5 of Nala's Most Cutting Vocal Features

Ardalan Noghre-Kar, better recognized by his DJ moniker Ardalan, has traversed a remarkable musical journey since his breakout track with 

Hailing from Tehran, Iran, Ardalan's eclectic blend of indie dance, breaks, and tech house has solidified his status as an artist of boundless talent, with a discography boasting regular releases on esteemed labels such as Desert Hearts, Club Design, and Rules Don't Reply.

Ardalan's musical odyssey began at the tender age of 19, where a fusion of traditional Iranian melodies and the timeless allure of jazz and rock ignited his passion for music. Moving between Iran and California during his childhood, Ardalan cultivated a diverse musical palette, enriched by rare gems spanning genres like gangsta rap, Italo disco, and cinematic soundtracks.

Upon settling in California in 2006, Ardalan immersed himself in the vibrant underground scene of the Bay Area, drawn to the pulsating rhythms of house and techno at legendary Sunset Sound System parties. It was amidst this sonic tapestry that Ardalan found himself at a fateful BBQ in San Francisco, a gathering that would lay the groundwork for his serendipitous encounter with the Dirtybird crew, who welcomed him into their fold with open arms.

Mr. Spock by Justin Martin & Ardalan by DIRTYBIRD

The release of 'Mr. Spock' marked a watershed moment in Ardalan's career, catapulting him onto the global stage and cementing his reputation as a purveyor of infectious, off-the-wall dancefloor anthems. 

In the years that followed, Ardalan continued to channel his boundless energy and innate musicality into a string of remixes and original productions, earning him a devoted following and coveted slots at renowned festivals and venues worldwide.

Now, with a career spanning over a decade, a host of critically acclaimed EPs, a forthcoming EP on

later this year, and the tantalizing promise of a second full-length album on the horizon, Ardalan's influence continues to reverberate throughout the global dance music scene.

As much as he is a maestro in the studio, Ardalan's impact extends beyond production. 

As the mastermind behind the wildly successful 'Ardy Pardy' events, he has brought his signature brand of no-rules hedonism to cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and Miami, and has performed Coachella, Dirtybird Campout, CRSSD and Secret Garden. His electrifying performances have captivated audiences and earned him acclaim for his ability to seamlessly fuse diverse musical influences into cohesive, dance floor-ready sets.

Unofficially dubbed 'The Tiesto of Modesto' Ardalan's journey is a testament to the universal language of sound and the transformative power of artistic expression. 

A true spokesman for the culture, Iranian underground phenomonem remains grounded in his roots, never forgetting the journey that brought him to where he is today. As he continues to push the realms of house music with his cutlurally enriched sounds, Ardalan stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity and exploration that defines the electronic music community.

Iran

Ardalan

United States

Bad Snacks

United Kingdom

Skream

Atish

Belgium

Charlotte de Witte

Lee Burridge

m.O.N.R.O.E.

Canada

Zeds Dead

Bob Moses

Mikey Lion

Lee Reynolds

Marbs

Porky (DH)

Tiga

Seth Troxler

Reveille Peak Ranch

Texas Eclipse Festival 2024

Lost Frequencies

TOKiMONSTA

South Africa

Uncle Waffles

Spain

Squire

ANATTA

Kenny Dope

France

YokoO

Brazil

Viot

DJ Heather

Fatima Hajji

The Piratebay, the world's most resilient torrent site, is actually a real place.

Many years ago, somewhere in Tehran, Iran, there was a mall. In this mall, there was a room. In this room, there was a man with a computer filled with compilations of music, and for a nominal fee, he would burn that music onto a disc for you.

It's where Ardalan Noghre-Kar, a premier house and techno artist, would buy music growing up. Covert missions to buy music engrained the gritty, clandestine, and illicit nature of the underground into his musical DNA. He continues to honor that upbringing with his eclectic DJ sets and productions today.

"It's all about that raw feeling you get the first time you make music or you look for music. I've never wanted to forget that feeling,'" Noghre-Kar says from a studio in a barn somewhere in Los Angeles. "For me, it's always that feeling. It's always going to go back to that feeling. It's that excitement that keeps me wanting to do what I'm doing."

