We interviewed Arie and Netta, couple in love and music, who have definitely made their mark on the trance scene over the last twelve months
Writers, singers and songwriters for a decade, with a strong love for a wide variety of musical genres, Arie and Netta aka Amber Revival definitely won the hearts of trance lovers last year with the wonderful If You Only Knew on Armind Recordings with Hel:sløwed: trance and progressive music has however continued to be at the center of their artistic life during the last months, with exciting collaborations and more, including a trance track written, produced and sung entirely by them and an incredible follow-up with Hel:sløwed, Wildfire, coming soon.
Arie and Netta, last year, If You Only Knew described a strong
feeling of love: what is the feeling that gave birth to this exciting
new track with Hel:sløwed called Wildfire ?
Arie: The feeling behind “Wildfire” is deeply rooted in nostalgia and the intensity of
memories that refuse to fade. We wanted to capture that sensation of a love or
connection that remains powerful and consuming, much like a wildfire. It’s about those
moments and people who leave an indelible mark on our hearts, and how those
memories can reignite our emotions unexpectedly.
Netta: Exactly. With “Wildfire,” we aimed to explore the idea of how certain experiences
and melodies can trigger a flood of emotions, almost as if they are brought to life again.
It’s about the way these feelings persist and continue to inspire hope and passion within
us, no matter how much time has passed. Collaborating with Hesløwed allowed us to
blend these themes with a dynamic sound that enhances the emotional depth of the
track.
“Wildfire” is coming out on Armin Van Buuren’s imprint Armind via Armada Music on the 23rd of August 2024 !
What do you think are the common characteristics that brought you
together in this collaboration with Misja and Michael ? It seems like an
artistic combination in which fun and a strong musical intensity blend
insane !
First and foremost, we’re goofballs. Our group chat is filled with memes and nonsense,
but surprisingly, we still manage to get things done. On a more serious note, we
genuinely love the guys, and it’s clear we all approach music with the same passion and
sincerity. They’re incredibly professional and creative, which makes every session with
them an absolute joy.
Which came first: love or music ? And how did the name ‘Amber
Revival’ come about ?
Love came first. We met while working together at Tower Records (A legendary CD Store
chain, for all you young kids out there…:) , where our mutual passion for music brought
us closer. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have been together for 18 years,
and we’ve been making music together for nearly the same amount of time.
The name ‘Amber Revival’ is actually a translation of our last names in Hebrew. ‘Amber’
represents Burshtein, and ‘Revival’ translates to Nimrodi. The story behind our names is
a tale for another time !
How does the idea – or in according of ‘that’ feeling – in the
studio, of who should sing that song or part of ‘that’ song come about ?
We are primarily songwriters and our focus is always on what serves the song best.
That’s our top priority. In practice, this means we typically play through it a few times,
experimenting with singing both verse and chorus—either with instrumental
accompaniment or just with a guitar or piano. Sometimes, we’ll record different parts
individually to see what captures the most emotion and sincerity.
This approach applies whether we’re collaborating as topliners for other artists or
producing our own tracks. Perhaps in the future, we’ll even release alternative versions
of our songs with flipped vocals. 🙂
You have left a profound sign on trance music in recent months with
the combination of two voices, which create an unmistakable and very
melodic sound: from which world of music do you feel you have mainly
drawn inspiration ?
Thank you for your kind words. They mean so much to us.
We draw inspiration from a wide range of musical worlds that influence what we do.
Arie loves everything from Infected Mushroom, Satie, Coldplay, Aretha Franklin, Queen
and much more. Of course Trance music in its various forms—whether uptempo, chill, or
melodic—holds a special place in what we both do.
Netta is very drawn to vocal-driven music across different genres and languages. Artists
like Sade, George Michael, The Beatles, and Joni Mitchell have all left a lasting
impression on her. Their lyrical depth and emotive melodies inspire our approach to
creating music.
You have written and co-produced many trance and progressive tracks
in recent months with notable producers (Hel:sløwed, Mark Norman,
Sherano to name a few) and there are further musical releases on the
horizon: do you consider this a beautiful period of your carrer or do
you think that trance music could belong to you even in the distant
future ?
We have a deep and enduring love for trance music, which has been a significant part of
our lives since childhood. The connection we feel to the vibrant community that
surrounds it is truly special. As artists, we are profoundly grateful for the unwavering
support this community has shown us, especially during the challenging times of the
past year.
While we may explore different musical directions and continuously strive to reinvent
ourselves creatively, trance will forever remain our home. It’s where our passion lies, and
where we feel most connected to our audience and ourselves as artists.
Hurricane is your first trance
track as Amber Revival “solo” project: we are absolutely curious to know
how it was born !
Absolutely! We are incredibly thrilled about our upcoming solo single, “Hurricane,”
where both of us took on the roles of producers and vocalists. While we have extensive
experience as producers across various commercial and organic genres, we had been
hesitant to delve into producing a full-fledged trance track ourselves for quite some time.
Don’t get us wrong, we love toplining and have had the privilege to collaborate with
amazing producers like Helslowed, Mark Norman, and most recently, trance legends
Daniel Wanrooy, Leon Bolier and Ruben De Ronde. However, we knew that to establish
ourselves seriously within the trance genre, we needed to showcase our production
skills. That’s why we decided to take the leap and started working on several tracks, one
of which resulted in “Hurricane.”
The moment we completed “Hurricane,” we sensed something special about it, and we’re
eagerly anticipating its release. Trance icon Andrew Rayel himself has picked it up for his
label Deeper Harmonies and we couldn’t be more excited about this !
Do you consider the idea of publishing your own album studio of new
tracks or a collection of your collaborations ?
Certainly! Right now, our focus is on releasing singles and collaborating on exciting
projects. However, we’re definitely planning to create an album in the near future. We
have a story to share and we’re eager to capture it in an album that reflects our journey
and experiences.
You were transversal protagonists in several editions of Eurovision
Song Contest: have you ever thought that your multi-ethnic origin can
bring a unifying and positive message to the world of music ?
We had the privilege of contributing to the Eurovision Song Contest as songwriters and
producers, and in 2018, we even were asked to perform as backing vocalists for Russia.
The essence of the song competition, despite recent misinterpretations, remains a
beautiful message of unity and peace.
Our background is no secret—we both were raised in Jerusalem, Israel. What’s beautiful,
for those who choose not to be cynical, is that we grew up alongside human beings from
diverse religions and backgrounds. This upbringing deeply influences our perspective to
this day.
One of our greatest aspirations is to use our music to bring people together wherever
they may be. We dream of performing for crowds of trance lovers in places like Lebanon,
Iran, and wherever we are welcomed. Hatred is something taught, and therefore, it can be
unlearned and replaced with understanding and acceptance. Music, Peace and Love.
Arie and Netta, thanking you for your availability, a purely trance
question: name us a trance classic – or more than one – that you have
loved for a long time.
That’s not fair… there are too many!!! Haha.
We’ll name a few that come to mind at the moment. But the list is endless.
Infected Mushroom – Becoming Insane
Infected Mushroom – Converting Vegetarians (the entire album is a masterpiece).
Yahel & Eyal Barkan – Voyage
JOOP – The Future
Tiesto – Adagio for Strings
Deadmau5 – Strobe
Faithless – Insomnia
There are so many. We have to stop somewhere. 🙂