Ralph Barendse

Ralph Barendse
Birth name Ralph Barendse
Also known as Ralphie B, Midway, Alpha Breed, First State, Sun Crusaders, One World
Born April 6, 1977
Zwijndrecht, Netherlands
Genres Epic trance
Years active 1999present
Labels Armada Music, Black Hole Recordings, In Trance We Trust, Vandit
Website www.facebook.com/RalphieBmusic

Ralph Barendse (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈrɑlf ˈbaːrɛntsə], born April 6, 1977), also known as Ralphie B, is a DJ and producer of electronic dance music. Barendse is considered by many to be responsible for some of the biggest trance classics of all time. Barendse's has also produced remixes for significant artists in the scene, among them Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Solar Stone, Dario G, and 4-Strings. Barendse's original releases have also been remixed by significant artists, including Paul van Dyk, Ronski Speed, Filterheadz, and D. Ramirez.

As a DJ, Barendse has toured, including with Tiësto. Since 2011 Ralphie has released several singles at Armin van Buuren record label Armada Music.

Early career

Ralph Barendse gained experience with keyboards and tapedecks at a young age. He was inspired by synthesizer music and early "rave tracks", growing up in the Netherlands, where dance music rapidly gained popularity.

His released his first records in 1999 under the stage name Alpha Breed, while signed to Deal Records. His track "Ralphie B - Massive" was noticed by Tiësto and signed to the In Trance We Trust label of Black Hole Recordings. The track was a hit and was featured by many influential DJs, including Armin van Buuren, who played it at the very first episode of his radioshow A State of Trance. The success continued with releases at In Trance We Trust such as "Midway - Monkey Forest", "Midway - Inca", "Midway - Amazon" and numerous remixes including "Solar Stone - Solarcoaster (Midway remix)".

First State years

In 2005, Barendse started the project First State with Sander van der Waal. As part of this project, Barendse was involved in the production of club hits like "Sierra Nevada", "Evergreen", and "Falling". A First State album "Time Frame” was released, and the due was asked to remix artists including Van Buuren, Tiësto and 4-Strings. Under the auspices of First State, Barendse toured the world as a DJ.

After First State

In 2009, After producing a few years as First State, Barendse decided to leave the project to focus on his solo projects again. Under the alias "Midway", he released a new solo single "What If" and an album “Equator”.

In 2011, he began producing under his "Ralphie B" alias at Armada Music and produced new singles "Bullfrog", "Delphi", "Epic Battle". He also started a new project "Sun Crusaders", releasing a single, "Oceanic". He remixed "These Silent Hearts", with the remix was premièring at the ASOT500 Parties; it became one of the most successful remixes of a track from Van Buuren's Mirage album.

In 2012, Barendse released "Icarus" and "Demons are Forever". He released a new EP in October 2012, featuring tracks "Face Off" and "The Holy Grail".

In 2013, Barendse worked on a co-production with Mesh, "Seize the Day". He also released new single under the "Ralphie B" alias called Ragnarok.

Discography

As Alpha Breed
  • "Beyond the Moon" (1999)
  • "Epic Future" (2000)
  • "Missing Link" (2000)
  • "X-Pectation" (2000)
  • "Enlightment" (2001)
As First State
  • "Sacred"
  • "First State"
  • "Falling"
  • "Rhapsody"
  • "Sierra Nevada"
  • "Evergreen"
  • "Your Own Way"
  • "Time Frame"
  • "Armin van Buuren - Unforgivable (First State Smooth mix)"
  • "Tiësto - Ten Seconds Before Sunrise(First State remix)"

As Midway[1]
  • "Amazon"
  • "Inca"
  • "Cobra"
  • "Monkey Forest"
  • "Solarcoaster (Midway Remix)"
  • "What If"
  • "Avalon (Midway Remix)"
As OneWorld
  • "Isla Blanca" / "Lingus"
As Ralphie B
  • "Massive"
  • "Bullfrog"
  • "Epic Battle"
  • "Delphi"
  • "Icarus" (featured on the ASOT2012 compilation)
  • "Demons are Forever"
  • "Armin van Buuren - These Silent Hearts (Ralphie B remix)"
  • "Dario G - Feels Like Heaven (Ralphie B remix)"
  • "Taste Experience - Highlander (Ralphie B remix)"
As Cryo Culture
  • "Trancefusion"
As Suncrusaders
  • "Oceanic"

See also

References

  1. "Monkey Forest set to hit UK!". trance.nu. Retrieved 2008-03-24.