Max Graham is back!

After a year of radio silence, Max Graham’s beats shall resound again. Newfound inspiration and an energetic boost have brought us the stunning ‘Sun In The Winter’. This emotional trancer – flirting with progressive and featuring the tender vocals of Neev Kennedy – kicks off a new era in Max’ musical career. With his artist album in the pipeline, new tracks coming up and the right spirit to keep going for years, Max Graham is back and hitting full throttle. Max:”Taking a year off only taught me how much I need music in my life, both as a producer, DJ and listener.”

Welcome back, Max! What have you been up to in the past 1,5 years?
Max:”Well, I decided to take some time off from music and open an Apple Computer Store in Toronto. As musicians we use Macs a lot and I had an opportunity to do it so that took up a lot of time, but my love for music has pulled me back to this world.”

What a comeback with ‘Sun In The Winter’! How did this beautiful anthem came to life?
Max:”I’m very picky about vocals, most I hear are either too cheesy or too ‘obvious’ and they just don’t suit me. When I heard this voice I really was floored. I remember listening to it over and over thinking ‘this is me, finally a vocal that’s my style’.”

How did you end up working with Neev Kennedy?
Max:”Through an amazing Dutch writer, Raz Nitzan. Raz is the man when it comes to putting people together and he knows how picky I am.”

It’s a lot more trancy and emotional than your last release, the Frozen EP. What made you go back to the prog-trancy style that lies closest to the sound heard on ‘I Know You’re Gone’?
Max:”I’ve always been too diverse for my own good, but the emotion is always there in my music, just sometimes it comes out more than others. I think if you look at my overall sound of the last ten years it’s common thread is emotion and drive, that’s what ‘Sun In The Winter’ really has and I love it.”

Why wasn’t it released on Re*Brand instead of Coldharbour Recordings?
Max:”After a year off I felt I could benefit from a push that Markus could give me, more than by putting the record out myself. Re*Brand is still there 100%, but Markus really knows how to work a record. He pushed me to make it better and has worked the remixes and promotion perfectly. For me it’s not about the glory and the money, I’m happy to let someone else release music for me if the end result is bigger, even though they may get some of the credit. Markus and I are great friends and this has really been a good experience with the whole Coldhardbour crew.”

You’re currently working on your debut album. So there’s new collabs coming up, including one with Jessica Jacobs. What can you unveil of the album so far?
Max:”Well, Jessica (now back to Riddle) and I have finished ‘goodbye’ which is a lovely downtempo bit. We’re working on more as I type this. The album will not be a typical dance album, it will have four or five big house tracks. But I really want to include some downtempo and different music. It’s still very electronic, no rock stuff for example, but it’s more of a journey with some chill, some uptempo and some vocals.”

Got any idea when it’ll be finished & out?
Max:”Working on it now, so hopefully mid summer!”

Are you making any sort of podcast or radio show?
Max:”Yes, actually I have the Max Graham live set podcast which is available on iTunes and I’m in talks with Proton about reviving my radio show there.”

The second volume of Cycles is also in the making. What can we expect from this one?
Max:”First comes the album then a compilation, so late summer or fall.”

All in all, 2010 is going to be quite an exciting year for you. Are you all set?
Max:”Hahaha, after all these years I’m more than set. I love this business and love my job, taking a year off only taught me how much I need music in my life, both as a producer, DJ and listener.”