The Thrillseekers
Encyclopedia
The Thrillseekers is the name of an English
trance
DJ
, record producer
and remix
er. He has been at the forefront of the trance
genre since the release in 1998 of his critically acclaimed track, "Synaesthesia (Fly Away)". He has also worked under the guises of En Motion, Insigma, Rapid Eye, and Hydra. He is also prominent for his work in remixing, having remixed work by Tiësto
, Ferry Corsten
, Timo Maas
, Sonique, Chicane
, Blank & Jones
, and Seb Fontaine
. He owns his own record label
, 'Adjusted Music'.
, shared co-production credits with Chicane, and co-wrote on Ferry Corsten's Grammy Award
nominated, Right of Way album. He has remixed Tiësto and Armin, and reworked Sonique's "It Feels So Good
" into a worldwide #1 record
.
Helstrip is also a DJ, who has performed at The Ministry, Gallery, PaSSion and Gatecrasher. Just twelve months after he first put needle to vinyl, he found himself invited to play at Paul van Dyk
's birthday party. 2004 saw The Thrillseekers crack DJ Magazines Top 100 DJs chart for the first time. In 2006 and 2007, Thrillseekers landed at positions 45 and 52 respectively.
The Thrillseekers story started in 1999, where, with a relatively basic home recording studio
, Helstrip constructed "Synaesthesia (Fly Away)". Signed and released by Neo Records in 1999, it peaked at #28 in the UK Singles Chart
.
Following the collapse of Neo Records in 2003, Helstrip took charge of his catalogue by launching his own label Adjusted Music. With demand for re-releases of "Synaesthesia (Fly Away" and "Affinity" (which originally came out under his Hydra moniker), both tracks were brought back out in 2004. As well as releasing his own records, Helstrip also sought out fresh talent for Adjusted. He signed the club hits "Safe to Dream" by the Russian act, Evolve, and "Alone Again" by the transatlantic duo Deep Voices
. His remix of the former was followed by the "By Your Side" release. The track was championed by Paul van Dyk and Pete Tong
.
Artist collaborations have played an important part in Helstrip's production career. Immediately following the success of "Synaesthesia", Helstrip went on to launch a new moniker for the Ministry of Sound
subsidiary, Incentive. En-Motion was born with "Truth" in 2000, and "Getting Away with It" followed in 2002. In the adjoining years he also partnered collaborations with Andy 'Pulser' Perring as Insigma ("Insigma" / "Open Our Eyes" / "Avalon") and with Tim Stark under the name Rapid Eye ("Never Going Back" / "Circa-Forever"/ "Stealing Beauty" / "Santa Cruz" / "Absolut").
In late 2005, The Thrillseekers released the compilation album
, Nightmusic Volume 1
, and Volume 2 appeared in 2007. This led to a five month world tour of Thrillseekers.
A week before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
, Helstrip was on a week long tour in Japan. Shortly after the earthquake & tsunami, Helstrip produced a track called "Song for Sendai" released on April 8, 2011. The song was available exclusively through Beatport
, and it was announced that all proceeds from the track would be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. Within 3 days of its release, it became The Thrillseekers' #1 song on their Beatport page. The track also garnered a lot of attention by being played on Armin van Buuren's A State of Trance
, Above & Beyond's Trance Around the World
, and many other trance radio shows.
As Rapid Eye:
As Insigma:
As En-Motion:
As Hydra:
As Morpheus:
As En-Motion:
As Rapid Eye:
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
er. He has been at the forefront of the trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
genre since the release in 1998 of his critically acclaimed track, "Synaesthesia (Fly Away)". He has also worked under the guises of En Motion, Insigma, Rapid Eye, and Hydra. He is also prominent for his work in remixing, having remixed work by Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
, Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
, Timo Maas
Timo Maas
Timo Maas is an electronic music DJ/producer and remixer.-Career:Maas bought his first set of turntables at the age of 17, and played his very first DJ set in 1982 at a party in his friend's home...
, Sonique, Chicane
Chicane (recording artist)
Chicane is a British electronic dance music act, and the guise of British musician, composer, songwriter and record producer, Nicholas Bracegirdle....
, Blank & Jones
Blank & Jones
Blank & Jones is a Cologne, Germany based Trance duo, consisting of the members Jan Pieter Blank , known as Piet Blank; René Runge , better known as DJ Jaspa Jones; and the producer Andy Kaufhold...
, and Seb Fontaine
Seb Fontaine
Seb Fontaine is an English house music DJ.Fontaine had his first DJ gig at Crazy Larry's on the Kings Road, London, but he soon progressed to residency at the Fridge in Brixton in 1989....
. He owns his own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, 'Adjusted Music'.
