Italian DJ and producer Maike Depas is one of the rising names in the hard techno scene, known for mixing 90s rave energy with cinematic and psy-trance influences. After earning attention from DJ Mag Italia, Mixmag Germany, and FAZE, he’s now pushing his sound and visuals to new levels through his label, The Innovation Studio Records. With his new project ‘The Sphere 001’ and the launch of his futuristic persona Kyronex, Maike is stepping into an exciting new chapter. We caught up with him to talk about his latest work, his vision for hard techno, and what’s coming next.

Hey Maike, thanks for speaking with us! How are you doing today? 

Hey, thanks for having me! I’m doing really well.

I’ve just come out of an intense period of production and creative work in the studio. There’s a lot of new energy flowing right now, and I’m feeling inspired by what’s coming next.

Let’s kick things off with your latest project, ‘The Sphere 001’. This long-form filmed live set merges hard techno with cinematic visuals, can you tell us about the concept behind it and what inspired it?

“The Sphere 001” is the project that truly represents the evolution of who I’ve become as an artist. It’s not just a set, it’s an immersive experience that connects music, visual art, and storytelling. I wanted to show how a DJ today can be more than a selector, someone who builds a universe and invites the audience inside it.

The concept comes from my symbol, the sphere, which for me is a bridge between two realities: the present and the future. It embodies balance, energy, and timeless beauty, the same values I try to translate through my music. The live set was recorded in a cinematic environment, with lights, lasers, and visuals designed to amplify the emotions of each track and turn sound into a physical journey.

Musically, it’s a blend of hard techno, psy-trance, and cinematic influences, powerful but emotional, raw but refined. Half of the tracks are my own productions, some unreleased, and the whole narrative reflects the tension, euphoria, and release that define my sound. For me, “The Sphere 001” is a statement: a vision of what you will hear from me in 2026 across different stages worldwide.

The performance also introduces your new Kyronex identity, featuring futuristic fiberglass headpieces created with Tokyo artist Miq Han. How did this collaboration come about, and what does the Kyronex persona represent?

Kyronex is the visual and physical extension of my artistic identity, the point where sound, design, and the human form merge. I’ve always been fascinated by futuristic and cyberpunk aesthetics, and I felt it was time to bring that vision beyond music itself. The collaboration with Tokyo-based designer Miq Han was born from this idea: to create something that feels alive, not as a costume, but as a transformation of the body.

The fiberglass headpiece you see in “The Sphere 001” was entirely modeled along the lines of my skull. It represents precision, speed, and evolution, a symbol of what I call the “us of the future.” Kyronex is not about hiding behind a mask, but revealing another dimension of what we are becoming as humans in a hyper-technological era. It’s a bridge between biology and design, emotion and machine. Over time, this identity will evolve through new 1:1 elements, expanding into a complete visual armor that embodies my vision.

You’ve had an incredible past year with Hard Never Dies, a powerful compilation featuring SCARLETT., Akoriz, WarinD, and Marco Leckbert. What was your vision when curating that project, and how do you see it reflecting the current evolution of hard techno?

“Hard Never Dies” was born from the idea of celebrating a new wave of hard techno, one that’s raw, emotional, and forward-looking. I wanted to bring together artists who each represent a unique perspective on this sound, from SCARLETT and Akoriz to WarinD and Marco Leckbert.

The goal was to create a compilation that feels like a snapshot of where the scene is right now, while also pointing toward where it’s heading.

For me, hard techno today isn’t just about speed or aggression, it’s about energy, emotion, and identity. Each artist on the release brought their own world into the project, and together we built something that connects the underground roots of the genre with its evolving, more futuristic dimension.

“Hard Never Dies” is both a statement and a reminder: no matter how styles evolve, the raw spirit of hard techno will always endure.

Your track Back To You and the remix by Bonnie Strange hit the Beatport Top 10 and earned major streaming traction. What was it like the reaction to that?

The reaction to “Back To You” was incredible. It marked my first real step into a more EDM and festival-oriented sound, while staying deeply connected to my emotional and hard roots. Seeing it reach the #1 position on the Beatport Mainstage chart and resonate with so many listeners proved that sometimes it’s important to let emotions flow in their most primal form, that’s when music feels truly real.

Bonnie Strange’s remix gave the track a completely new dimension. It added a vibrant, euphoric energy that perfectly balanced my original vision. For me, this release was more than just a streaming success; it was a moment of artistic transition, showing how my sound can evolve while keeping its soul intact.

