Open Mind

Even Hollywood is into German trancers Cosmic Gate. They exclusively remixed James Horner's I See You (Theme From Avatar) with Leona Lewis. “It wasn't that easy 'cause the original track has no beats – it's a ballad, actually,” DJ Bossi (aka Stefan Bossems) recaps. “But we really loved the movie – and we were so happy when we were asked to do this. Then, finally, we were the only approved remix – so we're the only really official remix for Avatar. It worked out really good… That's one of the few new movies in my life that I've seen twice in the theatre!”

In 2011 Bossems and his Cosmic Gate cohort Nic Chagall (aka Claus Terhoeven), who once cheekily reinvented Somewhere Over The Rainbow, presented their fifth album, Wake Your Mind, taking in a cover of Jurgen Vries' The Theme. There's a growing trend for DJ/producers to spurn albums for EPs, but, here, Cosmic Gate are traditionalists. “We see this a little different,” Bossems affirms. Albums allow them to showcase their versatility – and “skills”. They can produce “simply good electronic music”, not solely club fare. As it happens, Bossems' favourite album of all time isn't electronic. He loves 1987's Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby. “That was the only great album he did,” the DJ sighs of the elusive Brit soulster. “But that's maybe the album I listened to the most ever… Very old, but very good.” Might Cosmic Gate collaborate with D'Arby, as Ben Watt did? “I couldn't imagine his voice on dance music, to be very honest,” Bossems says.

Cosmic Gate formed in the late '90s, meeting by chance in the offices of Cologne's X-IT Records, the label responsible for Euro-trancer Sash!. Attracting a grassroots following, in 2001 Cosmic Gate enjoyed a UK top ten hit with Fire Wire. Still, they have made mistakes – even occasionally regretting that 'New Age' handle. “We only had a manager after five years – maybe we should have had our management earlier,” Bossems admits.

Though the DJ world is friendly, it's also fiercely competitive, from polls to branding to show concepts. “Most people have no clue how hard DJs and producers work,” Bossems remarks lightheartedly. “They think we only travel the world and party and play records – and that's it.” Cosmic Gate have devoted months to an album. Then they do mix-CDs (like February's Trance Nation for Ministry Of Sound), remixes, radio shows and interviews (not to mention manage their social media outlets). The travel isn't so glamourous, either. “We spend more time in aircraft than a full-time pilot does,” Bossems reveals. Luckily, with USB sticks, Cosmic Gate don't need to cart around crates of records. It's no wonder that Bossems rarely goes to the cinema. “We barely have private lives – we have no more hobbies!” He is content, however. “People who are successful for a longer time are in [the scene] 'cause they love it. If you're just in [it] to party, or for the wrong reasons, you will not make it and survive – 'cause it's really hard. We are still really happy that we could make our hobby our profession, but it's a tough and hard business – and this is the competitive side. If you're too slow, if you only go with fifty percent, you will never make it.”

Last in Australia for Future Music Festival 2011, Cosmic Gate are returning for their own headlining dates – joined by trance diva Emma Hewitt. The Geelong, Victoria native graces Cosmic Gate's recent hit Be Your Sound. “Our goal is just to play proper long sets,” Bossems says of the tour. Their two vocalists create “a little bit of a concert feeling” but, otherwise, it's party music. Most of all, Cosmic Gate are aiming to drive home the message of Wake Your Mind. “We want people to be open-minded to the music they listen to as much as we want people to be open-minded when they come to a club – not to only expect like, for example, pure trance or pure techno or whatever, but to follow the DJ on a journey.”