Metronome #030: Super8 & Tab

Insomniac’s Metronome series features mixes from some of today’s fastest-rising electronic stars, as well as championed legends. It takes listeners deep across a wide range of genres, movements, cultures, producers, artists and sounds that make up the diverse world of electronic music.

Miika Eloranta and Janne Mansnerus were the first acts ever signed to Above & Beyond’s esteemed Anjunabeats imprint. It’s no surprise, then, that the duo is sitting untouched in the top tier of tastemakers within trance music. They’ve been performing together under the name Super8 & Tab since the collab formed back in 2005, and anyone who has been paying attention will attest that they’ve been scorching through the scene with an undying flame.

As front runners of the modern trance movement, they continually sweep through sparking change in the genre with an innovatively driven sound. This week, they’ve put out the extended mixes to their second LP, Unifed, which sees them take to the road for the follow-up album tour from now through summer. At this point, it’s clear the Finnish duo is nowhere near finished, as they storm into the next frontier of their career.

Follow along on this epic trance journey as Super8 & Tab bypass the ordinary with an hourlong mix of feels and thrills.

You recently engaged in a two-day Ajunabeats Instagram takeover, in which you hit Anjuna HQ and Above & Beyond’s studio. Can you tell us how it went over and what you were working on during your visit?
We try to visit the Anjunabeats office a couple times a year, just to say hi to all the people who are running the office and who we work with on day-to-day stuff. This time, we also played some of the new tracks we have been working on after our Unified album, and there isn’t a better place to listen to your new stuff than Above & Beyond’s studio!

We should have posted more pictures on Instagram, but we were too busy and excited to listen to all the new stuff—not only from us, but from other Anjuna artists and Above & Beyond, as well.

As one of Anjuna’s earliest signees, what has been your favorite part about growing as artists alongside one of the most esteemed imprints in dance music?
We really have grown with the label, and it’s funny how it all began. Jono and Paavo met at school and started [Anjunabeats] together. It was one sunny day when they walked into our studio in Helsinki looking for guys who might be interested in electronic dance music. And they walked to right place! Haha

Almost 15 years later, Anjunabeats has grown into a big independent label with so many successful artists—like Arty, Andrew Bayer, Audien, Mat Zo, Ilan Bluestone and more. We really appreciate having a long history with this great label, and it feels like another home for us.

At the end of the week, you’re set to embark on your Unified Extended North America Tour to push your Unified Extended Mixes release. What was the process for selecting the five remixers who are featured on the album?
We always want to find new talent, but also put a new twist on the original production—whether it is house, EDM or pure trance! For example, our fellow countryman Yotto has been working at the same studio complex with us, and we have always loved his stuff; and with his “Rubicon” remix, he didn’t let us down! We all know Jerome Isma-Ae and his unique sound, and there wasn’t a better track for him to remix than “No Frontiers.” Kago Penchi, Juventa and Estiva’s tracks are regularly in our DJ sets and radio playlists, so it was nice to have their reworks of our Unified album tracks, too!

What song from the LP has been given the best response and held up the most in your sets?
Hard to name just one, but “No Frontiers”—with Julie Thompson’s haunting vocals and big breakdown—brings the magic every time we play it. “Rubicon,” with 7Skies, destroys the dancefloor, too.

Once the tour wraps up, what’s the first thing you intend on doing?
Between the tour dates, we are going down to San Diego to meet up with our boys Maor Levi, Bruce and Kevin Wild, and we might end up making some new stuff with them—who knows! But when we get home from the US tour, we will be spending time with our families before locking ourselves back in the studio to finalize those tracks we started.

Track List:: Super8 & Tab “Antipodes” (Extended Mix)
Jerome Isma-Ae “Smile When You Kill Me 2015” (Original Mix)
Eric Prydz “Generate” (Club Edit)
L'Tric “This Feeling” (Kryder Remix)
Super8 & Tab with BT “Aika” (Extended Mix)
Ilan Bluestone “43” (Original Mix)
Zack Shaar “City 21” (Original Mix)
Andrew Bayer ft. Asbjørn “Super Human” (Original Mix)
Super8 & Tab with Sunny Lax “Sonata” (Extended Mix)
Super8 & Tab ft. Julie Thompson “Patience” (Club Mix)
Airbase “Oil” (Original Mix)
Super8 & Tab with 7 Skies “Rubicon” (Extended Mix)
Fatum “Mandala” (Original Mix)