Jeddah-based DJ, curator, and longtime underground house advocate Anmarz has been a pivotal figure in the dance music landscape for decades. From his formative years in Oregon’s Pacific Northwest to his influential residencies in the 2000s, his career has been defined by a deep commitment to connecting the dots between hip-hop, Chicago house, jazz, and the deeper, more soulful corners of the dancefloor.
Now, Anmarz is channeling that spirit of community into a new venture: Peachez in Crates. Born from the successful Peachez event series in Jeddah, the label serves as a bridge between Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving underground scene and an international network of artists who share a common reverence for groove and digging culture. The label officially launched on September 16 with Crate 001, an ambitious 11-track compilation featuring a heavyweight cast of producers including Kyle Hall, Joss Moog, Jason Hodges, Hector Moralez, Chanson E, and Bninjas.
A Legacy of Community and Curation
The roots of the project trace back to 2007, when Anmarz returned to Jeddah from Oregon. He transformed his living room into a makeshift venue for a dedicated group of regulars, naming the gatherings after his street, Peach St. While the original series concluded in 2010, the desire to foster a local scene remained. Fourteen years later, the revival of the name feels like a natural progression.
“The underground scene in Saudi has been growing behind closed doors for years,” Anmarz explains. “Peachez is simply my way of sharing the house music I grew up with, with the new generation of music lovers.”
The Philosophy Behind Crate 001
The debut compilation, Crate 001, is a testament to the label’s mission. Rather than a forced strategy, the project emerged organically from studio sessions and shared musical values. Anmarz notes that the inclusion of such established talent was a humbling experience, driven by a mutual respect for the craft of house music. The compilation captures a wide range of influences, from acid and Chicago house to hip-hop and jazz, all tied together by a commitment to raw, authentic sound.
“Their tracks have been in my crates for years, and they’ve had a huge influence on how I play, read rooms, and move dancefloors,” he says. “They each have their own sound and approach, but they share something I deeply connect with; raw authenticity and a real understanding of house music.”
Looking Toward the Future
Anmarz’s own contribution to the record, “Luv Junk,” serves as a personal introduction to the label’s ethos. It is a track that balances his love for hip-hop and house, crafted with the same unfiltered approach he hopes to bring to the label’s future releases. With a full year of individual singles and remixes already in the pipeline, Peachez in Crates is poised to become a significant fixture in the global underground.
“I’m just going with the flow and seeing how the first one unfolds,” he says. “As long as I’m honest, stay focused on the music, and keep doing it for the right reasons, hopefully the rest takes care of itself.”
