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INTERVIEW: American producer, Andrew Chen aka Shogun, is the first Asian DJ and producer to be signed to S107/Armada

American producer, Andrew Chen aka Shogun, is the first Asian DJ and producer to be signed to S107/Armada. Whether it is remixing for the world’s number one DJ – Armin van Buuren, or for Grammy nominated singer and songwriter Nadia Ali, Shogun’s productions have gained him full support from the biggest names in the industry including Ferry Corsten, Paul Van Dyk, Above & Beyond, Armin van Buuren, Gareth Emery, and Markus Schulz just to name a few.

With some of the biggest anthems to date, ‘Save Me’, ‘Imprisoned’, ‘Run To My Rescue’ and ‘Skyfire’, Shogun has cemented his place as one of the most influential and biggest trance/progressive acts today and his songs have regularly been featured on the world’s leading radio shows such as Vonyc Sessions, Trance Around The World, Corsten’s Countdown, Global DJ Broadcast, and A State of Trance Radio Show – [32 ASOT plays / 5 Future Favorites].

Voted into the DJ Mag 2011 world rankings at #122, Shogun has headlined events across the globe and also served as resident DJ for the prominent Ministry of Sound nightclub for over 3 years. His exclusive nine hour sets at the superclub set the standard for epic nights that can only be described as an emotional and amazing journey. These sets were also broadcasted live on Ministry of Sound Radio to thousands of listeners worldwide.

With the constant productions of top quality releases and the DJ skills to rock the best clubs in the world, the future is already written for this rising trance artist.

www.shogun-music.com

www.twitter.com/shogunmusic

Rachel Rixham: Hi Shogun, great to catch up with you today, how are things going? it looks rather busy from this end for you.

Shogun: Hi Rachel, thanks for having me! Things are going great, I’m in Vancouver at the moment about to head to Guatemala for my next show at Stage nightclub. I just played to a sold out crowd at Gossip and as usual, the place was on fire! Looking forward to seeing what Guatemala has in store for me.

Rachel: Give us a quick artist introduction, what’s your real name, where do you come from and where does the musical journey begin?

Shogun: My real name is Andrew Chen and I’m from Southern California with Asian heritage. I grew up playing the piano, violin and drums but I first got into electronic music when I was a teenager. I was originally into harder, industrial music like Nine Inch Nails, Filter, Prodigy, and the Chemical Brothers but one day, my friend played “Communication” by Armin van Buuren for me and from that moment on, I was hooked. I started producing when my parents bought me my first computer and I used Fruity Loops, but I eventually progressed to Logic Pro.

Readers Q WezzyP: How exactly do you see music? I know it’s a vague question but for myself, I visualize music as a long line that fluctuates with different sounds, hard to explain but I’ve noticed that quite a few musicians see music in their own unique way.

Shogun: I visualize music as a 3D painting. When I listen to a track, I picture what the producer had in mind while the track was being made–like when you see a piece of artwork and think about what the artist had in mind painting it. I think there is a deeper sense of feeling when you listen to a track, when you imagine what the creator was thinking when making it.

Readers Q fatttmunkey: From my understanding, you are an producer with a Chinese background. How did you decide upon the Japanese associated word “Shogun”? (By the way, I’m a huge fan of your work)

Shogun: Thanks for the kind words. I wanted to come up with a stage name that sounded Asian but would also work well with the Western crowd. I was sitting at a family dinner trying to think of a perfect name, tossing around ideas, and my dad shouted out ‘Shogun’! I thought it was the perfect stage name and stuck with me till this day!

Readers Q MartMillz: What was it like making such a big splash and breaking on to the scene with the massive hit “Skyfire”?

Shogun: The response to ‘Skyfire’ has been amazing! 2011 has been my biggest year to date and it seems like more and more people are enjoying my tracks. I think every artist has that one track that makes them stand out, so I’m proud that mine has been Skyfire because it has a lot of meaning behind it. It tells a story about the dark side of humanity and how the world struggles to find peace and hope in times of war. ‘Skyfire’ describes bombs exploding and citizens seeing their lives in ruins. I followed up with ‘Lotus’ as a second part to the story, one where when the dust settles and people start to rebuild.

Rachel: It was only yesterday that I spotted a new remix from you for “W&W’s” new track “Nowhere To Go”, set for release on the 14th of December. Can you tell us how that remix offer came about, and did you feel any pressure supplying a remix for W&W?

Shogun: W&W asked me to do a remix of ‘Nowhere To Go’ and when I heard the vocals by Bree, I felt inspired to take the track in a new direction and style. It’s a great tune and I wanted to create a more clubby feel with the remix while keeping the emotional elements that I loved from the original. There was no pressure at all because I had a great time with the remix and I think people really love the track.

Rachel: In addition to the above question a remix from upcoming artist “Tom Fall” is to be included the release, a name quickly building a reputation in the trance scene at the moment, what do you think about “Tom Fall” productions and have you supported any of his tracks in your sets?

