Sound Advice: Armin van Buuren

Join Armin van Buuren on Sound Advice, the weekly interview series covering artists’ journeys and their creative process. In this episode, we discuss his new album ‘Breathe,’ Ibiza residency, A State of Trance and more.

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Welcome to Sound Advice, the series spotlighting artists’ creative process and their SoundCloud journey. We’ll get the inside knowledge straight from the source on how musicians, producers and creatives are leaning into everything SoundCloud offers to elevate their sound, get heard and catapult their careers. Sound Advice is now available in audio format on the SoundCloud Stories profile.

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You can’t talk about trance without talking about Armin van Buuren, the Dutch DJ/producer who co-owns the Armada Music label, has hosted the weekly A State of Trance radio show since 2001 and is the rare mix master who has been awarded DJ Mag’s Best DJ In The World title five times over. The Dutch star was already one of dance music’s busiest people before he decided to release a 51-track album called ‘Breathe’ this year — but paradoxically, he says that slowing down, having a regular meditation practice and working out has been the key to even more productivity. 

On ‘Breathe,’ his ninth studio album, Armin collaborates with Martin Garrix, Hardwell, Moby, Rob Swire of Knife Party and Bon Jovi, among many others, and we talk about some of those big collaborations on this episode of Sound Advice, as well as get insights into Armin’s creative process and the evolution of his sound. We also discuss his favorite studio gear, his long-running relationship with Ibiza, the current state of trance and the importance of authenticity, persistence and learning new things in maintaining an artistic career that can last for decades. Armin van Buuren is a true legend of the dance music game and we hope you enjoy this episode. 

Make sure you also check out his episode of Voice Notes, where he breaks down the stories behind four of his favorite tracks from ‘Breathe.’

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LISTEN TO THE AUDIO EPISODE OF SOUND ADVICE FEATURING ARMIN VAN BUUREN

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LISTEN TO ‘BREATHE’ BY ARMIN VAN BUUREN

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LISTEN TO EXCLUSIVE VOICE NOTES FROM ARMIN VAN BUUREN

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Things We Talked About In This Episode of Sound Advice

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The Story of ‘Breathe’ and How Armin van Buuren Transformed His Life and Music Through Meditation

• We begin our conversation with the story of ‘Breathe,’ Armin van Buuren’s 2025 album. As Armin tells it, the concept is a coming together of two recent releases — his 2024 EP ‘Breathe In’ and ‘Breathe Out,’ the remainder of the mammoth 51-track list. The root of the idea comes from a lifestyle change for Armin that’s focused on good health and self awareness. 
• In recent years, the DJ/producer has been doing daily breath work, meditation and gratitude lists, which stem from a transformative period of therapy. Here, Armin talks about some of the realities of the high-flying DJ lifestyle, opening up about how touring, and the isolation and stress that can come with it, led him to refocus his time and energy around wellness, family and finding a better path to creativity. 
• In going to therapy and doing meditative breath work, Armin came to many fruitful realizations. “The cave you fought holds the treasure you seek,” he says sagely; that you have to embrace your fears and work on finding healthy ways to harness them. 
• Here, he talks about other positive steps he’s taken for his physical and mental health, and how he’s shifted some practical elements of his career and touring lifestyle to better suit him. Now, he explains how he’s happier, healthier and more focused on producing quality music than ever before.

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How Armin van Buuren Hosts Writing Camps, Collaborates and Plays Demos in DJ Sets to Elevate His Craft

• After decades at the top of the dance music game, Armin is still refining his songwriting skills and studio processes. Here, he talks about how he likes to work in a session, both solo and with collaborators. One way that Armin likes to work is to tap into the publishing network around Armada Music, the label he co-founded. Here, he breaks down how he and Armada jointly host writing and production camps. 
• In studios in Sweden, the UK and the US, he gathers topliners, singers, producers and other songwriters to work together — sometimes across several studios at the same time — to shape dozens of track ideas in a relatively short period of time. Across these sessions, Armin is presenting ideas; from vocal snippets recorded to his phone, to melodies written on piano, he’s always looking to elevate the next track.
• After these sessions produce some track ideas, Armin then takes those ideas on the road. By playing demos and new versions in his DJ sets, he uses the club dancefloor as a testing ground for tracks before they get an official release. This way, he can edit and improve tracks, bit by bit, until they feel perfect. 
• Giving advice to fellow producers, Armin tells us that you must always “find the fun” in the process of creating a new track — it’s about learning, improving and discovering in private, as much as being able to release a track to the public.
• In the making of ‘Breathe,’ Armin has worked with some of the most beloved names in EDM and trance music, including fellow Dutchmen Hardwell. Here, Armin talks about making “Follow The Light,” which features on ‘Breathe,’ and how it was inspired by a previous collaboration with Hardwell, “Off The Hook.” 

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Advice on Getting Your Music Heard and How SoundCloud Helps Armin Stay Connected With Fans of His Production, DJing, Label and More 

• In the vast landscape of dance music, it can feel harder than ever to have a true breakthrough moment as a producer. So how can that be achieved in 2025? Here, Armin shares advice to up-and-coming artists who are looking to find their niche and elevate their craft. 
• As a lifelong student of music, Armin believes that in order to get your music played by DJs — one of the best routes to getting your tracks heard by wider audiences — is to make sure that you have fun in the studio, because that enjoyment and sincerity shines through in the music. 
• Armin explains the importance of not being discouraged if the process of making a great track takes longer than expected. Emphasizing how music is always a lesson and artists are always learning, Armin also shares his love for online music production tutorials and how he still uses them today to learn new studio skills. 
• One way that Armin likes to share music and stay connected with his fans is through SoundCloud. Armin has been on the platform for many years as a producer, DJ and  label owner. Here, he talks about how SoundCloud is an “essential stop” for him.

