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Interview with Gai Barone about his compilation In The Mix vol.6 on Bonzai Progressive


Gai Barone is on the mixing duties of the latest Bonzai Progressive compilation In The Mix Vol.6. After the very successful previous editions the legendary compilation series returns with Gai Barone who has selected some of the finest progressive house cuts mainly from Bonzai Progressive but also from other well known record labels in the progressive scene. It's super hard not to love this sympathetic Italian with that endless talent and great taste for progressive at the edge away from what the mainstream sirens may dictate to produce and be successful. Last time we met Gai Barone in person was at the Pure Trance ADE event when we did an interview along with Basil O'Glue and Andromedha. Now Gai on its own takes the risk to answer our questions with very enlightening answers. Read it now while on your CD player or digital download or streaming service you enjoy his In The Mix vol.6 compilation. You can buy at beatport click here

Interview is written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias, Music Journalist and Radio DJ

Dimitri: First of all nice to have you back after our epic video interview at Pure Trance event during ADE 2017. Let’s connect the dots and tell us what you were up too from November till now that you are replying to this interview. 

Gai: My Pleasure , always great to be part of the Flux Blog!!! It was amazing to see you at ADE and still remember that interview, with Haris and Patrick, definitely one of the best I ever had! Well, I had some gigs around the globe, I’ve played at the progressive stage for ASOT with some of my fav heroes, finished 4 different remixes and mixed a beautiful compilation for Bonzai ;)



Dimitri: Of course your main release the last few months was your In The Mix vol.6 compilation for Bonzai Progressive. Your latest mixed compilation was for Pure Trance along with Gai Barone. What are the differences between these two dj mixes? Have you treated the compilations differently?


Gai: Well I think there are not big differences, actually I my way of choosing or picking tracks is always the same, maybe there’s more about me, I mean Gai Tracks in the Bonzai compilation, but both reflect my world and what I really love.



Dimitri: Do you usually get some guidance from the label about where they wish the compilation to go or you were free for example for In The Mix vol.6 to choose the tracks that you adore to include in it?

Gai: It was very easy to choose the tracks for the compilation as we worked very well with the Bonzai team, they sent me some tracks and let me free to choose the ones I loved most; so I did, selected almost every track they sent me, absolutely stunning pieces and added some gai-flavour to them, and the compilations was ready to go
Gai Barone

Dimitri: In The Mix vol.6 includes great wealth of material from Bonzai Progressive. What is your opinion about the record label and its contribution in the electronic dance music culture. 

Gai: you can’t even imagine how many vinyls I have collected from the Bonzai Label in the years ! It’s been a great honour to work with one the most important label for electronic and dance music! They were real pioneers in the industry and still delivering some of the best tools for me as a dj! 

Dimitri: Can you describe to us the process of selecting, mixing and releasing this compilation. How did you work for it? Did you use particular DJ software that allows you to do any correction and reach perfection or you use DJ decks to record it?

Gai: As I told you it was very easy to select the tracks for the compilation, if I feel a track I usually play it, that’s it, and it worked for the compilation as well! about the mixing process, I used the software Mixed in Key and Ableton , both made my life easier!



Dimitri: It would be fantastic to pick for us your Top 5 tracks from within the compilation and give us a short comment about the importance of each track for you.

Gai: Wellenrausch track, under his alias Kymatic is absolutely a stunning track! A masterpiece of techno and progressive!

Mark Found track is stunning, big fan of him and I’m sure he ll be one of the best in the next months; 

Tanner, Half Way, it’s one of my favorite track to warm it up properly! 

My Tanita, which is the intro track of the first part of the compilation ! I m in love with Twist in My Sobriety and always wanted to give this tune a light progressive touch; 

And the last but not the least another one from , a track called the Bloop, hard to define, cause it’s a not a trance track, nor a progressive nor a techno but I love people reactions every time I play it!

Dimitri: Do you see this compilation as reflection of your actual dj sets or you tried to take care the home and car listeners who enjoy this compilation in their intimate personal surroundings?

Gai: Definitely this is what I play at the moment, and The Progressive Section may be one of the sets I play in a club right now! 



Dimitri: Did you had the opportunity to check out the previous edition of the In The Mix series? If yes which volume is your favourite and why?

Gai: Yes indeed and I really loved the selection from Mr Aiwave, still one to remember 

Dimitri: Bonzai Progressive release schedule is vast so are there any tracks that you wished to include in the compilation and for whatever reason you didn’t manage to add them? 

