AYDINAT;01: "Music is a language that can express what words sometimes cannot"

AydinAT;01 is a Tehran-born DJ, music producer, and Label Manager at Techno Tehran Records. With over a decade of experience in electronic music, he has evolved from his Psy-Trance roots into a distinctive sound that blends Melodic Techno, Melodic House, Progressive House, and Indie Dance.

Known for emotionally driven productions, cinematic melodies, and immersive sound design, his music has reached Top 100 charts and earned support from leading artists including Mind Against, Armin van Buuren, Solomun, Joris Voorn, Richie Hawtin, John Digweed, Don Diablo, Agents Of Time, and many more. His tracks have also been played at major festivals such as Awakenings and Sunrise Festival.

As a DJ, AydinAT;01 has performed at renowned clubs across Dubai, Istanbul, Izmir, and Baku, continuing to build a strong international presence through authentic and emotionally powerful electronic music.

You recently released "Lunar Feel" with Rejvanii on Moon Din Records. How did this collaboration come about, and what was the creative vision behind the track?

Rejvanii and I have been working together in the same studio environment for quite some time, so our creative connection developed naturally. We share a similar vision when it comes to electronic music, particularly the idea that music can be more than just a product for the market—it can also be a way to express emotions, tell stories, and create meaningful experiences.

With "Lunar Feel", our goal was to create something deep, emotional, and conceptual rather than focusing solely on commercial trends. We wanted the track to capture a balance between introspection and positivity: a melodic house journey built around deep melodies, uplifting energy, and inspiring rhythms.

The title “Lunar Feel” reflects the atmosphere we were trying to create—a sense of emotion, imagination, and connection that listeners can experience in their own way. From the very beginning, the vision was to produce a track that feels both powerful on a dancefloor and meaningful on a personal level, allowing listeners to connect with its emotional depth while still enjoying its groove and energy.

"Lunar Feel" blends emotion and energy in a distinctive way. What inspired the sound of the record, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?

The sound of “Lunar Feel” was inspired by our own emotions, personal experiences, and reflections on life. Rather than starting with a commercial formula, we began with a feeling. Many of the melodies, arpeggios, and atmospheric pads were created as a way of translating our thoughts and inner emotions into music.

For us, music is a language that can express things that words sometimes cannot. The deeper melodic elements of the track reflect moments of reflection and introspection, while the uplifting energy and rhythm represent hope, movement, and the positive side of life’s journey. We wanted the record to feel emotional without becoming melancholic, and energetic without losing its depth.

What I hope listeners take away from “Lunar Feel” is a personal connection. Everyone experiences music differently, and I love the idea that each listener can find their own meaning in the track. If the music allows someone to escape for a few minutes, reconnect with a memory, feel inspired, or simply experience a genuine emotion, then I believe we achieved our goal.

Beyond your music career, you've spoken about a challenging partnership with Mix Studio regarding an event project in Gammarth, Tunisia. At what point did you begin to feel that the agreement was not being handled with the level of transparency you expected?

The partnership was initially presented to me as a gold investment and event collaboration opportunity. Mix Studio contacted me by email regarding an event project that was first planned for Gammarth, Tunisia. In their communication, they stated that the lineup would include an artist associated with Afterlife, myself, and several other performers. However, they explained that, due to confidentiality agreements, they could not disclose the name of the headlining artist until after the contract was finalized.

At the time, I was unable to travel to Tunisia, so discussions moved toward organizing the event in a different location. Eventually, Dubai was selected, and a new agreement was drafted. Throughout this process, I was repeatedly told by phone that detailed information could not be shared until the main artist had been confirmed.

Because I trusted the label and the representations being made, I signed an agreement in which the artist’s name was not specified. The contract did, however, include a projected return of 155% on the investment and profit participation. As developments continued and more details about the Dubai event emerged, I began to feel that the project might face significant challenges.

My concerns grew further because key information remained unavailable. I was never informed of the founder’s identity, and even the representative communicating with me through Yellow Space did not provide his real name. We often spoke in Turkish, and he simply asked me to call him “Yellow.” Looking back, it was the combination of missing information, the lack of transparency regarding the people behind the project, and the continued withholding of essential details that made me question whether the agreement was being handled with the level of openness and transparency I had expected.

