Description
Arjun Vagale is one of India’s most coveted DJs, part of an exclusive new breed of cutting edge producers making a massive globe impact. As one of the country’s leading electronic music exports, he plays over 100 gigs a year back home and tours regularly through Europe and Asia. A man with a true passion for the underground, a sound he relentlessly plays, produces and promotes, it’s no surprise Arjun was awarded 2012’s Best Techno DJ / DJ Of the Year, and currently reigns at the top of the first-ever DJ Mag India Poll 2012. Known for his “intense, driven and atmospheric” techno sound, Arjun has played alongside such heavyweights as Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Apparat, Sasha, Christian Smith, Fat Boy Slim, Nic Fanciulli and Cari Lekebusch, while his live act, Jalebee Cartel, has shared headlining spots with the likes of The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy and Modeselektor. His knowledge and use of technology in the booth is second to none, innovatively wielding drum machines and samplers to create a raw, electrifying and radically twisted set.
Taking a calculated risk a few years ago to move away from what was already a major mainstage career, Arjun followed his love for the counterculture by traveling into darker, more experimental musical terrain. Always inspired by the prodigal sounds coming out of Berlin, he started basing his summer tours out of the techno Mecca, and his productions reflected this evolution into ever more intense and groovy basslines. The game changer was in 2010 with the release of “Kill the String” on Tom Budden’s ALiVE Recordings. The track was quickly picked up by Fergie, who played it on John Digweed’s Transitions to rave reviews. He immediately commissioned Arjun for an EP on his Tribal Rage imprint, followed by two vinyl releases on Excentric Muzik that were strongly supported by Carl Cox, Karotte, Kaserdisco and Sebastien Leger. These were followed by a series of remixes for Fergie, Denis Horvat, Solead, Dale Anderson and a chart-topper for Montero.
A tipping point in his career was the prodigious collaboration “She Said” with Tim Richards on Kaiserdisco’s KD Music, which stayed hot on the Beatport and vinyl charts for over 2 months. Richie Hawtin gave it multiple plays around the globe, while Carl Cox licensed it for his 2012 Space Ibiza CD. Soon after, Arjun’s EPs on Cologne’s Trapez Ltd, including the gigantic Ibiza hit “Terrakoz”, were acclaimed by DJs and clubbers alike. Arjun’s fluid and hypnotic “sensationfocused dance beats” have brought his production skills to the limelight and won him a wide fan following. He recently signed on to Stephan Bodzin’s Herzblut, Mihalis Safras’s Material Series,
Octopus Recording and Suara, and was personally requested to remix Victor Calerone and Wally Lopez. His productions are now regularly featured on the hallowed playlists of Cox, Hawtin, Dubfire, Stacey Pullen, Paco Osuna and Steve Lawler, to name but a few. In his spare time, Arjun runs a truly global record label, MakTub Music, with Uruguayan partner Logistic Soundz, where he can indulge in his other passion: discovering and promoting fresh talent. Over the last 3 years, the imprint has become home to an impressive roster of artists, including Pawas, Jay Haze, Jimmy Van M and Dave Ellesmere. He also runs India’s premier electronic music school, The ILM Academy, and is a partner at UnMute Agency, which manages the finest underground talent in India.
Over the last 16 years, Arjun Vagale has come to the forefront for the quality and depth of his productions and DJ sets, even while staying true to his roots. Whether packing in the dance floor or producing yet another monster tune, Arjun’s total dedication to house and techno is apparent in everything he does.Select Discography:
Arjun Vagale – Consumed EP // Trapez Ltd
Arjun Vagale – Little Red Rots // Octopus Recordings
Arjun Vagale – Disjointed Sequence EP // Hummingbird
Arjun Vagale – Lets Go // Suara
Arjun Vagale – Sleep Walking EP // Herzblut Recordings
Arjun Vagale – What Dat Sound // Materialism
Arjun Vagale, Anil Chawla, Dale Anderson, Tim Richards – Collaborations EP // Monique Special
Arjun Vagale – Random Eye Movement EP // Trapez Ltd
Arjun Vagale – Glo // Materialism
Arjun Vagale – Almost Home // Excentric Muzik
Arjun Vagale & Tim Richards – She Said / Tonkatsu // KD Music
Arjun Vagale – Danger Mouse EP // Trapez Ltd
Arjun Vagale – Drohnen / Tin Kan EP // Excentric Muzik
Arjun Vagale – Turmbuhne Tales // Variante Music
Arjun Vagale – Do D Do EP // Tribal Rage
Arjun Vagale – Kill The String // ALiVE Recordings
Arjun Vagale – That Live One // Heatflow Records
Remixes //
Victor Calderone – Into The Void (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Waveform Recordings
Snello – Goodway (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Rhythm Converted
Intu-Itive – Perfect Chaos (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Takt
James Dutton – Titan (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Tribal Rage
Denis Horvat - She Never Reach The Climax (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Takt
Mabaan Soul – Reggae Light (Arjun Vagale Remix) // MakTub Music
Dale Anderson – Hustlin (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Tribal Rage
Solead – Chicaboo (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Flow Vinyl
Fergie – Come With Me (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Excentric Muzik
Bluephaze – What Is Music? (Arjun Vagale Remix) // Vapour Recordings
Compilation CD’s //
Carl Cox At Space - The Revolution Recruits
Faze Magazine Set 02: Mixed by Karotte
VA Minimal House 11