The real-life Piratebay wasn't Noghre-Kar's only source of music in his early days. In Iran, where Western music was banned and there were no legitimate record stores, he had to rely on two primary sources.

The first was his family. His father was an avid saxophonist. And his brother sparked his interest in house music when he gifted Ardy a cassette tape that featured Daft Punk's "Around The World" on one side and Tupac on the, which explains the significant hip-hop influence in Ardalan's music.

The second was new technology. As an architect, his father was one of the first people in Iran to work with CAD programming giving Noghre-Kar early access to computers and the internet. Ardalan's interest in technology drove his interest in music.

"I was really into computers since I was 6-7; downloading games and music. It was a really interesting time because I grew up on the internet. I would find so much music [by] downloading illegally because you didn't have anything else in Iran," says Noghre-Kar.


He perused now-ancient platforms like Winamp, which included a section called SHOUTcast with different web-streaming radio stations playing genres like drum & bass, house, and techno.

Noghre-Kar also spent a great deal of his younger years in the Bay Area (which he would eventually call home as an adult), and through those travels, his love of music and technology evolved.

Lifted

The Bay Area was always an affluent hub for tech. And when he first arrived, he fit right into that culture. He attended De Anza College (the same school Steve Jobs attended with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) and took an intro electronic music course.

"They taught some really cool tricks with programs that I use like Reason and Ableton," he remembers. "That class made such a profound effect on the rest of my life."

As he was engaging with music production from a more academic perspective, he also attended notable electronic music parties in the area. He attended Sunset parties thrown by the mythic Wicked crew. He went to Drum & Bass shows thrown by Haight-Ashbury outfit Compound Records. But most influential on his life trajectory was the regular Dirtybird BBQ in Golden Gate Park. These parties birthed the globalized record label, clothing line, and event brand that Dirtybird is today.

Noghre-Kar attended his first BBQ when he was 17. It was also his first real music event in the US. Founding members Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, and Christian Martin were all there playing great music as the late Grillson served up great food.

"Doesn't get any better than this. This is the direction I want to go," Noghre-Kar says of the first BBQ. "They all took me in and got me really excited to make music."

He skipped his shift at Cold Stone Creamery to go, got fired the next day, and the following year he debuted the unmistakable "Mr. Spock" on Dirtybird with Justin Martin,

Mr. Spock

"It was a really interesting and fun way for the universe to tell me you're doing what you're doing. You're doing something for yourself," Noghre-Kar says.

That track would launch a close relationship with Dirtybird that persists. He's had numerous releases and compilation offerings on the label, including his debut album 

Ardalan (or Tiesto of Modesto as Dirtybird's most passionate members lovingly call him) is still an expected and very welcome name on the lineup for the summer-camp-themed festival, Dirtybird Campout.

"It's always fun. It feels like you're back in high school in some ways when you go. All your friends are there and you can interact with the fans. Very homie vibes," Noghre-Kar says.

New album 'Anomaly', released 16 September 2022 on Counter Records / Sweat It Out: https://whatsonot.lnk.to/anomalyYo 

What So Not - 'Messin' Me Up (Ardalan Messin' Me Mix)' (Official Audio)
 
Save ‘Messin' Me Up’ Remix: https://whatsonot.lnk.to/ardalanYo
Spotify: https://whatsonot.lnk.to/ardalanYo/spotify
Apple Music: https://whatsonot.lnk.to/ardalanYo/applemusic
 
Follow What So Not:
Spotify: https://found.ee/wsn-sp
Apple Music: https://found.ee/wsn-am
YouTube: https://found.ee/wsn-yt
Bandcamp: https://found.ee/wsn-bc
Soundcloud: https://found.ee/wsn-sc
Instagram: https://found.ee/wsn-ig
TikTok: https://found.ee/wsn-tt
Facebook: https://found.ee/wsn-fb
Twitter: https://found.ee/wsn-tw
 
Follow EVAN GIIA: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evangiia/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evangiia/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EVANGIIA 
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/evangiia  

Follow Ardalan:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ardalanmusicpage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ardalander/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ardalander
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ardalann
Website: http://www.ardalander.com/

What So Not featuring EVAN GIIA - Messin' Me Up (Ardalan Remix) by What So Not

That sense of fun and community is something Noghre-Kar carries into numerous activities, including his nascent party brand, Ardy Pardy. In a relatively short life span, Ardy Pardy has expanded all over the US, popping up in San Francisco, Chicago, and Art Basel in Miami.

