RAM
Origin: None
Starting off his solo career in 2009, RAM immediately hit the jackpot with the most talked about track of that year “RAMsterdam”. Supported by all the major trance DJ’s it became the Tune of the Year on ASOT and it was pronounced “best track of the year” by Armin van Buuren. This track sparked a series of RAM productions entitled “RAMazing”, “RAMplify”, “RAMbition” to name a few, all of which went on to gain huge support from the most revered artists in the trance scene and were released on Armada’s ASOT, AVA, FSOE & Enhanced. 2013 started off brightly with collaborations with Alex M.O.R.P.H. (Grotesque) & Sean Tyas (Beat Boutique) signed to Armada’s AVA. RAM’s biggest track since “RAMsterdam” however saw the light in October 2013, but the reason it was written is a very sad one: the loss of his beloved wife Amelia. The song was named “RAMelia” and was written in collaboration with composer Geert Huinink and vocalist Susana. With 7 consecutive plays on A State of Trance, voted Future Favorite with a staggering 61.9% of the votes (the most votes ever @ ASOT) and Armin already calling “RAMelia” an all-time favorite, “RAMelia” eventually was voted #2 in the Tune of the Year on ASOT 2013.
Because of the huge support from the likes of Aly & Fila, Markus Schulz and Armin van Buuren, who played the track on every live set he did, with seven consecutive plays on ASOT and with the big support from all the Trance DJ’s and Trance Families, it was just a matter of time before “RAMelia” reached the top of the list. After its release “RAMelia” raced to the number 1 spot on the Beatport Trance Top 100 after entering at number 3 and the track even reached the number 15 spot on the Beatport Top 100 Main chart. But that wasn’t it for 2013. On the 23rd of December “John ‘O Callaghan feat. Audrey Gallagher – Big Sky (Signum & RAM remix)” was released and also ran down the Beatport Trance Top 100 to the #6 spot. 2013 also has been a great year for Grotesque of which he is the resident DJ and programmer. Grotesque has hosted areas at festivals across Europe including the World’s biggest trance festival Electronic Family, Ultrasonic, Summerlake Outdoor as well as hosting their own indoor festival at the Famous Maassilo to 4000 clubbers.
The latest Grotesque concept, Grotesque “In Concert ” with Markus Schulz was a huge success and sold out, proving to be a suitable closing party of a very successful year for both Grotesque and RAM. In 2014 Grotesque also will be hosting the FSOE & Subculture Amsterdam Weekender and doing a club tour starting at the Gallery (MOS). In tandem with this RAM has launched the Grotesque radio show, which goes out weekly on Afterhours FM.
With a lot of new things to come, the new track in the “RAM” series, the start of the Grotesque Music label as well as the making of his debut album and great collaborations with the likes of Andy Moor and Christina Novelli, Betsie Larkin, Stine Grove, Sean Tyas, Arctic Moon, Sied van Riel and many more, 2014 looks very bright for RAM.
Despite his busy schedule the first two new tracks of RAM, “Kingdom of Dreams” and the collaboration with Arctic Moon, “Mirakuru” are already signed to ASOT and FSOE and have been released on March 31st ( Mirakuru) and April 28th (Kingdom of Dreams). “Kingdom of Dreams” and “RAMelia” are also on A State of Trance 2014 mixed by Armin van Buuren.