Infusion # 239: Jan 11-25 2015

MUSIC • PEOPLE • LIFE

INTERNET

COMMANDMENTS

Beach beats with Darius Syrossian

Viva Warriors star plays Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE

Bailey, Doc Scott, Jack Dee, Yousef, David Morales, DJ Yoda and loads more! infusionmag

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A Note From The Editor

Publisher: Talal Budebs Managing Partner: Charl Chaka, charlchaka@infusion.ae Editor: Andy Buchan andy@infusion.ae Sales Director: Vip Patel Vip@infusion.ae / 050 169 8712 Online Guru: Chris Rayner chris@infusion.ae Contributors: Richard Perez, Monique Belle, Stephen Day, Nada Bokir, Matt Zaharias, Sarah Abel V Infusion is published by Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098

We’ve been hard at work in Infusion HQ over the Christmas break, and we’ve got some cracking, in-depth features coming your way spanning club finances, party brunches, beach clubs and more. But first up we take a look at how you should conduct yourself online. FYI: sending out FB event invites does not make you a promoter.

There’s also the usual array of massive events taking place this year until the end of May, and as usual, we’ll have all the info you’ll need to guide you through this hectic 6 months of clubbing, gigging and generally living in the best city in world (OK, definitely the Middle East). Happy 2015 everyone!

Never miss an issue, get Infusion delivered to your door for just Dhs100 a year.

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Looking

BACK Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.

> What We Did > Say What? > Photo Gallery

Looking Back

What we did

David Guetta @ Atlantis

Over the last 5 years, we’ve come to expect a certain superstar vibe at David Guetta’s gigs. Having seen him in 2007 at what was Trilogy, his groove with the crowd was unmistakably fun and personal, and more recent dates in bigger venues have had an infectious energy, kick-started by the EDM star.

This time around, the crowd were super charged and the location on the beach stunning – but Guetta didn’t seem to be his energetic self. Sure, all the signature tunes were there – albeit hastily mixed snippets – but there was no heart-pumping, adrenaline rush of hearing a brand new tune as the set was so commercial. Which is what a lot of the crowd had come to hear, but we’d have liked to hear something fresh, something new, something different and a bit more interaction from Guetta.

Thankfully the warm up and closing acts delivered to the sold out 15,000 capacity crowd. Firstly Hollaphonic set the mood with a pulsating DJ and MC set showcasing their EDM and electro sound, while Nasimi resident David De Luca closed the night with a set full of electric tunes, leaving us stomping all the way home.

– Sarah Abel V

Photo credit: Jack Nassarou

Pure Underground Boat Party @ Abu Dhabi

Dubai might be the bigger dance music brother, but the Pure Underground boat party in Abu Dhabi tried to re-dress the balance before Christmas, with a 3 DJ line up including captain Rik B, funky house connoisseur Jack Woodcock and rising house DJ Miss P.M. The boat itself was an intimate affair, holding just under 100 clubbers, with Sunstroke’s Jack kicking off proceedings with the likes of Spiritchaser and Miguel Migs. Once out to sea, he ramped things up with Demarkus Lewis’s ‘In the Spot Tonite’ and a personal favourite of mine in Johnny Corporate’s ‘Sunday Shouting (Robosonic Rework)’.

Handing over to Miss PM, the tempo was kicked up another notch with a peak time houser from Jordan Peak, with Argy on remix duties. This set the pace nicely as the boat docked by a secluded beach, with Miss PM signing off her sterling set with another favourite, Chicken Lips ‘He Not In (Groove Armada Dub)’.

By the time Rik B took to the decks, the crowd was well into their stride and Rik’s heady mix of progressive breakdowns and soaring buildups was perfectly framed by the beautiful Abu Dhabi sunset. Pryda’s ‘Mirage (Kash Trivedi Edit)’ pushed the tempo further and this was met with raucous cheers and the arrival of a very talented fire performer who teased flames in time to the music. By this point the sun had completely set and provided a stark contrast to the night sky. The party concluded with smiley dancers disembarking: a great day, a great launch party, and a big success for Abu Dhabi’s growing electronic music scene.

