Tanz Talks 009 // Agora

Since the inception of Agora Records in Los Angeles, they have been steadily carving their way as an essential part of the local scene, creating a space for the community to share experiences, and grow. Their record shop has quickly built a reputation for a diverse selection, with a warm and welcoming team at the heartbeat of the project. Alongside the Agora project they also run MELT, bringing artists from all corners of the globe to LA. Join us as we dig deeper into their world, their ethos’ and ideas about music with Luke, and integral part of the team. 

Hi guys, welcome to the Tanz Talks series. How has the start of 2026 been for you? 

Thank you for having us! 2026 has been a whirlwind… it’s hard to believe we’re already in April. We hit the ground running this year with some aesthetic refinements to our storefront and a heavy event schedule, including a really successful pop-up at Skyline Festival that set a great tone for the months ahead.

Tell us a bit about the early days of Agora. When did you start the project? And where are you based? 

We’re based in the heart of the Arts District in Los Angeles. The project began taking shape in early 2024, born out of a desire to create a physical hub for the community to share music and ideas. The name Agora carries a dual significance: it means 'now' in Portuguese, but also references the ancient Greek marketplace for exchanging ideas. For us, “Agora” represents 'a public gathering, now.' 

After months of curation and build-out, we finally opened our doors to the public in August 2024.

What can people expect when they come to Agora? Are you focusing on certain genres or is there a wide range? 

There is truly something for everyone, but we take pride in reaching into every 'crack and crevice' of electronic music. We’ve designed the shop to embrace the art of the dig; we encourage listeners to lose themselves for a few hours here.

Attempting to make that exploration more seamless, we’ve organized the shop into specific flows: New International Imports, Domestic Arrivals, and a deeply categorized 'Used' section. Everything is labeled with curated info stickers so that even when you're diving deep, you have a roadmap

It’s great to see how deeply you care about the culture as a collective, how has it been the last few years in LA? From an outside perspective it is constantly evolving, and you have played your part in that. 

LA is constantly shifting, and we’re proud to be part of its current evolution. Our collective comes from a background of multidisciplinary individuals. From fashion designers, to photographers, writers, and filmmakers in our ranks, this allows us to approach our projects as a team with a broader creative vision.

We’re situated right around the corner from Warner, Spotify, and Beatport HQ. It’s a high-density area for audio professionals, and our long-term vision is to help officially rezone the area as the 'Sound District.' We want to codify the cultural importance of this neighborhood on a city level.

You also had a venue in combination with the store, can you tell us about some highlight events you have made over the years? 

Absolutely. We run a venue and event series called MELT (@melt.dtla), which serves as the foundational ecosystem for Agora. MELT has been active for over three years now, focusing on bringing fresh global talent to LA.

Some major highlights include hosting EU debuts for artists like Tommy Pickles and the Bizarre Trax crew. Our last Halloween showcase was a massive milestone; we had Sweely, Z@p, and B Love playing to a crowd of 700. It really proved that the appetite for underground sounds in LA is stronger than ever.

What challenges have you had to overcome during your time? Is there anything you think could improve the local scene? 

Running a brick-and-mortar in Los Angeles is a beautiful uphill battle. Between the brutal cost of operations and the external pressures like navigating city bureaucracy and police presence, the odds are often stacked against small independent spaces. We’ve faced the real threat of displacement more than once. However, we’ve managed to stay grounded thanks to a superstar team and a community that shows up for us through thick and thin. That resilience is what defines the LA scene.

What are you looking for with new collections and records for the shop? 

Our curation leans heavily into the 'Golden Era' of 90s and 00s underground. We look for records that expand the foundations of House, Techno, and Electro. Specifically, we specialize in Deep House, Minimal, Detroit Techno, and that very specific Y2K-era Progressive Trance and Tech House. Beyond the electronic spectrum, we are always hunting for Chicago House, Dub, Boogie, and Rare Grooves to keep the bins diverse.

What were your top 3 records of 2025 at Agora? 

That’s a tough one! For 2025, these three local releases really defined the sound of the shop:

1. PCH001r: The repress of Coastal Commission’s (aka Big Sam) Rhodes Through Space. This is a foundational piece of West Coast Deep House from 1999. Hosting the release party and seeing the community celebrate this piece of local history was special.

2. Good Tunes 02: A stellar VA EP from the San Diego-based imprint by Dylan Rutledge, featuring our close friends Mungo Sound Machine and more.

3. EG04: The latest from the Elbow Grease dons, Rodney and Dave Aju. It was Rodney’s debut production; a raw, nostalgic house anthem that we couldn't keep on the shelves."

Finally, what’s next for the Agora brand? 

We’re looking toward the horizon, and the next major step is launching our West Coast Distribution. We want to provide a bridge for local US labels to get their music out, while also streamlining imports from the EU and Asia for the domestic market. We’ve already soft-launched with a few partners, but a formal announcement is coming soon!

Beyond distribution, we are launching in-house labels to represent the specific Agora sound, spanning everything from Deep House to the heavier edges of Electro, Techno, and Drum and Bass.

Discover Agora: Website / Instagram