T.H.E Interview – Luminn

Luminn shares his thoughts on the trance scene in China, and what it means to be supported by Armin van Buuren.

Now that dance music is gaining more and more of a foothold in the Asian market, it opens up a world of opportunities for many exceedingly gifted music producers who would’ve remained fairly unknown otherwise.

A sterling example of the enormous talent that has remained hidden until now is Chinese producer – Luminn, who released his debut single ‘Phosphene’ on Armin van Buuren’s A State Of Trance label.

Apart from this, he remains the first and the only Chinese artist to have performed at a special edition of Transmission Festival in China, Ultra Music Festival and EDC. Luminn – whose name derives from the Latin term “Lumen” (a measure of light) – has been electrifying fans with his own blend of Psy-Trance, Tech-Trance, and Uplifting Trance since embarking on the scene.

Check out the latest edition of #THEInterviews, where Luminn speaks to us about the trance scene in China, his inspiration – Armin van Buuren, playing at big festivals and more.

T.H.E – Hey Luminn! Welcome to T.H.E – Music Essentials. How has 2018 been for you?

Luminn – 2018 has really been a breakthrough year for me. This was my second year as an electronic musician, and throughout the year I’ve performed at almost all of the biggest internationally known music festivals in China such as EDC & Ultra Festival, officially signed with Armada Music and premiered my first solo track on ASOT (A State of Trance). It’s been an amazing ride, to say the least.

T.H.E – Your name is derived from the Latin term – “Lumen”, which means “a measure of light”. What was it about ‘Lumen’ that you could relate to the most?

Luminn – Being a huge fan of trance music, my tastes often shift between bright uplifting melodies and the darker sounds of tech trance. The abundance and lack of light to me represent those sounds, and having an artist name that has that flexibility in meaning allows me to be flexible in my productions and sets as well. Also, My Chinese name is Fan Jun Liang, and Liang means Light in Chinese, so having an artist name relevant to light just seemed to make sense!

T.H.E – You were inspired by Armin van Buuren, when he performed in a small club in Beijing, China back in 2009. How does it feel to share a stage with the man who inspired you, and release a track on his label?

Luminn – It’s both an honor and a dream come true to release a track on the legendary Armin Van Buuren’s label ASOT. The initial reaction was of course of pure excitement, but at the same time I felt a lot of pressure because I knew now that I’d received this opportunity, I had to work harder to prove to both myself, my fans and my peers that I’m deserving of being part of the Armada family.

T.H.E – You have played at some of the biggest festivals like Transmission China, Ultra Music Festival and EDC. Which has been your favourite festival so far?

Luminn – Emmm I feel different when I get on to perform at all these different big stages, but one thing that remains the same is that regardless if it’s Ultra Music Festival, EDC, or Transmission, every time I’d be so excited I couldn’t sleep the night before, and wouldn’t be able to until the end of the performance. The first time I played at Ultra Music Festival was in Shanghai in 2017. After I took the stage, my legs didn’t listen and were shaking way faster than the rhythm of the music for 15 minutes straight. My first EDC performance was on the Art car. My set time was quite late, and despite being the same time many festival headliners were playing, I was extremely happy to see so many fans and supporters from the Chinese Trance Family, as well as my friends there to support my gig on this small but significant stage. My second EDC appearance was on the Dreamstate stage. In fact, it was my first festival performance after the announcement had been made that I’d signed with Armada Music. In the crowd I saw the flags of Trance Family China, Armada Music & ASOT all held high, and at that moment I was deeply moved. At Transmission, despite playing early at 2 o’clock in the afternoon slot, there were thousands of people in the audience when I got on. I found it so hard to believe I prayed for a few minutes behind the DJ before I stood up to take to the DJ decks.

T.H.E – How would you describe the dance music scene in China, especially the trance genre?

Luminn – If we’re going to talking about China’s EDM culture then I definitely have to mention that I performed on the main stage of the Electric Jungle Music Festival year. They’re one of the most successful domestically branded festivals in the market. As for electronic music in China, more and more people are discovering this kind of music and its culture. Many people are slowly coming into contact with non-EDM dance music that’s less mainstream, such as Trance, Techno & Progressive.

T.H.E – Are there any Chinese artists you feel we should keep an eye out for?

Luminn – Of Course! Follow Me! ?

T.H.E – Lastly, what are your plans for 2019?

Luminn – Improve my live shows. I have so many ideas I want to execute to do this and I can’t wait to make them a reality. Also, explore collaborations with more vocalists to create Trance that incorporates China’s rich musical culture & history. Honestly, just make the best music I can.

T.H.E – Thanks, Luminn! It was a pleasure speaking to you.

Luminn – Thanks! It was my pleasure!