Arad Maor is a rising force in the Tel Aviv nightlife scene, carving a distinctive path through Acid House, Dark Disco, and Indie Dance.
Photo credit: Bar Shahar
Following recent releases like ‘London Town’ on Dirtybird Records and ‘Acid Machine’, he now returns with his new EP ‘Set Me Free’, out via Great Stuff Talents.
As a DJ and producer shaped by both sides of the booth, Arad draws from years of experience on the dancefloor, translating that energy into hardware-driven tracks tailored for peak-time movement. With his sound evolving across genres while staying grounded in club functionality, he’s quickly becoming a name to watch beyond his hometown.
In this conversation, Arad opens up about his creative process, personal milestones, and the challenge of standing out in today’s saturated scene.
EG: Hi, Arad! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been doing?
Arad Maor: Hi! Excited to speak to you guys. I’m doing really well, mostly producing and DJing. Trying to create some new hits, you know.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the drop of your new two-track EP, ‘Set Me Free’! You must be very excited about this one. What has the initial reception been like so far?
Arad Maor: Oh thanks! It is really exciting. I’ve been playing these two tracks for so long, I’m really happy to see them finally out. Been getting a lot of good responses about this release, from friends to big DJs, sending me videos of ‘Set Me Free’ being played at festivals. It’s awesome. It’s also climbing up the Beatport charts—let’s hope it keeps going.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Set Me Free’, musically speaking? Is there a concept or emotional trigger running across these two cuts?
Arad Maor: ‘Set Me Free’ means a lot to me, especially because it’s my girlfriend, Tahel, singing the vocals on the track. To have your girlfriend singing on your track is not something every DJ can have, so I’m really grateful for her. What makes it so “iconic” is probably the piano chords, taken from the House anthem ‘Move Your Body’ by Marshall Jefferson. Funny thing—I first heard it on GTA San Andreas, so I had to do something with it.
With ‘Pardon My French’, I think what makes it fun is that it’s really simple. I produced it while lying on the couch and it sounded so groovy, so I took the laptop to the studio and finished it.
EG: ‘Set Me Free’ also signals your debut on Great Stuff Talents. Why did you decide to go with them for this particular release? What was that process like?
Arad Maor: Actually, I’ve been following Great Stuff for a while because I really like their Tech House releases. Then I saw that N.O.Y, who I know from Tel Aviv and love his sound, released an EP there which includes ‘Your Master’, a track I played a lot. So I decided to send them these tracks and they loved it. The process was really easy and simple—these guys are true professionals. Shout out to Jochen and Markus for handling this release so well!
“I feel like my sound comes from my experience on the dancefloor—as a DJ and also as a clubber and raver”
EG: By the way, thank you for your contribution to our EG Spotlight mix series! Fantastic delivery. Tell us, for those who haven’t heard it yet, what can they find on this one? How do you approach your mixes? Is there a concept to this particular one?
Arad Maor: It was a pleasure—I always enjoy recording a set. For this one, I wanted to play some of my unreleased music along with IDs from my friends from Tel Aviv like JATO, Toni B, DOX, and Swarllie. It was important for me to play the two tracks from the latest EP, so I started with ‘Pardon My French’ and from there I just rolled with it. I didn’t plan the tracklist except for those two, and I usually don’t like planning—it’s more fun to see how it goes naturally. It brings more soul to the set, in my opinion.
EG: You’ve been DJing since 2014… How did you come across electronic dance music? What was it about it that got you hooked?
Arad Maor: I’ve always been a fan of EDM. As a kid, I used to watch clips on YouTube from Tomorrowland, Ultra, EDC, and many more, and wanted to be that guy who controls thousands of people. I grew up in a small town, so when I started DJing, I was basically the only DJ in town. I immediately started performing and got addicted to that feeling of making people enjoy your selection of music. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do in life.
Around 2017, I was really into Tech House. I remember scrolling through the DIRTYBIRD SoundCloud page and liking every track. What’s crazy is that after six years, I had the pleasure of releasing my track ‘London Town’ on this label.
EG: How would you define your own sound? Are you making the music you thought you’d be making when you first got started?
Arad Maor: I feel like my sound comes from my experience on the dancefloor—as a DJ and also as a clubber and raver. When I produce a track, I always ask: Will it work on the dancefloor? Will it fit next to my other music in a set? Which DJ can play it?
I don’t think I can say that I have a specific sound, and in some way, I don’t want to be categorized. When I started, like I said, I was really into tech house. Today, I think my sound blends tech house, indie dance, maybe some inspiration from disco, and funk.
One thing I can say—I do love analog. It’s the synths I use in every track that pretty much define my sound. I even started to mix and master with some analog hardware that I own, so try to hear it in my next tracks.
EG: Now, stepping outside of the studio… Given your trajectory, what are some of the biggest challenges artists will face in the near future?
Arad Maor: That’s a great question. It feels like in today’s TikTok age, everybody becomes a DJ. People need to work way harder to stand out and be unique.
Everybody can DJ, and everybody can produce, but at the end of the day, you have to go out and play somewhere. Like I said, when I produce I draw inspiration from experience in the booth. So to be able to do that, you have to be consistent and unique—and that’s the challenge.
It’s a race, whether you like it or not, but you have to focus on yourself and see how you can grow.
“Everybody can DJ, and everybody can produce, but at the end of the day, you have to go out and play somewhere”
EG: What’s next for Arad Maor? What milestones are you looking forward to now? Where can your fans catch you next? Any tours on the horizon?
Arad Maor: I have several tracks that are set to release throughout the year and 2026, and I’m always creating and looking for opportunities to sign on big labels.
Right now, I’m in Tel Aviv playing in some local clubs, and I’m planning a little tour in 2026—maybe Europe, South Africa, and later that year back to the United States. I’ll post more details about it soon.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Arad! We wish you all the best in the future. Take care!
Arad Maor: Thank you guys! It was fun! We’ll be in touch.
Arad Maor’s ‘Set Me Free’ is out now on Great Stuff Talents. Stream and download here.
Follow Arad Maor: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
