Max Vangeli and AN21 have been an unstoppable duo, as they’ve released hit after hit, both together and individually. They showcased their collaborative forces with their debut album People of the Night back in 2012 and also have a massive track “Glow” under their belt. More recently, the duo put out a collaboration “Tonight” off of Size Records for the first time, and Max released his solo track “You & Me.” Both artists continue to heavily influence the scene by evolving their sound through their original works and by sharing new music through their own respective radio shows — Code Radio for Max and Size Radio for AN21. Check out our interview with Max Vangeli as he speaks about the duo’s collaborative dynamics, career milestones and some possible upcoming projects.
What’s the collaboration process like between the two of you, and how do you deal with any artistic differences throughout the process?
We never really had any differences when we collab honestly. We are good friends so things are fairly smooth, it just sort of works out I guess.
Max, you just released a new track “You & Me,” the both of you have your own radio shows, not to mention you’re both on the road with your shows. And on top of that, the two of you continually release a bunch of collaborations. How do you keep up with your own solo activities while finding the time to make music together?
It’s important to sometimes think on your own, especially when you work with someone for such a long time. It’s also about making it special, because now when we get together we can really create something new and fresh every time.
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The musical landscape is constantly evolving with new genres and subgenres popping up, and existing genres getting a new twist. As a duo, where do you find your inspiration and how do you manage to keep your sound fresh and relevant?
Everyday life is where we honestly find our inspiration. It’s about listening to music that has nothing to do with your own genre. We love to listen to other peoples work all the time to get inspired.
In addition to putting out originals, you two have done a lot of remixes. What do you look for in a track when you decide to remix it?
It has to have a special feel to it! Usually has to have either a strong vocal or a nice melody, that is key!
You’ve worked with a bunch of artists, which was especially apparent in your 2012 debut album People of the Night. Who are some producers or vocalists that you would like to collaborate with, that you haven’t worked with in the past?
So many new names now a days, but I mean its always the classics that still make it special for us. Legends are more fun to work with, because they have better stories to tell.
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Looking back on 2014, what would you say were some milestones with both of your careers? Any personal favorites among the tracks you’ve produced together?
Probably just the fact that we are still friends after all these years is a huge milestone. We have a ton of new solo stuff we are working on, which is also sort of a milestone considering the fact that we have worked so much together.
What can fans expect from you two in 2015? Any plans for an album to follow up from your People of the Night album, or any solo tracks in the works for either of you?
A lot of solo stuff that I have been working on in the studio that I am really excited to finally release! Maybe a POTN 2, who knows.
