culture box

The ever interesting Danish scene for electronic music is thriving because of passion and dedication from all its various actors: DJs, promoters, crews, bookers, audience etc. With this Spotlight series we tell you who to watch. Keep an eye out for Arya who’ll be debuting at Culture Box on Saturday 11 September.

It felt like my soul was traveling to many places around the world

Please tell us about your background and how you fell in love with electronic music?

Well my dad is from the hippie culture. So spirituality has always been in my roots. My parents taught me a lot about meditation, out of body experiences and yoga from a very young age. At the age of 6, I was already dreaming and visualising about me being a singer, I used to write songs (tried to), played with my dad’s guitar and some toy drums I had. So as far as I remember, I have always wanted to make music. But the way I discovered electronic music was really intense. That was the first time I experienced lucid dreaming (an out-of-body experience) while I was meditating. I still remember the feeling; it felt like my soul was traveling to many places around the world. I know it sounds funny, but that’s how it happened. After a while I felt my soul returning to my body, I woke up, and it felt as if a million needles were pinching me right between my eyebrows, which you also call the third eye spot. When I was on my way to the balcony to get some water, I heard it for the first time – a track by Aqualize called “Land Of 2 Suns”. My mind was completely blown away. I was 13 years old, living in India at that time, and since then I have been hooked on electronic music. That day, I had one of my biggest realisations too. I heard the drop of the track and it immediately hit my mind, that there is no bigger rush in the world than music. And today, every time I hear a great artist play, see all the beautiful smiles on the dance floor while I play, and especially every time I hear the drop of a track, I still get goose bumps all over my body. My excitement hasn’t gone down even a bit since I fell in love with this magical rush.

How would you describe your own music?

My background of electronic music started from psychedelic trance. Today I take the psychedelic elements, sounds & effects and add them to a techno beat around 126 BPM. It’s called Psychedelic techno.

Who inspire you as a musician and DJ?

I am really inspired by Charlotte de Witte, who started playing music at a very young age. People had so many judgments, many assumed the worst, and I think she has been through a lot of hassle. But she is still in the game and doesn’t give up. That is really inspiring.

A good DJ isn’t always someone who never makes mistakes

What is the best advice you have had in your career?

A good DJ isn’t always someone who never makes mistakes – a good DJ is someone who can correct the mistakes at the right time.

You had your first release “A light in the dark” released on Jaira Record earlier this year. How was the feeling of debuting as a musician?

It was true happiness bursting through my entire mind and body, I am really thankful that I have gotten an opportunity to show my creativity to other people and make them smile. Plus, my name was in the same compilation as two of the greatest artists I know of today: Luis M and Aleckat. Honestly I dropped a few happy tears when I first saw that.

Do you have any new material in the pipeline for us?

I am actually experimenting with some melodic sounds mixed with a psychedelic techno beat. You will be hearing them soon.

What else have you been up to during the closure of nightlife?

Since I couldn’t play gigs and events, I had a lot of time to focus on myself and my music production. There was a time where I didn’t have much time to produce music, because I was playing most of the time. But in the lockdown period I really got time to bring my creativity into Ableton again. And I got to practice meditation and my spiritual alignment too after a long time, I really needed it. That was good.

Too many thoughts ruins the moment

You are debuting at Culture Box on Saturday 11th September? What’s your feeling and expectations?

I have always wanted to play at Culture Box since the first time I experienced the magic and wonderful people, 2.5 years ago. I am very thankful and appreciative of this opportunity to bring my beats to our beautiful Culture Box. And honestly my expectations for myself are just to live in the moment, and not to stress about things too much. From my past I have learned not to stress about things too much, too many thoughts ruins the moment.

Being an up and coming producer and DJ, how do you see the Copenhagen underground scene and it’s community?

I think it’s very important to remember our intuition, our inner voice. I meet a lot of people and everyone has their own advice to give. Sometimes it can get a little confusing with the decisions I need to make. But as long as I trust my inner voice, it all ends well, I’ve experienced. And one thing I really admire is, that because Denmark isn’t a really huge country compared to Germany, France, Spain etc., you see some of the greatest artists of Copenhagen at random events. That makes it so much easier if I need some advice from someone who has been in this industry longer than I have.

Next to some blasting speakers with the sexiest sound

Your best Culture Box memory?

The best memory I have of Culture Box is from my first night there. It was about 2.5 years ago, when I moved back to Copenhagen, and I only knew about this other club called Ved Siden Af (first club I started playing at in CPH). Then some of my friends told me about Culture Box. The moment I entered I got totally hooked on the vibe, I didn’t know a lot of people, but the music was so intense and I just felt like I had been there many times before, I felt at home. It was actually a really spiritual experience, I felt peaceful. Next to some blasting speakers with the sexiest sound – Tim Andresen was playing and it was my first time experiencing his amazing set.

Any goals for the future?

Well I really want to play a 90 min set (at least) only with my own productions. That’s one of my really important goals.

Any secrets you haven’t told the CB family?

Yes. I have kept a few secrets, you will be hearing them on the dance floor Saturday 11 September in Black Box. Hope to see you guys smiling and dancing to the music.

We’re very happy to have Arya give a performance at our Debut night Saturday 11 September. A special night with focus purely on the new breed of electronic music artists. Music style is ranging from fast-paced techno through to underground house music and everything in between. Get your tickets on Resident Advisor now!