TYTANIUM: An interview with Sean Tyas
Published: November 7, 2013
By: Jordan Calvano
With the release this week of "Lose My Logic" with Noah Neiman & Fisher on Black Hole Recordings, Sean Tyas once again proves why he is a dominant force in the world of trance. The New Yorker who jumped the ocean to live in Switzerland is playing huge shows, collaborating with superstars like Armin van Buuren and Dash Berlin, and making time to be a dad. We checked in with him to get the full scoop.
Let’s start by establishing your personal definition of an artist. What really makes someone an artist in your eyes?
Honestly, to me the definition has changed. A true artist has a vision and a passion to create something, and teaches himself how to do this on his own. I’m pretty sure Da Vinci didn’t bring in someone to lay down his final coat of paint!
Now that the initial buzz has more or less died down from the release of Tytanium Sessions 200 compilation, tell us what you’ve been up to? Both music-related and not.
Been doing a lot of releases on Tytanium and bring up some new artists and rising talents. While working on new stuff for the end of year releases and getting 2014 projects started up… In the meantime of course I’m a father of 2 little girls, 2 and 4 years old, so they keep me plenty busy as it is!
Not to pick favorites or stir anything up, but are there any artists that you have recently collaborated with, that you particularly LOVED working with?
I enjoyed working with everyone so far. Noah was a great person to work with, as his sound is very different from mine, but we found it really complementary. Plus, having the luxury of being able to reach out to Fisher for her vocal styling’s was a definite pleasure! She turned around the vocals incredibly fast, too. Also, Darren Porter and I had a great deal of fun on our collab, doing serious damage to our dropbox bandwidths as we went back and forth constantly for weeks before getting “Nova 7” right.
You’ve been apart of electronic music for a long time now. How has the industry changed since your initial introduction, and does it affect the way you run Tytanium Records and produce music?
The bar’s been raised. I feel a lot of dead weight is finally being shed. Those that can keep up are keeping up. The level of production is off the charts across the board. Love that.
Tytanium Records has now been around for just over two years. What do you love most about owning and operating a record label, and what have been the biggest challenges so far?
I think the main challenge is simply staying relatively organized. It’s not too bad. What I love is having creative control over the look and output of the label, from working with the graphic designers or doing some of the work myself, to discussing ways with the artist to better the tracks.
Just for kicks…what is one piece of audio equipment that you wish hadn’t gone out of style?
I miss my Novation Supernova 2 keyboard. Wow, what a sound! I had to sell it before moving to Europe, and it’s the one piece I really still miss.
EDM Estonia was recently graced with your presence, alongside talented performs like Mikkas and Kaimo K. Give us some information on that show, and are there still any countries you’re dying to perform in?
That was awesome. My first time there, and the crowd was so up for a party. Full on energy, and actually I remember it having a sick sound and laser system as well. Pretty great. As far as countries I haven’t been to yet, I’m DYING to see and play in Japan. I want to experience a bit of their culture!
What other festivals or individual shows were you stoked on playing this past summer, and any upcoming sets we should know about?
I was happy to be part of Mayday in Germany on their main stage after all these years, then also finally getting to play over in Zouk Singapore, which is easily one of the best venues in the world. Electronic Family NL was great, as was the Street Parade here in Switzerland. And of course being part of the ASOT600 celebration this year over in Minsk was amazing, and this was my 4th one which I’m really grateful for.
“Salt Shaker” saw your style shifting more towards electro house, and “Lose My Logic,” your current single with Noah Neiman and Fisher also has an electro tinge, but keeps a very trance melody. Did you enjoy switching things up with tracks, and are there any other genres you’d like to explore?
It keeps it interesting in the studio; I really needed the breath of fresh air. And as far as new things I may explore, as I have said over the last few years a couple of times I’d love to do a bit of Drum and Bass, but that’s all side project stuff. For 2014 it’s going to be a very back-to-my-roots kind of year.
Sticking with the field of trance, you’ve released a slew of individual tracks this year like “Hydro” and “Nova 7.” Should we expect an album or full release from you anytime soon, and is there any upcoming news you’d like to share with us to close things out?
Any touring artist will agree—it’s so hard to find time to make a full album when you factor in touring. But my work on the studio album will begin next year (finally), now I’m revitalized for it and I see a clear concept for what I’d like to achieve with it.