– Stu Todd

L Club SPECIAL NIGHT FOR THE SPECIAL ONES Best Arabic Hits @ the most Luxurious Arabic Club in town Thursday 12th Feb Doors open at 11pm For reservations Call: +971 52 810 3333 or +971 50 226 6432 Mรถvenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai.

Looking Back

Jono Grant (Above and Beyond) @ Eden Beach Club Although more commonly seen on the festival main stage nowadays, Above and Beyond are a trio who began in the club setting fifteen years ago and it’s a treat to see any of them perform in a smaller venue. With Tony and Paavo on duty for NYE in Sydney, we had the pleasure of seeing Jono Grant spin solo at the Eden Beach Club for New Years Eve in Dubai.

In the short month it’s been open, Eden has already seen the likes of Sasha, James Zabiela and Matthias Tanzmann grace the decks, and with an immersive d&b soundsystem, stylish décor, attentive staff and enormous lighting rig, we couldn’t have picked a better place to see in the New Year. Our only gripe was the length of the toilet line, which was beyond punishing when you’re on an open bar – thankfully resident DJ Kay-Tek was a pleasure to listen to while in line, with spot on mixing and grooving track selection.

After the midnight craziness had passed, Jono Grant took to the decks, opening up with 16 Bit Lolitas ‘Deep In My Soul’ and other tracks from his Anjunadeep label, before moving into more traditional A&B material. Generally preferring remixes of their older works, such as the Cosmic Gate remix of ‘Sirens of the Sea’, we were also treated to A&B’s bootleg version of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’. With the traditional Push the Button moment during ‘Sun and Moon’ and some customized production on show, Jono went Above and Beyond our expectations (ahem, sorry).

– Matt Zaharias

PRESENTS

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Say What?

Say What?

Say What?

Must have headphones

Old Jokes Home

An E-flat, a G-flat, and a B-flat walk into a bar.

The bartender says “Sorry, we don’t serve minors.”

In numbers

Want to guess how much Hardwell’s DJ fee is reputed to be?

Well over 1 million dirhams, according to our source. Yowsers!

Gangnam Style broke the internet

Youtube had to reset their view limit, after Psy’s video racked up more than 2,147,483,647 views.

It has now changed the maximum view limit to 9,223,372,036,854,775,808, or Nine quintillion, two hundred and twenty-three quadrillion, three hundred and seventy-two trillion, thirty-six billion, eight hundred and fifty-four million, seven hundred and seventy-five thousand, eight hundred and eight.

Beat that, Psy.

What you wish you’d got for Christmas…

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15TH JANUARY 2015

DJ Bailey (radio 1Xtra / Mos / Metalheadz)

Woodle (Bassworx) INFUSIONMAGAZINE

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Best Party Pictures of 2014

ROLL MASTER

Rolled by sho cho’s renowned Roll Master with your own combination of super fresh ingredients. Simply design, order and pay online. Then our speedy delivery Ninja’s will suddenly appear at your door. Let’s Roll!

Call 800 SUSHI (78744) or visit chezshushi.com Eat or collect at our restaurant. Find us at Shop 18, Wasl Square, (opposite Safa Park) Al Wasl Road, Dubai.

Looking FORWARD Where we filter out the best things that are coming your way...

> Local News > Cover Story > Bailey – The Last Time > The Internet Commandments

Looking Forward

Local News Jack Dee plays Dubai

One of our favourite grumpy comedians, Jack Dee has announced he’s playing in Dubai on Thursday March 19. One of the UK’s best known and loved comedians, he took a 6 year hiatus from stand up recently, and returned with an 18 month long sold out tour. He’ll be playing at the Dubai World Trade Centre, with pre-event tickets available from doneeents.com

Globalfunk get some Doc Scott medicine

One of the leading Drum and Bass nights in the city kicks back into action with a new Globalfunk residency at underground hot spot The Basement on Friday January 23 with UK DJ Doc Scott joined

by MC Lowqui. A veteran of the scene, he was behind early 90s classics like ‘Here Come The Drumz’ and ‘Shadow Boxing,’ and is still a recognized force in the scene.

