In more than two decades of career, Armin van Buuren has not only managed to define the sound within the trance scene, but also set a pulse in electronic music around the world, returning now with his new project “Piano”, which marks a new facet, characterized by being more intimate and sensitive.
In interview with Forbes Mexicothe Dutch DJ and producer reflects on the evolution of his sound, the new talents that inspire him and the creative processes that accompany him inside and outside the studio, as well as what this new stage in his career represents.
The evolution within his long and fruitful career, he explains, has not only been marked by aesthetics, but also by technique, now including Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool within his musical creations.
“In the beginning, the sound was much more expensive (literal translation, it suggests the “difficult to achieve”), making the evolution more technical: new plug-ins, new sounds.”
With this, he addresses how his creative process develops, admitting that the true spark of his ideas occurs in his studio, where he feels freer: “I am more creative if I have space in my head.” And although he enjoys synthesizers and external equipment, today he produces mostly “in the box”, taking advantage of the flexibility of the digital environment.
“I’m always working on 10 tracks at the same time… I love opening a project months later and moving on.” Even so, he maintains a special affection for the synthesizer that continues to mark his sonic identity: “The Access Virus is really the trance sound. I love it.”
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IA, friend or enemy?
As the Dutchman previously mentioned, AI has become a tool for his music, but with this technology opening heated debates about its use in the industry, Buuren recognizes the fears and the possibilities.
“The version of artificial intelligence we use now is the worst version that will exist,” he says. “If you use it as a tool to speed up your ideas or help you finish some lyrics, I don’t see a problem.”
He also stated that many AI models today are trained with copyrighted music, which he considers “not good news,” adding that “it has challenges.”
“I’m a little scared about the future because a lot of the music that’s being uploaded right now is made by AI.”
However, and looking to the future, he believes that the electronic scene will move away from visual pyrotechnics to return to human connection, despite the gigantic advances in AI, because for him people are looking to have the DJ close again: “Rave culture is coming back. They are looking for less production and more intimacy, more connection with the music and with each other.”
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‘Piano’, a before and after in the career of Armin van Buuren
“Piano” is described by van Buuren as his most intimate – and also most expensive – project to date, noting that throughout his career he has achieved great success that has translated into great profits, but he managed to reinvest them for the recording of this new album.
“I don’t think I will ever make money with Piano because the recording was very expensive,” Buuren admits. “Each song was recorded in one day with a Dolby Atmos audio orchestra,” jokingly adding that with the costs of the seven days that the recording lasted “I could buy a house.”
However, beyond the magnitude of the investment, the artist admitted that the real challenge was personal, daring to perform the piano himself, without editing or second takes.
“I sit down, I play, and that’s the song,” he summarizes. Even topics like Sonic Samba They were taken “in a single cut”, without editing or digital perfection as one might expect in a recording.
This purist approach marks the essence of this new album, which is accompanied by videos taken directly from the recording sessions, making “Piano” also stand out as an album that gives rise to long pauses and vulnerability by not having beats or stellar collaborations as in previous works by the Dutchman.
“I just felt the need to make completely acoustic albums (…). That’s the most authentic version of me.”
At the same time that this album seems to be a watershed in his career, and despite not knowing how much his audience may like this stage, Buuren does not rule out a future “Piano II”.
“I don’t know yet, I haven’t started it yet, but I’m thinking about it.”
With this, the producer also confirms that for the moment he will remain interested in continuing to explore the beauty of minimalism, expressing that “sometimes, less is more. Some songs are just piano… and I think it’s beautiful.”
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