It started in 1997 with their debut single Sunrise, the first step towards producing their own tracks. Nowadays, one cannot imagine the electronic elite without BLANK & JONES. 13 of their singles made it into the German Top 50, and three into the Top 20. Each and every album hit the Top 50, including two which climbed into the Top 10. They also scored a spectacular triple whammy by occupying the Top Ten album, singles and compilation charts simultaneously with Substance, Desire and The Mix respectively.
BLANK & JONES have teamed up with a number of top international stars in their career to date. The Cure mastermind Robert Smith, Bernard Sumner (New Order), Anne Clark, Sarah McLachlan and Claudia Brücken (Propaganda) have been immortalized on BLANK & JONES tracks, giving them a certain credibility way beyond the boundaries of dance music. Further evidence of their versatility can be seen in their contributions to the Café del Mar compilation series and their own chill-out albums, Relax and Relax (Edition 2). Next up, the people behind the Buddha Bar series have also made enquiries..
The release of the A Forest single and the accompanying album Monument in the USA last year also laid the foundations for BLANK & JONES to create a solid fanbase across the Atlantic.
Seven albums, 3 mix albums (The Mix 1-3) and 15 singles later, BLANK & JONES and their longstanding production colleague Andy Kaufhold have chosen this moment to collate their finest material on one release - The Singles. Comprising the best tracks and greatest successes of BLANK & JONES plus two brand new tracks, recorded exclusively for this album. “We felt the time had come to put all our singles together on one CD, “ Piet and Jaspa explain. “We prefer to see it as one step along the way, rather than a mere retrospective. A little breather before we move on to pastures new.“
Over 20 tracks were in the reckoning for The Singles collection, most of them penned by BLANK & JONES themselves. From the first single Sunrise via chart smashes such as Desire, DJ Culture and Beyond Time all the way to entrancing collaborations with the like of Elles DeGraaf on Mind Of The Wonderful, Claudia Brücken on Unknown Treasure and Steve Kilbey (The Church) on Revealed, the album is packed with original material. One of the few covers is, of course, A Forest with Robert Smith of The Cure on vocals.
An absolute must for fans is the all new WMC Retouch version of Nightfly, direct from the Miami Winter Music Conference (WMC), where BLANK & JONES headlined in March of this year. So new, the track was hot to the touch as it made its way onto the album, having been premiered to rave reactions at the dance convention. BLANK & JONES’ Nightfly WMC Retouch was the talk of the town the following morning on various online sites and blogs.
The album also features two completely new tracks. One is Somebody and the other is Catch, the newest single, based on Kosheen’s 1998 tune. Vocals supplied once again by the fantastic Elles DeGraaf.
BLANK & JONES have taken the utmost care in getting the sound right. Tracks have been remastered but not remixed. “Our aim was to retain the flair of each original track“ Piet and Jaspa elucidate. “We wanted them to sound just as they did when we made them, but clearer, in the same way as one restores a painting. You don’t paint it from scratch, you just bring out the colours again.“ Such loving attention to detail is typical of BLANK & JONES, making them the artists they are today, ready and able to see the bigger picture.
The album is also being released in Limited Edition format, in which The Singles are complemented by an additional DVD, bringing together all BLANK & JONES videos on one disc for the first time. The BLANK & JONES clips are something worth seeing, with a artistic quality rarely seen in such a genre. BLANK & JONES’ dramatic credentials are matched by their sense of humour. Numerous famous names have featured in their videos, including Estella Warren and Til Schweiger in Beyond Time, the latter having also directed the clip.
The DVD was produced and designed by Thomas Jahn, renowned as scriptwriter and director of “Knocking On Heaven’s Door“ and also the man responsible for The Hardest Heart, Mind Of The Wonderful, Perfect Silence and Desire.
The video for the latest single, Catch, was directed by Conchita Soares and Toni Froschhammer and features the thespian talents of TV actress Nadine. The piece will not only be presented on the music channels, but will also be shown at short film festivals over the summer.
BLANK & JONES’ roots are firmly placed in DJ culture. Year after year, millions of ravers around the globe feel the heat of their sensational sets at major events like Mayday, Nature One and Love Parade as well as in clubs all over the world. BLANK & JONES mix DJ and live, making the most of today’s technology. “We do everything digitally, on the basis of Final Scratch, which allows us to use our own edits and mixes, nothing comes straight from tape. Every set we play is unique, not only sound-wise but also in terms of what we play and how we play it. Roughly 60% of our set consists of our own repertoire, as where better to present our own material than via the DJ decks.“
BLANK & JONES are global players in the best sense of the word, with a worldwide reputation to match. They are more than welcome guests at the major festivals and raves in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Russia. At the beginning of the year, they played to 15,000 fans in St. Petersburg! They also travel further afield on a regular basis, to Canada, Mexico, South America and Australia.
2005 saw BLANK & JONES spend a lot of time in the USA, where A Forest proved to be a big success. Electronic music is growing and growing Stateside, so BLANK & JONES will return to LA, San Diego, San Francisco and many more cities in North America this year. Overwhelmingly positive reactions to Catch on the initial installment of the BLANK & JONES tour mean that the American fans can hardly wait for The Singles to be released. This will be the third BLANK & JONES US album.
