Infusion #287: 22 Jan - 5 Feb '17

MARK KNIGHT BRINGS

TOOLROOM LIVE TO ZERO GRAVITY Stereo Arcade • Judge Jules • Electro Brunch Hot Since 82 •Freshly Ground • RedFest 2017's must-see Blockbusters • The Spin Angry Monkey and more!

MUSIC

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PEOPLE

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LIFE

Talal Budebs Publisher Charl Chaka Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae frak fu Sales/marketing sales@infusion.ae Andy Buchan Editor andy@infusion.ae Paula Mangueira Design design@infusion.ae Sonia ignacio Operations operations@infusion.ae Contributors: Dan Fahy, Tom Noize, Frak Fu Infusion is published by Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098 infusionmag infusionmagazine infusionmagazine

Our Partners

Happy days hipsters - Boiler Room has landed in the UAE! The underground dance music show will be collaborating with adidas Originals on January 27 for a show with Nosaj Thing, Ryan Hemsworth and local stars MoCity and Nasrawi.

Hugely popular Friday institution The Ripe Market has extended its opening times and will run from 9am-5pm every Friday at Zabeel Park.

We’re loving the new Red Bull event on January 25, with ultimate hip hop scratch act Invisibl Skratch Piklz headlining at ON42.

GUEST LIST black LIST A year since Bowie has gone, and we’re still playing Hunky Dory in the Infusion Offices. Gone but never forgotten.

We’re devastated to hear about the shootings at the BPM Festival, where 4 people were shot dead and more injured on the last night of the Mexican festival

The thousands that paid AED6,000 to see Kim Kardashian put on her make up on in Dubai recently.

Say What?

Did you know…

Drake’s recent tour which ran for 3 months over 54 shows took in a record $85 million, making it the highest grossing hip hop tour in history. It still pales into insignificance when compared to Bruce Springsteen’s 2016 tour which took in a whopping $268 million, making it the highest grossing of all time.

Rumours

Norman Jay has been confirmed for another Good Times set in the UAE and plays at Zero Gravity at the end of February.

Much-loved house night Shibuya is set for a return this year.

Old Jokes Home

When I first met my girlfriend I knew she was a keeper.

She had massive gloves on.

Meme Corner

WE LOVE Urban Outdoor Cinema

Lifelong Dubai goals number 37: create your own home cinema in your back garden to take advantage of the amazing, starry-eyed evenings. The good people at Urban Cinema have made that a lot cheaper and easier, as they’ve taken over Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings at the Habtoor Grand. For AED75, you can sit back on a bean bag, take in the 16ft x 9ft big screen action and sip on a cold one. They’ve nailed the film selection as well: The Big Lebowski screens on Monday Jan 23, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is on Sunday Jan 29, Jurassic Park the following week while newer films like Me Before You and Mamma Mia are also penciled in.

kintar @ decibel

What we did

All Day I Dream feat. Lauren Ritter @ D3

After the success of the first event, we were curious to see how the venue change would affect the outdoors Saturday festival. We were happy to see going from an open green grass field to one made of concrete hadn’t affected anything. Some may disagree, but being nestled between buildings really helped shield the partygoers from the coolish winter winds. We reached the new venue in Design District shortly after 6pm and the party was well and truly started.

As with the first installment, Pure Ink spared no expense on one of the key elements: sound, and we loved them very much for it.

Lauren Ritter was on deck duties, warming up the crowd with the signature All Day I Dream sound: a deep techy vibe mixed in with some intricate yet lovely melodies from around the globe. The crowd was bumping and everyone seemed happy. Organization was on point and clubbers were now acquainted with the bracelet payment system. Sadly, two of the headliners, namely Gorje Hewek & Izhevski, had their flights diverted so they couldn’t attend the festivities, but Lauren was a trooper and kept the party going and even extended the whole thing by 1 hour! A perfect little festival to close out the weekend. Words by Frak Fu

Dimitri Vegas @ White Dubai

There’s always a tight, professionally-directed script for building up the night at White Dubai. The place starts to get packed around midnight and the intensity of the lights, visuals and the volume increases slowly until the main act arrives. Once again, it was a professional warmup from the resident DJs, with deep and progressive tunes in the mix. When we saw the light sticks around the dancefloor, we knew that Dimitri Vegas was about to start. The preparation was perfect, and despite the cool wind, the weather was still perfect on the open-air dancefloor.

