[1-19-14] Interview With 'Aly & Fila'

Can you tell us what the Electronic Music scene is like in Egypt?

"Well um, I think it’s like everywhere in the world, it’s growing now so much. It’s been there since 1995 I think, it started growing and it boomed in Egypt around 1999 when it boomed all over the world, and now I think is the second boom together with the US, so it’s being reflected there as well."

How has it changed in Egypt since you first started listening to Electronic Music?

"In Egypt, um I would say I think Trance was huge in Egypt back then, it was really really big, it went away a bit but now its coming back again really really strong, there is a huge following for trance music, and I think the Egyptian crowd they are into either Deep House, Techno, Trance, House like proper house, surprisingly there is not much big room house in Egypt."
 

What made you fall in love with Trance Music over everything else?

"Paul Van Dyk. Definitely Paul Van Dyk."

Was there a song of his in particular that you fell in love with?

"For an Angel. I think a lot of trance fans got into trance because of that track, but seeing him, actually seeing him live for the first time was the definite decision."

What is your favorite club or festival to play?

"Hmmm, that’s a good question. Let’s talk about America for now. EDC Vegas is my favorite festival, and I think for the clubs I would say Ruby Sky in San Francisco is one of my favorite clubs."

Are there any noticeable differences between playing here in America as opposed to playing in other countries around the world?

"I’ll be honest, it’s different everywhere. Wherever you go it’s different. What you play in this city or this country doesn’t have to work in another city or another country. It depends where you are, how the crowd likes it, but in the end I always play in my range, I don’t go out of my range. So if I play in a commercial place, sometimes you get booked to some wrong places you know, so you go, take the chance, take the risk and you see maybe you affect the crowd more than they get mad at you haha. So sometimes you go to places where they don’t know anything about your music, but it is a good chance to spread your music."

Future Sound of Egypt has had remarkable success as both a record label and a radio show, is there any chance of seeing a FSOE stage at a US festival in the near future?

"Yes! This year. I’ll keep it quiet, but yes."

I ask because I attended TomorrowWorld back in September where I saw you for the first time and the Full On stage from Ferry Corsten was incredible.

"Actually, I prefer TomorrowWorld to TomorrowLand."

Really?! For what reasons?

"It was, the crowd was more fresh. The crowd was really good. And the venue, the area was unbelievable, it had all of this positive energy everywhere."

Who are your artists to watch for 2014?

"Ian Standerwick, Hazem Beltagui, Fady & Mina, Mohamed Ragab, Simon O'Shine, Matt Bukovski. Those are my favorite guys right now."

What does the future hold for you guys? Are there any other albums coming?

"Actually yea! For later on this year. I think, now I’m not sure, but I think it will be the first time a trance artist releases two albums in two years. Hopefully we are going to make it, it depends on if we can finish it on time with the quality we want, because if it doesn’t get done how we want we wont release it. We will wait."

Did being chosen as the A State of Trance “Tune of the Year” back in 2011 have any big affect on your career at all?

"For sure. 100 Percent. To be honest, the whole support from Armin Van Buuren helped us a lot, we cannot deny that. He helped us really really a lot when people didn’t know us that much, just the hardcore trance fans who really knew Aly & Fila, but then Armin took us to a whole new level. He really pushed us so much and being ‘Tune of the Year’ on the biggest radio show, that was big."

Did you find out beforehand that you were chosen as ‘Tune of the Year’ or did it come as a surprise?

"Armin called me a couple days before. I remember I was in a plane we were about to take off so I couldn’t shout or anything and my answer was a bit awkward. Armin was like “Ahh Congratulations you guys were chosen as ‘Tune of the Year’!!” And I was like “Thank You” because I had to get off the phone you know? The plane was taking off haha.