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expert opinion 2012

Style: Techno to House and everything underground. Best known for: Jalebee Cartel, and now, my solo productions played by some of the finest DJs in the world. Tune of 2011: Subb-An This Place (Nic Fanciulli Remix). Breakthrough Indian DJ/Producer: DJ Dheeraj Sareen / Kohra.
Underground DJs often get the shorter end of the stick compared with the commercial lot, he explains. We wanted to start a proper full-service agency to support and manage them. I bounced the idea off a few friends who are stellar DJs and they loved it, as the system I had set up with Dev over the past six years had already proved quite successful. Another system thats thriving is the label he started with Uruguayan DJ-producer Nicolas Silvano four years ago Mak.Tub Music. Their releases include bangers like Alex Dolbys Polarity, Smartminds The Fix and Balthazars Stuck on a Red Clue. These put Mak.Tub on the map from the word go and tracks by Mabaan Soul and Ray Kajioka are continuing the labels ascent. Is it any surprise that Arjuns head wears the crown? Not to us, but he definitely seems it. I was driving to ILM Academy for a meeting when I got the news! I was stunned for the first few seconds and then had the widest smile on my face, he says, laughing. Ive been reading DJmag since 1997. Back when artists like Carl Cox or Sasha were No 1 on the worldwide poll, he reveals. Its thrilling as much it is humbling to be given this spot, and to be recognised for something that I love and Im passionate about. Ive dedicated my career towards pushing electronic music in India, and its great to be recognized for my contribution to the scene. Its also a victory for electronic music that the top spot has gone to an underground DJ rather than a commercial one. Do not for a moment think hes getting anywhere near complacent. Next year will definitely bring more international touring. I will be playing a lot more across Asiagigs in Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines and Thailand are all on the cards, he says. Im in Europe this summer, playing at venues like Tresor and Katerholzig. Production-wise, Ive got a bunch of releases lined up on some wicked labels. And, hopefully, by the end of the year, there will be an Arjun Vagale live set. Does the man ever sleep? ambika muTToo

arjun vagale

Take a deep breaTh. Ready? Now rattle this list off, quick: Producer, DJ, label owner, tastemaker, MD, CEO, fire starter, underground kingpin and dancefloor destroyer. Arjun Vagale, quite simply, is one of the biggest names to emerge out of the contemporary Indian electronic dance music scene since its inception. This country has known and feted him as one of the founding members of Jalebee Cartel. Weve also kept track of his stratospheric solo career through his precise productions and sets that dish out chuggy, deep, raw techno and tech-house. Its hard not to, when all the news emerging about electronic music in India consistently features Vagale, whether its being charted by the likes of Richie Hawtin and Carl Cox or opening for massive artists like Fatboy Slim. It was a completely different scenario ten years ago. During my early years as a resident at a New Delhi club, a guest walked up to me and requested a track Id never heard of, he reminisces. He then gave me a CD and asked me to play it which I refused, as most DJs would. Seconds later, he pulled out a gun, placed it on the booth and calmly said, Now will you play it? I agreedonly to watch him pick up the gun and accidentally fire it. The bullet missed me by inches. These days, its Arjun whos trigger happy. Hes trained his guns on Berlin, returning this summer for his annual ritual of club gigs and festival dates combined with meetings and networking with artists and labels. His trips abroad are as packed as his days back home. Ive constantly been producing in the studio and on the road. Im privileged to be signed to labels like Trapez, Excentric, Material & KD Music, he says. Ive had six releases on vinyl alone. Thats something really special in todays digital age. Apart from that, the touring never stops. Arjun is away most weekends and has played gigs across the country and festivals all over the world. Hes also helped set up the I Love Music (ILM) Academy in Delhi - a music school focussed on electronic music production and DJing. And a few months ago, he kick-started UnMute Agency in partnership with manager and friend, Dev Bhatia. The academy and the agency are relatively newer additions, both launched earlier this year. Hes the Managing Director of ILM as well as the CEO of UnMute whose cache of producers and DJs comprise the best of the underground house and techno scene in India Kohra, BLOT!, Praveen Achary, Ash Roy as well as Vagale himself, to name a few. Wed been tossing around the UnMute idea for a while.

Whats the future of DJing? Digital heart, vinyl soul. Favourite app? Dropbox and NI Maschine app. Hours of fun on long flights. Discovery of the year? Producing on Ableton Live. Ive been using Ableton to play live for years, but recently realised that its a great production DAW as well. Rediscovery of the year? The joy of waking up early and getting more out of the day. Awkward Moment? A few weeks ago, a promoter and his friends came up to my hotel room to say hi and me sitting in my boxers thought it was room service at the door. Style or substance? Substance with a lot of style. Whats your pet hate? When promoters fuck up, especially when they dont follow the rider.

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