After this well scripted opening, I really expected a big bang from Dimitri Vegas - one half of the EDM duo with his brother Like Mike who ended up at No.1 in the DJ Mag Top100 back in 2015. After a strong start the set went up and down, with slower commercial hits followed by hammering big room EDM sounds. The crowd enjoyed it, I just missed the spark that I’ve heard from them before at other festivals. All in all, White still rocks if you’d like to experience the “mega-club” feeling. Words by Tom Noize

French touch

Ibiza sister restaurant El Chiringuito has made quite the impression since taking over Eden beach club on the palm, partly thanks to their high-quality bookings – and French duo Benoit & Sergio are no different. Signed to Hot Creations, Visionquest and DFA, the duo – also known for their stunning live sets – blend adventurous, leftfield melodies with house and techno to create a stunning, dancefloormoving blend. Catch them on Friday January 27 at the Rixos Palm venue.

Freshly Ground return to Dubai

One of South Africa’s biggest musical exports, Freshly Ground hit the big time when they collaborated with Shakira on their 2010 World Cup anthem ‘Waka Waka (This Time For Africa).’ Blending funk, blues, indie and soul into a hip-moving package, the band have released 6 critically acclaimed albums while Barack Obama name-checked them in 2013 as shining examples of South African talent. Catch them live on The Baggot stage at McGettigans JLT on Friday January 27, with tickets AED100.

Electro Brunch launch with Marc Romboy and more

If you’re missing Piknic Electronik from your life, then worry no more as there’s a ready-made replacement in the newly launched Electro Brunch. Held at the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club, the familyfriendly party launches on Saturday January 28 with Marc Romboy and Shall Ocin teaming up on house and techno DJ duties. Running from 1-9pm, the brunch will run until 4pm, while there will be a range of food trucks as an alternative. The party takes place twice a month with Detroit Swindle, Oliver Schories and Digitaria confirmed for later dates. Tickets start from AED130, with kids under 12 free and family tickets AED200.

RedFest returns

Now a firm fixture in the festival calendar, RedFest returns for the weekend of February 2-3 at Dubai Media City. Planned headliner Chris Brown sadly pulled out, with Sean Paul, G-Eazy and The Veronicas drafted in on Thursday night, while Demi Lovato, Tove Lo and Mike Posner headline on Friday night, with local support from Dany Neville on DJ duties. Day tickets are AED395 and weekend tickets from AED695.

Kleijn on time

Not just a club DJ and producer, Dutch music-man Eelke Kleijn is also an in-demand Hollywood producer, having worked on the soundtracks to Rush, Parker, Wrath of The Titans and This Means War. With a strong sense of playful melody – notably on his breakout track ‘Ein Tag Am Strand’ – he’s toured the world, signed records to Toolroom, and will be returning to Dubai to make his Plus Minus debut at ON42 on Friday February 3.

Hot Since 82 plays Provocateur

In the space of just a few years, Leeds DJ Hot Since 82 has gone from local hero to global star, producing club banger after club banger for labels like Get Physical, Suara and his own Kneedeep Imprint. Since launching under his Hot Since 82 moniker in 2012, he’s played Dubai several times to rapturous crowds, and his show in Dubai at Provocateur on Friday February 3 should be more of the same for the meteoric DJ.

Supernatural Saturdays

Bravo Zero Gravity, bravo. We’re firm believers at Infusion that the weekend doesn’t end on Saturday, morning hence why we’re big fans of their Supernatural pool parties that close out the weekend every Saturday night. Their cracking line ups would put a European club to shame, with Solardo already an early-season highlight.

Following hot on their heels are Dennis Cruz, a rising Spanish house DJ on January 28 and Camelphat (pictured) on February 4 who were behind last year’s smash hit ‘Constellations.’

Esther Eden plays The Fridge

Already a big name on the UAE circuit and still a teenager, prodigious pop star Esther Eden plays an intimate show at The Fridge on Monday January 30. Well, we say intimate – anything is intimate after you’ve played to 10,000 people at RedFest with Jessie J. Backed by a full band, catch her in action from 8pm, with tickets just AED50.

Societe launch new ladies – and gents – night

Never ones to be accused of favouritism, Societe are giving their Tuesday Ladies Night, High Societe, everyone some love for January: ladies can get free drinks until midnight, while men can take advantage of AED10 dirham spirit mixers until 12pm. Entry is free, and the music is a mega-mix of the 80s, 90s and 00s from 9pm.