"I just always wanted to throw a party. Curate the sound and have that simple element of wanting to throw a fun party where I can have a good time and not necessarily DJ the whole time. Have my friends who I really love play my parties and be able to enjoy it with other people," Noghre-Kar says. "It's a very fun experiment where I can be creative visually or I can make the party super fun in a simple way. Being silly but also having really good music. Now it's become something where I need to take it to the next level."


Ardy Pardy isn't his first mission in community building. With the help of other friends and musicians with Dirtybird associations like Walker & Royce, Justin Martin, and VNSSA, Noghre-Kar helped to start a Twitch channel over the pandemic called GoodTV.

The pandemic was jarring for Noghre-Kar, but it also afforded him the opportunity to revisit his love of tech by learning all about streaming.

"I went back to feeling like I was 10 years old learning something," Noghre-Kar says.

Like taking that electronic music course in community college, learning streaming presented new opportunities for him to express his creativity and connect with his roots. The first stream he did was with Deep House Tehran, a collective of artists living in Iran.

"There were all these Iranian fans and that was the most beautiful thing ever because I hadn't played for people from Iran ever," Noghre-Kar says. "I started curating nights where I would showcase artists specifically from Iran and it was really amazing to be able to open that door for people around the world—creating new fan bases for them because there are so many talented artists in Iran. For me, it was an experience of learning about people from my homeland and seeing their art and having a platform for them."

Noghre-Kar is determined to continue supporting artists from Iran either through more streams in the future or a record label he intends to start.

He acknowledges that he is blessed to be in a position where he can travel the world playing music or shack up in a barn making a new album like he was doing just before the interview (expect 

But he knows now more than ever there are so many artists in Iran who have the potential to do the same, and many of them are probably still hitting The Piratebay to get their new music the same way he did.

Claude VonStroke

The Piratebay, the world's most resilient torrent site, is actually a real place.




Ardalan's been there.




Many years ago, somewhere in Tehran, Iran, there was a mall. In this mall, there was a room. In this room, there was a man with a computer filled with compilations of music, and for a nominal fee, he would burn that music onto a disc for you.




It's where Ardalan Noghre-Kar, a premier house and techno artist, would buy music growing up. Covert missions to buy music engrained the gritty, clandestine, and illicit nature of the underground into his musical DNA. He continues to honor that upbringing with his eclectic DJ sets and productions today.




"It's all about that raw feeling you get the first time you make music or you look for music. I've never wanted to forget that feeling,'" Noghre-Kar says from a studio in a barn somewhere in Los Angeles. "For me, it's always that feeling. It's always going to go back to that feeling. It's that excitement that keeps me wanting to do what I'm doing."




The real-life Piratebay wasn't Noghre-Kar's only source of music in his early days. In Iran, where Western music was banned and there were no legitimate record stores, he had to rely on two primary sources.




The first was his family. His father was an avid saxophonist. And his brother sparked his interest in house music when he gifted Ardy a cassette tape that featured Daft Punk's "Around The World" on one side and Tupac on the, which explains the significant hip-hop influence in Ardalan's music.






The second was new technology. As an architect, his father was one of the first people in Iran to work with CAD programming giving Noghre-Kar early access to computers and the internet. Ardalan's interest in technology drove his interest in music.




"I was really into computers since I was 6-7; downloading games and music. It was a really interesting time because I grew up on the internet. I would find so much music [by] downloading illegally because you didn't have anything else in Iran," says Noghre-Kar.




He perused now-ancient platforms like Winamp, which included a section called SHOUTcast with different web-streaming radio stations playing genres like drum & bass, house, and techno.