Tickets are Dhs100, with doors 9pm.

Deep Crates return at Casa Latina

Nomadic hip hop and funk party Deep Crates return to their first home Casa Latina for a special one off anniversary show on Thursday January 15. Residents Lobito, Frezidante and Dubijad will be throwing down everything from reggae to Drum and Bass. Entry is Dhs50, with free wine for ladies before 10pm, and 5 beers Dhs100 all night.

Yousef @ The Basement

Underground party destination The Basement is back in action with no less a dance music authority than Yousef kick-starting their season on Thursday January 22 at Shibuya. The head honcho behind cult UK night Circus, and also a big Ibiza favourite, he’s kept his underground credentials strong while gaining a strong world wide following, making him an excellent guest DJ for the club.

David Morales gets his birthday beats on

US house legend David Morales is the big name playing at Q43’s first birthday bash on Thursday January 15. One of the first global stars of the US house scene, Moralez has put out over 500 releases, and worked alongside superstars like Michael Jackson, U2 and Mariah Carey, and won the 1998 Grammy for Remixer of the Year. Support on the night comes from brother-brother duo Smokingroove and resident DJ Guess Hu.

Electric Days take a winter break

Cult house night Electric Days are taking a month long break in January having had a super busy 2014. They’re also moving house, with a new venue to be confirmed for February, alongside a new Thursday night concept, regular gigs in Abu Dhabi and the promise of throwing bigger, 2,000 capacity events every few months.

Looking Forward Cadenza and Maxxi Soundsystem hit O2

There’s no rest for the Plus Minus/Blitz team, as their strong tech-house line up at newly launched 02 club at the Sofitel Palm continues. Mobilee signing Sebo K plays January 15, Cadenza duo Ernesto Ferreyra and Julietta carry on the following week, while Culprit showcase their sound with Droog and Maxxi Soundsystem (pictured) playing a big night on January 29.

Rumours

Jazz, who’s album Portfolio is still on office • Utah repeat, will be playing at Bassworx this April.

Sinead O’Connor is playing at the Irish Village on • Thursday January 29. star Mr Scruff is heading out to Dubai • Alternative at the end of February

‘Choo Choo’ Romero, Junior Sanchez, DJ • Harry Yoda, Chicane and more have all been confirmed

for January dates at Zero Gravity.

Tuesday mornings are a lot more painful now thanks to the cracking Secret Circle Monday night parties at The Basement.

New season of Broadchurch and Peaky Blinders box set, two good reasons to stay in on the weekends.

Tinder has apparently gone down in the region, how are single people going to meet now? May we suggest heading out to - shock, horror - meet people at clubs and bars in the city?

January blues. Bah.

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There’s no rest for the wicked(ly) good people at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, as they follow their sold out NYE party with a January jampacked with dancefloor goodness, including Visionquest duo Lee Curtiss and Ryan Crosson, Jozif, Darius Syrossian and more‌

January 16 – Darius Syrossian & Benjamin Alexander

A music lover through and through, Darius Syrossian had 20 years of record store knowledge behind him, before he made the leap into DJing and music production in 2009.

And he’s quickly risen through the ranks, thanks in part to becoming a trusted DJ partner for Viva Warriors main man Steve Lawler. Like him, he has a tough, tribal but accessible approach to music – there are no genres, just good music and bad music. And having won DJ Magazine's Best of British Producer in 2012, Darius has plenty of his own excellent dancefloor ammunition to throw into the mix. Interntaional DJ support on the night comes from Burning Man favourite Benjamin Alexander, an ever-present at the Robot Heart sound system, and an expert deep house and techno DJ.