A huge 90s dance music icon, Judge Jules is back once again doing what he does best – whipping dancefloors into a frenzy. We look back at his 30 year career to bring you some facts and figures you never knew‌

5 facts you never knew about Judge Jules 1

Yes, he’s actually a judge. He earned a law degree from the prestigious London School of Economics, and during a brief hiatus from DJing a few years ago, returned to practice law.

2

He started DJing at the end of the 80s, and quickly became involved in pirate radio, before being hired by Radio 1, where he presented his Saturday evening show to millions for over 10 years.

3

He has his own clothing line called Heroes and Villians.

4

He was a very big big deal in the 90s, and was voted the No.1 DJ in the DJ Magazine Top 100 poll in 1995.

5

He’s silly talented. As well as making his own music – including 2 albums - he plays sax on several of his own tracks, while his wife has also appeared on his work as a backing singer.

Judge Jules plays at XL on Friday January 27

Shef Codes

Top 5

An urban DJ mainstay armed with plenty of dancefloor curveballs, Uptown resident Shef Codes talks us through his go-to tracks for his Stereo Arcade residency‌

1 2 3 4 5

Blackstreet ‘No Diggity’ A great sing-a-long track that’s probably a mustplay at throwback parties and an example of what a classic 90s R&B tune sounds like. Everything from the keys and the way the beat drops just works.

I’d usually play this at the peak of my set on a Wednesday night at Uptown at Stereo Arcade.

The Weeknd ‘Starboy’ The Weeknd has everything going for this hit record: getting help from timeless melody makers Daft Punk and having to lay down a catchy chorus, this is a modern classic in the making. I’ve noticed that this works most of the time for the mature crowd so I pull this record out when I sense a better taste in music.

Rihanna ft. Drake ‘Work’ When this song first came out I hated it, but the fact that Rihanna forecasted the trend in dancehallinspired songs early in 2016 made a lot of sense.

Girls love the song and it’s become a must-play at every single party I’ve played ever since it was released.

Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars ‘Uptown Funk’ Ronson won a Grammy for Record of The Year 2016 for this song and what a song it is indeed, just a fun track to get people of all ages going.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers ‘Don’t Stop’ People usually get surprised when I play this at some of my gigs, I play this mostly for word play or when I know the crowd will get into it.

Uptown, every Wednesday at Stereo Arcade, Double Tree Hilton, JBR

Keep Coolio

Happy days 90s fans, as Flashback 90/00 launches at the Billionaire Mansion every Friday from January 27 with ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ star Coolio the night’s first international guest. Infusion spoke to Alex Mir, head of DNA behind the event, to find out what’s in store.

What can you tell us about the new night? Billionaire Mansion and DNA have partnered up to create a Nightlife proposition for people who wanted something different and FLASHBACK 90/00 was born. Every Friday guests will be treated to un-missable blasts from the past in the form of live performances from the biggest stars of the 90s and 00s along with live dance acts and special guest appearances and music

by Smokingroove and Kennedy Stephenson taking us on a oldskool mash-up journey.

And why did you go for Coolio first up? Coolio is an Icon of the mid 90s and his track ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ brings back a lot of nostalgia for a lot of people. It’s a name synonymous with the 1990s era. For sure, we will be singing along.

How long is he likely to be performing for? We will be partying and performing all night.

Who else do you have lined up for later in the season?

The next big performer is Bob Sinclar for the 00s. As you are aware he is synonymous with the 2000s, that will be on February 10th. We have a great varied lineup which includes various genres from pop icons, rock, rap and house DJs that will define FLASHBACK 90/00s.

Why did you choose Billionaire Mansion as the venue? Billionaire Life is a unique luxury group born in Porto Cervo, Costa Smeralda in 1998 which was created by entrepreneur, Flavio Briatore.

The brand to date has become world famous and a favourite amongst the international Jet-Set and celebrity A-List.

Billionaire Mansion is a onestop-destination created by the Billionaire Life Group and the first of its kind in Dubai. Located in the Taj Hotel, Business Bay and open from sunset till the early hours of the morning, the venue offers a unique dining concept with authentic Italian cuisine partnered with contemporary Japanese dishes by the award winning restaurant Sumosan. Billionaire Mansion’s main asset is the easy and natural interaction and flow between the restaurant, Billionaire Mansion Lounge Bar & Terrace, nightclub and private Karaoke Privé. Clients are swept through the various parts of the venue enveloped in special shows, lighting, colours and extraordinary music.

And who are the resident Djs on the night? Smokingroove and Kennedy Stephenson will lead the music on the decks and they will be joined by a few more in the coming weeks. Both are master remixers and legends!

