Anjunadeep: From Deep House Imprint to Global Destination Community

From Side Project to Independent Label

When Above & Beyond and manager James Grant launched Anjunadeep in 2005, the concept was straightforward: a home for tracks that felt "deeper, more emotional", material that didn't fit the main Anjunabeats catalog.

"It was a small passion project at the time," James Grant later recalled. Twenty years later, that project has become one of dance music's more durable independent labels.

Early Anjunadeep occupied space between progressive house and progressive trance, maintaining connections with its parent label. The shift came in the mid-2010s: while many electronic labels pursued peak-time energy, Anjunadeep moved toward slower tempos and deeper emotional textures.

"Though the beats have slowed down over the years, Anjunadeep's mission has remained consistent: discovering and sharing electronic music with melodic and emotional depth."

The Sound

Anjunadeep's output blends melodic house, deep house, progressive, and ambient elements. The common thread is emotional resonance rather than genre classification.

The artist roster traces melodic house's evolution: from early names like Jaytech and Dusky, through Lane 8 and Yotto, to current artists including Ben Böhmer, Eli & Fur, and CRi. The label consistently signs producers whose work functions both in clubs and on headphones.

Because of Art illustrates this approach. In 2025, his remix of Karyendasoul's "B27" reached number one on Beatport's Electronica chart. His single "Fired Up" approached one million streams. He has received support from Gorgon City, Sam Divine, and John Digweed. His work spans club tracks and ambient compositions.

His February 2026 collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Steven Weston, "To The Heart / We Go Again," combines club-ready energy with melodic elements.

Ben Böhmer and Marsh productions combine steady four-on-the-floor rhythms with evolving harmonic progressions, often drawing from film-score aesthetics rather than traditional club loops.

The result is a style that travels easily between contexts: headphones, long-distance travel playlists, sunset DJ sets, and open-air festival stages.

This balance between club rhythm and emotional atmosphere has become one of the defining characteristics associated with the label’s catalog.

Destination Events and the Rise of “Scenic Listening”

Beyond its music releases, Anjunadeep has built a strong identity through event design. Rather than one-off nights, they produce destination experiences.

AlbaniaThe annual Explorations festival in Dhërmi, Albania has become a regular gathering for the label's audience. Sunrise beach sessions, cliffside stages, and multi-day programming create an environment that extends beyond standard festival formats.

"From sunrise shows in Albania to sold-out nights at London's Printworks and New York's Brooklyn Mirage, the Anjunadeep experience has expanded beyond recorded music."

DubaiSince the early 2020s, Anjunadeep has maintained a presence at Dubai's Bohemia Beach Club. February 2025 marked their fifth open-air event there. James Grant noted: "Our Dubai shows have become an annual gathering for fans from the Middle East and beyond."

In November 2025 and February 2026, the label presented events at FIVE Palm Jumeirah featuring Amtrac, Dosem, Eli & Fur, and Jody Wisternoff.

IndiaMarch 2026 brings Anjunadeep Open Air to Mumbai (March 14) and Bangalore (March 15), with CRi, Eli & Fur, Nordfold, and Parallel Voices. These follow previous multi-city tours across Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Kolkata, plus a New Year's show in Goa.

The label has also developed a partnership with a Johnnie Walker non-alcoholic beverage brand, whose "Find Your Mix" positioning aligns with electronic music culture.

This strategy reflects a broader trend in electronic music events where environment and travel experience play an increasingly important role. Rather than simply presenting a lineup, these festivals package geography, atmosphere and sound into a single experience. For a melodic house label, this environment amplifies the music’s intended emotional tone. Tracks designed around spacious arrangements and gradual builds tend to translate naturally into open-air settings.

Community as Infrastructure

Equally significant is the label’s global fan community, widely known as the “Anjunafamily.” Over the years, this network has developed into a recognizable cultural layer surrounding the brand.

Fans frequently travel internationally to attend label events, often treating them as recurring gatherings rather than isolated concerts. Merchandise, online forums and local meetups reinforce this sense of identity.

In a digital music economy where attention shifts quickly between releases, this kind of long-term loyalty has become an important structural advantage.

Some artists connected to the wider Anjuna ecosystem have also experimented with ways to preserve the listening experience itself. Lane 8 introduced phone-free policies at events associated with the This Never Happened concept, encouraging audiences to focus entirely on the performance environment.

Although not limited to the Anjunadeep roster, this philosophy reflects the broader emphasis on immersive listening that the label promotes.

Upcoming Activities

Events

14-15 March | Anjunadeep Open Air | India

28 March | Anjunadeep Open Air | Miami

3-4 April | Anjunadeep Open Air | South Africa

11-18 April | Anjunadeep Open Air | South America

2 May | Anjunadeep Open Air | Washington D.C.

16 May | Anjunadeep Gdańsk

23 May | Anjunadeep Berlin

30 May | Anjunadeep Open Air | Manchester

11-16 June | Anjunadeep Explorations | Albania

4 July | Anjunadeep Open Air | Montréal

5 July | Anjunadeep Open Air | Toronto

11 July | Anjunadeep Open Air | Bay Area

18 July | Anjunadeep Open Air | New York City

1 August | Anjunadeep Open Air | Istanbul

9 August | Anjunadeep Open Air | London

13 September | Anjunadeep Open Air | The Gorge

8-11 October | Anjunadeep Malta

New Releases

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• Albums/Compilations:

James Grant & Jody Wisternoff: Anjunadeep 16

Leaving Laurel: our lives entwined

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• EPs & Singles:
  • <u>Ezequiel Arias</u>: 'Dream Controller' (with <u>Durante</u>).
  • <u>Kasper Koman</u>: 'Gertrude EP'.
  • <u>Marsh</u>: 'Aria EP', 'Lailonie' (5 Year Anniversary).
  • <u>Dosem</u>: 'Levitize'.
  • <u>Because of Art</u> & <u>Steven Weston</u>: 'To The Heart / We Go Again'.
  • <u>Nordfold</u>: 'Forever / Together'.
  • <u>CRi</u> & <u>Nicky Elisabeth</u>: 'This Is Our Life'.
  • <u>Kloyd</u>: 'New Love'.
  • <u>OLING</u> & <u>Viggo Dyst</u>: 'My Friends'.

Anjunadeep has developed a model where audiences follow the label beyond clubs to multiple locations. Albania, Dubai, and India represent ongoing destinations rather than isolated events. The "Anjunafamily" descriptor reflects actual attendance patterns.

By maintaining a consistent sonic identity while expanding into events and community culture, the label has positioned itself as a reference point for melodic house audiences worldwide. Rather than redefining house music’s rhythmic foundations, Anjunadeep’s contribution lies in how it reframed emotional depth as a central element of the genre’s modern identity.