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ARDALAN
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Subtract Stage | Saturday | 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Returning for his second time, Ardy brings the Pardy, with his own flavor of funky, bouncy and just overall fun dance music. Bring your high vibes for his set.
Biography
Born in Tehran, Ardalan found himself gravitating towards an unlikely passion for music at an
early age. Enamored first by traditional Iranian music and classic jazz and rock, Ardalan’s taste
began to transform with his childhood years spent moving back and forth from Iran and
California. With each intercontinental return, Ardalan grew his treasure trove of mixtapes filled
with rare musical gems like gangsta rap, Italo disco, and movie and video game soundtracks –
the best of the West.
Naturally, when he permanently returned to California in 2006, his distinct taste in music drew
him towards long-lasting friendships, which were born through exchanges of mixtape gold and
out seeking underground excursions. Ardalan became a regular of the underground scene in
the Bay Area, absorbing the sounds of house and techno from the likes of Solar and Galen at
the legendary Sunset Sound System parties, and it wasn’t long before he was hooked. Full of
his signature charm, spark of energy, and an insatiable curiosity for left-of-center music, soon
he found his way to a fateful BBQ in San Francisco, a legendary party that is largely known as
the origin story lore of the Dirtybird crew. Immediately, the crew took to young Ardy like family.
Then came “Mr. Spock.” Call it beginner’s luck, or more likely, a sign of what was to come – in
2010, Ardalan shared one of his earliest studio explorations with Justin Martin, which became
the foundation for the breakout hit. “Mr. Spock,” in its bizarre and booty-shaking glory, has been
accredited as one of the “tracks that made Dirtybird famous,” helping to define the label’s now
darling reputation as a trusted source of ridiculous, off-the-wall dance floor bangers. Since, he’s
continued to translate his deep-rooted connection to the dance floor in the studio with remixes
on Toy Tonics, Play It Down, Yoshitoshi, and Dirtybird.
A decade later, Ardy is a favored act on line-ups who trust in his ability to fire up a crowd with
his DJ prowess and ability to make eclectic selections feel right at home on the dance floor.
He’s played at Coachella, Dirtybird Campout, CRSSD, Secret Garden, Desert Hearts and at
esteemed venues like Space Miami, New York’s Output, and Detroit’s TV Lounge.
Next, Ardalan sets his sights on defining his own sound in the studio with the release of his
debut album, Mr. Good. He’s set out to push his reputation as a musical chameleon to the limits
with his record; a powerful melding of tough, jarring beats with lush melodies. Equally rowdy as
it is introspective, it’s safe to say that like Ardalan himself, there’s nothing out there like Mr.
Good.