Rip It Up

Agoria Interview

Words By

• Cyclone

French DJ/producer Agoria (AKA Sébastien Devaud) is an honorary member of the Detroit Techno Mafia along with Laurent Garnier. He’s all about deep, soulful techno. And the Lyons native is hitting Australia. Though Devaud has toured abroad with an Ableton Live show, and his audio-visual FORMS, this time he’ll be DJing straight-up. He has been here once before – in 2010, touring behind his Balance 016.

“It’s kinda a long time ago already now,” Devaud confesses.

Devaud first heard techno at 12 when Inner City’s Good Life came on the radio. He’d go on to DJ at illegal parties, his alias, Agoria (‘meeting place’ in ancient Greek), from an event. Devaud was releasing music by the end of the ’90s. His auspicious debut album, Blossom, appeared on Pias Recordings in 2003, followed by The Green Armchair, with guests like Bauhaus’ frontman (and goth icon) Peter Murphy and Neneh Cherry. Devaud last presented 2011’s Impermanence via the InFiné label he co-founded. Between these, he worked on the Go Fast OST. Devaud stands for quality. His inaugural mix-CD, At The Controls, is considered a classic.

Impermanence saw Devaud recruit Detroit house hotshot Seth Troxler as vocalist on Souless Dreamer, and the legendary Carl Craig for the “sleazy” Speechless. In the past he’s also collaborated with Ann Saunderson, ex-wife of Kevin (and sometime Inner City diva). It’s no coincidence that Devaud should liaise with so many Detroiters.

“When I was really young, the first techno tunes I bought in the record shop were from Detroit,” he recalls, rattling off names such as Kevin Saunderson, the guy behind Inner City, Jeff Mills and Underground Resistance. “So it’s really my background. Some techno artists or DJs say, ‘Yeah, I’m coming from the New Order, the Depeche Mode influences and stuff. [But] my main influences are definitely [from] the Detroit music. That’s maybe why I’m so connected to them – I mean, I made a remix for [the label] Underground Resistance. I’m actually the only white European man to do a remix on Underground Resistance!”

Devaud has visited Detroit multiple times and is fascinated by its musical heritage – the city has produced not only pivotal techno and house acts but also Motown, the punk Stooges and “even pop artists” like Madonna. All represent individualistic music. He argues that it’s not merely because of Detroit’s poverty but something less tangible. “This town is out of time.”

Devaud has done much to stimulate the scene in Lyons, being involved in the family-friendly Nuits Sonores festival until three years ago (touring interfered).

“This is the Detroit of France,” he jokes of ‘the Capital of Lights’. However, Devaud, who just lately exited InFiné, is about to leave his hometown.

“I’m married to an Italian woman, so now I’m moving to Milan to live with her.” The situation isn’t ideal, necessitating Devaud to pack up his recording gear, but, he laughs, “that’s love!”

Devaud has been quiet on the release front. But, pre-Lyons exodus, he’s back in the studio.

“I’m just starting basically to make some new tracks,” Devaud says. He’s unsure what will become of them. “It’s a bit early now to say if it will be for an album or for singles.”

Nevertheless, in contrast to those other DJs now focussing on EPs, he’ll return to the album format in the future.

“Maybe I’m a bit old school,” Devaud says. He likes albums since they allow an electronic producer to be “eclectic”, transcending the dictates of the dancefloor. Indeed, Devaud wonders why the average techno LP is orientated to DJs.

“I really prefer to do an album sometimes with ambient tunes or even classical stuff with piano and singers… I like this kind of ‘making pop’.”

WHO: Agoria
WHERE: Mr Kim’s
WHEN: Fri Mar 1