Lange & Kirkwood “Weaponized”
On paper, the pairing of Lange and Stephen Kirkwood is a winning formula that would serve to place trance onto a healthy and innovative trajectory. The hypothetical is no longer burning in the back of our minds, as the two stalwarts take a lunge with “Weaponized.” Firing shots at trend-minded music, they hit the mark with a trailblazing bit that swipes all standards to the side. Built around a shock-and-awe framework, the tech-favored collab wields a propulsive rhythm that pummels through droning synth sequences, crushing chord stabs, serrated basslines and a spritz of euphoria. You’ll want to stand directly in the line of fire whenever this one comes on.
Available August 31 via Create Music.
Were you impulsive on this track, or did you have a sketch in mind before you started?
Kirkwood: Impulsive and free-flowing was the way of it from the start. It was our first time working together in the studio after so many years of back and forth emails; it was very exciting. So naturally, with all of our combined creative ideas, the track was very experimental. Personally, I feel this is something a lot of music nowadays has lost. Far too many producers are out there trying to make the next big trance hit, copying styles, and not often enough just going with the flow. This one has no boundaries; it’s expressive, and mainly we had lots of fun making it.
Lange: We never aimed it at any genre, other than the initial drive to give it some groove, and allowed the track to flow into whichever direction felt right. I’ve often worked this way with my solo stuff, and it’s usually the tracks you work on completely open-minded that end up as the “journey” tracks that twist and turn. “Weaponized” is almost certainly one of those; it’s pretty unpredictable. It’s actually quite a dark-edged track, but I have to say, we spent a lot of the time in the studio having a good laugh in that session!
Was there one particular moment in the recording or mixing process of this track that made you feel as though you were creating something pretty damn special?
L: I think once we’d created the break, I knew this one was quite special. The track already had quite a few interesting sections by then, but then after messing around, crunching up a bass sound, we came up with the dirty bassline section. It’s yet another twist in the track!
K: When we came up with the ripping bassline bit, I’d say that was pretty insane. It took us by surprise and had us buzzing the second we heard it. It literally came from nowhere —got to love the randomness when playing on the keyboard! That’s also the cool thing about working with two people; we were taking shots of playing the keyboard and making the sounds, so it made for an effective combo!
Describe the best setting/activity to hear this track.
K: For me, dance music with a journey always takes me into the Scottish highlands; long-winding roads next to the mountains always provide a nice setting for these tracks. Other than that, when Stuart comes up to Scotland, he loves his Tennants lager; it’s always a laugh in the studio!
L: Haha, do as the locals do. For me, “Weaponized” is a track for longer sets, when you have the crowd in that journey zone. But I have to agree with Stephen, in that this track is quite a musical one, and is hopefully something that reaches out beyond clubland.
What’s the takeaway here? Is there a message or vibe you hope to get across to listeners?
K: Pretty much, if you want to be original and create music that has the likelihood of lasting longer than two to three weeks, don’t follow trends, and do your own thing. If you bow to pressure to just make what is popular, then you run the risk of never creating your stamp. With the mass saturation of DJs/producers these days, it is hugely important to leave a mark people know you for.
L: I agree with Stephen’s sentiment: The current dance scene is geared through specific genres, and increasingly, music is “made to order” to fit those boxes. The most memorable tracks are often those with unique elements that make it harder to pigeonhole. It’s surely what we all should be aiming for as creators.
What’s your favorite sound/synth/effect/etc. used here?
L: “Weaponized” has the Spire synth all over it. It’s such a powerful synth, and many of the key sounds in the track originated from that. One example is the warm bass that runs through the track; another, the plucks in the break.
K: From my side, I took a lot of influence from techno, focusing on a solid “Scottish shuffle” groove early on. We also used a lot of the synth Spire, as Stuart mentions. It’s pretty big, it’s also not that new, but it certainly is up the top when it comes to power at the moment. One thing I did hear about Spire is that it is the equivalent of running five Sylenths on your computer, just due to how much power it takes to run! Crazy! Also, Omnisphere, a favorite of Stuart’s, came into the equation to give that breakdown a real lush, emotional feel.
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