January 23 – Jozif & Matt Tolfrey

Yet another big double header, Leftroom head honcho is joined by house master Jozif for another night of big beach beats. Matt Tolfrey started life as a resident DJ at hugely credible UK club The Bomb playing house and techno, and now runs one of the most in-demand record labels around, Leftroom,

with more than 50 releases to its name. He’s also an acclaimed producer, notably his Word of Mouth LP, and already has gigs in New York, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Berlin penciled in for 2015. He’s joined by London born DJ and producer Jozif, who’s low-slung, bass-friendly house has been making waves for several years, culminating as being announced again as a We Love… Space Ibiza resident DJ.

January 30 – Lee Curtiss & Ryan Crosson

One of the leading dance music crews in the world, the Visionquest team are sending half their star members to Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE for the night, with Lee Curtiss and Ryan Crosson representing their deep house sound. Both of them impressed on their last visit to the UAE, with their American via Berlin roots shining through in their blend of house and techno.

And with both teamed up for the first time at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, expect fireworks on the night as the tag-team duo tear up the terrace.

Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, 1-11pm, bluemarlinibiza-uae.com 056 113 3400 or email info@bluemarlinibiza-uae.com reservation@bluemarlinibizauae.com

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Drum and Bass monthly Bassworx kick off 2015 with a bang as they’ve invited down ex-Radio 1-Xtra and Ministry of Sound DJ Bailey to rinse it out infront of their faithful crowd. We got 5 minutes with him to talk about the last time…

The last time I loved my job was… in the morning when I woke up and thought "I can go back to sleep if I want and do my work a bit later". It's great being your own boss.

The last time I complained about my job was… Last week when I didn't find much good new music to play. That always gets me.

The last time I had to defend Drum and Bass was… Quite a while ago. People used to be quick to say Drum & Bass / Jungle is dead. Having lasted over 20 years now, no one can argue about its staying power anymore. We're not going anywhere.

The last time I played somewhere for the first time was…

Last month at a club night tailor made for deaf and hearing people. It had a vibrating dance floor, burlesque dancers, angle grinder girl, fire breathers and an 'Aroma DJ'. That was real different.

The last time I dropped a non Drum and Bass track in a set was… In August at an MC Fats 'We Gotcha' fundraiser in St. Petersburg, Russia. If the vibe is right I go into a section where I play four or five classic reggae tracks that have been sampled in Drum & Bass / Jungle. They were definitely ready that night.

The last time I paid for a night out was… A while ago.

Probably at a business lunch or something.

The last time I stayed up all weekend was… In the 90's. I love my sleep too much these days.

The last time I lied was… Today probably. I lie to myself every day. I tell my brain I'm going to do something and half the time I doesn't happen. It's the luxury of knowing I can get at task done at my own leisure (within reason).

The last time I laughed out loud was… Last night. I'm usually the first one to complain about the amount of crappy videos that get posted on Facebook but I have to admit, once I start watching I can't stop. There's some crazy stuff out there.

The last time I embarrassed myself was… In 2003 live on prime time, daytime radio. I was at my mother’s house at that time. She had this habit of calling for me by shouting my name again and again and again until I answered. She started doing it during an interview I was doing with Ace & Vis on BBC 1Xtra about me and my then record label. I got so frustrated with her shouting up the stairs to me that I lost the plot and shouted "MUM! I'M ON THE PHONE!!" mid-sentence while explaining how cool my record label was. The next thing I heard was the radio studio at the end of my phone erupting in laughter. They proceeded by asking me "Between you and your mother, how do you scout for talent?" The shame of it!

Bassworx feat.

DJ Bailey, Friday January 16, Casa Latina, 9pm-2.45am.

THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY

Lobito Brigante Frezidante & Dubijad

With social media increasingly dominating what we do and how we tell others we do it, it’s about time we set down some guidelines on what you should and shouldn’t do online.

