The dance-music scene's obsession with being at the forefront of the latest musical trends has come at a price, according to Dutch star producer Ferry Corsten.
The trance veteran says the growth of music-streaming sites has resulted in a lack of appeal for the album format within EDM circles – a feature he hopes to bring back into fashion with his fascinating new project Blueprint.
Released earlier this year, it is as much an evocative instrumental album as an audiobook. Based around an intergalactic love story, the plot is driven as much by the drama of the propulsive music as small pieces of narration penned by House of Cards and Rosewood screenwriter David H Miller and performed by Campbell Scott of The Amazing Spider-Man fame.
With almost two decades in the industry and a seasoned international performer, the 43-year-old Corsten admits some lethargy eventually creeps into a DJ's career. He explains that the ambitious Blueprint is as much about making a statement to the industry as to himself.
"I just needed to get shake my way out of it because it is every easy to be comfortable in the industry. You make one song that becomes a big hit in the club and festivals and you then end up keep repeating the same formula," he says from Amsterdam Dance Event. "When I get that way,
I have to find a way to step out of it. Doing a big project such as Blueprint helped
get me inspired for now and the future."
With Corsten constantly on tour, he rarely had the chance to achieve that dream of scoring a major film. He explains that Blueprint is the next best thing – a film score without the film – and that the creative process was relatively similar to film work, in that the story came first.
"Miller and I first worked together in fleshing out the story and where we wanted to go with," Corsten recalls. "Then he would throw me some words that he wrote and I would send back some of the music. We would go on until we had 70 per cent of how the story will be, then I would work alone and focus on getting the music to reflect that."
With Miller in charge of the writing, Corsten says he was free to focus his attention on the compositions. It shows: to even the most casual dance-music listener, Blueprint sounds grand and meticulous. The synths are both sweeping and carefully layered, while deeply embedded counter melodies sound intricate.
“It was a different way of working in that the script provided me with some guidance,” he says. “In a way, I felt more free because I can zero in the soundscapes. It was like doing a deep dive and focusing on the minor details, and that was when the process got really intense.”
Despite the project's grand nature, don't expect a special tour dedicated to Blueprint. Corsten says he always viewed the album as a studio project and that Ibiza crowds wouldn't know how to react to live narration coming from the DJ decks.
“I was considering that idea for a little bit, to bring actors and perform the script in my shows,” he says. “But in the end I decided against it and played some of the songs in the show. I realised that people come to dance and not visit the theatre.”
Corsten says his team are presently in talks with UAE promoters for a possible return to the UAE. In the meantime, he is happy that Creamfields Abu Dhabi is back on the touring calendar.
“The UAE is becoming a big part of touring for us and we always enjoy coming there,” he says. “It is perfect in a way; it is in the middle if you want to tour in Asia or Australia. DJs don’t like direct flights, I find. They love to stop over and play, and in that sense, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are great.”
Blueprint is out now on Sony
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
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SPECS
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
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A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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How to avoid crypto fraud
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