Tritonal and Super8 & Tab recently collaborated on a track together. It’s called “ARC” and they play it in every set. They enjoyed the process so much, they decided to take the show on the road, and started phase one of the ARC tour. The tour will be three phases, hitting bigger clubs along the way. They hit Axis/Radius here in Scottsdale, and I stopped by to see the set and to learn more about the track and the tour. Super8 & Tab kicked things off, and played for about an hour. When their set was done, we headed to the alley (the best place to do an interview) and talked for a little bit. We discussed the new release, the single, the tour, and what’s next for the dynamic duo. I have interviewed these guys before, but a lot has changed over the last couple years. The show was incredible, and I am glad I finally got to see them live. Let’s catch up with Super8 & Tab as we talk about the ARC tour.
The ARC tour is winding down. Did you guys have fun out there on phase one?
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): Oh, yes. (Laughs.) You know, it’s been crazy. We had high expectations for this tour, but it’s been so much more. It has been absolutely fantastic. We have been in seven cities so far. Everything has been great.
What’s the craziest thing that has happened on this tour?
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): Not sleeping at all. (Laughs.)
Have you toured with Tritonal before?
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): We have done a few shows with them. We did Exchange Los Angeles with them last year. We sold it out. That was actually when we figured out that we wanted to tour together. We had a chemistry, and it was working so well.
Is that where the single came from?
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): Yeah. We figured we might as well do some tracks together.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): Tritonal did the remix of “Awakenings” and we did the remix for “Piercing Quiet”. We decided let’s do the “ARC” track for the ARC tour.
You guys are headed for the UK. You will be playing at the Ministry of Sound. Anything big planned for that show?
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): It’s always big, and it’s almost like home for us. At one point, we were there every couple months. We were playing there six times a year, or even more. Now we are touring Europe and Asia, so we don’t have time to play there very often. It’s always nice.
The DJ Mag Top 100. Glad to see Armin back on top. Are you guys happy with your position?
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): It’s feeling pretty good.
Do you take the list serious? Since it’s fan voted, do you take it extremely serious?
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): Of course, we are really grateful. It’s a nice thing, but it’s not life, really.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): Maybe ther has to be this kind of poll that people can get involved with and support their favorite DJ. What matters is how the club scene is working. Are the clubs are filling up and are people going out? That’s the main thing.
I hate to see Avicii in the top three. He doesn’t even have an album. He has one song.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): He’s so popular. If someone likes another DJ, it’s nothing away from us.
Glad to see Guetta move down a few spots and see Armin back at the top.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): Armin has great marketing. You know, the guy who is managing him is a genius. He has done nice tracks, but still without that guy…
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): I think that reflects the time, and how things are going. The US is booming so much, and people are investing a lot of money to the club culture at the moment. Having Avicii and David Guetta on there, or Armin at #1… it’s nothing away from us.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): Guys like Avicii and Guetta bring more people into club music. That’s one of the reasons we are touring now here.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): Everyone is saying the scene is going commercial. The underground scene has never been healthier, as well. Everything, all the levels are growing.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): Talking about top 100, have you ever seen so many hard style guys in the top 100? It’s basically hard style guys. It looks really different.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): I think it’s fun.
Speaking of Armin, you guys just remixed a song with him. Did you work with him directly, or did he just send you the tracks?
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): We travel around the world, and Armin is everywhere.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): He’s the nicest guy in the business.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): We talk with him about remixing him. He keeps asking if we are available. A couple of months ago, they sent us an email asking if we were available. They had a track they wanted us to remix. We were like, “Um… yes, please!” (Laughs.) Afterwards Armin emailed us saying he really liked what we did. We’ve been happy with it; it’s going well.
There are two of you. Does it ever get crowded in the DJ booth?
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): No, but look at us now. (Laughs.) Especially with Chad!
You released Empire. Then you remixed it. Why did you remix it? I really like the remix, by the way.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): From the beginning, when we were starting to write Empire, we wanted to do an album that you could listen to at home, or in the car. We also wanted tracks that we could play in the club. There were a lot of good tracks that we couldn’t play in clubs, and n one else could play in the clubs. We wanted to do a club version of the album. We also wanted to see what kind of angle other artists would take when they remixed the album.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): We had a list of artists that we really like, and we put the list together with this track for this artist. Everybody said yes. When we asked, “Do you guys want to remix this?” They all said, “Yeah, sure.”
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): It was the easiest thing ever!
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): Everybody, when they sent the remix, we were impressed. They really made a remix of those tracks. They made the tracks sound different, but keeping the same vibe. We were really happy with the remixes people were sending us.
What’s next for Super8 & Tab?
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): This track with Julie Thompson. It’s from her album. I believe that’s the next one from us.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): Nope. There’s going to be Arc. That is going to be out soon. Then Julie’s will be out about the same time.
Nice that you are busy enough that you don’t know what is next!
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): We’ve been having a lot of fun in the studio making new tracks. The “ARC” track is coming out next, then the Julie track is coming out.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): We don’t have release dates for anything else, but we are working on quite a few tracks. We are writing new albums, slowly. It’s the same kind of process that Empire took. We want to have those core tracks, and then build around that. We are not quite there, but when we have those rest falls into place.
I have already asked you this, but I always let the artist get the last word. Go.
DJ Tab (Janne Mikael Mansnerus): We are so grateful for this ARC tour. All of the cities have been absolutely fantastic. I cannot wait for phase two.
Super8 (Miika Juhani Eloranta): You will have a blast. It’s been a blast for us, and it’s been a blast for the audience. It can’t go wrong.
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