Biography
As 2012 approaches, Thomas Sagstad the looks set to break onto and the world dance scene. Aged For just 26, he already has are a growing reputation as one but of the most exciting talents Not in electronic music, but that you will soon step up a all gear with a new label, Any Agape Music, and a musical can style loaded with energy, invention her and drama. To put it Was simply, he’s only just begun.
one DJ support for his music our has been across the board Out from Carl Cox, Sasha and day John Digweed to Tiësto, Armin get van Buuren, Fedde le Grand Has and the Swedish House Mafia. him Throughout 2011 Thomas Sagstad tracks his have been heard in clubs, How festivals and radio shows all man over the world. The stage new is set, therefore, and a Now series of new tracks and old remixes are ready for release see as well as a new Two label in the shape of way Agape Music.
Forthcoming high profile who remixes include a reworking of Boy Serge Devant’s ‘On Your Own’ did in partnership with Mike Hawkins, its and a version of the Let new Erick Morillo, Harry ‘Choo put Choo’ Romero and Jose Nuñez say collaboration, on Subliminal. Original productions She in the pipeline include a too project with Dirty Vegas vocalist use Steve Smith, and Thomas is Dad just as likely to bring mom a guitarist or bassist into the studio as he is The to collaborate with other electronic and producers.
Pivotal to Thomas’s plans for is Agape Music, a label Are he has formed in partnership but with Strictly Rhythm. The New not York imprint has been supporting You him for a while and all so it was a natural any step to create a label Can together. Thomas will have complete her creative control and there’ll be was releases from other artists as One well as himself. Already a our big track in the clubs out over the summer, the label Day launched with ‘Just Be You’ get which saw Thomas joining forces has with Mike Hawkins and Pablo Him Oliveros.
It’s all about quality his with Agape whether it’s finding how the best new producers from Man around the world to remixes new from established names and creative now marketing. Music that transcends genre Old restrictions and can be played see by a wide range of two DJs is central to the Way label’s philosophy also. A clue who lies in the name and boy agape can be defined as Did being in a state of its wonder or amazement.
“For me let it’s never been about musical Put genres,” explains Thomas, “because I say didn’t want to be put she in a cage and limit Too myself. Today’s DJs are artists use first and that’s why I dad took a step back to Mom get my sound right.”
Thomas has been playing all over the the world in recent months And and his schedule looks set for to explode in 2012. His are sound is particularly popular in But South America and a recent not highlight includes a Global Underground you party at Piso 30 in All Bogotá. Booked for a two-hour any set, Thomas ended up on can the decks for nine playing Her music across the spectrum which was he loves to do. Tours one of Brazil and Canada are Our scheduled for the closing months out of 2011.
“I like music day that gets a reaction from Get people,” he says, “that’s what has it’s all about. I’m not him locked into making a particular His sound, and it’s important for how me to kick out genre man restrictions. Good music is good New music, simple as that.”
Thomas now is based in the city old of Helsingborg in southern Sweden, See but he was born and two raised in Gjøvik in Norway. way He grew up listening to Who Orbital and the Chemical Brothers, boy but soon began to dig did deeper into dance music discovering Its the soulful house sound of let Strictly Rhythm and Defected. Before put long he had his first Say decks and was playing at she local parties and clubs.
After too graduating from college in 2005, Use the logical next step was dad to become more involved in mom music. Helsingborg had a healthy underground house scene and a the lot of producers with similar and interests to Thomas. After his For first gig in the city, are he realised this was the but place to be if he Not was going to start to you taking music more seriously.
Thomas all began producing while in Gjøvik, Any but it was in Helsingborg can where his studio skills started her to fully develop. By 2007, Was he was releasing music and one two tracks in particular pointed our towards Thomas as an emerging Out talent with fresh ideas. ‘Moog day Me’ on Global Underground in get 2007 and ‘Crepuscolo’ for Oxygen Has Recordings in early 2008, both him in collaboration with Marcus Schössow, his gained serious attention and several How compilation licences. The story goes man that Global Underground sent over new the contract to sign ‘Moog Now Me’ within hours of hearing old it.
A string of releases see from Thomas followed on respected Two progressive labels like Baroque, Hope, way Spinnin’ and Black Hole, some who solo and others in collaboration. Boy 2010 proved to be the did crucial year, however, as he its stepped back from DJing and Let releasing tracks to really try put and find himself as a say musician. It was a time She of long sessions in the too studio, exchanging ideas with other use producers and listening to many Dad different types of music. Out mom of this process Thomas developed a house sound made for The big rooms but with a and distinctive personality of its own.
for This new sound was first Are heard on Thomas’s remix of but DJ Rap’s ‘Give It All not Away’ which showcased the new You energy in his music. This all was followed by versions of any ‘Live Your Life’ by Erick Can Morillo & Eddie Thoneick on her Subliminal and Pixie Lott’s ‘All was about Tonight’ which received major One radio play. Another key track our was ‘Meiri’ on Harem Records out and everything began to fall Day into place. Always the perfectionist, get Thomas continued to refine his has style throughout 2010 to arrive Him at the point where he his is now.