Flashback 90s/00 feat. Coolio, Friday January 27, Billionaire Mansion, 8pm-late, 4 free drinks for ladies from 8-11pm

A striding colossus in the dance music scene, Mark Knight returns to the UAE alongside Tube & Berger for a Toolroom Live showcase at Zero Gravity on Friday February 3. We caught up with the ‘Yesibah’ DJ to talk Dubai, how to get signed to Toolroom and why he’s worried for Ibiza

Rumour has it that you like the city so much, you have property here? We’re looking at buying one at the moment, so not quite yet, but hopefully soon. It’s a great place to visit and I’d like to spend more time with my family there, so it makes sense to have something a little more permanent.

What's your criteria when you're signing tracks, how do you judge what you hear? In the 13 or so years that Toolroom has been around, the barriers to music production have been dramatically lowered. I think that in terms of allowing more people to experiment with production, that is absolutely a good thing.

From a label’s point of view, it has positives and negatives. We get so many more demos now than we did a decade ago, and of course a lot of what we get sent isn’t of the quality we’re looking for. But when you hear that one diamond in the rough, it’s fantastic. At the end of the day it’s about talent and hard work: if you’ve got both of these in abundance, you’ve going to be successful. In terms of the A&R policy itself, that hasn’t changed since day one. We’re after quality, memorable records that smash a dancefloor and hooks that stay with you.

How do you prioritise Djing, producing, record label and family? I think as with pretty much every aspect of life, finding the right balance is what makes me happy. I’ve always enjoyed different aspects of music and production, so it’s not doing one single thing that makes me happiest, but rather the opportunity to do so many different things. Just to sit in the studio and try to reformulate the same basic idea: that doesn’t really do it for me. Which is why I produce pop music and bands as well as the club records, so that when I come back to house and techno I’m excited to do it again, and I can bring in fresh ideas from other music I’ve worked on.

It all complements and feeds into itself without ever becoming monotonous. I’m continually engaged and inspired and I think a lot of that is thanks to keeping myself on my toes by switching up the things I’m working on. In terms of family, it’s really hard, probably the hardest thing about doing what I do. That’s one of the sacrifices I’ve had to make, and my family are incredibly understanding. But it’s a balance I’d like to redress over the next few years for sure.

There have been some big changes in dance music – Pacha being sold, Ibiza going increasingly upscale, dance music dominating the charts. How do you adapt to changes as a label, how versatile do you need to be? The situation in Ibiza is increasingly prohibitive for clubbers, and that’s a sad thing. I just hope it doesn’t get to the point where the island completely isolates itself from the core clubbing community that made it such a special

place to visit. And I think we’re getting to that point: it’s right on the cusp of simply being impossible for a lot of people to consider for a visit. In terms of dance music dominating the charts, yes and no: the structure of it was been taken for sure, but most of the records that make it big are still pop, rather than house or techno record, which is really different to the music that Toolroom releases.

And where do you see Toolroom in 5 years time?

I want the label to evolve to focus less on singles and more on developing artists and releasing albums is going to be a huge priority for us. In terms of singes we don’t really have too much more to prove, and our 12-year history of releasing singles, especially our successes

at Beatport, has shown what we can do. So now we’re ready to focus elsewhere. We’ve got projects coming up from Adrian Hour and Weiss which I’m really excited about. Albums afford artists the opportunity to work more creatively and with fewer restrictions, which is definitely the direction I see the label heading in.

What's the best way to make live music work in a dance music setting, and who does it best do you think? It’s funny you should ask that, as I’m working on something at the moment that I intend to be experienced live rather than via a DJ set. I have a lot of ideas, but at the moment I’d rather keep them to myself – watch this space! space!

Toolroom Live feat. Mark Knight and Tube & Berger, Zero Gravity, Friday February 3

