One of the hottest new electronic music acts to light up the global dancefloor is definitely Interstate. With their first single "I Found U" seeing proper release as a single this past week (out on Armada Records) the heat that's been spreading like wildfire since this track was featured as the theme song for the Peace Love & Beats documentary late last year. "I Found U" then became one of the leading tracks on ULTRA Record's 2004 massive compilation ULTRA Trance 4 and Paul Oakenfold included it on his Grammy-nominated Creamfields mix album. 

With two more singles promised in the near future, we had to find out more! We talked to Mark Lewis and Mike Burns, the production duo who along with vocalist Colleen Kelly make up Interstate, to get the inside scoop on their upcoming music video, future projects, and how Interstate sparked so much interest with the top DJs around the world.

Watch the INTERSTATE interview & music video

After a stiff bidding war between dance music's top labels for international release, Interstate found a home with Armin Van Buuren's Netherlands-based label Armada Music BV.  Through their new deal with Armada, Interstate (DJ/producers Mark Lewis and Mike Burns) will produce three singles.  The first one, "I Found U," will be positioned as a huge breakout track at the Winter Music Conference in Miami this March.  With its enticing lyrics sung by INTERSTATE collaborator Colleen Kelley and contagious chunky trance beats, "I Found U" has been in heavy rotation by the genre's biggest names including Paul Oakenfold, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Tiësto, Markus Schultz and Edgar V, who've supported the song in their DJ sets and on-air radio shows.  In addition, the song hit the Top 20 of 2004 out of 600 tracks voted by listeners of European-based IDNT radio.

Mark Lewis and Mike Burns met in 2000 when Burns began producing locally in his Mixxboxx recording studio on Los Angeles' Melrose Avenue.  A mutual friend urged Lewis to contact Burns, stating they might just have some good synergy, musically.  Their vibe was created in an instant and their sound was very well received by both progressive house and trance DJ's -- so much so that their first track "Infared" was commissioned by Paul Oakenfold for his Perfecto label Underground Sounds of America EP.

Over the years, although individually focused on their own projects, they've nurtured their friendship and a musical partnership emerged.  Mark Lewis' unique style of deep, sexy, progressive house sounds fused with Mike Burns' love of vocal, dreamy trance music gradually fused into the Interstate sound.  "Interstate is about a vibe, a feeling of celebration and joy…A rapture, captured sonically through music," describes Mike Burns.  Adds Mark Lewis, "My philosophy has always been to celebrate life through dance.  It's a dogma that has proven to be quite effective in my musical production.  Really, we're just doing our thing, Mike and I have great chemistry."

Mark Lewis has been a leading figure in the industry for 17 years as a seasoned international touring DJ.  2005 has started off with a new Los Angeles weekly music lounge night called Harmonic and a national U.S. tour with Carl Cox in March.  In 2000 he founded Mixology Inc. a LA-based multifaceted company encompassing a record label and a production/events department that offers lifestyle options for DJ's and DJ connoisseurs.  Mixology recording clients have included giants such as Ministry of Sound, Global Underground, Cream and Perfecto Records.  Lewis has also remixed works for Sean Paul, Kinky, Erasure and Chaka Kahn, and has produced numerous mixed compilations including Mixology (Topaz), ICU - Sessions Six (ICU Records), Global Frequencies Tokyo (Phatt Phunk),  House of Love 2 (VRG), A Taste Of Logic - One (V Wax) and Mo' House Yo' Mama (Moonshine).

Mike Burns has been involved in the dance music scene in Los Angeles since his arrival from his native Miami in 1999.  Burns' remix work includes credits for Gus Gus, Romananthony, and R&B artist Mystic.  His original productions have appeared in such film as Gus Van Sant's Speedway Junkie and Phaedra Films' Double Deception. Burns' music also ran in E!'s hit TV series "The Anna Nicole Show" and he scored  the theme song and two seasons of ESPN'S first reality series "Beg Borrow and Deal," as well as theme songs for the their quiz show "Hearsay" and the hit sports TV talk show  "Rome is Burning."  Burns also had his directorial debut last year, producing, editing and creating the musical score for the dance music documentary Peace, Love & Beats.  Beyond working in INTERSTATE, he's also collaborating with Markus Schultz on two songs as a vocalist and producer for Shulz's upcoming artist album under his "Burnsie" moniker.

INTERSTATE's monthly radio mix show "Mixology" can be heard on www.etn.fm the first Friday of each month. Look for them on a DJ club tour this year.

Visit www.myspace.com/interstate for more info.

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