Azari & III
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Entertainment |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Dinamo Azari, Fritz Helder, Alixander III, Starving Yet Full |
| Defunct | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | House, electronic, dance music |
Azari & III (pronounced "Azari and Third") was a Canadian ensemble established in 2008, recognized for their contributions to house, electronic, and dance genres. Their eponymous debut album released in 2011 featured notable tracks such as "Hungry for the Power" and "Reckless (With Your Love)" that garnered widespread acclaim.
History
The group Azari & III came together in 2007 when Dinamo Azari, Fritz Helder, Alixander III (Alphonse Lanza), and Starving Yet Full (Cedric Gasaida) met at a karaoke venue. Their initial single, "Hungry for the Power," was launched in 2009 but was briefly removed from YouTube due to its provocative content. This release was succeeded by "Reckless (With Your Love)," which captured the interest of Canadian DJ and producer Tiga. In 2010, they collaborated with Friendly Fires on the track "Stay Here" and also issued solo singles titled "Indigo" and "Into the Night."
In August 2011, the band unveiled the single "Manic" along with their debut album Azari & III, which attained the 13th position on the UK Dance Albums Chart. Both "Hungry for the Power" and "Reckless (With Your Love)" were reissued as Azari & III performed at prominent festivals such as Glastonbury, Lovebox in the United Kingdom, and Sónar in Spain.
Their singles achieved strong rankings on the 2011 German Club Charts: "Hungry for the Power" reached #2, "Manic" was at #7, and "Reckless (With Your Love)" placed at #121. Additionally, they provided remixes for artists including Robyn and Cut Copy. The debut record was re-released throughout Europe in early 2012, accompanied by ongoing festival appearances at events like Southside, Hurricane, Hove, Exit, and Sziget. That year, Azari & III headlined the Dalston Superstore Live stage during London's Lovebox Festival. The track "Into the Night" saw a re-release featuring an updated video, followed by the single "Lost in Time." Notably, "Reckless (With Your Love)" climbed to #3 on the German Club Charts in 2012. The group also earned a nomination for the Polaris Music Prize that same year.
In 2013, they issued Remix Album 2013 alongside Body Language Vol. 13, which contained remixed versions of other artists' songs. Later that year in November, Alixander III announced that the band had disbanded, explaining that their creative journey had reached its conclusion.
Toronto-based label Idol Hanse compiled previously unreleased material into Rarities From Extremities in 2015; this collection was long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize in 2016.
Band members
- Dinamo Azari (Christian Philip Maxwell Farley) – producer, instrumentalist
- Alixander III (Alphonse Lanza III) – producer, instrumentalist
- Starving Yet Full (Cédric Gasaida) – lead vocalist
- Fritz Helder (Fritz Helder) – lead vocalist
Studio albums
- 2011: Azari & III, Loose Lips Records
- 2015: Rarities From Extremities, Idol Hanse
Remix and DJ mix albums
- 2012: FACT Mix 313, Fact Magazine
- 2013: Remix Album 2013, Turbo Recordings, Dim Mak Records
- 2013: Body Language Vol. 13, Get Physical Music
EPs & Singles
- 2009: "Hungry for the Power", I'm A Cliché (reissued in 2011)
- 2009: "Reckless (With Your Love)", Permanent Vacation (reissued in 2011)
- 2010: "Indigo", Turbo Recordings (reissued in 2013)
- 2010: "Into the Night", Scion Audio/Visual (reissued in 2012 by Loose Lips Records and Cooperative Music)
- 2011: "Manic", Turbo Recordings
- 2012: "Lost in Time", Loose Lips Records
- 2013: "The Lost Versions", Turbo Recordings
- 2013: "Indigo Remixes", Dim Mak Records
- 2013: "Lost Express", Get Physical Music
- 2015: "No Way Back" (with MixHell), Trax Records