With the release this week of "Lose My Logic" with Noah Neiman & Fisher on Black Hole Recordings, Sean Tyas once again proves why he is a dominant force in the world of trance. The New Yorker who jumped the ocean to live in Switzerland is playing huge shows, collaborating with superstars like Armin van Buuren and Dash Berlin, and making time to be a dad. We checked in with him to get the full scoop.Let’s start by establishing your personal definition of an artist. What really makes someone an artist in your eyes?
Honestly, to me the definition has changed. A true artist has a vision and a passion to create something, and teaches himself how to do this on his own. I’m pretty sure Da Vinci didn’t bring in someone to lay down his final coat of paint!
Now that the initial buzz has more or less died down from the release of Tytanium Sessions 200 compilation, tell us what you’ve been up to? Both music-related and not.
Been doing a lot of releases on Tytanium and bring up some new artists and rising talents. While working on new stuff for the end of year releases and getting 2014 projects started up… In the meantime of course I’m a father of 2 little girls, 2 and 4 years old, so they keep me plenty busy as it is!
Not to pick favorites or stir anything up, but are there any artists that you have recently collaborated with, that you particularly LOVED working with?
I enjoyed working with everyone so far. Noah was a great person to work with, as his sound is very different from mine, but we found it really complementary. Plus, having the luxury of being able to reach out to Fisher for her vocal styling’s was a definite pleasure! She turned around the vocals incredibly fast, too. Also, Darren Porter and I had a great deal of fun on our collab, doing serious damage to our dropbox bandwidths as we went back and forth constantly for weeks before getting “Nova 7” right.
You’ve been apart of electronic music for a long time now. How has the industry changed since your initial introduction, and does it affect the way you run Tytanium Records and produce music?
The bar’s been raised. I feel a lot of dead weight is finally being shed. Those that can keep up are keeping up. The level of production is off the charts across the board. Love that.
Tytanium Records has now been around for just over two years. What do you love most about owning and operating a record label, and what have been the biggest challenges so far?
I think the main challenge is simply staying relatively organized. It’s not too bad. What I love is having creative control over the look and output of the label, from working with the graphic designers or doing some of the work myself, to discussing ways with the artist to better the tracks.
Just for kicks…what is one piece of audio equipment that you wish hadn’t gone out of style?
I miss my Novation Supernova 2 keyboard. Wow, what a sound! I had to sell it before moving to Europe, and it’s the one piece I really still miss.
EDM Estonia was recently graced with your presence, alongside talented performs like Mikkas and Kaimo K. Give us some information on that show, and are there still any countries you’re dying to perform in?
That was awesome. My first time there, and the crowd was so up for a party. Full on energy, and actually I remember it having a sick sound and laser system as well. Pretty great. As far as countries I haven’t been to yet, I’m DYING to see and play in Japan. I want to experience a bit of their culture!
What other festivals or individual shows were you stoked on playing this past summer, and any upcoming sets we should know about?
I was happy to be part of Mayday in Germany on their main stage after all these years, then also finally getting to play over in Zouk Singapore, which is easily one of the best venues in the world. Electronic Family NL was great, as was the Street Parade here in Switzerland. And of course being part of the ASOT600 celebration this year over in Minsk was amazing, and this was my 4th one which I’m really grateful for.
“Salt Shaker” saw your style shifting more towards electro house, and “Lose My Logic,” your current single with Noah Neiman and Fisher also has an electro tinge, but keeps a very trance melody. Did you enjoy switching things up with tracks, and are there any other genres you’d like to explore?
It keeps it interesting in the studio; I really needed the breath of fresh air. And as far as new things I may explore, as I have said over the last few years a couple of times I’d love to do a bit of Drum and Bass, but that’s all side project stuff. For 2014 it’s going to be a very back-to-my-roots kind of year.
Sticking with the field of trance, you’ve released a slew of individual tracks this year like “Hydro” and “Nova 7.” Should we expect an album or full release from you anytime soon, and is there any upcoming news you’d like to share with us to close things out?
Any touring artist will agree—it’s so hard to find time to make a full album when you factor in touring. But my work on the studio album will begin next year (finally), now I’m revitalized for it and I see a clear concept for what I’d like to achieve with it.
Tags: Trance
