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Album review
Agoria, the Armchair Mix
French DJ on the Up
Paris
11/01/2007 -
Sébastien Devaud – aka Agoria - grew up in Lyons and was bitten by the electro bug when he heard Big Fun by Kevin Sauderson (one of the godfathers of techno 'made in Detroit') broadcast on a commercial radio station. He rushed out and bought his first record in a supermarket, launching what would become a covetable vinyl collection, based largely on U.S. exports. Agoria then followed the classic route to DJ fame, manning the turntables at friends' parties before moving on to bigger and better things. "I used to send tapes of my mixes out left, right and centre," he admits, "That's how, around the age of 17, I ended up mixing at a club night before Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin came on." Young Sébastien had originally had his sights set on working in the film world, but abandoned this idea as his DJ-ing career took off in the French provinces.
Things really started taking off for Agoria in 2000 with the release of La 11e Marche. But while the single got dancefloors buzzing it was not, contrary to popular belief, lauded by the critics from the word go. "The single was originally released on a label based in Annecy," Agoria says, "and I must have sold about 400 copies. No-one played it apart from Laurent Garnier and DJ Hell. My mates all turned round and told me it was total crap; the sound wasn't at all like the 'in' techno of the day with all those Jeff Mills-style loops. But I got a lucky break in the end because Pias picked up on La 11e Marche and asked me to re-release it." Eighteen months later, Agoria's single took U.K. dancefloors by storm and the French newcomer, by then in his thirties, went on to release his debut album, Blossom.
Following an intensive series of touring, making club appearances which took him from one continent to another, Agoria finally returned to the studio to work on his second album, The Green Armchair. Markedly less techno than its predecessor, this follow-up album finds Agoria opening up to different influences and experimenting with trip hop (Edenbridge), dub lamentations (Million Miles, featuring vocals by Neneh Cherry) and even childlike electro 'nursery rhymes' (Baboul Hair Cuttin). Agoria proves he has not lost touch with the dancefloor, either. Hardcore clubbers are also catered for on his new album with tracks such as Code 1026, all pounding techno beats and scorching loops, and the vibrant breakbeats of Like a Bull. After a hard night's clubbing, fans will probably be only too happy to slip into Agoria's cozy green armchair and chill for a bit!
Tour dates include appearances in Milan (9/02), Berlin (10/02), Lyons (2/03), Nantes (3/03) and Stuttgart (24/03).
Nicolas Dambre
Translation : Julie Street
02/01/2007 -