ON THE THE RADAR ON RADAR

January 30 audio tonic feat. Thomas Gandey, 360

January 29 Maxxi Soundsystem, 02 Club

January 30 Reboot, Pacha Ibiza Dubai

January 29 Sinead O’Connor, Irish Village January 30 Subb-An, Eden Beach Club

January 29 Krafty Kuts & A Skills, Zero Gravity

February 6 Laura Jones, Eden Beach Club

For a full list of what’s on, please head to infusion.ae

February 6 David August, Level 41

March 5 Ed Sheeran, Media City

February 12 Redfest feat. The Script, Media City

March 8 Patrick Topping, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE

February 26 Jazz Fest feat. Sting

February 26 Julio Bashmore

March 19 Jack Dee, World Trade Centre

April 26 Robbie Williams, Yas Island

We’ve re-worked our listings – one-off events will appear in the magazine, for everything else please check infusion.ae for our day-to-day listings. For inclusion, email andy@infusion.ae Pick up a copy from our Infusion Magazine stands at these locations and more across the city: Every A+E outlet, Every MMI outlet, Double Decker, Media One, Zero Gravity, 360 club, Casa Latina, Barasti, Pure Sky Lounge, Beatz and Cuts, McGettigans JLT/DWC, Music Room, China White, Nasimi, Story Rooftop, El Fuego, The Basement, Bliss Lounge, Zinc, Pulse, Cinnamon - Raddison, La Terrasse, Fashion Lounge, OcactI, Serafina, Soul Al Bahar, The Scene

Wednesday 14 Laugher Factory, Al Badia Golf Course Get your monthly chuckles at the ever-reliable Laughter Factory, with Ben Norris, Joe Lycett and Gordon Southern in charge. 8pm, Dhs140.

Thursday 15 David Morales, Q43 US house legend plays for Q43’s first birthday, with support from local DJ stars Smokingroove. 8pm-late.

Deep Crates, Casa Latina Funk, soul, hip hop and B-Boy night Deep Crates returns for a one-off birthday show at their first home Casa Latina, with drink deals aplenty. 9pm-3am, Dhs50.

Laugher Factory, Grand Millenium Tecom

Get your monthly chuckles at the ever-reliable Laughter Factory, with Ben Norris, Joe Lycett and Gordon Southern in charge. 9pm, Dhs140.

Lloyd Banks, XL Beach Club G-Unit star and American rapper Lloyd Banks plays live, with support from DJ Jam and DJ Jo Jo. 10pm-3am.

Sebo K, O2 Club House and techno from mobilee record’s longest serving artist at the newly launched 02 club at Sofitel The Palm. 10pm-3am, Dhs100, Dhs150 on the door.

Friday 16 Audio tonic, 360 Mr Mr drops a marathon 6 hour set, while the residents take over duties Above and Below with house on both floors. 4pm3am, free. Weekly.

Aurora feat. Chicane, Zero Gravity After impressing at the end of last year, Chicane are back again for a regular residency: expect Balearic beats and groovy house. 2pm-3am. Free before 10pm, ladies free until midnight, Dhs100.

Bassworx feat. Bailey, Casa Latina Drum and Bass kingpin Bailey of BBC Radio 1Xtra fame makes his Dubai debut, with Mach 4, Woodle and more on support. 9pm-3am, Dhs60 after 11pm.

Darius Syrossian, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Our cover star plays alongside Benjamin Alexander, with deep house and techno on the playlist. 1-11pm.

Luna City Express, Provocateur Berlin duo Luna City Express make their debut at Dubai’s newest club, based at the Four Seasons. 10pm-3am.

House of Afrika, Dek on 8 DeCaf, Che and David Craig step up to the mantle for a night long session of deep house and Afro beats. 6pm-3am.

Tiga, Eden Beach Club Just a month after his last Dubai show, ‘Bugatti’ DJ Tiga returns for a set of wonky electro and techno. 10am-midnight.

White Day Party, Pacha Ibiza Dubai An all white day party kicking off at 2pm on the stunning Rooftop, with Zepherin Saint on later, and Sebastien Gamboa in the main room. 2pm-3am.

Saturday 17 Social, 360 Audio tonic and Sole Agency combine for this weekly night of live sunset music and house, with A Moralez, Tristan Bain and Jordan Sweeting on the decks.

