Daan Romers has come a long way since DJing in local bars at the age of 17. You probably know him as Dannic, currently ranked #30 on the DJ Mag Top 100 and famous friend of Hardwell. But he’s a whole lot more than that. Clearly he’s a talented producer, remixer, and DJ, but he’s also a guide for young talent and soon, a label head. His hometown of Breda is also where Tiësto and Hardwell are from. Maybe there’s something in the water, but whatever it is we’re happy it’s there.
[divider]Remixing Trance Music[/divider]
Dannic puts out a lot of great music both as a solo act, and in collaboration with other artists such as Hardwell and Dyro. He is also known for his remixes of popular Top 40 tracks, and even trance.
“Trance fans are one of a kind…I got a lot of hate on my latest remix for Andrew Rayel.”
While he took a lot of flak from trance fans for doing this while remixing Dark Warriors by Andrew Rayel, his own fans seem to love seeing these tracks with a Dannic twist.
“I think that’s what making a remix is all about. Making that translation and make that transition to my house fans.”
Dannic goes on to explain that it takes a lot of effort to maintain the original identity while still adding his own groove to it. He does this in spades on his remix of Dark Warriors, and even manages to pay homage to one of the kings of trance, Armin van Buuren, in his remix of Intense.
[divider]The Next Generation of Dance Music[/divider]
Dannic shared that fostering this talent is incredibly important to the health and growth of dance music, and supports aspiring producers reach their potential.
“[Developing new talent is] super important. I’m actually starting my own label right now. I have so many new talents that I am supporting…I had to have my own platform.”
Dannic’s intentions for starting his own label aren’t profit-driven like many often are. He is concerned first and foremost with the support of the artists that he began supporting on his Dannic Selects EP on Revealed Recordings.
He first mentioned his label in the first part of the year, and has turned it into a reality. He has his first several releases due out in the first half of October, in fact. It’s clear Dannic shows no signs of stopping on his way to the top; both on the charts and as an educator in the world of dance music producers.
[divider]Friends In High Places[/divider]
It’s no secret that Dannic is very close with the #1 voted DJ Mag Top 100 DJ Hardwell. They’ve known each other for more than 10 years now, before either of them were really successful. They bounce ideas off each other constantly and give each other feedback on new music.
“He taught me a lot, but it’s a back and forth thing. I was always giving him honest feedback; that’s what he needed, and still needs.”
Just because you’re voted #1 doesn’t mean you can’t improve. These two are constantly in the studio together working on demos, or just kicking back playing FIFA on Playstation. In fact, the track “Survivors” was completed on a whim, when the two were just hanging out playing video games.
In an industry diluted with exaggerated compliments and polls of questionable merit, it’s important to have a friend who understands. Priceless is the friend who knows not only where you’re coming from, but also says what you need to hear.
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