Career
Helstrip has worked with Trevor HornTrevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
, shared co-production credits with Chicane, and co-wrote on Ferry Corsten's Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominated, Right of Way album. He has remixed Tiësto and Armin, and reworked Sonique's "It Feels So Good
It Feels So Good
"It Feels So Good" is the second single by singer, DJ Sonique, first released in 1998 , and then again in 2000, where it spent three weeks at number one in the UK in May of that year...
" into a worldwide #1 record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
.
Helstrip is also a DJ, who has performed at The Ministry, Gallery, PaSSion and Gatecrasher. Just twelve months after he first put needle to vinyl, he found himself invited to play at Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk
Matthias Paul, better known by his stage name Paul van Dyk is a German Grammy Award-winning Electronic Dance Music DJ, musician and record producer...
's birthday party. 2004 saw The Thrillseekers crack DJ Magazines Top 100 DJs chart for the first time. In 2006 and 2007, Thrillseekers landed at positions 45 and 52 respectively.
The Thrillseekers story started in 1999, where, with a relatively basic home recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, Helstrip constructed "Synaesthesia (Fly Away)". Signed and released by Neo Records in 1999, it peaked at #28 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Following the collapse of Neo Records in 2003, Helstrip took charge of his catalogue by launching his own label Adjusted Music. With demand for re-releases of "Synaesthesia (Fly Away" and "Affinity" (which originally came out under his Hydra moniker), both tracks were brought back out in 2004. As well as releasing his own records, Helstrip also sought out fresh talent for Adjusted. He signed the club hits "Safe to Dream" by the Russian act, Evolve, and "Alone Again" by the transatlantic duo Deep Voices
Deep voices
Deep Voices is a duo of trance music producers and DJs from the San Francisco Bay area and Germany.-History:In 2004, long-time studio partners, Steve Baltes of Germany and Jason Dyloot of San Francisco, California teamed up to form Deep Voices...
. His remix of the former was followed by the "By Your Side" release. The track was championed by Paul van Dyk and Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
.
Artist collaborations have played an important part in Helstrip's production career. Immediately following the success of "Synaesthesia", Helstrip went on to launch a new moniker for the Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
subsidiary, Incentive. En-Motion was born with "Truth" in 2000, and "Getting Away with It" followed in 2002. In the adjoining years he also partnered collaborations with Andy 'Pulser' Perring as Insigma ("Insigma" / "Open Our Eyes" / "Avalon") and with Tim Stark under the name Rapid Eye ("Never Going Back" / "Circa-Forever"/ "Stealing Beauty" / "Santa Cruz" / "Absolut").
In late 2005, The Thrillseekers released the compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Nightmusic Volume 1
Nightmusic Volume 1
- Track listing :* Disc 1: The DJ# The Thrillseekers - By Your Side# Above & Beyond Vs. Andy Moor - Air For Life# FB - Who's Knocking # AR52 - Piiska# Kay Stone - Alone# Skyform - Infinite# Haylon - Starfighter...
, and Volume 2 appeared in 2007. This led to a five month world tour of Thrillseekers.
A week before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
, Helstrip was on a week long tour in Japan. Shortly after the earthquake & tsunami, Helstrip produced a track called "Song for Sendai" released on April 8, 2011. The song was available exclusively through Beatport
Beatport
Beatport is an online music store specializing in electronic dance music and culture. Beatport is a privately held company owned and operated by Beatport LLC and based in Denver, Colorado.-History:...
, and it was announced that all proceeds from the track would be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. Within 3 days of its release, it became The Thrillseekers' #1 song on their Beatport page. The track also garnered a lot of attention by being played on Armin van Buuren's A State of Trance
A State of Trance
A State Of Trance is the title of a weekly radio show hosted by prominent trance producer DJ Armin van Buuren. First airing in March 2001 on ID&T Radio , the show takes the format of a two hour mix in which he plays new trance music, both promotional and commercially released...
, Above & Beyond's Trance Around the World
Trance Around the World
Trance Around the World is the title of a weekly radio show hosted by trance DJs Above & Beyond...
, and many other trance radio shows.
Albums
- Nightmusic Volume 1Nightmusic Volume 1- Track listing :* Disc 1: The DJ# The Thrillseekers - By Your Side# Above & Beyond Vs. Andy Moor - Air For Life# FB - Who's Knocking # AR52 - Piiska# Kay Stone - Alone# Skyform - Infinite# Haylon - Starfighter...
(2005) - Nightmusic Volume 2Nightmusic Volume 2Nightmusic Volume 2 is an album produced by Steve Helstrip and featuring various trance and electronica artists.- Track listing :* Disc 1: Plus 365# The Thrillseekers feat. Aruna – Waiting Here for You...
