Ardalan (Dirtybird)

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.…