2024 saw the release of Sexy Devil Horse on your own label, The Innovation Studio Records, with features from Luca Agnelli, OGUZ, and CHRS. How important is it for you to build a platform for collaboration and innovation through your own label?

The Innovation Studio Records has always been more than just a label for me, it’s a creative ecosystem where collaboration and experimentation come first. With “Sexy Devil Horse,” I wanted to highlight that philosophy by bringing together artists like Luca Agnelli, OGUZ, and CHRS, who each represent a different side of the hard and emotional techno spectrum.

The goal of the label is to connect visionary artists from around the world and give them the space to express themselves freely, without boundaries. I believe innovation happens when you combine different minds and energies in the same room, that’s exactly what The Innovation Studio Records is built for. It’s not just about releasing music, but about shaping the sound of the future together.

With support from outlets like DJ Mag Italia, Mixmag Germany, and FAZE, you’re quickly becoming one of the most talked-about names in European hard techno. How do you feel about that?

It’s honestly an incredible feeling. I’ve been building this project step by step, driven purely by passion and a clear artistic vision, so seeing major media outlets like DJ Mag Italia, Mixmag Germany, and FAZE recognize my work means a lot. It tells me that people are connecting not just with the music, but with the story and the energy behind it.

At the same time, I try to stay focused on what really matters, evolving as an artist and keeping my sound authentic. The hard techno scene is growing fast, and I feel proud to contribute to its new wave with a futuristic and emotionally-driven approach.

Hard techno is evolving rapidly right now, blending influences from trance, industrial, and even cinematic music. Where do you see the genre heading next, and what role do you hope to play in shaping that future?

Hard techno is going through one of its most exciting transformations. It’s becoming more hybrid, blending trance, industrial, cinematic, and even EDM influences, but what really matters is the emotional energy behind it. I believe the future of the genre will be defined by artists who can merge intensity with emotion, creating something powerful yet meaningful.

My goal is to help shape that direction by bringing a more cinematic and futuristic vision to hard techno. I want to push the boundaries of production and performance, turning each release and live set into a full voyage to another dimension.

As an artist who constantly experiments and pushes boundaries, how important is it for you to take creative risks and challenge the expectations of what hard techno “should” sound like?

Taking creative risks is essential, it’s the only way to keep art alive. I’ve never been interested in following formulas or sticking to what people expect hard techno to sound like. For me, the goal is to evolve the genre without losing its raw spirit. That means blending different influences, from cinematic textures to psy-trance atmospheres and pure hard techno mayhem, and turning them into something new while keeping the same intensity that defines the underground.

When you experiment, you expose yourself, but that vulnerability is where the most powerful ideas are born. Every time I step into the studio, I try to challenge my own limits and build a sound that feels authentic, futuristic, and emotionally human at the same time.

Finally, thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything you’d like to share with your fans or tease about what’s coming next from Maike Depas and The Innovation Studio?

Thank you for having me, it’s been a pleasure. I can’t reveal too much yet, but what’s coming next will push my project to a completely new level, both musically and visually.

With The Innovation Studio, my goal is to expand the platform globally and bring together even more visionary artists who share the same drive for experimentation. The next chapter will be about evolution, creating experiences that go beyond sound, where music becomes something you can truly feel and see. The journey has just begun.

Over a decade after redefining the sound of big room with ‘Epic’, Dutch producer Sandro Silva returns with a more emotional and cinematic approach on his latest single ‘In Another Life’. In this exclusive interview, he reflects on his creative evolution, fatherhood, and the vision behind his label AVANTII Records.

‘In Another Life’ feels both personal and cinematic. When you were creating it, did you start from the lyrical idea of eternal love, or did the music itself inspire that story?

Thanks for the kind words to kick this interview off!

This song feels very personal to me, since I’ve experienced so many good things this year. That really influenced the song and its message, showing that love is truly eternal. The lyrics brought that idea to life, especially in combination with the melodies.

You’ve gone from shaping the sound of big room in the early 2010s to now exploring melodic and emotional house textures. What made you feel it was time to shift into this new direction?

Back then I was very young and more ‘club-oriented,’ so creating that big room sound, seeing it take over the biggest clubs, festivals, and radio definitely made an impact on me. I witnessed something I created going from very niche to mainstream.

Now that I’m older, I’m drawn to records that still have power but express emotion differently. Music that isn’t just for big stages, but also fits a relaxed setting, like reading a book, having dinner or in a more romantic setting:). I’ve also been listening to music from the era I grew up more, which has influenced my current sound and shift as well.

