Welcome back to Drift State! This weeks guest is a local talent from Toronto, let's welcome Etch to the Drift State family!


Artist Socials:
Instagram: / @dj.etch
SoundCloud: / @dj-etch


Tracklist:

DS003 - etch

Etch is a 27-year-old DJ based in Toronto. His love for electronic music began in the early 2010s through the discovery of Oliver Schories’ Fields Without Fences and Solomun’s iconic boiler room set.

Over the years, he developed a taste for a wide range of sub genres including deep house, melodic house and techno but his one true passion lies with progressive house and it’s layered, story-telling features - a quality he constantly evolves and expresses through his sets. His style is inspired by the likes of Hernan Cattaneo, John Digweed, Nicolas Rada, Brian Cid, Hyunji-A and many more.

@futureavenuelabel @balkan-connection
@soh-records @ah-digital-1

ARJ (IR) is a Toronto-born electronic music producer and DJ known for his work in deep and progressive house. His early exposure—thanks to his parents—to Global Underground, Buddha Bar, and artists like Dave Seaman and deadmau5 sparked a fascination with emotional depth and evolving structures from as young as age five. Later inspirations such as Guy J, Sébastien Léger, Subandrio, and other key figures in the progressive community further shaped his focus on atmosphere, melodic storytelling, and subtle rhythmic detail.

He began producing in 2025, developing his craft through dedicated experimentation and a growing interest in creating immersive, evolving compositions. With music now signed to labels such as AH Digital, Balkan Connection, Future Avenue, and Sound Of Harmonies—and with his tracks remixed by heavyweights in the global progressive scene including Exile (AR), Nishan Lee, Fran Baigo, Seba Benedetti, and more—his studio approach emphasizes thoughtful arrangement and refined sound design, balancing groove-forward energy with introspective melodics.

Having already received support from artists like Blake Jarell, Cosmonaut, Teleport-X, Luca Abayan, Nicolas Viana, and Noise Generation—and having shared the stage with progressive house icons including Guy Mantzur and Hicky & Kalo, as well as local talents such as Sa-MoaN, Locotek, and Oz Akgun—ARJ (IR) continues to refine his artistic voice with steady growth and authentic expression. His aim is to contribute meaningfully to the evolution of progressive house, driven by a deep and enduring passion for the genre.