Not content to rest on their laurels, Piet and Jaspa are already preparing an exciting, new and unusual project. On May 26th, BLANK & JONES will perform together with the Robert Schumann Kammerorchester conducted by Alexander Shelly in the Tonhalle Düsseldorf. The definitive electro-classical crossover extravaganza!
www.blankandjones.com
www.myspace.com/blankandjonesinfo
www.myspace.com/relaxedition
www.blankandjones.com/rlx09
Illusion
Blank & Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
LOST IN c CYCLONE OF DESPcIR
FOREVER SPINNING THROUGH THE cIR
NO POINT IN TRcCING YOUR STEPS IF YOU DcRE TO VENTURE THERE
YOUR TIME IS WcSTED LOOKING BcCK
YOU NEED c NEW PLcN OF cTTcCK
CcN'T LINGER ON LOSING FcITH IN THE PcST
THERE'S DIFFERENT PLcYERS BUT STILL THE ScME CcST
CHORUS
HcVE YOU TcKEN LEcVE OF YOUR SENSES
CcUSE THERE'S c STRcNGE NEW LOOK IN YOUR EYES
BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO RcISE YOUR DEFENSES
ILLUSION IS THE BEST FORM OF DISGUISE
VERSE 2
GET USED TO THINKING TWO STEPS cHEcD
YOU CcN'T UNDO WHcT'S cLREcDY ScID
NO NEED TO DWELL ON THE cCTIONS YOU TcKE
IT TcKES c OT FOR THE SPIRIT TO BREcK
DON'T UNDERVcLUE THE DIFFERENCE YOU McKE
CHORUS X 2
HcVE YOU TcKEN LEcVE OF YOUR SENSES
CcUSE THERE'S c STRcNGE NEW LOOK IN YOUR EYES
BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO RcISE YOUR DEFENSES
ILLUSION IS THE BEST FORM OF DISGUISE
MIDDLE 8 - MUSICcL BREcK
CHORUS X 2
HcVE YOU TcKEN LEcVE OF YOUR SENSES
CcUSE THERE'S c STRcNGE NEW LOOK IN YOUR EYES
BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO RcISE YOUR DEFENSES
ILLUSION IS THE BEST FORM OF DISGUISE
The song "Illusion" by Blank & Jones explores the idea that the search for one's destiny can often lead to confusion and feelings of being lost. The repeated refrain of "illusion" emphasizes the idea that what we think we see or feel may not always be real, and that emotions can often be misleading. The singer searches for a place in time that belongs to them, but as they move forward, they realize that the journey is more important than the destination. The singer touches many hearts along the way, but the fear of experiencing disappointment leads them to cope with the possibility that it is all just an illusion.
The singer advises against letting emotions get in the way of progress and urges the listener to keep their eyes open and look around. The singer is aware of the fact that the mind can create a world that is not necessarily grounded in reality. The song strikes a chord with those who find themselves struggling to reconcile what they believe to be true with the harsh realities of life. The message is to keep moving forward, to accept reality and to not lose hope, despite the negative events and illusions that are encountered along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Illusion, illusion, illusion, illusion
Repetition of the word 'illusion' to emphasize how everything may not be as it seems and may be a figment of one's imagination.
Searching for a destiny that's mine
Looking for a life path that is solely an individual's and not influenced by others.
There's another place another time
Questioning the current reality and wondering if there is a better or different world out there.
Touching many hearts along the way yeah
Making an emotional impact on multiple people during one's journey or existence.
Hoping that I'll never have to say It's just an illusion, illusion, illusion
Wishing that the hopes and dreams pursued in life are not futile and are attainable instead of just wishful thinking or false hope.
Follow your emotions anywhere
Urging people to follow their instincts and feelings regardless of any challenges or potential consequences.
Is it really magic in the air
Questioning if there is a mystical force that's present and causes things to happen and fall into place on its own.
Never let your feelings get you down
Encouraging individuals to stay optimistic even in tough or unpleasant situations.
Open up your eyes and look around
Advising individuals to be aware of their surroundings and to take notice of opportunities that may present themselves.
it's just an illusion
Reiterating that most things in life could just be figments of one's imagination and not true reality.
(Putting me back) in all this confusion
Feeling confused or disoriented when faced with situations that contradict what was believed to be true.
(Could it be that) it's just an illusion (now)
Questioning if what was once believed to be true was only an illusion.
Could it be a picture in my mind?
Asking if it's possible that what is seen or believed to have happened may only be a mental image and not an actual occurrence.
Never sure exactly what I'll find
Feeling uncertain about what will be discovered or revealed after pursuing a certain path or journey.
Only in my dreams I turn you on
Expressing that certain situations or people may only come to fruition in dreams, and not in reality.
Here for just a moment then you're gone
Feeling that people or experiences are fleeting and transitory and often don't last long.
(Could it be that) it's just an illusion (now)
Considering the possibility that what was believed to be true was only a product of one's imagination.
(Could it be that) it's just an illusion
Questioning the validity of one's perceptions and beliefs about reality.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@v.p.6163
Wow,das könnte ich in einer „Dauerschleife“ hören,😎✌️
@patricknelson1471
it gives me an 80s feeling which is not bad cause 80s music is probably the best ever
@pilargohe6973
Probablemente la mejor sin duda🎶❤️
@charlesboone9547
I totally agree 💯👍
@natanlakonishok
Glad i found you guys , great 80s vibes ❤️
@snigelraket
My life is better because blank & jones is out there playing souldreams !!
@silverwinterskies
WOW! Perfectly played and made for anyone in this world to enjoy!!! Blank & Jones knows no boundaries and no shade of color! Perfect for anyone including you!!!!
@ladydiabla9736
Wonderful feeling! I imagine myself to walking down the street. Chilling out at citylights.
@pascalzinck8305
Excellent
@hirenpanchal7949
Beautiful music going on and on.......