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Armin’s Current Take on Trance Music, How EDM Inspired Him and The Impact of His A State of Trance Radio Show 

• Since 2001, Armin has run A State of Trance, a weekly online radio show and compilation mix series that has played a massive role in the elevation of trance music worldwide. So what does Armin think of trance music today? Speaking honestly, Armin says that “trance music isn’t a dirty word anymore;” that after years in the wilderness, and the rise and fall of other dance music genres in terms of popularity and impact, trance is currently enjoying a renaissance. 
• Here, he gets into why he thinks this has happened, especially taking into account how a new generation of ravers emerged from the pandemic lockdowns looking for harder, faster and more euphoric music. “They came to trance to party hard,” he says.
• Throughout this wilderness period, Armin maintained A State of Trance for devoted listeners around the world. How did he keep himself interested in the genre whilst the wider dance music scene looked elsewhere for popular sounds? Having been in the game for so long, Armin is wise on this subject. Here, he takes us back to the early 2010s, and how the EDM boom in the US inspired him to try new sounds, work with new collaborators and experience different clubs and festival stages. Uplifting trance music has “always been home, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go on holiday sometimes,” he says neatly. 
• During those EDM years, Armin threw himself into a period of learning, collaboration and improvement in his craft. During this time, he reflects on bringing his trance knowledge to EDM and cherry-picking his favorite elements of EDM to bring back into his trance sets. As he puts it, if you’re growing bored of your own music, it’s time to branch out and experiment.
• Across the radio show, releases, graphic design and more, A State of Trance is a cohesive brand that’s had real staying power in the dance music industry. So how has Armin maintained that power over the years? 
• For him, it’s all about authenticity. He shares important advice for artists across genres: accept that your journey is going to be unique, because it’s harder to copy someone else than to be yourself. While it’s fair to admire others, you have to learn the difference between drawing inspiration from someone and copying them. As he emphasizes, when you put in 10,000 hours of practice, you’ll see how much talent you have and how far you’ve come. 

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Armin’s Lessons From Decades of DJing and What To Expect From His 2025 Ibiza Ushiaia Residency

• In tandem with production, Armin van Buuren is one of the most famous and beloved dance music DJs in the world — so much so that he’s topped DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll five times throughout his career. Here, Armin talks about his current relationship with DJing, his feelings on the DJ scene and how he likes to approach a club set in 2025.
• Tapping into a youthful sense of freedom and spontaneity, he talks about how he tries to be professional whilst not treating DJing as just a profession; that it’s all about creating joy, not taking yourself too seriously on the decks and sharing music with an open heart.
• One of Armin’s favorite places is Ibiza. He’s been going to the famed White Isle since the start of his career in the 1990s, and over time, he’s become very familiar with it. 
• Having played an impressive 16 DJ residencies across different clubs, he returned to the island this September for a 4-date residency on the open air dancefloor of Ushuaïa Ibiza. Here, Armin shares some of his memories of playing in Ibiza, what the island means to him in his dance music journey.
• Alongside the residency, Armin has released a new compilation through A State of Trance, titled ‘A State of Trance: Ibiza 2025.’ The release showcases Armin’s style of trance in three parts: for the beach, for the club and beyond.

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Armin’s Collaborations with Bon Jovi and Martin Garrix on ‘Breathe,’ His Studio Set Up and What’s Next in 2025

• On ‘Breathe,’ collaboration is a core element. Here, Armin talks about two of the more eye-catching collaborations — “Keep The Faith,” with veteran rocker Bon Jovi, and “Sleepless Nights,” with EDM DJ/producer Martin Garrix and vocalist Libby Whitehouse — and how they share a connection with Ultra Music Festival. 
• These tracks, along with the rest of ‘Breathe,’ were produced in Armin’s studio. Here, he details how a recent change to his set up — to a Dolby Atmos system, with new plug-ins — has transformed his process and allowed him to make his time in the studio more productive and creative. 
• Now that ‘Breathe’ is out in the world and Armin is the healthiest and happiest version of himself, we ask: what’s next for the trance superstar? To end our conversation, Armin tells us what project he’d love to revisit in 2025 and onwards, and how his passion for learning is stronger than ever.

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Links and Extras

Follow Armin van Buuren’s journey on SoundCloud.
Press play on Armin van Buuren’s 2025 album, ‘Breathe.’
Follow A State of Trance, Armin van Buuren’s weekly trance radio show.
Check out Armada Music, the label that Armin van Buuren co-founded.
Listen to Armin van Buuren’s collaboration with Bon Jovi, “Keep The Faith.”
Hit play on Armin van Buuren’s collaboration with Martin Garrix, “Sleepless Nights.”
Check out Armin van Buuren’s 2025 tour dates here.
Listen to “Follow The Light,” the latest collaboration between Armin van Buuren and Hardwell. 
Listen to the Ibiza Summer Anthems playlist on SoundCloud.
Never miss an episode and follow the official Sound Advice playlist on SoundCloud.
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_{CREDITS Host: Vivian Host, Executive Producer: Mike Spinella, Producer: KC Orcutt, Audio Engineer: David “DibS” Shackney, Coordinator: Trevor McGee, Editorial Associate: Lauren Martin}