Agoria

The son of an opera singer, Sebastien Devaud began producing his own material under the Agoria name in 1997. Influenced by Jazz and Detroit Techno, Devaud’s nosebleed techno and gritty electronic sound quickly gained favour with French independent labels like Zebra 3 and A-Traction and he was soon being name-checked by the likes of Laurent Garnier and Sven Vath. By 2000 he joined FAIR, the celebrated French support fund for developing acts, and released his first single “La 11eme Marche” in 2002. Critical acclaim followed, and by the release of his first album Blossom his notoriety was such that even Tricky made a guest appearance. He continues to tour worldwide alongside contemporaries Jeff Mills, DJ Hell, Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin, and as such remains an important figure in the European techno scene.