(2007) - Nightmusic Volume 3Nightmusic Volume 3Nightmusic Volume 3 is an album produced by Steve Helstrip and featuring various trance and electronica artists.- Track listing :* Disc 1: Fast Forward# The Thrillseekers Ft Fisher – The Last Time# Orkidea – Metaverse...
(2008)
Singles
As The Thrillseekers:- 1999 "Synaesthesia (Fly Away)" [Neo] - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#28 - 1999 "Castaway" [Neo]
- 1999 "36 Weeks" [Neo]
- 2002 "Dreaming of You" [Ministry of Sound] - UK #48
- 2002 "Escape" [Adjusted]
- 2004 "NewLife" [Adjusted]
- 2004 "Synaesthesia 2004" [Adjusted]
- 2005 "By Your Side" [Adjusted]
- 2005 "Sublime" [Tsunami] with Ferry CorstenFerry CorstenFerry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
- 2007 "Waiting Here For You" [Adjusted] featuring Aruna
- 2008 "The Last Time" [Adjusted] featuring Fisher
- 2008 "City of Angels" [Adjusted]
- 2010 "Savanna" [Armada]
- 2010 "Effectual" (The Thrillseekers vs. M.I.K.E.Mike DierickxMike Dierickx , formerly known as Dirk Dierickx, and most commonly recognized under the aliases M.I.K.E., Push or Plastic Boy, is a Belgian DJ. Best known for the song "Universal Nation", he has also released other singles including "The Legacy" and "Strange World"...
) [Armada] - 2011 "Song for Sendai" [Adjusted]
As Rapid Eye:
- 1999 "Alderaan" [ATCR]
- 1999 "H.E.I.G.H.T.S." [ATCR]
- 2000 "Never Going Back" [ATCR]
- 2002 "Circa Forever" [ATCR]
- 2003 "Stealing Beauty" [ATCR]
- 2004 "Santa Cruz" [ATCR]
- 2004 "Absolut" [ATCR]
- 2008 "Circa Forever - 2008 Remixes" [ATCR]
As Insigma:
- 2000 "Insigma/Evolution" [ATCR]
- 2000 "Open our Eyes" [ATCR]
- 2003 "Avalon" [ATCR]
As En-Motion:
- 2000 'Truth" [IDJ]
- 2002 "Getting Away With It" [Incentive]
- 2002 "Getting Away With It (Don't Be Afraid)" [Incentive]
As Hydra:
- 2003 "Affinity" (featuring Tiff LaceyTiff LaceyTiff Lacey is a singer/songwriter from Crayford, Kent, England, and the vocalist behind many trance and house hits. Except for her vocal abilities, she's also known for the fact that she usually writes lyrics that differ considerably from the standard hooks in the genre.-Singing career:Tiff Lacey...
) [Discover]
As Morpheus:
- 2003 'Signs/Magnetica' [Captivating Sounds]
Remixes
As The Thrillseekers:- 1999 Free Radical - "Unity Theme" [ATCR]
- 1999 Force Majeure - "Redemption" [Additive Three]
- 1999 Rapid Eye - "Alderaan" (as Thrillseekers v. Rapid Eye) [ATCR]
- 1999 Alice DeejayAlice DeeJayAlice DeeJay was an electronic music group, who achieved success from 1999 to 2002.-Members:The group consisted of record producers Pronti , Kalmani and DJ Jurgen with Marc Lee-Smith remixing and the DJ's From Mars lead singer Judith Anna Pronk...
- "Back In My Life" [Positiva] - 1999 Silhouette - "Cant Wait To Find Love" [Neo]
- 1999 Cequenza - "Cequenza" (as Rapid Eye v. Thrillseekers) [Spot On]
- 1999 Compulsive - "Movin'" [Amato International]
- 1999 Digitale - "New York Doll" [Y2K]
- 1999 ChicaneChicane (recording artist)Chicane is a British electronic dance music act, and the guise of British musician, composer, songwriter and record producer, Nicholas Bracegirdle....
- "Saltwater (Ambient Mix)" [Xtravaganza] - 1999 Taskforce - "Touch Me" [Y2K]
- 2000 Blank & JonesBlank & JonesBlank & Jones is a Cologne, Germany based Trance duo, consisting of the members Jan Pieter Blank , known as Piet Blank; René Runge , better known as DJ Jaspa Jones; and the producer Andy Kaufhold...
- "Beyond Time" [Gang Go] - 2000 Rhythm of Life - "You Put Me In Heaven With Your Touch" [Xtravaganza]
- 2000 Ascension - "Someone" [Code Blue]
- 2000 Chicane - "Autumn Tactics" [Xtravaganza]
- 2000 TiestoTiëstoTijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
& Armin van Buuren pres. Alibi - "Eternity" [Vandit/Armind] - 2001 Vincent de MoorVincent de MoorVincent de Moor is a Dutch trance artist. He is most notable for his work with the record producer Ferry Corsten under the working title, Veracocha, and for his 2001 single, "Fly Away".-Early career:...