5pm-3am, drink deals until 8pm.

Shibuya feat. Yousef, The Basement Circus head honcho and Space Ibiza favourite Yousef returns to Dubai for a night of sleek house and techno, with support from Mr Mr and Michka. 10pm-3am, ladies free before midnight, Dhs100.

Thursday 22 Cadenza Showcase, O2 Club Ernesto Ferreyra and Julietta showcase Cadenza’s cutting edge house and techno sound.

10pm-3am, Dhs100 in advance, Dhs150 on the door.

Neils Van Gogh, XL Beach Club Veteran Ferman DJ and Producer Van Gogh plays a high energy mix of house and commercial. 10pm-3am.

Velocity feat. DJ Yoda, Zero Gravity Pick and mix DJing from DJ Yoda, with big bass beats as likely as TV theme tunes – eclectic and brilliant. 6pm-3am, free before 10pm, ladies free until midnight, Dhs100.

Friday 23 Audio tonic ,360 The trusted residents take control once again, with Tristan Bain, Jordan Sweeting and JC Pinto Above and Arcade 82 below, with house on both floors. 4pm-3am, free.

Globalfunk feat. Doc Scott, The Basement Rolling Drum and Bass beats from the long running night, with the Metalheadz star joined by MC Lowqui. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.

Aurora feat. DJ Yoda, Zero Gravity Huge house double booking, as Subliminal Records star Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero is joined

by US legend Junior Sanchez for classic house cuts. 2pm3am, free before 10pm, ladies free until midnight, Dhs100.

House of Afrika, Dek on 8 DeCaf, Charl Chaka and Conan Liquid drop deep, afro and tech house at the popular weekly night. 6pm-3am.

Jozif & Matt Tolfrey, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Deep house and techno from another strong double header line up. 1-11pm.

H.O.S.H, Eden Beach Club Deep, bassline friendly house from the Diynamic DJ and producer, with support from KayTek. 10am-midnight.

Sam Divine, Pacha Ibiza Dubai Leading vocal lady and star of dozens of hit house tracks, Sam Divine plays live in the main room, with deep house on the Rooftop. 10pm-3am.

Saturday 24 Social, 360 Audio tonic and Sole Agency combine for this weekly night of live sunset music and house, with A Moralez, Tristan Bain and Rod Lee Winters on the decks.

5pm-3am, drink deals until 8pm.

.. Dance out Walk In..

044202393 0569499428 www.tempodubai.com

Look AND

LISTEN Music be the food of love, so read on...

> Music News > On the Record > Soundstage > DJ Booth

Look and Listen

Music News...

The Sound of 2015

The BBC have released their tastemaking Sound of 2015 list. The start of the year poll has previously been won by Sam Smith, Haim and Adele. This year’s list includes folk songwriter James Bay, street hip hop from George The Poet, soaring rock from the Sunset Sons and soulful, electronic pop courtesy of Years & Years (pictured), with the results announced from January 9, just after our press.

Grammy Award nominations

Forthcoming Dubai visitor Ed Sheeran has been nominated for Album Of The Year at this year’s Grammy Awards, alongside Beck, Beyonce, Sam Smith and Pharrell Williams. Meanwhile, The Black Keys and Ryan Adams have been nominated for best rock album, while – somehow – Nicky Minaj has been nominated for best rap song for the quite awful ‘Anaconda.’

Still No.1 The Resident Advisor poll has been announced, with German DJ Dixon still taking top spot ahead of Tale Of Us. Seen my many as a more club-correct poll than DJ Magazine’s top 100, the top 20 is full of techno and house DJs with Ame, Seth Troxler, Maceo Plex, Ben Klock, Ben UFO, Mano Le Tough, Rodhad and Ricardo Villalobos making up the rest of the Top 10.

