Adriatique

The duo Adriatique stands by one powerful ethos, that music should be meditation. Their long-form, slow-building take on house and techno invites their listeners to go deeper into the music, before throwing in a couple of unexpected twists along the way.

It makes sense why this Swiss duo would have a metaphysical take on dance music. Their story does seem a bit magical. Adrian Shala and Adrian Schweizer met in Zürich in 2008. The pair have been inseparable as friends and as artists ever since. Their debut EP Playground was released in 2011 to Suruba Records. The debut was a smashing showcase of the pair’s technical abilities with an underground, minimal tech-house feel. Each with their own individual taste, they combined to make one unique yet unified sound.

As they gained notoriety for their crisp production and powerful vision, they were tapped to produce remixes for artists like moby, DJ Hell, Rüfüs Du Sol, and The Weeknd. Their vision was so strong, in 2016 they started their record label / platform for the arts, fittingly named Siamese. The Adrians are both avid supporters of all forms of art, not just dance music. As such, they made sure their label went above and beyond. Siamese also supports visual and performance artists, organizing club nights that place these collaborators in the spotlights just as much as the musical stars.

In 2017, Adriatique recorded its very own BBC Radio 1 Essentials Mix. Then in 2018, a decade after the Adrians began making music together, they released their debut album Nude with Afterlife Records.

Sometimes there’s a rare and immediate connection that people share, a bond stronger than friendship or mutual interest. When that bond can expand to a creative vision that impacts the community, it really is something special. Though they’ve been in the game for more than a decade already, the Adriatique vision is still blossoming and inspiring others along the way.