SIX FOR ONE: Viken Arman
The Frenchman shows his wide-ranging sphere of influence with a varied selection…
It is safe to say that Viken Arman is pushing the boundaries of electronic music with a unique mixture of future and past sounds. He fuses ancient melodies with electronic beats to create magical vibes; dance music which brings cultures together through mystical musical journeys. Look, he might just be a real-life musical shaman.
The sphere of musical influence he draws from is as impressive as it is wide-ranging. Growing up with jazz and classical music, he cites artists like Keith Jarrett, Erik Satie, Bill Evans, Jay Dilla, Ricardo Villalobos and the Arabic diva Oum Khalthoum as inspiration - and it shows in his engaging live shows. He was one of the stand-out performances at the past weekend’s Chi Wow Wah Town Festival, and if you missed that, or would like a second serving, the Frenchman will be playing at the official Chi-Wow Wow Wah Town after-party event this Friday night at The Night Cat. With such a diverse background, Viken Arman is the perfect subject for a Six For One session…
A track that made me want to be a DJ:
Daft Punk - Da Funk (1996)
Technically I never wanted to be a DJ, but I must say that when Daft Punk came up with their debut album « Homework », that was a bomb! A revolution. For everyone, in particular in France. They broke so many rules. When I saw the crazy video clip (with the dog head) on MTV before going to school, I was pretty young at that time, I got instantly fascinated! I understood many things that day.
This track makes me think most of my hometown:
Cassius - Feeling For You (1999)
‘I come from Paris and Cassius was the most Parisian duo ever. I listened to their debut record 1999 doing so many things: walking in Paris, in the metro, anytime, anywhere. Recently, Philippe Zdar, who is one half of Cassius, tragically passed away. I listened to this album the night I got this terrible news and I realized how much this track was linked to my childhood and my city. Paris Forever. Cassius Forever.’
If I could only play you one of my tracks it would be:
Viken Arman - Hope (2015)
‘I’d say no one ahah! Well, I think ‘Hope’ has a special meaning to me. I made this track in remembrance of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Sometimes music can be more powerful than words, you can reach more people. That was the idea with this project: to be able to spread a certain message of hope and unity in a club or anywhere else.’
A track from my favourite artist:
My Favorite Things - John Coltrane (1961)
‘I’m addicted to John Coltrane. He’s a huge part of my musical background. I grew up with all the spiritual Free Jazz scene, which was a true revelation to me. And Coltrane was the boss. When I listen to ‘My Favorite Things’, all of a sudden the time stops and leads us to a shiny ballad. I could have selected any other tracks from his discography, as everything is out of this world.’
A non-electronic dance music track I love:
Tigran Hamasyan - The Cave of Rebirth (2017)
‘Tigran is my hero and my friend. In my opinion, he is the only true musical genius I have ever met. His mind is somewhere on a different galaxy. He manages to speak music like no one. Technically and musically, he is way beyond. Eternal respect.’
A track from an up-and-coming artist I love:
Kerala Dust - Closer (O/Y Remix)
My buddies. O/Y is already a legend. I love his groove! Keep your ears open!