On the Radar Decibel feat. Alberto Ruiz

Dubai Jazz Fest feat. Tom Jones

Bob Sinclar February 10 - Billionaire Mansion

Dubai Jazz Fest feat. Mariah Carey February 23 - Media City

February 9 - ON42

Dub Pistols

February 22 - Media City

BraaiDayDXB

February 16 - McGettigans JLT Baggot

February 24 - Emirates Golf Course

Skream & Sasha February 17 - Blue Marlin Ibiza UAe

Dubai Jazz Fest feat. Enrique Iglesias February 24 - Media City

On the Radar Norman Jay February 24 - Zero Gravity

Electro Brunch feat. Detroit Swindle

March 3 - Autism Rocks Arena

Guns’n’Roses

Kode 9 April 13 - Venue TBC

H.O.S.H March 10 - Provocateur

April 21 - El Chiringuito

Adriatique March 24 - El Chiringuito

May 6 - Autism Rocks Arena

April 8 - Dubai Polo Club

Soul Clap

Justin Bieber

Music News Welcome back, Fabric

Legendary London club Fabric re-opened after their 3 month closure to jubilant scenes as a packed out club turned out in force for Seth Troxler, Daniel Avery and crack residents Craig Richards and Terry Francis. The club have to endure super-strict door policies, including full body scanners as part of the conditions to re-open, but they were finally granted their license after a world-wide campaign helped raise awareness. They’ve got a full schedule of events planned, with Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, My Nu Leng and Carl Craig all playing in February.

Donald Trumped

The list of people who have turned down the chance to play to millions at Donald Trump’s inauguration is long, but not perhaps that surprising. Rebecca Ferguson and Charlotte Church have already turned down the orange-faced goon, but news has just come through that his people got in touch with Moby asking if the famous left-winger, vegetarian and all round sound dude – would fancy Djing at his party. Surprisingly, the ‘Go’ star – who called Trump an ‘actual sociopath’ during the election – thought there could be a way to make it happen: “I guess I’d DJ at an inaugural ball if as payment #trump released his tax returns. Also I would probably play public enemy and stockhausen remixes to entertain the republicans. I’m still laughing. Hahahaha. So #trump what do you think, I DJ for you and you release your tax returns?”

The Great Phatsby

The Simpsons might never quite get as good as Season 3-8 Simpsons – the holy grail of TV - but that hasn’t stopped them trying, and their freshly released hip hop themed episode The Great Phatsby is amongst some of their best recent work. The hour long episode features cameos from Snoop Dogg, RZA and Common and is a fresh interpretation on the classic 1920s tale of rags and riches, The Great Gatsby.

Soundstage Josh McCartney

A rising star in the UAE, Australian singer/ songwriter Josh McCartney talks us through his music, making friends with Kiss and playing live at a bowling alley

My first musical influence was… John Mayer for sure.

My dream is to perform with him one day.

The last pop star I liked was… Ariana Grande. Incredible voice and I may have a crush on her.

My sound is best described as… Unique acoustic pop.

Best piece of advice you’ve received? I started out by

playing the drums and I was quickly told that it isn’t the right instrument to play if I want to be in the spotlight. The advice was ‘Play musically, not to show off.” This has followed through to everything else that I do.

What’s your musical guilty pleasure? Believe it or not I love bands such as Slipknot and The Mars Volta. These hard rhythms and strange melodies attract me.

The best band in Dubai is… Sound City, hand’s down.

Lamest claim to fame? Probably supporting Gene Simmons at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Gold Coast. It ended up with him giving a business speech to the audience and pitching Kiss beer to us all.

When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is… A private masseuse in the green room before each

performance.

My musical motto is… If you mess up it’s ok, play it 4 times

and it becomes deliberate.

Best gig you’ve played? I’m going to substitute this for the most interesting gig I’ve played; During a 50 day tour (1 gig per day), a bowling alley built a stage for us in the middle, we had people bowling down either side of us as we performed.

And the worst? Somewhere in the outback in Australia in a small roadhouse. I had an audience of three - one was a dog and even he left at the start of my set - memorable though I guess? facebook.com/joshmccartneymusic/

Shaun Warner

and Friends

One of the city’s finest producers, Shaun Warner has been signed to Universal Music MENA, with his debut album dropping at the end of January. We caught up with the ex-Hed Kandi resident DJ ahead of the release

Congratulations on the album launch, how long have you been working on it? In truth it’s been a long time coming. There are a couple of songs on there which were written in 2012 but it’s taken a long time for me to be happy with them. Album number two won’t be this long coming, I hope.

And how immersed in Middle East culture did you get for the album? There are Middle Eastern influences all over it. In the song “Tell Me”, the percussion is from a Doumbek drum and my current single is an Arabic hip hop track I did with Palestinian MC, Maysa Daw. While I didn’t set out to make something which was representative of a region, you can’t help being influenced by what is around you.

Musically, what ground do you cover in the album?

And did you have to stretch yourself to make any new genres? The album is quite diverse in terms of genres. It ranges from drum and bass to pop to house to electronica to hip hop. The only real constant in the album are the lyrical themes rather than musical genres.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t flow as a body of work.

It’s just that the listener needs to be open-minded.

