Meet ARODES, an artist who is not afraid to be playful and experimental with his sound

ARODES, the Spanish producer and music selector from Alicante, now based in Miami, is a global force in the music industry. Whether he's performing on grand stages worldwide, curating his beloved 'Unreleased,' or collaborating with a diverse range of artists, ARODES is a name that resonates with music lovers across the globe.

ARODES' ability to connect with his audience is unparalleled. From captivating the most discerning crowds at festivals like Burning Man, Coachella, Sundream, and Tomorrowland, to introducing his series of events and now label 'Unreleased,' ARODES knows how to read the crowd and provide them with a musical experience that lingers long after every event.

A thing that was completely clear to us was that he is not afraid to be playful and experimental, allowing himself to dive into an ocean of sonic diversity. This month has been a great one for him, not only for the release of the single 'Use Somebody' via Unreleased Records in collaboration with Armada Music, but also for the announcement of his three shows during Amsterdam Dance Event.

Keep reading and discover the breath-taking path of the Spaniard, who gave us a deep talk after his trip to Burning Man where he performed 10 shows with amazing B2Bs and solo sets.

Hi Adrian, thank you so much for having us, we are so excited to have you here and talk about your label, music and many more fascinating things. What can you share with us about this summer? What would you like to highlight?

Hi, thank you so much, I am so happy to be on the cover! This summer had many highlights, as you could see.

We started it with our shared residency at Playa Soleil in Ibiza, where I shared the stage with beautiful people and talented artists like Andrea Oliva, Echonomist Mahmut Orhan, Shimza, and more.

On the other hand, we officially started the label Unreleased Records which totally represents my signature sound and style.

It's not that we are stalkers, but we were closely following your Instagram posts and saw that you had a great time at the residence in Playa Soleil. We'd love to hear all about it and what your main takeaways are.

The entire team put in a lot of hard work and dedication to ensure that everything went smoothly, from public relations and marketing to curating a special lineup.

During the Unrelease residency, the focus was on prioritizing good music over big names, and this was evident as people were looking for quality music. It was a fantastic celebration and quickly became our favourite party, everybody was so happy.

The artists that joined us surprised me a lot with their music and versatility. Also, I appreciated that my friend Shimza was there every time that he could, he is someone that I respect a lot.

Ibiza in certain way is also your home. What inspires you most about the island?

Well, I live in Miami during the winter, but I spend the whole summer in Ibiza. Ibiza is everything, is my favourite place in the world, because of its vibe and what it represents for the music, but also its beaches and diversity, the hippie movement sharing with cutting edge.

I think, if you plan a career in the electronic Music industry Ibiza can play a major role in the development of your profile. The island and its venues and events are very strong global brands, to be part of this magic which happens every year is very exciting. As a Spanish DJ I am of course proud of Ibiza.

How did electronic music come into your way?

In a certain way, music has always been part of my life, at home we listened to a lot of music; as you already know, my mother was a music teacher. When I was around 18, I started going to Ibiza, where I connected for the first time with electronic music. I am from Alicante, so Ibiza is relatively close.

I discovered that scene and loved it, first as a consumer of electronic music. Eventually, I moved to Los Angeles in 2011, and I started to be involved more and more in events, and festivals as a hobby. I developed a good network with promoters, DJs, etc.

My background was in football; since I was a kid, I have played this sport, almost in a professional way. So, out of the blue, I started to have the same sensations of excitement with the music, the same that I felt when I was a little kid and played football.

Some years ago, I hosted a party at home, and the DJs that played there left their equipment in my place. I started to focus, and the whole day, I practiced the DJ skills, and I kept doing it; it was like an addiction. One day, I had the opportunity to play in a club in LA, then house parties, and I felt so much happiness and the rest is history.

What makes ARODES so versatile and nothing sounds alike, but at the same time we can identify your sound?

One of the things I’m most proud of is finding my own sound and style. As a true music lover, this means a lot to me.

The development of your own music style of course goes thru different phases and is never standing still. That is the challenge, and you need to be open to this process.

To get influenced by all this amazing music out there like Afro House, Melodic Techno, Indie House etc and at the same time create your own specific sounding soundline as a producer and DJ is one of the most challenging things have done in my life.

I love to combine different elements and styles to create this new image of my tracks. Today anyways the strict lines between the genres are gone, so it’s a very exciting time for me.

As you can see, there are many ways to create your identity in music, and it's fun because being versatile is also good, depending on the moment, the crowd, and the place.

Something that I consider pretty of being a DJ is the improvisation; otherwise, you become in a concert.

Being a DJ is all about your taste in music and what motivates you, I strive to create and perform music that is a true reflection of who I am—authentic, unapologetic, and something I can stand behind with pride in every set.

Recently, you have released your track ‘Use Somebody’ in collaboration with REDD. A very inspirational anthem for a perfect closing, how does the track come to your way?

I’ve always loved the original one by the Kings of Leon, it has been one of my favourite songs of all times.

Once, I had a meeting with REDD, and he came up with the idea, he already had the re-recorded vocals and I simply loved them it gave the song a new identity which I could translate into electronic music.

So we started to work on it and the first day that I played it the crowd’s reaction was incredible, it became an anthem.

