Mindbenderz – New album & Interview

A new album ‘Celestial Gateway’ just released on Iono Music – tell us a bit about it. 

It’s our second album and it took us around 3 years to gather all the tracks. Most of the album was written during the pandemic, so that was quite a challenge. It was a great team effort and we’re very proud with the outcome. We sticked to our credo, to produce an album, that’s works well on the dance floor, but is easy enough to listen to at home too. We always try to create a mood and a story in each track, we like to tell a good tale. 

Get Mindbenderz – Celestial Gateway – Album: https://www.beatport.com/release/celestial-gateway/4423073

You two have been around for a very long time and did a lot. Can you please tell us a bit about your personal Psytrance musical journey and what made you team up for Mindbenderz? 

We both have a long career in the Psytrance scene. Philip’s first steps where as a part of the duo Blue Vortex and Rumble Pack, back in the early 2000 and later he created the legendary progressive act Motion Drive. With numerous album and single releases under his belt, he’s one of the most productive producers from the last two decades.

Cubixx being the label head of iono….First, we had a classic label/artist relationship with Motion Drive and Iono Music. After many years working together, in 2016, we decided to join forces for a new project which we called Mindbenderz. We wanted to combine our strengths and all our skills that we had gathered over the years and create a new project, that suits the modern psytrance sound, but still keeping those vibes from the old days.

Hard questions, we know, but what’s your favourite track on the album? 

Philip: My favourite is the title track “Celestial Gateway” and also “Altered Beings”.

Cubixx: I do love them all, but if I had to choose one favourite it would be ‘Sacred Particles’. I love the eccentric break and trippy vibe. 

Tell us a little about your creative process? What each of you brings to the table? 

Philips’ strength lies in the creative process; sound design and creating a story for a track. Matthias brings his life long experience as a DJ – and so he knows how to shape and arrange a track to perfection, so that everything falls in place and works on the dance floor.

Do you remember your first party, as a dancer and as DJ/artist? 

Philip: My first party as a dancer was a very small forest party near Zurich in 1997. I got hooked immediately with the music and two years later I had the chance to DJ the first time, once again on a classic forest party.

Cubixx: My first party as a dancer was actually a techno party and I first DJ’d at a techno party too. I took a break in 1999 when my son was born, but the call to dance and DJ was too strong – and I missed it too much to stay away! In 2001 I attended my first psy-trance party which was a festival called Fusion Festival – it got me hooked and I haven’t looked back since!

Cubixx, you are also the head of Iono Music – any interesting news from the label to share?

Yes!  We are all super excited and really looking forward to the Iono-Music Festival which we are holding in Mexico on the 1^st and 2^nd of June. We have an incredible line up and it’s going to be an absolute blast!

IONO Festival 2024: https://www.facebook.com/events/348845090875956

Also – next year we celebrate 20 years of Iono-Music and so are already working on some seriously exciting plans to commemorate this achievement and celebrate in style with you all! 

What’s your ultimate Psytrance track?  We know it’s hard to choose, but still, if you have to…

Philip: Jaia – Maï Maï

Cubixx: Yeah – that one is so difficult to answer and I think impossible for me to choose! I have listened to thousands of tracks over the years and have released about to many alone on Iono!    For me it’s the key that a track has a great line, and a story to it.  It should incorporate ups and downs, light and shade and have a good tight punchy production which kicks on the dancefloor!

Future plans?

For now, we’re busy promoting our album and hopefully touring around the globe for the rest of the year.  We are of course continuing to produce fresh quality tracks, as the urge to create never ever stops! 😊