DJ OF THE WEEK 11.14.11 AGORIA
There is something romantic about the thought of a young kid in rural France so enamoured with the sounds coming from half way around the world, in particular, the sounds of House music that it touches him in such a way as to inspire him. As a young 12 year old, Sébastien Devaud, like many kids of that age would listen to the radio, often. One day he heard a particular song, Inner City’s ‘Good Life’ and was immediately struck with that “feeling” so many House music songs sing about, that House music fans are emphatic about. So moved was the young Sébastien, that he began to wash his neighbors cars in order to raise the money he needed for the 12’! That my folks is the beginning of the story. A very good one indeed.
In classic fashion, Sébastien followed his love, took up the craft of DJing, practicing until he felt his skills were sufficient to rock a crowd, and began hosting his own parties. He then began producing his own work and by the time he was in his early 20’s, just over 10 years since he first heard Good Life on the radio, his own tracks were moving people on dance floors all over the world.
These days, Agoria, as he is now known, is one of the top DJs, producers, record label owners, and even event organizers you’ve never heard of. He is now an established DJ with enthusiastic and loyal fans all over the globe. As producer he has released four albums, Blossom, The Green Armchair, Go Fast, and Impermanence. He’s dropped four CD mixes, Cute & Cult, At the Controls, Balance 016, Fabric 57. And let me add, it’s no small fact that Resident Advisor named At The Controls one of the “best mix-cds of the past decade”. His discography of singles, remixes, compilation appearances, and more is just as impressive and even deeper, and too extensive to list here. Especially when I have yet to mention that his record label InFiné is setting new standards, in fact, completely shattering everything we thought we knew about the French electronic scene with it’s no holds barred approach to music production. And then there is his electronic and indie music event Nuits Sonores; held in the city of Lyon, it is fast becoming one of Europe’s most popular music festivals.
All of these accomplishments aside, what matters most is the quality of the product, which needs to be stressed because many equate popularity with quality and that surely isn’t always the case. With Agoria, you can bet you’re getting quality. His sets consists of pounding, unapologetic in your face beats, with plenty of dramatic melodies and rhythms to create a powerful soundscape that simply sweeps you away. And even though you’ll hear plenty of varied elements in his sets, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear that classic House influence deep down inside. In fact, you just might find yourself inside the mind of a young kid, discovering House music for the first time. Which, much like some of the best stories do, will hopefully leave you basking in the promise and possibilities that life holds. Yes, a good story indeed!
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