Shogun: I think Tom Fall’s productions have a distinctive sound that are warm and inviting, but works well on the dance floor. I’ve supported his tracks this year, especially his remix of ‘Better Days’, which is still one of my favorites.

www.jamdjmanagement.com

Rachel: Another supreme release from you forthcoming on the 28th December 2011 is the track “Lotus” it already seems to be a huge hit with the trance community. Tell us where the inspiration stems from and what the name “Lotus” means to you?

Shogun: As I mentioned, ‘Lotus’ is the follow-up to ‘Skyfire.’ The lotus flower is a symbol of peace and tranquility–I actually have a tattoo of it–and it’s inspiring to me because even though it grows in dark, murky waters, it still remains bright and beautiful. I wanted people who were struggling with their own issues–anything from living in a war zone or poverty, or just day-to-day struggles that we all face–to know that even when times are hard, you can still find hope and beauty in darkness.

Rachel: Tell us about “Space Odyssey” I hear it will be included in the “Lotus” EP, what can we expect from this track?

Shogun: This track was originally included in Armin van Buuren’s Universal Religion Chapter 5 compilation and it was cool to see how close the artwork of that album matched ‘Space Odyssey’! I think it’s a fun, trippy track and it’s been getting a great response on dance floors around the world. The ‘Lotus’ and ‘Space Odyssey’ is probably one of my biggest releases, so I hope everyone picks it up on Dec 12! ;)

Rachel: Moving along, can you walk us around your studio, what three things will we see first and what do you hope to purchase for the studio next?

Shogun: First, you’ll notice all of the acoustic sound deadening foam on my walls. My studio is covered with these to keep the sound as accurate as possible. The next thing would be my 61 key axiom keyboard where I write all my music. It’s what I miss the most when I’m on the road because I like playing full chords when I start a new piece or working on a track. Third would be the big pile of hotel key cards I collected from touring and traveling around the world! For my next purchase, I’m planning to get a Moog Little Phatty, really love the sounds this synth puts out. :)

Rachel: Talk to us a little in regards to production, how would you start a track, middle and end? Also Readers Q sassanix: what strategy do you use to create your melodies?

Shogun: I start all my tracks with an acoustic piano instrumental to lay down all the melodies and ideas. It’s important to write down your ideas as fast as possible so you don’t lose the inspiration. From there on, I’ll re-strip the track and focus on the production. The production takes a while because I’m careful at choosing the right sounds to compliment each other, while focusing on the structure and getting the mix as tight as possible. At the end, I’ll concentrate on the mastering, which is where the track comes alive and sounds good enough to be played live.

I don’t have a set way or standard when it comes to creating melodies. For example, I’ll start with different keys or play random chords or whatever strikes me at that given moment. Once I know I’m on the right track, I’ll take it from there. The best strategy is to let your heart guide you. When I get goosebumps from playing a melody, I know it’s going to be a strong tune.

Readers Q ElectroFrosty: How do you go about choosing which vocalist to use on a track, since there are so many talented vocalists that lend their voices to the trance community?

Shogun: I like vocalists that have warmer tones in their voice, which works well in my productions. Lyrics are really important when I work with vocalists as well, so I have to be a fan of the lyrics they have written before. My sound is more on the darker and emotional side, so I like to choose vocalists that feel inspired from melodies that tug at the heart strings.

http://soundcloud.com/shogunmusic

Readers Q geeyoupee: How do you keep up with the most recent songs? and How do you decide which songs to put on your White room sessions?

Shogun: I go through a lot of promos each week to find the hottest and most up-to-date tunes for my podcast. Also, I still buy a lot of tracks from Beatport which is something I think is important, to support the artist. Once I gather a big collection of new tunes, I’ll mix in my favorites to be in the White Room Sessions. Podcasts are different than live sets and I never plan out my live sets–I just go with the crowd’s feelings and instinct.

Readers Q Tyler_Seth_H: People say trance is not as good as it used to be, while others say it is better than it has ever been, what is your opinion?

Shogun: I think trance is better than ever because the music is always evolving in a good way! Trance can take strong elements from other genres and make it sound totally different and new in the end. There’s a big variety of trance now with fresh new sounds, so I’d say trance is as good and exciting as ever. And trance fans are some of the most dedicated music lovers on the planet, so it will never go away!

Readers Q Ethuggangsta: What suggestions other than “keep working at it” do you have for fans and fellow producers who are aspiring to achieve a stand like yours in the EDM community?

Shogun: For producers, it’s not about the gear or sequencer you use–there’s an old saying which holds true “It’s not about the gear!” Try mastering one synth inside out rather than slightly knowing 10 synths. Also, try finding your own sound through new track structure, sound design, etc, because in the end that is what will help distinguish you from different artists.

Readers Q cmarico: What has been your most inspirational moment in trance?

Shogun: The most inspirational moment was when I received a hand written letter from a fan that said my track ‘Lotus’ had helped her through an illness and get back on her feet again. It’s always amazing to hear something like this. Trance has always been there for me and my life is trance.

Rachel: What can we expect from 2012? an album perhaps?

Shogun: I’m always in the studio and I have a lot more remixes on the way for some big artists. I am also working on new original productions, including one with Susana I’m really excited about. An album is definitely on my mind, which I plan to begin later in 2012. Also, I’ll be touring in new cities and have more gig dates to come next year!