Showtek releases long-awaited hardstyle album ‘360 Blue’  

The wait is over — Showtek’s highly anticipated hardstyle album, ‘360 Blue,’ is available for streaming. Hardstyle.com caught up with the legendary duo to talk about the album, their comeback to harder styles, and what’s in store for the upcoming festival season.

Showtek hardly needs an introduction. This globally known Dutch duo, consisting of brothers Wouter and Sjoerd Janssen, has made a lasting impact on the international music scene with their unforgettable tracks and energetic performances. From the start of their career in electronic music in 2001, they have achieved remarkable success and are celebrated for producing the world's top Hardstyle anthem to date, FTS.

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But in 2012, after some very successful years in the harder styles industry, the inspiration wasn't as high anymore for the duo. Especially for Wouter, it felt like they were starting to repeat the same formula every time. “I felt like we had done everything we could at that moment, and I couldn't really do any more innovative things that fit into the genre. And when don't have any new and innovative ideas, it's better to step away, take a break, and find yourself.”

After they realized that making hardstyle music wasn’t really giving them joy anymore, Showtek decided to explore other genres. “One day we decided to really reset things and explore other styles in the dance industry, and with a lot of passion and success.”

Showtek steps back into hardstyle with new album

Fast-forward to last year, 2023. The duo decides to do another set with Q-dance at Qlimax. With that, a lot of inspiration and new ideas actually emerged. “We were working on our classic edits, and at that point, it felt strange to just focus on old stuff. We really felt that we wanted and could do something impressive. It all went very organic.”

On top of that, listening to all the new producers in the scene gave the guys a lot of new insights. “It's really important for us to come back with a strong, new, and high-quality hardstyle sound, and with tracks like 'Dear Hardstyle', 'Legends', 'Colors', 'XTC', and 'Spacemen', among others, we truly feel like we've put everything into it.”

On June 20th, Showtek released their brand-new hardstyle album. “This album, '360 Blue’ is a tribute to hardstyle, for our hardstyle fans, and for the unmatched passion they have shown and continue to display. It's also a teenage dream come true for us, as we were 15 and 16 when we started.”

With returning to hardstyle, Wouter and Sjoerd noticed that the level of production is really high nowadays. “Plus, the existence of more sub-genres and styles is truly fantastic. Especially in terms of kicks and drums, the sound has become a lot more enjoyable. We also truly feel that we can now deliver a recognizable yet innovative Showtek sound. Hardstyle still revolves around powerful melodies, kicks, and vocals, and now we have even more context and motivation than before.”

In a few days, we can catch the duo back at the mighty RED mainstage of Defqon.1 Weekend Festival. “We’re REALLY looking forward to Defqon.1, of course. We're really excited to be performing 'back home' again. Besides that, we're doing a number of solo shows in Australia and Los Angeles to celebrate our album with the fans there, and we're also performing at some very cool festivals in Europe.” 

As we look further into the future, the duo has more exciting plans. After releasing ‘360 Yellow’ earlier this year, they will conclude the series with ‘360 Red’ in 2025. “This final album will be a fusion of styles, a true reflection of our musical journey. We are thrilled to give each 360 Series its own primary color and identity under the Showtek Sound.”

For now, don't miss '360 Blue' by Showtek, releasing on June 20th, 2024. Download your copy at Hardstyle.com.