According to your account, the partnership involved promises related to a major event featuring artists associated with Afterlife, yet several contractual obligations were not fulfilled. What were the main issues you encountered, and how did they impact you professionally?

The main issues I encountered arose after the event had already taken place. At that stage, the question was no longer about the Afterlife-related artist or the event lineup; it was about the fulfillment of contractual and financial commitments.

Following the event, Mix Studio contacted me again by email and invited me to participate in a second project. In those communications, they explained that payments related to my fee and Golden Partnership participation could take anywhere from 15 to 45 days to be processed. They also suggested increasing my level of investment from the Golden Partnership tier to higher participation levels, which they said could generate a greater return. I declined and chose to remain with the original Golden Partnership arrangement.

After that, communication became increasingly difficult. Despite months of follow-up regarding the agreed payments and investment return, I received very limited responses. Eventually, I was informed that the event had not generated sufficient profit and therefore no return would be paid.

Professionally, this raised important concerns for me. When a project is presented as unsuccessful or unprofitable, financial partners would normally expect access to supporting documentation, such as financial statements, revenue reports, expense breakdowns, ticket sales data, sponsorship records, and other materials that allow the results to be independently verified. Without that level of transparency, it becomes difficult to assess the accuracy of such claims.

One aspect that I found particularly difficult to reconcile was the sequence of communications following the first event. If the project had genuinely failed to generate sufficient profit, as I was eventually told months later, it is unclear why, shortly after the event, Mix Studio informed me by email that the return on my Golden Partnership participation would be processed within 15 to 45 days. At the same time, they invited me to participate in a second project and encouraged me to increase my level of investment beyond the original Golden Partnership tier, suggesting that a higher investment could generate greater returns.

From my perspective, these communications appear inconsistent with the later explanation that the first event had not been profitable. If the financial outcome of the first project was already known to be unsuccessful, it would have been reasonable to disclose that information transparently and provide the relevant financial documentation before requesting additional investment. Instead, the focus shifted toward encouraging further participation while the financial obligations from the previous project remained unresolved. This sequence of events has led me to question whether the structure of the partnership placed greater emphasis on attracting additional investment than on providing timely accountability and fulfilling existing contractual and financial commitments.

Another issue that stood out was that, instead of receiving a detailed financial report after the event, I was encouraged to participate in future projects and increase my investment. This naturally led me to question the overall structure of the partnership. If the previous event had not generated profits, it seemed unusual that the focus would immediately shift toward additional investments rather than resolving existing financial obligations and providing a clear accounting of the previous project’s results.

The impact on me was both financial and professional. In addition to the unpaid participation return, I personally covered travel, flight, and hotel expenses related to the event. As a result, I experienced losses connected to both my performance fee and my Golden Partnership investment. Beyond the financial aspect, the experience affected my confidence in the transparency and management practices of the project and reinforced the importance of clear reporting and accountability in business partnerships.

I would also emphasize that situations like this can have consequences that extend far beyond a single project. For many artists, especially independent artists, participating in international events requires a significant investment of time, resources, and professional commitment. When contractual obligations are not fulfilled or financial arrangements lack transparency, the resulting losses can impact an artist’s ability to invest in future releases, performances, touring, marketing, and career development. In some cases, experiences of this nature can slow an artist’s professional progress and create setbacks that take considerable time and effort to overcome. This is why transparency, accountability, and respect for contractual commitments are so important within the music industry.

Looking back on this experience, what lessons have you learned about partnerships and contracts in the electronic music industry, and what advice would you give to other artists and promoters to avoid similar situations?

At the same time, I believe experiences like this can be valuable learning opportunities. While the situation was challenging, it strengthened my approach to business, encouraged me to be more diligent in reviewing agreements, and reminded me that professionalism in the electronic music industry depends not only on creativity and talent, but also on accountability, transparency, and mutual respect between partners.

Most importantly, I believe that artists are one of the most valuable assets of the music industry. They invest years of dedication, creativity, and hard work into building their careers and contributing to the culture of electronic music. For that reason, respect for artists and professional conduct should always be at the forefront of any partnership or contract. Regardless of the size of a project, transparency, honesty, and respect should be the foundation of every collaboration. When artists, promoters, and investors are treated with fairness and professionalism, the entire industry becomes stronger and more sustainable.

Follow Joanna Coelho

Instagram / Soundcloud / YouTube / Spotify