music as such. Certainly, the argument has been made to me over and over that music, by virtue of its boundless nature and appeal to many diverse tastes, cannot be pigeonholed by any one belief or religion. I wouldn’t be so ignorant to suggest that my music can only be relevant or appreciated by other Christians. Yet, I tire of the bad language and offensive content that I must listen to each and every time I turn on the radio. I find that the world has been so desensitized by secular ideals and immoral principles that there is no longer the desire, much less the ability, to do anything about it. For the most part, even Christians sit like dumb mutes in front of their stereos being force-fed notions like “love is a feeling that often goes away”, or “it can’t be bad if everyone is doing it!” without so much as blinking. This is not what Christ teaches. I’m sick of the degradation of our society. I am doing my part to stop it. In the music I produce that contains vocals and lyrics I will choose to exalt Jesus and uphold biblical truths. By labeling my music as Christian Trance, I am simply stating for the record that I am using my music to convey biblical principles. And it is much deeper than that. Everyone has seen the “Christian Rock” section at the music store and no one questions that. Why? Because obviously the lyrics are indoctrinated with Christian values. But what of the music? What about pure, instrumental music. Can it be Christian? I say it can, without a doubt. Consider the fact that this work is a physical offering to God, an act of worship. Not just the performance of the music itself, but the very act of creating it, designing it and working on it are all elements of the way I choose to worship the Lord. Therefore, it is more than a song. It is a sacrifice of praise. And what better genre to choose to do that!? Trance is uplifting, spiritual, and vibrant!”