Music at Home: Agoria

In this round of our series, we speak to the widely acclaimed French DJ-producer and ‘drift’ genre innovator, Agoria, who walks us through the sounds he’s rediscovered and the educational talks that have been keeping his mind busy.

Check out Agoria’s full Isolation playlist, which can also be used as a LINK playlist, so you can DJ these tracks at home. And read more below.

Why have you chosen these tracks?

Because they’re sick!!

How have your listening habits changed in isolation?

I used to listen to new music and demo during flights, so it has all changed! I listen to a lot more of the demos received at Sapiens headquarters. It was quite impossible to listen to all the demos before the pandemic. I spent much more time discovering new and talented artists recently. I actually just released the first Re:generation day highlighting five newcomers I loved: Mooglie, Mozaik, Henri Bergmann, Parallels, and Abundance. I’m working at the moment on the second one for September or October, so please feel free to connect with us at Sapiens!

Is there music you have rediscovered recently?

A lot. I just moved house before the pandemic and I had the chance to move some boxes of records before the lockdown. I dug a lot through my records from the nineties. The photo attached is a little part of my collection. I rediscovered so much music from Detroit and my early influences. The Detroit label Xperimental, for example, I had totally forgotten! Shame on me!

Do you view music differently than you did before the pandemic?

I guess it enforces the strength of the music. Isolation means introspection to me. I guess all artists are actually isolated most of the time. That’s even more true for electronic producers. Most of us, we are making music on our own during hours, days, weeks and months. On top of it, I usually take three weeks by myself totally alone. Almost every year. Usually in a retreat or renting a house to write and refuel. During this time off I prefer to be with no phones, no network, no TV. So I guess it wasn’t particularly different here. I feel it’s amazing to be by yourself. Of course it’s only amazing because you know that one day the isolation will end. In those conditions, music and books are my best partners.

Please share a film/TV show/book/recipe that has helped you stay sane under quarantine.

I spent a lot of time listening to conferences during quarantine. I’m a big fan of scientists, writers, directors or art contemporary talks cause i think they make me feel good. I promised myself to reallocate all my time lost on social media to watch those conferences! I can recommend the Philip K Dick talk during the 1970s, for example. In this short one he is announcing that we are living in a computer program! As a TV show, I strongly recommend watching the documentary about Chris Burden on Netflix…mad! His first piece of art was to be shot by someone shooting him on his arm by a reel gun.

Mooglie’s “Prelude” is out now on Sapiens. Buy it here.