You have a long history of DJing and making music, and you were a Hed Kandi resident DJ – do you have good memories of those days? For sure. I loved my time touring with Hed Kandi. I’m still a house DJ at heart and there’s something massively fulfilling at looking out to a packed dance floor and seeing the crowd getting down to your music. I haven’t hung up my headphones just yet, I just took a pause to finish the album. I start back playing on Feb 2nd for Ma’ana at Media One Hotel. I actually can’t wait.

Dance music is very much in the family genes…

My Dad was a club promoter. I remember him telling me the story of the venue owner saying he was crazy if he thought people would pay to listen to music they can hear on the radio for free. It was in the late 60s and early 70s so I’m guessing it was Dr Hook, the Stones etc. He definitely instilled in me that the crowd need to know who they’re listening to and the importance of establishing your name.

And your son is about 2 now, does he get his groove onto any of your tracks? He’s a harsh critic, if I’m honest. He’ll let me know in the first 5 seconds of a track if he’s feeling it or if he needs the “next one” and then we’ll have a little dance together. We do some work in the studio too. I think he’s more of a techno fan though.

You collaborated with a few local artists on the album – how did that come about? I’ve got so much respect for the local artistic community. It’s not easy to be a working artist here. We’re so lucky to have some of the regions most talented musicians, lyricists, singers and rappers. There’s a ton of people I’d like to work with and some I’m working with for album number two. For this album I did a track with Esther Eden. It makes it easier that we’re both with Universal Music but that really wasn’t a factor. I love her voice and her tone. And she’s easy to work with which for me is just as important as talent.

Dubai’s music scene is still growing, but would you rather be a big fish in a little pond or vice versa?There are not too many places in the world, despite what Resident Advisor would have you believe, that have such a healthy electronic scene. You’ve got institutions like Analog Room, festivals like GOTG, club nights like Deep Like, 264, Ma’ana, Bassworx all happening here on a regular basis plus heaps more. I’m not so sure it’s the fishbowl we all think it is. I’ve spent a lot of time living in Dublin and Sydney and what we have here would rival these easily. I guess that’s a long winded way of saying I’d rather be a big fish in a big pond.

Shaun Warner & Friends is out on January 27 via Universal Music MENA

DJ Booth: DJ NIKODIA

Tamba resident DJ Ivana talks us through psychology, hosting her own TV show and why she’d go back-toback with Black Coffee

One thing you might not know about me is... That I was a journalist back in my home country of Serbia. I had my own TV show about the music industry in the region and was hosting some of the biggest names in music in my country.

My worst ever job was… I once worked in a local bar in my hometown. Nothing exciting ever happened there, which drove me to follow my passion for music!

My favorite ever record is... ‘Peeping Tom’, the project Mike Patton (Faith no More) did a few years ago.

DJing is much like... Psychology. You have to try to predict people’s feelings and reactions to the music, and from this try and create a good vibe in the place. If you don’t have that feeling and intuition, you won’t make it as a DJ. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Amazing! Last year I watched so many international DJs, such as Solomun, Kink, and Nicolas Jaar. In Dubai you have numerous places where you can hear great music. Also, the local DJs are doing a great job! I have to mention my friend Ilona Maras who has great original tracks and Paul Josef who plays very cool live sets.

I’m really proud of... Myself and what I have achieved this year. On my visa it says “Artist” and that was my life goal. I feel like my dreams are coming true.

What track could you drop in every set? Saison - “Please Don’t Go”.

My biggest DJ achievement to date is... I signed 3 contracts with different labels last month. I am now waiting for the remixes and finally for the release of these tracks.

What is your guiltiest pleasure? Sweets. I am an addict!

If you could DJ in any decade which would it be...

Definitely, the 80s. I have an “old” soul for sure!

If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... Black Coffee for sure!

I’m not a politician but… I am an artist and I really don’t know anything about politics except that people are not very happy with the politicians nowadays. soundcloud.com/nikodia

MUSIC THAT

MATTERS TODD – Droppin’

Strong analogue acid and strings action from Bussola resident TODD, appearing alongside Steve Lawler and Nick Curly on this Cherry Drop Records compilation. soundcloud.com/cherrydroprec/sets/brooklyncalling-mixed-by

Commercial deep house with a pulsing bassline from the new production team duo. soundcloud.com/adamj_kaysen/adam-jkaysen-music-is-my-life Andy McGirr – Music Mind

