Quantum (BNE, Israel)

Hey mate, how are you?

Good man.

So tell me a little bit about your project Quantum. How did you first discover trance music? Who were some early inspirations to start making music?

My Quantum project is 5 years old. In this time I released many tracks in different compilations, singles, vinyls and 2 albums. Before that I made and released tracks as dj Gidi with Astrix, BLT, Alien project and more. I discover trance music in the beginning of the 90s, after that I was in Goa 92 and 93 seasons, where I really fell in love with this kind of music. Then I organized for 2 years parties in Israel and became a dj 10 years ago…I always wanted to make music…From the trance scene my biggest inspirations for making music were and are Koxbox, X dream, Nick Taylor, Tsuyoshi Suzuki and for sure some Israeli groups but this came later on… I was deeply in the punk scene in Israel before the trance came so I have lot of influences from that time too.

The sound you have arrived at seems to have elements of both full-on and progressive- tell me about the sound of your new album… How do you think you have progressed musically since earlier releases?

This is true, some of my tracks are totally full on tracks and some are more progressive style, the most important for me is that they will be for the dance floor and would tell a story. It can be a happy or sad story, psychedelic with many layers of sounds or more minimalistic. I like all styles of trance and electro music. But they all have to be with strong emotions and serious. The big difference between this album and my debut “outrage” album a year and a half ago is that the production now of the tracks is at top level. All tracks are in top mix and all the breaks are in the right timing etc. This album is totally dance floor and the sound is crispy and nice. I can play now all my tracks and they all work very good in the parties and I am very happy from this. In the last 2 years I changed all my studio and learned a lot about sound mix…

Does being signed to super label Yoyo/BNE make it easier to make your mark in the scene? How has this signing helped you?

I think first of all that what is important is the music itself must be interesting, new and in good production. After that if the label is working good so it will help a lot the artist. What I like about BNE is that the people who work there are really good people and they are serious about their job and they believe in the music and the artists.
BNE proved them selves for many years as a label that can grow an artist from the start to the top level in the world of electronic music. Because of all this things I signed in this label.

I see you have worked in the past with artists like DNA, Timelock and Black and White…Are there any collaborations with other artists on the album or in the works? Any other compilation releases soon we should know about?

I worked in past also with Astrix, Pps project, Gorlation corporation, Alien project, Blt and Point. I have new tracks now also with Echotek, Solar system and with a guitarist from the states Avi Ronen which I plan to make live performance with him in the near future. In the album I have a collaboration killer dance floor track with Timelock – "Push me up" and also a track with good friends E-jekt – "X-per-minute".
The last track in the album is a remix I made for Timelock's track – "Skylines". I also made now a remix to veteran trance group Powersource, to their Zahadoom track.
Now I am going to make a remix for Spacecat too. So I am quite busy in the studio work…

Who are your favourite artists right now? Who inspires you these days? What sort of things do you listen to outside trance music?

I like many artists now, but only some tracks from each one… I like a lot Black & white, Timelock, Psysex , Ticon and Perfect stranger, there are many more, but these are my favourites… Outside trance music, I like listening a lot to electro dance music like Fat boy slim, Josh wink, Schatsi, Black strobe and more… I also listen to other non electro groups like evanescense, Depechemode, System of a down and more…

Where have you travelled to play at? Any memorable moments from on tour? What’s the best party you’ve played at? What about the best country you’ve visited?

I played in many places in Israel and went to perform in Russia, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Austria and more… I actually enjoyed all these places, some better parties some less, but I like them all!!! I especially enjoyed last year playing an open air near Moscow Russia and also my parties in Japan in Osaka city. I think in Japan was my best party. Except that one I can also remember good a smaller parties for 400 people in a private beach in the Kineret Lake in north of Israel which maybe was my best party of the year.

Do you have much future travel plans? Where can we catch a Quantum gig soon?

I have lot of plans…My next party will be in Japan, then I will make live and dj set in the X mas in Viena Austria, I also plan to play soon in Russia, Brazil and Mexico.
Dates about my gigs will be in my site www.quantum-beats.com and in the new site of bne www.bne.co.il

Tell me a little about your studio setup? What is your favourite bit of equipment? Do you use much hardware, or is it mainly VST based?

My studio is in Tel Aviv. The acoustic is perfect – Floor, walls and ceiling… A very strong computer , an old freebass fb383, Soundcraft mixer, Pulsar2 soundcard, Hafler 500 amp with Dynaudio bm6 great monitors. Akg 1000s mic. Klavia Nordlead 1 Keyboard. I worked also with Virus B and Korg Ms2000 which I sold now and I intend to buy now the new Virus TI which I really like. I also use a lot sample cds putting them in vst samplers. I use the Steinberg Q base sx 2 sequencer, Sounforge 7 and Wavelab 5. I use many kind of vst instruments, plug ins, compressors and limiters.
I love using hardware and less vst computer based instruments, but this always depends on money situation…

Is it hard being an artist from Israel, considering there are so many artists and competition from there? Do you think it makes it harder or easier to get ahead?

A few years ago there were only a few good Israeli artists and now many, so I think it is all the time the time changes. For me it does not matter at all. I am just focusing on making music and trying to make it in high level. I think competition, artistic competition is always good and it forces you to improve your abilities all the time. It makes all the productions around better. Sometimes because of so many artists in Israel, so the artists play less in Israel in the parties, but it is normal and I am happy to make music here. In Israel you can always ask any question about the studio work, at any time you can call another studio and you will get help or the opposite. This is very helpful and unique to the Israeli electronic scene.

So what is the future plan for you man? Where do you hope this career to take you?

The future plan for me is to continue make psy trance music Quantum style and also I started working on a different music style under the name of One night stand. This project would be electro style of music, totally freestyle with fresh sound. About the career, well, I hope that it will take me around the world again and again and again…I just love to dj and perform in parties , and love the studio work… I hope that many people would get exposed to my music and enjoyed listening and dancing to it.

What kind of things do you get up to outside of music? Any hobbies etc? Do you have a day-job, or is trance full time for you now?

Except making music , I get out to parties, bars, playstation, movies and travel.
I used to play also professional table tennis… I don’t have another day work beside my studio. I give some private lessons about the cubase now, and help young artists about sound mixing. Until one month ago I also hosted for 7 years the "tranceformator" 106fm radio show every week, now I stoped, but I intend to make another show in a new concept in the future. Few years ago I also opened the first electronic magazine in Israel called Newzeek (rip). So, I am always busy in something, but now I am happy and give all my time for making my own music, trance and electro.

Any last words, things you want to say or people you’d like to thank?

I can only say more that I hope all people around the world behave cool, come to many parties , and open more their minds. I hope the trance scene would continue to develop in a right direction and break in to more countries. I hope organizers in Israel would care more about the music and listen more to the people who come to their parties… I say many many thanks to my family, to Bne label family , to all dance trance nation people around this world, and to you. Don’t be lazy and continue doing what you like to do!!!!

Thanks so much for the interview, man- looking forward to hearing your album. Cheers mate!!!

Interview with Gidi – Quantum by Jesse Kuch
www.quantum-beats.com