Your early work, especially “Epic,” defined an era. Do you ever feel pressure to live up to that legacy when experimenting with something softer or more introspective?

I definitely felt that pressure when I was younger, but now I just try to have fun and focus on projects I truly enjoy. For me, the emotion and vibe during the creative process are crucial. If I start feeling pressure, the music loses its soul, if you know what I mean.

Becoming a father seems to have influenced your new creative era. How has that changed the way you approach the studio, both technically and emotionally?

I’m much more focused on what’s ahead rather than looking back. That brings a kind of calm energy into the studio, I’m more relaxed now.

That balance really matters when you’ve been in the industry for a long time. You need new, fresh energy to create something truly different.

AVANTII Records has become your home base for this new chapter. What kind of sound or vision do you want AVANTII to represent beyond your own releases?

It was always my dream to have my own label and release music that I believe will mean something to people.

I’ve always experimented with new sounds and genre combinations but not every label or A&R understood that. Now that I’m in control, it feels amazing. I want to release music with deeper meaning, something you can feel in the melodies, use of sounds, and vocals.

In the future, we’ll definitely be releasing music from other artists too. I’ll embrace anyone who thinks outside the box and dares to be different. That’s my motto, and I’ve always believed in it.

You’ve worked with artists across very different worlds such as Steve Aoki, W&W, Naeleck, Julian, MVNA, and Chris Crone. What do you look for in a collaborator today that you might not have ten years ago?

Now it’s all about the music itself. Ten years ago, we looked at different factors before deciding to collaborate. Today, it’s the art that matters and not the people behind it. That’s probably the biggest shift when I look back.

If you could go back to 2011 Sandro, the one about to release “Epic,” what would you tell him about the long game of being an artist in dance music?

Great question. I’d tell him that staying true to yourself is everything. It’s easy to get lost in this industry, mentally and musically, but staying grounded and authentic is what keeps your journey meaningful and future proof:)

Follow Sandro Silva:
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Fresh off the stage at Transmission’s 25 Years of Gouryella celebration during Amsterdam Dance Event 2025, trance legend Ferry Corsten sat down with us to discuss the milestone anniversary of his beloved alias. The Ferry Corsten Gouryella project has captivated trance fans for a quarter century with its ethereal sound and spiritual depth.

The special Ferry Corsten Gouryella showcase featured an entirely new visual production, complete with profound lyrics and the iconic tree of life imagery. Corsten opened up about the spiritual depth behind Gouryella, his creative process, and how the universe guides him when it’s time to create new music for this transcendent project.

The New Show Experience

You just got off stage. How do you feel?

Feeling really good. I did two shows here as Ferry Corsten, and then the 25 year anniversary of my other moniker Gouryella. It’s two different sets.

Especially for the Ferry Corsten Gouryella milestone event, we did a whole new show, whole new visuals and a whole new structure of the set, and a lot more other stuff. To actually see that new show for the first time in an environment like this was amazing. Really, really cool.

Creating the Visual Concept

I loved the lyrics on the screen and the tree of life. Who comes up with the concept behind the visuals?

I worked together with David Moor. He’s also the person behind the application Showkontrol. A lot of people in this industry definitely know what that is—an application that allows you to sync everything on the screen that you put out from your decks and way more. But he’s also pretty strong in visuals.

I already had the actual topic with Ferry Corsten Gouryella of the bigger things in life. What is the universe, and how is frequency related to our existence? Pretty deep stuff. But that’s also perfect fuel for an amazing concept.

If you put that in words on a screen, it’s already visual. When people hear it and read it at the same time, it triggers a mechanism where they start thinking about stuff. I’m sure people will walk away tonight and be back home thinking of certain phrases on the screen. They’ll think “I read that today, that actually made sense” or “I can totally agree with that.” I want them to question more.

So together, feeding the ideas behind what Ferry Corsten Gouryella means into David’s brain, we go back and forth and come up with ideas for the visuals which he then creates.

Photographer Credit: Rutger Geerling

The Meaning Behind Gouryella

I’ve asked you before what Gouryella means, but what does it mean to you now in this moment? What do you want people to take away when they leave today?

Obviously the straight translation for Gouryella is basically heaven in one of the Native Australian tribes’ languages. But what does Ferry Corsten Gouryella mean now?