Melodic house goodness full of rippling arps and leads from the Fibre resident DJ, available for free download. soundcloud.com/andymcgirr/music-mind Kiss FM – Greg Stainer and Scott Forshaw

More UK radio love for the Hollaphonic production duo, as they turn in a fierce 30 minute mix showcasing some of their own tunes including newie ‘Can’t Get Enough.’ soundcloud.com/sfmixes/scott-forshaw-gregstainer-kiss-fm-guestmix-buy-free-download

Send tracks/edits/remixes to: andy@infusion.ae

Adam J & Kaysen – Music Is My Life

Boogie Box UAE – STL

The first EP from Abu Dhabi based party and now label Boogie Box features STL on production duties with a stripped back techno bumper that’s been supported by Fold and Appleblim. soundcloud.com/boogieboxuae/sets/ boogie001-stl-constructive-no-wordsrequired-ep

Proton Radio - Ejaz

The versatile ex Pacha and Trilogy resident digs deep for this featured artist mix from Proton Radio, with cuts from Max Chapman, local star Ilona Maras and Maceo Plex making the grade. soundcloud.com/ejazahamedofficial/featuredartist-2016-proton-radio

The Comedown 72 – MoCity

Where most mix series give up after a few months, MoCity has been going strong with his Comedown series, lasting a year and over 70 broadcasts, including this sumptuous trip through hip hop, funk, indie and downtempo goodness. mixcloud.com/the264cru/the-comedown-072dj-mocity/

RCNE – The Best

DXB label Sunstroke return with ‘The Best,’ a grooving, deep house mover and shaker that gets the remix treatment from Dave Mayer. soundcloud.com/sunstrokerecordings/sets/ rcne-the-best

2017 film preview Screen Savers We might be living in a big screen comic book world, but there’s plenty of quality cinematic action heading our way in 2017. Andy Buchan dives into his popcorn (half caramel, half salty thanks)

Trainspotting 2 – March 3 A generation-defining film, this sequel picks up the story 20 years later. The same 4 Scottish dossers are present and correct – Renton, Begbie, Spud and Sick Boy – as Renton (Ewan McGregor) looks to make amends with Spud and Sick Boy, all while avoiding psychopathic nutter ‘mate’ Begbie who has just been released from prison.

Logan - March 3 The third stand alone Wolverine film first burst into our consciousness with one of the most perfectly executed trailers, as Johnny Cash’s anthemic ‘Hurt’ soundtracked the tough tale of a slowly ageing adamantium-clawed X-Men mutant. Fans will be happy to see Patrick Stewart’s Professor X come out of retirement as well, adding further closure to this particular franchise.

Ghost in the Shell - March 31 Fan boys were up in arms when Scarlett Johansson was cast in the lead role, allegedly a sign of a whitewashed cast in this Japanese manga adaptation, but early signs are she brings her box-office factor to the film. She plays a cyborg policewoman chasing a dangerous hacker, to the backdrop of spectacular existential futurism. For fans of The Matrix, 5th Element and Lucy.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - May 5 A seriously big hit – to the tune of $775 million – a sequel was a nobrainer for this Marvel comic book adaptation following a ragtag team of intergalactic heroes. Chris Pratt returns as the comedic leader ‘Star Lord,’ with Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper returning as comedic sidekicks.

Alien: Covenant - May 19 While Prometheus, 2012’s return to the Alien galaxy, was a very mixed affair, early reports are that this follow up is much more taut and streamlined. The plot might appear familiar – a spaceship lands on a desolate paradise only to be confronted with face-huggers and the rest of the Xenomorph family – but the film promises to deal with some of the interesting fall out from Prometheus, including the mysterious Engineers and their plans for humanity.

War for the Planet of the Apes - July 14 A modern day trilogy adaptation that has picked up with every film, this series closer is an all-out war between man and ape.

Andy Serkis (Gollum) once again dons the blue-ball suit to become Caesar, the noble ape leader, with Woody Harrelson fronting up the human army.

Dunkirk - July 21 It’s quite a departure for director Christopher Nolan after Interstellar, Inception and the Dark Knight Trilogy, but if anyone can succeed with a historical World War II battle story, it’s him. Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy star in this tale of doomed heroism and survival, with some of the most realistic – and gut-wrenching – war scenes since Saving Private Ryan.

The Dark Tower – July 28 With Westworld dominating watercooler chat, it’s a good time for this science-fantasy Western horror film to be released. Adapted from the famed Stephen King series, it stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey as a frontiersman knight and sorcerer respectively. With Marvel and JJ Abrahms initially involved in the film’s history, this movie has a good pedigree.

