German producer Roger Shah, sitting pretty at the number 21st spot in The DJ Top 100 Mag. His increasing success in the scene has been down to his excellent input of melodic and Balearic sounds. With the success of his label Magic Island, he sits down with STC after his recent completion of his compilation entitled Magic Island Vol 3: Music for Balearic People.

01. Good morning Roger! How’s the summer Balearic weather been treating you?  Been enjoying the sun?
Good morning :-) Yes; summer is treating me well, even I just came back from a busy Australia tour where's winter right now.

02. Are you looking forward to your summer gigs across South America & few parts of Europe? Any city in particular you’re looking forward playing in?
Yes, I really look forward to my South America tour, especially to give my debut in Brazil, but also Argentina is one of my favourite countries to go, celebrated my last birthday there, which has been one of the highlights for me last year. At the moment I'm on a plane on the way to Bulgaria which is also a debut gig for me and we have some nice festivals and beach party coming incl a special 5 hours set at Guaba beach in Cyprus which will be a kind of a live show incl some of my singers.

03. You have just released your new compilation album “Magic Island: Music for Balearic People Vol. 3”. What’s the general theme of the compilation? Is this a perfect summer CD for fans to listen on the beach in particular?
For sure you can consider it as a soundtrack for the summer, but it's also a great overview what I'm playing right now and for what kind of sound I stand for.  I also did again about 9 productions and collaborations with mates of the scene for myself.

04. Do you work with the artists that you have compiled in the compilation in terms of explaining how each track should sound to fit in with the CD or you left it their own production capabilities?
It really depends on the original version the artists sent to me. Sometimes I'm just impressed about a song and take it as it is, sometimes I have some additional ideas to make it more interesting and sometimes it needs some changes in sound to fit to the other tracks. For me it's not really just a mix album, I see it more as another artist album with the help of a lot of different producers.

05. The compilation is split into two CD’s.  Are both CD’s generally different in terms of tracks selected or you try to give listeners a bit of everything for their summer listening pleasure?
They are selected in 2 different styles, CD 1 is more the Balearic beach sound while CD 2 is more uplifting and the sound I play at the festivals. I love both styles, so to do 2 CD’s gives me the freedom to show my diversity.

06. You have worked under your moniker “Sunlounger” along with the vocals of Zara made a beautiful tune called “Found”. With the great success of your 2009 hit with the Zara “Lost”. Were you pleased to get back in the studio to work with her once more?
Sure, it's always a pleasure to work with her, I think we have a special connection when it comes to song writing and when I send her an instrumental with some suggestion I always receive back more as expected. So i did 2 tracks with her for the upcoming Sunlounger album.

07. What was the main idea of “Found”? Is there a very close connection with “Lost”? Or you were trying to try something different or similar this time around?
With found we continue with the story, lyrics wise but also with the sound, we wanted to do something that people can recognize as a follow up for "lost". After being lost & found, she will realize that it feels like heaven (the 2nd song I did with her).

08. You have worked with other producers for your compilation such as Tenishia, Leon Bolier & Signum? Was it an exciting experience working with talents of such caliber?
I'm always excited when I work with different producers and mates of the scene, I'm very happy to have the chance to work with that kind of guys, for example I've been a big Signum fan from the first day and which started with a lot of respect, turned into a collaboration and a friendship which is absolute amazing. It’s great to have influences from different producers in my productions, so I think it's never boring.

09. How do you insert your unique blend of sound to collaborate with other producers? Was it a tussle between trying to incorporate those Balearic flavours of yours with trance beats that every listener love and crave?
I think I always have a very unique feel in the groove but also in the way I try to generate a special vibe, for the fact that we guys are always busy, we do a lot of work via internet and send ideas back and forth. When we've agreed with the main chords and melody theme I do my version in my studio and the other artist in his studio, I like this way of working, because this way I have new influences but can still do my version the way I want it and will be excited of the other version of my collaboration partner.

10. Speaking of Signum, you worked with one half of the duo namely Ronald Hagen to create that sensational track called “Healesville Sanctuary”. Did you expect to be such a success on the dancefloors?
To be honest, yes..:-)) when we finished our song, we both realized that we created something special, a very uplifting melodic track but with such an outstanding atmosphere and after I've played it for the first time I got so many id request, I thought that this could be a huge track. Finally it turned out to be one of the biggest trance tracks of 2009.

11. You have join forces with Ronald again and included your track with him called “Ancient World”. How did it feel to work with him once more?
It felt good again, especially since we both understand us really perfectly when it comes to composing. He is such a great musician and when I have some additional ideas, he understands it instantly, there's no need to explain anything, so I'm sure we will do another collaboration also for Magic Island 4 next year.

12. How do you classify yourself in terms of your DJ and production style? Are you pleased in bringing something different and unique for your fans and listeners?
Yes, I'm pleased that people realized that I do something different in music and live performance. I don't see myself as a trance producer, I love compose and produce dance music, just the fact that my music is very melodic defines me as a trance artist. I also don't consider myself really as a DJ, I'm a musician and see myself as a music artist and live performer, I love to be on stage and to share my music with my fans from all over the world.

13. Lastly Roger, there’s rumour that you are coming up with a new album? Any latest information you would like to share with us?
Yes, I work on a new album since about a year, I will name it Roger Shah pres Sunlounger - The beach side of Life, I hope to have it finished after summer, but till then I hope people enjoy my Magic Island Vol 3 with all my collaborations and productions.


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