WMC Shockwave: Armin van Buuren's Near Exit, Trance's Triumphant Return & His Urgent AI Warning for Australian DJs

"The AI we’re using right now is the worst AI we will ever use..."

What pulled him back from the brink? The music itself. Armin revealed that despite the awkward cultural position trance held for years - too euphoric for the underground, too earnest for the "cool kids" - he "just felt the music." 

He passionately declared, “Trance isn’t a dirty word anymore. Techno artists have embraced melodies again.” His analogy of trance being "like an old sweater you’ve worn for 25 years becomes fashionable again" perfectly encapsulates the genre's resurgence. 

For many DJs down under who've stayed true to their sound, even when it wasn't the flavour of the month, Armin's unwavering commitment to the genre that feels "closest to his heart" is a powerful reminder of authenticity's enduring power.

But the conversation wasn't just a walk down memory lane. Van Buuren also tackled one of the most pressing, and often terrifying, topics for artists and DJs worldwide: Artificial Intelligence. 

Drawing parallels to the evolution of digital recording tools like Pro Tools displacing analog tape machines in the late '80s, he acknowledged the widespread fears. However, his advice was starkly pragmatic: 

“The AI we’re using right now is the worst AI we will ever use. It can only get better. Second, if you ignore it, you’ll fall behind.” 

It's a wake-up call for Aussie DJs to not shy away from understanding and adapting to this evolving landscape, rather than  dismissing it.