Latest News!

 

·                        My latest track “Awaken Liriodendron” has been given the Rob Corbo treatment and been subjected to a superb remix! You can check out the remix here.

·                        Currently working on the new track (Codename: Project 39). The genre will be Hard Trance, currently not sure of a release date.

·                        The hardcore follow up to “Syzygy”, the collaboration of Dean Thomas and Rob Corbo (Breakaway), unfortunately still has no concrete release date.

·                        The extended club mix of “Syzygy” was recently played somewhere in Wales! I don’t know what type of venue it was, but I was assured that it filled the dancefloor!

 

Biography

 

I had never always liked trance or hardcore, and mainly due to my young age at the time, the first time I heard a trance track, it was completely new to me despite the dance scene humming away in the background for many years. Looking back on it now, I can’t believe I went for that cheesy pop rubbish that was being spoon-fed to kids during that time. To be honest, it makes me shudder now.

 

My voyage into the world of music production somewhat came by chance. Enthralled about this new genre of music that had just graced my ear; I immediately bought a copy of Cream Future Trance, and what a compilation that was! And all the time, the curiosity was there: how do they make these tracks? What do they use? How long does it take?

 

My question was answered when a new album I bought soon after (the great ‘Heaven’ by DJ Sammy), offered the download of a free demo of eJay Dance 5. Needless to say, the download, typically, did not work (oh the cons of dial-up internet), but it was merely a catalyst and I purchased a copy of eJay Techno 4. That was where the fun began. In all fairness, the tracks produced were pretty dismal and listening to them now shows how much I feel I have improved over the last 3 years. As with all programs, eJay Techno 4 became monotonous and boring… I had virtually exhausted every sample, every drag-and-drop Lego brick and all the effects. I needed something more, so duly moved on to eJay Dance 6. It was here where I began to construct my own notes (in my own admittance, they were badly out of tune), and not rely too heavily on the samples. I received honest and constructive criticism from the community at the eJay forums (http://forum.empireinteractive.com), and as with Techno 4, I eventually exhausted every sample and every ounce of creativity that I could squeeze out of that program.

 

The purchase of FL Studio over Christmas 2004 was certainly an eye opener, and presented more challenges. Firstly, out were the pre-recorded samples, and in came the step-sequencer. Out went the outdated Hyper-X generator, and in came a full virtual piano. Culture shock!

 

Now, having used FL Studio for over a year, I have produced remixes for T.G.L and Valandir as well as experimenting to find my ‘comfort zone’. To this day, I feel I have not yet reached this, experimenting with three main genres to see what I am most at ease with: Trance, Hard Trance, or Hardcore. Each style has its own technicalities, a different way to produce each track. This is found especially in the mixing and mastering of each track as you will have different sounds to make flow fluently, and this can be difficult at times.

 

Anyway, all I ask is that you enjoy my music, whether it is at home, in your car, or if I’m lucky enough to have it played at a commercial venue!

…and keep on ravin’!

 

 

Dean Thomas Discography

(In order of most recent)

Awaken Liriodendron
Syzygy (Extended Club Mix)
Syzygy (Original Hardcore Mix)
Into Canaan

All tracks can be found here.

 

Praise for “Awaken Liriodendron”

FROM: SQUAREBEAR    www.square-bear.co.uk

Great bongo type intro and a powerful enough kick to get us into the mood. Am liking the bass at 1:05. Nice chord changes and pads when the track gets going around 2:10. You used a lot of ideas in this to keep an interest in the track without getting repetitive. Nice piano style synth work in the second part of the track. The phasing pads work very well and I love the break around 7:25. The song lasts over 10 minutes but it certainly doesn't feel like that. No real suggestions for improvement, you've pretty much nailed it here even with the weird title.

Overall - Superb work - 94/100 (6 points removed for the strange song title!)