Programming the Experience: Adrian Beretta on One Year of MIOAZ

A year into MIOAZ, Adrian Beretta is still figuring things out—and he seems perfectly happy to admit it. What began as a relatively simple idea centered around longer sets, melodic and progressive house, and giving DJs more room to breathe has quickly evolved into something far more ambitious. Between hosting events, planning artist development, and managing a label with a unique color-coded system, Beretta and his wife, Ash, are navigating the complexities of the industry while balancing full-time careers.

Next up is MIOAZ’s first birthday at London’s 93 Feet East, featuring Braxton and returning headliners Trilucid. The eight-hour daytime session is a testament to Beretta’s philosophy: it is less about cramming names onto a flyer and more about crafting a musical arc that respects the artist and the audience alike.

Building a Brand with Patience

Reflecting on the first year, Beretta notes that while the core concept remains intact, the reality of building a brand is a steep learning curve. “We definitely underestimated how much work goes into building a brand, especially the trust in a brand,” he explains. “You can have a great idea, but people need to experience it a few times before they really understand what you’re about. So, we’re learning to be more patient about the process now.”

The goal has always been to create an environment where the music takes center stage. By providing extended sets, MIOAZ allows artists to move beyond the constraints of a standard club slot. “We wanted to create something around the music we love, with a real emphasis on the experience, extended sets, amazing artists and giving people time to actually get into the music,” he adds.

Programming as a Journey

When it comes to programming a night, Beretta avoids the spreadsheet approach. Instead, he focuses on the narrative of the event. “We think about the whole journey rather than individual sets,” he says. “We’re not really looking to put together a line-up simply because there are eight or ten great DJs available. The music has to make sense together, but we also want there to be enough variation and surprises that the audience gets taken somewhere.”

This approach extends to the selection of headliners. For the anniversary, the choice of Braxton and Trilucid was deliberate. “Both artists really represent something we want MIOAZ to stand for: musical depth, individuality and the ability to take people along for a ride,” Beretta notes.

We genuinely believe the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.

The Future of MIOAZ

Looking ahead, Beretta is focused on sustainable growth. He views the label, the events, and artist development as interconnected threads rather than separate entities. While the label is currently in its infancy, the plan for 2027 is to open the roster more fully, focusing on long-term artist development rather than one-off releases.

“We’re still very small, so we’re not pretending we have all the answers,” Beretta concludes. “But we definitely think the opportunity is there. We just need to build it slowly, give people a reason to keep coming back and, hopefully, play our part in making the London scene a little better along the way.”