The powerhouse project between Orjan Nilsen and Mark Sixma releases their debut body of work with a new four-track EP.
Spearheaded by dance music stalwarts Orjan Nilsen and Mark Sixma, nilsix returns to Dreamstate Records to issue the project’s first body of music via their new four-track debut EP, ‘Fired Up,’ set to be released September 13th.
Backed by two prolific dance music heavyweights—Norwegian producer Orjan Nilsen and his Dutch counterpart Mark Sixma—nilsix is their collaborative project granting them the artistic freedom to bounce an endless array of creativity off of one another. Each track serves as a testament to their synergy, showcasing their unique blend of technical skill, innovation, expertise, and unrivaled experimentation.
Says nilsix about the EP, “We had so much fun making music together and we really wanted to show how versatile we can be with this EP. From melodic techno, acid techno, big room to full-on trance. So, we thought with ‘Fired Up,’ we should try to combine all those styles into one track. We think we succeeded, in fact, we’re all… ‘Fired Up’ about it. We do, however, sincerely apologize for that horrible pun. Well, we hope you’ll enjoy this as much as we enjoyed making it.”
Kicking off the EP is “Overture,” featuring a commanding call and response between stuttery synths and beefy low-end bass and percussion. Melodic interludes split the track intermittently, slowly building the energy before it erupts into a climactic final release, delivering an electrifying start that sets the tone for the rest of the project.
Next up is the EP’s title track “Fired Up,” which assumes the form of another sure-fire peak-time techno weapon. A moody vocal hook meshes with undulating synth leads, sublime pad swells, sharp percussive programming, haunting vocalizations, rippling accents, and a roaring melodic techno resolution that has been kicking up a storm in their sets of late.
The release pushes forward with previous singles "Gone" and the more recent “Burned,” which garnered combined radio support from Armin van Buuren, Maarten De Jong, Cubicore, Andrew Rayel, Markus Schulz, Jes, and Judge Jules. The trend-setting production pair nilsix continues to dominate with a series of high-profile sets, including performances at EDC Las Vegas, Dreamstate, Transmission, Euforia Festival, A State of Trance, and Creamfields.
With their newest ‘Fired Up’ EP, nilsix proves nothing is off the table for their burgeoning project, offering a powerful statement of intent through a collection of versatile, genre-pushing tracks.
nilsix is a joint venture of two of dance music’s finest – Orjan Nilsen and Mark Sixma. With a combined musical journey spanning 40 years, Orjan and Mark bring a wealth of experience and innovation to craft. Orjan Nilsen, known as the “king of melodies,” is responsible for some of the biggest trance classics of all time. Mark Sixma, on the other hand, stands as one of the pioneers in the creation of big room sounds, leaving an indelible mark on the electronic music landscape.
Despite their individual successes, both artists faced the challenges of severe burnout post COVID, which prompted them to go into the studio together to simply “have fun” again. This sparked into an incomparable source of motivation, leading to them completing over 10 demos in the span of just a few months. nilsix made an impactful debut with their single “Anhedonia,” which was signed to Dreamstate Records. This track quickly became the label’s most streamed record to date, and they followed up with techno-infused record called “The Void”. Shortly after they took on the ambitious task of remixing one of Orjan’s most iconic classics, “XIING”, which released on Armind in November of 2023.
Taking the world by storm, nilsix shows no signs of stopping. Playing major events such as EDC Las Vegas, Dreamstate, Transmission, Euforia Festival, A State of Trance, and Creamfields, to name a few, and releases on labels such as Dreamstate, Revealed and Armind, it is certainly the year of nilsix and the best is yet to come.
Connect With Orjan Nilsen
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Connect With Orjan Nilsen
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | Spotify