Gai: Probably some more Antidote track, something that I’m feeling at the moment, it ’s what the real deep trance should sound, in my opinion!

Dimitri: Are you going to release new material on Bonzai Progressive soon? 

Gai: ...and the answer is Yes!! I can’t wait, there’s a new track called Myonic, which will see the light along with an awesome remix from a stellar Producer I love….but it’s still a secret ;)

Dimitri: It would be great to talk about some of your latest tunes as well. Can you give us a short comment about each one of them?

Gai: Basil O'Glue - Everyone has a story (Gai Barone Remix): it’s a trippy track, a bit of techno, progressive, trance and tech house! I really enjoyed making this remix for a good friend ;)



Gai Barone – Monoroid: I’m so happy about it, and even more for releasing it on Zero Three! One of the best label for Real Prog! They rock



Wellenrausch & Gai Barone - Heroes of Light: Believe me, working with Torsten is amazing, we share the same attitude for music and for producing it! and what to say about the Markus’ Voice ? Such a stellar TUNE!



Dimitri: Some labels are tempted to release uplifting or big room trance remixes of your tracks. Do you welcome this interpretations and which remix from other artist in your track is your favourite?

Gai: Honestly I like the way the other producers see my music, and I’m ok with that, I know that tastes are purely personal, but music is a Godsend and everyone should have the chance to express their on point of view about it.



Dimitri: I was very happy to see you as part of the ASOT850 Utrecht line up. How your experience of your DJ set at ASOT was and are you happy to see progressive getting the recognition it deserves in such big scale mass dance events?

Gai: It was such a stellar night, totally different from the others, I mean I’m a “shy” progressive dj and being there with those giants was unbelievable ! I didn’t even know what to play at the beginning, but seeing that crowd dancing on the progressive stage is something I ll never forget! I know that progressive is always an issue for many people out there, expecting more banging or uplifting tunes, but I’m sure that something is changing, and I’ll be my best to help this movement to be bigger and better! Promise



Dimitri: Which events are coming up in your tour schedule and we should have an eye on them?

Gai: I'll be in San Francisco this Saturday for the Pure Trance VI celebration and I’ m so looking forward to it, next my debut in Cardiff with Will Rees and in may another special Pure Trance Event in Phuket at the Unkonscius Beach Festival!

Dimitri: Lets finish of with your predictions for 2018. Can you pick your top 3 artists that you believe that would do great in 2018?

Gai: Mark Found 



Division One



Tannura



Dimitri: Thanks Gai very much for this interview. 

Gai: I thank you my precious Dimi, hope to see you soon around

Thanks to Tim Stark at Stark Profiles for organising this interview.



Gai Barone - In The Mix 006 
Part 1
01° Gai Barone - Tanita (Intro Mix) 
02° Tannura - Halfway (Original Mix)
03° Gai Barone - Cantica (Gai Is Coming To Town Remix) 
04° Kymatik - La Bataeu Ivre (Original Mix) 
05° Lunar Park - Tantra (Original Mix) 
06° Chris Cargo - Inversion (Original Mix) 
07° Danito & Athina - City Lights (Stereo Underground Remix) 
08° Morttagua & Gaby Endo - Urania (Gai Barone Depth Mode Remix) 
09° Blufeld - Tristful Sleeper (Original Mix)
10° TR20 - Perception Management (Original Mix) 
11° Revolutionary Blocks - Behind (Original Mix) 
12° Quadran featuring Tasha - Unlovable (Nico Parisi Instrumental Remix) 
1° York & Ramon Zenker - China Girl (Andromedha Remix) 

Part 2 
01° Matan Caspi - Shiny Coral Reefs (Alex Vidal Remix) 
02° Coyu featuring Thomas Gandey - 1 + 1 (Gerd Janson Arp Mix) 
03° Antidote - What Time Is Love (Stan Kolev Remix) 
04° AudioStorm - The Passenger (Original Mix) 
05° Gai Barone - Something Between Us (Original Mix) 
06° Oovation - Solar (Michael A Remix) 
07° Gabriel West & Ricardo Piedra - Devon (Original Mix) 
08° Yuriy From Russia - Black Lagoon (Original Mix) 
09° Milla Nelson - Beautiful Beast (Original Mix) 
10° Mark Found - Dust of Light (Original Mix) 
11° Gai Barone - The Bloop (Original Mix) 
12° Basil O'Glue - The Mars Project (Original Mix) 
13° Solarstone & John 00 Fleming - Hemispheres



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