- "Fly Away" [Virgin] - 2001 Orinoko - "Island" [Positiva]
- 2002 En Motion - "Getting Away With It (Instrumental Mix)" [Incentive]
- 2002 Chicane - "Saltwater 2002 (House Mix)" [Xtravaganza]
- 2002 Matt SchwartzMatt SchwartzMatt Schwartz is a multi-instrumentalist record producer a songwriter, an Artist, DJ, and a prolific audio engineer based in the UK.He has contributed to numerous records since 1995 as an engineer, producer, composer, musician and a songwriter, working with all the UK major record labels, he also...
pres. Sholan - "Can You Feel (What I'm Going Thru)" [Ministry of Sound] - 2003 Jan JohnstonJan JohnstonJan Johnston is an English professional singer, best known for collaborating with some of the world's top trance music DJs.-Career:...
- "Calling Your Name" [Platipus] - 2003 AlizeeAlizéeAlizée Jacotey is a French singer, known professionally by her given name Alizée She was discovered by Mylène Farmer, following her winning performance in the talent show, Graines de Star, in 1999...
- "A Countre Courant" [Universal] - 2003 Alizee - "J'en Ai Marre" (as Soft Skin) [Universal]
- 2003 Hydra - "Affinity" [Discover]
- 2004 Usual Aspect - "Mr Blue" [Motion Recordings]
- 2004 Ferry CorstenFerry CorstenFerry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
- "Sweet Sorrow" [Tsunami] - 2004 Rapid Eye - "Circa Forever" (Ambient Mix) [ATCR]
- 2004 8 Wonders - "The Morning After" [Somatic Sense]
- 2004 Witness of Wonder - "Emotions in Motion" [ATCR]
- 2004 Evolve - "Safe To Dream" [Adjusted]
- 2004 ReflektReflektReflekt is a dance/electronica/trance musical ensemble from England. They consist of DJ/remixer/producers Seb Fontaine and Jay Peake , with Delline Bass providing vocals....
feat Delline Bass - "Need To Feel Loved" [Positiva] - 2005 Pulser - "Square One" [ATCR]
- 2005 Lange ft. Kirsty HawkshawKirsty HawkshawKirsty Hawkshaw is a British dance/electronica/house/trance musician and songwriter. She is known for her participation as lead vocalist for the group Opus III, and her collaborative work with other musicians and producers....
- "Sincere for You" (re-released 2008) [Adjusted] - 2005 Ferry Corsten vs. The Thrillseekers - "Sublime" [Tsunami]
- 2009 Solarstone ft. Elizabeth Fields - "Part of Me" [Solaris]
- 2009 Chicane - "Poppiholla" [Armada]
- 2010 Arcane Science - "Still Feel (You Here)" [Adjusted]
- 2011 John O'CallaghanJohn O'Callaghan (DJ)John O'Callaghan is an Irish DJ, mainly producing electronic dance music. He also produces music under the alias of Joint Operations Centre, Mannix and Stenna. He has also collaborated with fellow Discover artists such as Bryan Kearney, Neal Scarborough , Thomas Bronzwaer and Greg Downey as well...
ft. Audrey GallagherAudrey GallagherAudrey Gallagher is a singer from Moneyglass, Northern Ireland and is born on November 21, 1969. She is best known for providing the vocals for the band Scheer and on John O'Callaghan's song "Big Sky".-After Scheer:...
- "Bring Back The Sun" [Subculture] - 2011 Armin van Buuren - "I Don't Own You" [Armada]
As En-Motion:
- 1998 York - "Farewell To The Moon" [Positiva]
- 1998 Aurora - "Hear You Calling" [Additive]
- 1999 The Thrillseekers - "Synaesthesia" [Neo]
- 1999 Starparty "I'm In Love" [Incentive]
- 2000 Sonique - "It Feels So Good" [Serious]
- 2000 Free Radical - "Surreal" [ATCR]
- 2004 The Thrillseekers - "Synaesthesia 2004" (Re-edit) [Adjusted]
As Rapid Eye:
- 1999 Cequenza - "Cequenza [Spot On]
- 1999 Compulsive - "Movin" [Spot On]
- 2000 Timo MaasTimo MaasTimo Maas is an electronic music DJ/producer and remixer.-Career:Maas bought his first set of turntables at the age of 17, and played his very first DJ set in 1982 at a party in his friend's home...
- "Der Sheiber" [Perfecto] - 2000 Blank & Jones - "The Nightfly" [Gang Go]
- 2000 Gee Motion - "Blue Angel" [Perfecto]
- 2002 Rapid Eye - "Circa Forever" [ATCR]
- 2004 Rapid Eye - "Absolut" [ATCR]