Before the release date, I’ve gotten many messages of DJs and people that wanted that I shared the track with them. This version of ‘Use Somebody’ is a closing track, for emotional moments because people know the lyric.

The track was released on my Label Unreleased Records in collaboration with Armada Music, I am very happy with the collaboration with Armada Music we are a great team, they are very professional and nice people and they do a great job; Use Somebody this week is number 4 in Beatport’s Afro House charts and number 10 in Beatport’s overall charts.

Friends like Andrea Oliva and Jan Blomqvist have their labels collaborations as well with Armada Music. Also, the CEO Maykel Piron came to see my show in Cannes.

Also, I remember you mentioned to us the upcoming release of your track ‘KIDZ’, please tell us more.

‘KIDZ’ is more peak time with strong synths, and the presence of piano that makes a captivating melody that leads an interesting journey across the track.

But, at the same time the groove and the baseline are peak time. I would say that this track represents me in a very good way.

There are greater possibilities to collaborate with artists from other genres that respect their authenticity without falling into egos and that the final result is always adequate.

Yes, we live in an era of stigmas and barriers falling. We see more and more that 'mainstream or EDM artists' want to reach the underground genre and vice versa.

So, these collaborations started to see the light. For me, it is fine; in the end, the crowd loves what is new, and in the past, this kind of collaboration was unthinkable.

It's ok because you can leave your comfort zone, and when you leave it, you always grow and have a different point of view.

I always say music is the boss! You can try to collaborate, but if the result does not work, it simply doesn't work; I do not like forcing things. Music is a union between artists and audiences.

Music has the power to break all kinds of barriers, so these new collaborations between artist from other music kingdoms can be something fantastic because you gather artists from different countries and backgrounds, and the result can surprise you.

A good part of this cover story is the launch of 'Unreleased Events.' What is the essence that encompasses everything related to your showcases?

We are so happy about it with 'Unreleased' we are creating a community. First, the most crucial thing for us is letting the music speak for itself. We are trying to produce events that are well-curated with excellent sound quality and top end shows.

We also want to give artists visibility in our showcases. The project started two years ago, and we are growing. This summer, I shared a residence at Playa Soleil in Ibiza with Andrea Oliva and at Void Mykonos.

Additionally, we will have a showcase at the Amsterdam Dance Event and close the year in Argentina and finally Brazil.

What musical line does the music label have?

‘Unreleased’ is going to have the musical line around ARODES. We are open to anything with what I as a label head can identify myself.

The music has to have good grooves and melodies, tracks that you listen to, and you can instantly feel something more than just physically; that is my mission.

We already have signed 30 tracks from other artists and mine as well. We have fantastic support from promoters, artists, and audiences that now recognize our sound.

We know you shared this residence with Andrea Oliva in Ibiza during the season. But also, you are getting ready to perform together again in ADE with three shows, what can we expect from this?

On the 17th, I will be hosting an event at the W Hotel in ADE where I'll invite friends and family. The next day, we will make our debut at The LOFT, hosting 'Unreleased x All I Need', with Andrea Oliva, Colyn, Mahmut Orhan, Shimza, and Vintage Culture joining us.

After that, we will have an after party at The Crane. I'm really excited about it. Andrea Oliva has a lot of experience and sees in me the energy of someone eager to achieve great things. Our synergy is fantastic, and he has also changed his sound a bit and will be part of 'Unreleased' as well.

Before we wrap up, I'm eager to hear about your transformative experience at Burning Man. How did this unique journey contribute to your growth as an artist and a person? I'm sure it was a significant steppingstone in your personal and artistic evolution.

Burning Man is my favourite place. I had 10 shows, and every performance was a unique blend of my personal style and the energy of the event.

I had a B2B with Vintage Culture, Shimza, and Rodriguez Jr, and of course my solo sets which was a highlight. The people I went with were extraordinary human beings. We had a fantastic time and only good things.

In this edition, I felt more comfortable with myself, and my music was played more and more. I can tell you that in this knowledge curve, I have learned to be balanced and manage my emotions because, as you know, sailing in this industry can be hard and complicated.

For instance, at Burning Man, I learned the importance of self-care and humility, which I apply in my daily life. I recommend to everyone to keep their balance, take care of their health, always keep their goal, and remain humble.

Speaking towards the not-so-distant future, what is your take on about AI? Is it a tool that provides more significant opportunities to artists of the industry? Or could it limit us in a certain way?

It sounds like a threat, but we must always be prepared for technological advances. I haven't dived so much into this topic; I have yet to use it.

But I saw many artists using AI to create vocals, etc. Taking advantage of this technology is a smart thing. Life is in constant evolution, and we have to be prepared for it and flexible enough to adapt to the changes.

In addition to all this, what does 2024 look like? What excites you the most?

I'm so excited about everything on my label. As I told you, music has so many ways. Some artists prefer to work alone, but I am a team player, and I love to build a family with my music and showcases; we are helping many artists, receiving new music, and creating synergy; it is pretty to grow all together.

The summer season was very important to me. I am looking forward to ADE, we will have our ‘Unreleased’ party at the LOFT, and in December we will return to South America. We also want to close the year in Brazil. Speaking of Brazil, I just did a remix for Vintage Culture, so stayed tuned.

Connect with ARODES and Unreleased on their socials!

Instagram | Soundcloud | Facebook | Unreleased IG