PLX-1000 BORN AGAIN High-torque direct drive system Removable power, ground and phono cables ±8%, ±16% and ±50% tempo control, and Tempo Reset Professional sound quality and build

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PIONEER-MEA.COM cartridge not included

Look and Listen

MUSIC THAT MATTERS Send tracks/edits/remixes to andy@infusion.ae

The White Cube Playlist

Our musical friends at White Cube Studios have scoured the web and return with another essential dose of original music from the UAE, all lovingly compiled on their Soundcloud playlist soundcloud.com/whitecubeuae Andeo - Nyctophilia Andeo is a talented rapper from the UAE. After winning the Middle East Rap Battle, he’s now joined the Cannonball Productions team, with this one of our favourite tracks. soundcloud.com/andeo-cb Lect - Abjectness (produced by Nasrawi & Lect) Lect is a very talented MC based in Abu Dhabi. Here he works on a track co-produced by underground talents Lect and Nasrawi, giving him plenty of abstract elements to work over. soundcloud.com/annalectthaothinnek Hollaphonic - Krazy The Hollaphonic duo have been a massive hit this year, and tracks like this – with its big drop and electro bounce – is a big reason why. soundcloud.com/hollaphonic Healer Twins Ft. Egari - Gelino Healer twins are no strangers to the music scene in UAE, with Gelino fusing Western/Eastern influences, alongside classical Indian music and folk influences. soundcloud.com/healertwins Khalipha Feat. Mekki - Retropolitan A talented rapper, Khalipha has been MCing across the country and impressing audiences in 2014, and Retropolitan is one of our favourites from his back catalogue. soundcloud.com/khalipha To listen to all the tracks, head to the White Cube Soundcloud page soundcloud.com/whitecubeuae/sets/the-white-cube-playlistnovember23-december9

On The Record

Next up in our series of features looking at Dubai record labels is One28Recordings, headed up by long-time local champion and excellent DJ Jason Pinto AKA JC…

One28Recording

Running since: 2013 Number of releases: 6 Genres covered: Deep house and trip hop Main artists: Rampa, Sasse, Jef K, James Flavour (Dirt Crew), Nick Chacona, James Stewart, Nasrawi, Arnav S, Lee Roz, Sansa, Salah, Ronin and Nesta, Mark Chambers. It’s a small family of artist we have and all I think are instrumental Website: www.facebook.com/one28recordings

The best thing about running your own label is… Working with some really creative people.

The worst thing is… Telling artists and mates that your sound is not what we are going for.

Our biggest seller is… Rampa’s remix of ‘Dub Doubt’ and Sasse’s remix of Arnav S’s track.

We’ve had support from… Solomun, X-press 2, M.A.N.D.Y, Robbie Akbal, Kellerkind, Silicone Soul to name a few.

What does your label sound like?

It’s mostly variations of deep house.

The best online portal for us is… Beatport and What People Play.

How do you make yourself stand out?

It’s the local and international artists we work with. Our weekly Wednesday night radio show on Ibiza Global Radio.

You should keep an eye out for… Christian Prommer and Phonogenic’s releases.

How does a smash hit happen?

Wouldn’t know, never had one. You’d have to ask the Jamie Jones, David Guettas and Art Departments that question.

How involved are you with UAE producers, how can people get in touch with you?

Most of our releases have local artists on them. One of the main reasons of starting the label was creating a bridge between local and international producers. We’re always looking to hear new stuff and feature new artists on the radio show, the contact is jc.jason@one28recordings.com.

How hard is it to make money as a record label?

As a small independent label we do it for the passion of it.

It’s really hard to make any money at such a small scale.

The overheads of paying for mastering, promotion and PR companies is high. But you owe it to your artists to package the final product the best way you can.

And what’s next for your label?

