German engineering is renowned all over the world for its endurance and efficiency. No surprise, then, that Ralph Kyau and Steven Albert are still turning out hit after hit some 15 years since their creative paths first crossed. Celebrated as one of the most accomplished and musical partnerships within the trance community for many years, Kyau & Albert have taken their biggest steps yet towards mainstream acceptance this year. Commissioned to remix the bittersweet orchestral bliss of 'As You Fall' by British chill-out icons Bent, Kyau & Albert turned out a classy, richly textured reinterpretation that picked up fans far and wide. "That remix opened a lot of doors," admits Ralph. "Off the back of that we got the remix request from Faithless. Sister Bliss liked our remix for Bent 'As You Fall', and requested us specifically." Their remix of Faithless featuring Dido 'Feeling Good' took on a more hypnotic, clubby vibe, while their collaboration with Above & Beyond 'Anphonic' was a perfect blend of ripping grooves and slow-release euphoria. Meanwhile, Kyau & Albert's solo material has become increasingly song-based, stadium-sized and musical. While coming backed with more pumping club mixes, this year's main singles 'Painkillers' and 'Once In A Life' both had more in common with bands like Coldplay, Keane or Carolina Liar than anything normally associated with trance. "Like in the past, we always want to try to deliver a fresh sound and develop ourselves," added Ralph. "We want to continue our work with new productions, build our radio show Euphonic Sessions and play great shows all over the world."
