A full-fledged Chicane remix album was bound to hit the dance music realm sooner or later, and the first imaginative redirection for one of his timeless records has arrived today. Already tried and tested on the live circuit by the likes of Tale Of Us, Kölsch and Minds Against, the ‘Saltwater’ remix of Melodic House and Techno tastemaker Kevin de Vries sets the standard for all other Chicane remixes (including remixes from Jody Wisternoff and Giuseppe Ottaviani) to come between now and the full release of the Chicane remix album in Autumn this year.

Turning the age-old classic into a Techno-tinged dance floor hit, Kevin de Vries does what he does best on remix duty building on the legacy of Chicane and Moya Brennan with driving bass and haunting vocals, this edit of ‘Saltwater’ brings the glow of the early days back into the world of dance music today.

We had the chance to talk with the producer about it. Enjoy while listening to the remix.

WWD: You remixed one of the most biggest trance classics ever, Chicane’s ‘Saltwater’. When did you discovered this track and did it had impact on your musical career?

I was born in 1993, so unfortunately I missed the huge trance times on the dancefloors but I was able to rediscover a lot of the tracks from that time. All tracks of that era have something magical. There were no rules or standard arrangements. Tracks were running over 10 minutes length and had huge breakdowns and many emotions inside. Something where I took a lot of inspiration from.

WWD: Was it a difficult job to “touch” such a classic and making your own remix of it? 

Absolutely! This Track is a classic and has a very special place in many peoples heart and memory. Some people maybe never want to have it reworked, others might like it. The feedback I got so far is overwhelming and especially to hear nice words from Chicane himself was amazing.

WWD: Who were your musical influencers at a young age and how did they influenced you?

I grew up listening to Hip-Hop, mostly German and from the states. Paul Kalkbrenner was maybe the biggest influence in electronic music. He inspired me to do my own productions.

WWD: Did your hometown Berlin became a big influence in your musical journey?

It did! I moved to Berlin 4 years ago and as many know it’s the go-to city for electronic music in Germany. Many artists live there as well as agencies have their offices here. You have several clubs and a nightlife scene which is beyond amazing. Networking here helped me a lot.

WWD: Your career really “kicked off’ after signing with Afterlife, how did this collaboration happened?

I got to know Matteo & Carmine in 2017. I started to send them my music and we had a great synergy from the beginning. They gave me a lot of advises and tips regarding productions. With Afterlife they gave me a platform for my music and DJ-sets around the world. I am very grateful for their support and friendship.

WWD: At this moment you’re playing all the big festivals, and your touring schedule seems pretty solid. What’s next on the Kevin de Vries “bucket” list?

I have a lot of new music ready and settled for 2020. Playing events like Awakenings or Ushuaia this summer, alongside many great other events are on that list and I’m super excited for this summer!

You can also listen to Kevin’s BBC Radio 1 Mix HERE