Agoria

Agoria is the French electronic producer, composer and DJ Sébastien Devaud, whose work spans club records, album-length projects and film music. Born on 16 January 1976 in Valencin, France, he began listening closely to electronic music after hearing Inner City’s “Good Life” on local radio as a teenager. A Jeff Mills set in nearby Lyon was another early reference point, particularly Mills’ use of three turntables and a drum machine.

Devaud started out DJing and promoting parties with friends, and took the name Agoria from their Agora party series, a reference to the ancient Greek meeting place. He began producing and releasing his own material in 1999, then reached an international audience through a run of 12-inch releases on Pias recordings in 2002. His debut album, Blossom, followed in 2003. Subsequent releases include The Green Armchair (2006), Impermanence (2011), .dev (2011), Drift (2019) and Unshadow (2024).

His catalogue moves through techno, house, electro and more minimal forms of electronic music, often balancing stripped-back rhythmic construction with melodic detail. Alongside his own productions, Agoria has made mix compilations and remixed artists including Moby, New Order and Metronomy. He has also released EPs for labels including Innervisions, Kompakt and Hotflush.

Beyond the DJ booth and studio, Devaud helped create the Lyon music festival Nuits Sonores and is one of the founders of the InFiné record label. He later founded Sapiens Records, launched in 2016 with his single “Up All Night.” His work as a composer includes the soundtrack for the film Go Fast, as well as music for Lucky. He has also worked across film, sound design and contemporary-art settings, including projects connected with director Jan Kounen and sound designer Nicolas Becker.