Iranian-born, Cali-based producer/DJ Ardalan started producing in high school using FL Studio.
"[I] then moved on to Reason, Ableton, and eventually hardware synths," Ardalan says. "Now I use all of it (except FL). It got serious when I released my first track 'Mr. Spock' with Justin Martin. That was the turning point."
The artist says that his sound is "all over the place."
"It’s like a cozy mid-century house that likes to get turnt the funk up with a lot of bass, occasionally," he says. "It can also be deep (or heavy) and emotional on other days. I really try to tell my story and mood through the music. And of course, there are Vampire Techno Thursdays in the studio. I like to have fun with it."
His latest release is "Drip."
"‘Drip’ came out of the first Dirtybird writers camp in 2023 at Empire Studios in San Francisco," Ardalan says. "Goldie Gold of The Federation and Sharpness were there, and I had to make a hyphy beat for the Bay with them. Working with Goldie Gold and Sharpness was a trip. We got super creative and realized it’s a heater, for the dance floor and the gym."
As for gear: "Roland TR6S – A mini version of the TR8S, packed with the classic drum sounds; Sncussion SY-1 Clone – An analog drum synth that gets wild; Ableton Live 12 – My main DAW for sequencing; Reason 12 – The brain behind it all aka Bass, More Drums, Synths, and effects; Laptop - Power."
Looking ahead, Ardalan has plenty planned for the second half of 2025.
"I’ve got a bunch of EPs lined up and a lot of new music in the works," he says. "Some really special shows. I'm developing a concept sci-fi techno side project, an 80s-inspired album, and plenty more bangers on the way."