Blade Runner 2049 – October 6 While Blade Runner was surely a film that didn’t need a sequel, who are we to argue if the follow up is even half as good as the 1982 sci-fi classic.

Film creator Ridley Scott has hired Arrivals director Denis Villeneuve to oversee the project, while Harrison Ford returns alongside Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright and Jared Leto.

Star Wars Episode VIII – December 15 Where The Force Awakens and Rogue One were rose-tinted trips down memory lane for many, Episode VIII – directed by Looper’s Rian Johnson – is an entirely new film, with little known about the plot. What we do know is that The Force Awaken’s cast return, including Adam Driver as Kylo Ren and Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, while Carrie Fisher had wrapped up filming for the new film before her tragic death. May the force be with her.

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Food News Dubai Food Festival

The gastronomic affair returns in February, with a 17 day programme of events including celebrity chefs, pop-up restaurants, cracking dining deals and more.

Spread over the whole city, the Etisalat Beach Canteen will take over Sunset Beach, offering live entertainment, fitness and family fun alongside cooking masterclasses and an array of food trucks. The Food Festival will also be asking foodies to vote for their Dubai Hidden Gems, with all the details available via dubaifoodfestival.com.

Count the calories

Good news health hunters – Dubai is looking to include calorie information on each dish sold in the city. With a reported 60% of people in the UAE overweight, the measure could help make people more aware of what they’re eating. We just hope there’s enough room on the brunch menus to fit all the zeroes in…

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Waste not

Ever been appalled by the waste food that gets thrown away from restaurants and supermarkets in the UAE? Well, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced they’re launching an official food bank to reduce waste and ensure leftovers are given to those in need at home and abroad.

According to Dubai Media Office, the government-run NGO will partner up “with hotels, restaurants, supermarkets to store and package excess fresh food effectively… then work with volunteers and partners to distribute the well-packaged food within and outside of the UAE.”

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Just For

LeBron Soldier 10 Midnight Navy

While we’re still waiting for the 14 edition of the Nike classic, they’ve kept us very happy with this updated finish. Featuring a tonal Midnight Navy Colourway made from premium suede set on top of an icy light blue outsole, the sneaker is as classy as it is cool, with the Back To The Future retro stylings balanced by the smart finish. Perfect for those cool Dubai winter nights…

Big

Question

Which band or DJ would you most like to see in Dubai in 2017?

DJ MoCity: Bonobo.

Deep Hertz: Radiohead.

Alex Foley: Fat Freddy’s Drop.

Lee Tunnicliffe: Aphex Twin.

Dan Chadwick: Eli Escobar and The Black Madonna.

Kate Turney: Chromeo.

Natalie Brogan: Alanis Morissette.

Dan Fahy: Soulwax.

JC Pinto: Radiohead and The Black Madonna.

Madjam: Todd Terje.

The Spin Dubai, January 2017

PAGE 217

Issue 53

Club Instagram launches in Dubai

Where once club entry was decided by how white your face was, the size of your bank balance and how good you look in 6 inch Louboutins, Club Instagram is looking to change the face of clubbing in the city.

Launching at the prestigious Hilton By Paris hotel in Bizniz Bay, the club’s manager told The Spin that their USP was the customer.

‘To gain admission,’ said Mrs Trollope, the club’s PR, ‘you have to have at least 1000 followers, and the more vapid selfies you have, the better. Once that’s been approved, you can gain access to the lavish, state of the art club.’

The club’s launch divided people on social media, with DXB In Heels first in line to tell her paid-for 1.2 million followers the good news, while Pete Thong was less enthused. ‘An Insta gram in a club in my day was a very, very different thing.’

These stories are not true, this is not a real newspaper. This is a parody/fiction/ satire/joke. The Spin is not intended, in any way whatsoever, to be taken as factual.

Copy cat Copy cat Copy cat A wiser man than me – not hard, to be honest – once said: “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible.” And while Mark Twain might well be right, there’s adapting an idea, and there’s just outright theft.

The UAE might live in a copyright and patent vacuum for a lot of people, and the events scene is so rife with plagiarism it might as well be a 6th form common room 20 minutes before a history essay is due.

But the latest copy cat event to hit the UAE did have us doing a double take – same concept, same line up, same day, same pretty much everything. It might as well have been a cloned event just running under a different name – in fact, Stephen Hawking’s is reputed to be interested in just how closely they did the copying as it almost defies science.

Monkey Out...

The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.

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