Seeing what the music with that meaning has done to so many people over the last 25 years—I know people who, it sounds really weird, but for them Ferry Corsten Gouryella is almost like a revelation type of experience. When they hear a new Gouryella single, they really live for it. It’s not just a bit of music, it’s a life changer.

Which is crazy, because for me, I’m in the studio making my music, doing my thing. But then when that track leaves the studio, it starts its own life. I could see it really in the end with all the lights and stuff. The whole package was complete tonight.

Planning the 25-Year Anniversary

Your family was here as well. How long have you been planning this? Has this been a long time coming?

Well, it started in 2001. The first three singles of Ferry Corsten Gouryella I did with Tiësto, and then number four I did myself. Then we had a break of 10 or 11 years, but the name and the project was still alive.

A lot of people kept asking me “when are you doing Gouryella?” Then in 2015 I came back with a track that really blew up massively and brought the whole project back again. That’s when I decided to put it into a show.

It’s been a show for about 10 years now, and it’s been evolving every time. When there was a new single, I had to add a new visual, so the show changed slightly over time but relatively still in a similar way. But now with the 25 years anniversary at ADE, I felt like we just need to completely give this whole thing a new overhaul and come out with a new show.

Photographer Credit: Rutger Geerling

Staying Creative and Motivated

How do you stay motivated to continue being creative?

Sometimes it’s best not to think about it and just be. Sounds weird, right? But to be creative, you’ve got to accept that you cannot put your clock to it. You are when you are. If it doesn’t work out, then just don’t get worked up about it.

I know people that feel instantly they have a writer’s block and think this is the end of it. No, it’s not. Give it some time. Always make sure you’re not useless in the studio. If you don’t write a melody today, you can always work on sound effects or create new presets or sound design. Do something else. You’re still productive.

But maybe tomorrow your mindset is different. You wake up in a different sort of vibe and today you’re feeling it—bang, there’s the next track. For me, it’s always been goofing around in the studio that brings what it needs to bring. If you take it too serious, it’s hard. You don’t need an idea to go into the studio. Just go in the studio, play around, and then something sticks and you work on that.

From Fun to Transcendence

That’s a really interesting juxtaposition, because you said that your music literally changes people’s lives. It’s so deep, so spiritual. But then you say you just go in the studio and goof around. How does that translate? How do you get from “I’m just having fun” to music that’s making people weep?

There’s two things, because Ferry Corsten Gouryella is its own entity. I really put that in its own sort of league. It’s not like I go in the studio and “oh, I have the next trance track, here’s the new Gouryella.” No.

I know that for that act, that sound has a certain emotion. You can’t really put your finger on it, but when I hear 15 trance tracks and I hear a Gouryella track, it’s different. That’s in its own environment if you will.

Going into the studio for Gouryella is very often in a bit of a trippy way. Gouryella is all about the universe. It’s very ethereal. But I’ve also become a firm believer that when the universe feels that I’m ready for a new Gouryella, it will hand it to me.

So look, I go to the studio and I find a new track. Maybe it’s a great idea for a house track or a trance track, but it’s not Gouryella. And then I’m in the studio and boom—oh, we’re on to something. That’s why over the years there could be a year or two or three years in between two Gouryella tracks, because there was never a track that was the right one for that.

Photographer Credit: Rutger Geerling

Evolution of the Sound

How has the Gouryella sound evolved over the last 25 years?

A bit more polished, bit more rich in texture and stuff. When you learn to produce in a better way, that happens. But some Ferry Corsten Gouryella tracks have been really ethereal. Some of the earlier stuff had a bit of a rave thing to it as well. I am now at the point where I feel like it needs to stay ethereal, but I need a bit of pepper and salt for the next punch.

A Solo Journey

You started the project with Tiësto. Now you produce yourself. Would you do it with somebody else again?

Just me. When I did the first three with Tiësto and asked if we should do number four, he was like “You know what, I’m actually changing my sound.” That’s when he went all housey. I was like cool, maybe I’ll ask Armin.

So I asked Armin once “would you want to be part of the next Gouryella?” And he’s like “Yeah, but you know what? That’s such a thing for the people out there that’s you and Tiësto. So I don’t really want to do that because it’s just your thing.” Then I was like, you know what, I’ll just do Ferry Corsten Gouryella by myself and I can completely blast my vision onto it. And that’s it.

Looking to the Future

Last question: where do you see Gouryella in the next 25 years?

I don’t know. Only time will tell and the universe will guide me again.