We all know what a versatile artist Sander van Doorn is. Be it his early trance days, or the progressive house style he switched to later, he’s always been pushing the limits and trying to create better sounds. He’s also been encouraging some great artists on his Doorn Records label. We got to chat with him about a very interesting project, his alter ego – Purple Haze, which is defined as the deeper, darker and different side to Sander. Read on to find out what he had to say.
Shantanu – What is the idea behind Purple Haze?
Sander van Doorn – Purple Haze created a platform for me where I could explore a different artistic sound without me worrying if it fits the persona of Sander van Doorn and that specific sound I’m so known for. This endeavour into uncharted territory opened up a whole new way of making music and the creative possibilities that followed were endless. It felt rejuvenating and gave me so much energy which eventually led me to really giving this project a shot. I’m so excited to share this new musical journey with my fans all over the world.
Shantanu – What inspired you to take on this darker moniker?
Sander van Doorn – It all started with me experimenting and not setting any boundaries for myself on an artistic level. I took the time to explore my darker side and experimented with new ways to create different and interesting sounds. Not worrying about if the music you’re making fits your sound that you’re known for felt so incredibly good. It fueled this uncontrollable fire inside me that needed to come out. Before I knew it, this fire turned into an inferno. There was no way back.
Shantanu – What ambitious plans do you have for this project? Will you be touring as Purple Haze or maybe performing in clubs?
Sander van Doorn – Purple Haze will be my alter ego and creates this incredible new platform for me to explore my different artistic side. It will not interfere with the artist people know as Sander van Doorn. Both sounds create a different energy on the dancefloor, but complete me on an artistic level. Both my Sander van Doorn persona and my Purple Haze alter ego will have their own separate shows. With Purple Haze you can expect a “sharper, darker and rougher sound”. I want to give the music more room to breathe and seduce the audience more. Less instant rush and more build-ups towards the climax. I have a couple of shows at big festivals this year, can’t say much about that at this moment, but next to that, I will be releasing a Purple Haze album in September and will start an album tour. The kick off will be during ADE in Amsterdam.
Shantanu – You previewed your track ‘Neiloj’ on ASOT last month. How has the response to the track been?
Sander van Doorn – It’s been incredible so far. It’s amazing to get so much positive feedback and see people embracing this new sound I set loose. I love the fact that my fans are so open minded and versatile in their musical tastes and want to embark on this new musical journey with me.
Shantanu – Your first performance as Purple Haze was at the ASOT stage at Ultra. How did it feel to launch this project at a packed stage at one of the biggest fests in the world?
Sander van Doorn – It was such an exciting moment. I was pretty nervous but super stoked at the same time. I couldn’t wait to let my fans hear what I’ve been up to all this time and to finally see their reactions. It’s amazing to see how the crowd reacted and the amount of love that I got during and right after the show. Wow! I enjoyed every second of it.
Shantanu – What are some of the other tracks you have coming up under this moniker?
Sander van Doorn – Haha a lot. I played around 80% new tracks during my set at the Asot stage. ‘Neiloj’ will be released in May and there will be another release in July.
Shantanu – ‘Adrenaline’ and ‘Bliksem’ were some of the fine tunes you released years ago, can we expect some more of that now that you will devote more time to Purple Haze?
Sander van Doorn – Yes of course, but it will be more adjusted to the sound from this moment. But you definitely will hear instantly, that it’s the Purple Haze sound.
Shantanu – Does it feel like you’ve come a full circle, having started out with similar music before moving to a progressive style and now this?
Sander van Doorn – Let me put it this way, as an artist you’re always on a musical journey, trying out and finding new ways to express yourself and tell a story that shows your fans who you are or what you’re going through during the process of making the record. It’s interesting to look back on your productions and see the many roads you have traveled to come to the point where you are now. I believe you’re always in search of the right puzzle pieces that make you whole as an artist, always realizing that the puzzle is never finished. There are so many sides to music and so much exploring to do, you’re never done and always learning new stuff. Having an alter ego just enhances the possibilities and creates different opportunities for me as a musician to explore a broader spectrum of the musical universe.
Shantanu – Any plans to tour India soon?
Sander van Doorn – Purple Haze is an ongoing process and constantly in development. In 2017 the Purple Haze show will be held at Tomorrowland and news about other locations can be expected in the near future. The plans for Purple Haze in 2018 are yet to be decided and will be announced when the time is ready. If not as Purple Haze, Sander van Doorn will undoubtedly be performing in India anytime soon!
Shantanu – Which trance artists do you feel are on fire, at the moment?
Sander van Doorn – Hard to tell, I’ve been away from the trance scene for a while now but an artist like Armin van Buuren is always on my radar and knows how to surprise me each time I hear him play or listen to new productions he made. He’s such an incredible artist and stays ahead of the game time and time again. There is no one like him.
Check out Sander van Doorn presents Purple Haze at Ultra Miami 2017 (ASOT Stage)
Connect with Purple Haze below.
http://www.purplehazeofficial.com
https://www.facebook.com/purplehazeoff/
https://twitter.com/purplehazeoff
https://www.instagram.com/purplehazeoff/
