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Luck played its part to form this great and remarkable act; remarkable because of their track record so far, with hit single after hit single from the very start of their musical career. Apart from Dark Side of the Moon, these guys had you dancing on the tables at Bora Bora with their smash hit Ibeatza - then under the alias Poisoncub. Ibeatza shot up in the UK-charts - with good reason. Within a year of that chance meeting, Ernesto vs. Bastian produced two hit singles in a row: Lonely People (2001) and Being Single (2001). The foundation was laid there and then; it was to become very apparent that Ernesto vs. Bastian where here to stay. Ernesto (Ernst van der Meij, 11/06/1970) and Bastian (Edwin Koelewijn, 27/05/67) are a duo with symbiotic properties. Both contribute different skills: Ernesto is a deejay to the bone, Bastian the talented producer. There is chemistry between these guys, and you’ll be sure to notice that when either listening to the tracks, or seeing them performing live on stage. It’s almost magical to see it all come together to produce a sound that is successful globally. A trance sound that is both unique and accessible, innovative and moving - all in one. It can’t be done? Spin one of those Ernesto vs. Bastian vinyls and behold: dance perfection on a disc. If asked, Bastian will tell you that his productions are ‘something in the middle of trance and pop, with a hint of some darkness. Musically evolved. Not at all depressing, but melancholy, with a yearning for something unknown.” We couldn’t have put it better. And indeed, listening to Dark Side of the Moon will give you all those ingredients. Not without cause, it was radiojock Jules who declared the single ‘The anthem of 2005’ on BBC Radio (UK). Who are we to question his judgement? It’s no wonder that the trancy sounds of Ernesto vs Bastian are distributed worldwide. And that is no hollow phrase either - rights to Dark Side of the Moon have been sold to over thirty countries and that list is growing still. One of their earlier releases, Who’s the Starter, (2003) is available all over Europe and beyond. Anyone who was at the legendary Tiësto Concert at the Arnhem Gelredome in 2003 will tell you what happened when the number 1 deejay put on his first record of the night: 25.000 people going ballistic. Sure, it was an Ernesto vs. Bastian production - a sure winner. And Tiësto is not alone in his appreciation for the Dutch duo. Armin van Buuren, Paul Oakenfold, Judge Jules, Pete Tong, Johan Gielen, Marco V are just a few with EvsB productions in their recordbags as a matter of course. Their vinyls are sure to bring ecstasy to the crowd - all you could ever want if you’re behind the wheels of steel. As a live act, Ernesto vs. Bastion themselves bring magic to the dancefloor. In flawless cooperation with professional dancers, drummers and vocalists, they perform live on stage, Ernesto spinning the discs, Bastian producing live behind an array of electronic devices. It’s on those instances that they truly excel once again and their mission is to produce a sound that is wholly accessible, with none of the coldness that can be electronic music. Quite the contrary: with a great sense of emotion and warmth, combined with rhythms that leave you no alternative but to move your ass. In their capacity as a deejay-act, they pull out all the stops to bring only the best en the newest -some of these vinyls are in the hardening out process on the decks, so to speak. Its one of those thing that make you realise these are no ordinary guys. Productionwise, Bastian was once the archetypical teenager who experimented liberally with all kind of newfangled electronic stuff. He was smitten with early electronic music acts such as Klaus Schultze, Jaen Michel Jarre and Kraftwerk. It is clear in the present-day productions that the famous Ernesto vs. Bastian sound is deeply rooted in the early symphonic dance.|Ernesto’s roots lie elsewhere. He is the kind of next door boy that leaves his room rarely, because he just too entranced by the wheels of steel. Music is his lifeblood and he was probably the first guy to buy that magical device of bygone days: the Walkman. Experimenting with soul, funk and disco-rhythms, he was pretty quickly conversed to the music that would become his religion: house. “You can’t become a deejay,” is what he says. “You’re born one. My whole life revolves around music.” Meet this guy once, and you’ll know he’s not kidding. Mix the two - talented productions and great mixing skills - and you’ve got the formula for this very productive and highly successful duo. Canada, Poland, Ibiza, The UK, Germany, Malta - the list of countries already rolled over goes on and on. From the stages of big-time festivals such as Dancevalley (2004) to the high-quality Dutch clubs like Asta, Lexion en 013 (to name a few), Ernesto vs. Bastian are welcomed throughout. Proving time and time again they are no fluke. Expect to hear more from these guys during the coming year. Remixes from their Poisonclub-era and a successor to Dark Side of the Moon are already brewing. Wondering where you might hear these tracks? In hundreds of clubs from Ibiza to the UK. And on the airwaves through a multitude of radio stations. It’s a guarantee. |