Noghre-Kar also spent a great deal of his younger years in the Bay Area (which he would eventually call home as an adult), and through those travels, his love of music and technology evolved.






The Bay Area was always an affluent hub for tech. And when he first arrived, he fit right into that culture. He attended De Anza College (the same school Steve Jobs attended with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) and took an intro electronic music course.




"They taught some really cool tricks with programs that I use like Reason and Ableton," he remembers. "That class made such a profound effect on the rest of my life."






As he was engaging with music production from a more academic perspective, he also attended notable electronic music parties in the area. He attended Sunset parties thrown by the mythic Wicked crew. He went to Drum & Bass shows thrown by Haight-Ashbury outfit Compound Records. But most influential on his life trajectory was the regular Dirtybird BBQ in Golden Gate Park. These parties birthed the globalized record label, clothing line, and event brand that Dirtybird is today.






Noghre-Kar attended his first BBQ when he was 17. It was also his first real music event in the US. Founding members Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, and Christian Martin were all there playing great music as the late Grillson served up great food.




"Doesn't get any better than this. This is the direction I want to go," Noghre-Kar says of the first BBQ. "They all took me in and got me really excited to make music."






He skipped his shift at Cold Stone Creamery to go, got fired the next day, and the following year he debuted the unmistakable "Mr. Spock" on Dirtybird with Justin Martin,






"It was a really interesting and fun way for the universe to tell me you're doing what you're doing. You're doing something for yourself," Noghre-Kar says.




That track would launch a close relationship with Dirtybird that persists. He's had numerous releases and compilation offerings on the label, including his debut album Mr. Good. Ardalan (or Tiesto of Modesto as Dirtybird's most passionate members lovingly call him) is still an expected and very welcome name on the lineup for the summer-camp-themed festival, Dirtybird Campout.






"It's always fun. It feels like you're back in high school in some ways when you go. All your friends are there and you can interact with the fans. Very homie vibes," Noghre-Kar says.




That sense of fun and community is something Noghre-Kar carries into numerous activities, including his nascent party brand, Ardy Pardy. In a relatively short life span, Ardy Pardy has expanded all over the US, popping up in San Francisco, Chicago, and Art Basel in Miami.




"I just always wanted to throw a party. Curate the sound and have that simple element of wanting to throw a fun party where I can have a good time and not necessarily DJ the whole time. Have my friends who I really love play my parties and be able to enjoy it with other people," Noghre-Kar says. "It's a very fun experiment where I can be creative visually or I can make the party super fun in a simple way. Being silly but also having really good music. Now it's become something where I need to take it to the next level."


Ardy Pardy isn't his first mission in community building. With the help of other friends and musicians with Dirtybird associations like Walker & Royce, Justin Martin, and VNSSA, Noghre-Kar helped to start a Twitch channel over the pandemic called GoodTV.




The pandemic was jarring for Noghre-Kar, but it also afforded him the opportunity to revisit his love of tech by learning all about streaming.




"I went back to feeling like I was 10 years old learning something," Noghre-Kar says.






Like taking that electronic music course in community college, learning streaming presented new opportunities for him to express his creativity and connect with his roots. The first stream he did was with Deep House Tehran, a collective of artists living in Iran.




"There were all these Iranian fans and that was the most beautiful thing ever because I hadn't played for people from Iran ever," Noghre-Kar says. "I started curating nights where I would showcase artists specifically from Iran and it was really amazing to be able to open that door for people around the world—creating new fan bases for them because there are so many talented artists in Iran. For me, it was an experience of learning about people from my homeland and seeing their art and having a platform for them."






Noghre-Kar is determined to continue supporting artists from Iran either through more streams in the future or a record label he intends to start.




He acknowledges that he is blessed to be in a position where he can travel the world playing music or shack up in a barn making a new album like he was doing just before the interview (expect Tarzalan sometime in 2023).




But he knows now more than ever there are so many artists in Iran who have the potential to do the same, and many of them are probably still hitting The Piratebay to get their new music the same way he did.

Ardalan

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