We have been dormant this year with only 2 releases. The idea is to have 4 releases a year and do it right.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

To accompany the series, we’ve compiled our very own mix with one track from each of the labels, available to stream via our Soundcloud page, soundcloud.com/infusion-magazine Infusion Magazine – DXB On The Record Andy Buchan – LRB – Infusion Records Francis Inferno Orchestra – Ellingfort Road – Voyeurhythm Records Pryor – Fela Shuffle – Centric Music The Linguinis – If I Was – Ark To Ashes Arnav S – Subkraft (Sasse Mix) - one28 Recordings Florian Kruse – The Green Wine Experience (Raxon remix) – audio tonic Records Smokingroove – Message To The Playas – Illuminati DJ Sneak – The Party Of All – Gold Drama Records Greg Stainer – Back Home – Stained

www.soundcloud.com/infusion-magazine

CY

CMY

K

both, u could be o y e c n e c li quor W ithout a li E THE RISK! K DON’T TA

The process couldn’t be simpler, just follow these 3 easy steps.

STEP 1 Complete the Application Form and get it stamped by your employer.

STEP 2 Attach copies of the required documents.

STEP 3 Visit any MMI shop to submit your Application Form and documents.

For more information please contact our Liquor Licence team on 04 304 0331/0332 or e-mail lipsadmin@mmi.ae mmidubai.com

/mmidubai

@mmi_dubai

MMIDubai

Soundstage

Two Tone

Currently sat at the top of the iTunes Middle East chart with his sinlge ‘Mektab/Destiny’ featuring Rhany, we caught up with Hip Hop artist Two Tone

My first musical influence was… A westcoast group called N.W.A (Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr Dre and Eazy E). I fell in love with rap music and started writing my own lyrics soon after.

The last pop star I liked was… The late Michael Jackson. He was a great performer, artist and personality.

My sound is best described as… I like to be original and always try to blend in different genres like I did with my hit song ‘Señorita’ last year, which was in Spanish and English.

My upcoming single Mektab/Destiny mixes Arabic and English, which I hope will be enjoyed by my fans in the Middle East, as well as across Europe. I like to call it a mix of different cultures translated through music.

Best piece of advice you’ve received?

When you record, pretend you are singing to a person as this allows you to really capture real emotion in your songs. It works for me!

What’s your musical guilty pleasure?

I must admit that I do catch myself singing corny pop songs in my car as they’re played on the radio, such as Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’. I’m glad nobody can ever hear me do that!

When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is…

Healthy food! I’m always trying to live a healthy lifestyle even though on the road this can be really difficult.

My musical motto is… Always believe in yourself, you can be anything you want to.

Best gig you’ve played?

I’ve done some great gigs, but the Formula 1 event in Abu Dhabi this year was one of my favourites to date. It was the first big show I have done in my own country and the response of the audience was amazing.

Best lyrics of all time?

Eminem :Stan I think it was genius the way Eminem was talking from a fans perspective and made you believe it was a true fan writing letters to him, “Dear Slim, I wrote you but you still ain’t calling I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got ‘em” soundcloud.com/twotonedxb

DJ Booth: Gavin Foord

Warehouse Dubai’s international resident, Gavin Foord is also part of growing production team FooR, making big waves in the UK right now…

Photo: www.maxlangranphotography.com

One thing you might not know about me is... I am one part of a four piece production outfit called FooR and I have just finished supporting MK on his UK tour.

My worst ever job was… I have been very lucky to have worked in music since I was 15 so have never really had a bad job…

My favorite ever record is... Usain Bolt’s 100m world record 9.58 seconds, impressive.

DJing is much like... A box of chocolates, you never know what you never know what you’re gonna get.

Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Very competitive, every time I come out here, there seems to be a new club open or new nights starting, the amount of events going on here is crazy.

I’m really proud of... The FooR project, we have achieved so much in a small amount of time and we work every single day on the progression of the project. We can’t wait for everyone to hear all the new music we have been working on.

I can’t live without... My phone, my friends laugh at me because I’m on it so much, I am actually on it now answering these questions, haha.

My biggest DJ achievement to date is... Playing the Isle of Wight festival to over 5000 people was amazing, I had never been to a festival before so to be playing at the first ever festival I have been to was insane and such a prestigious and long running festival as well.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Vodka, Lemonade and Ribena, although I am not that guilty about it, I am too drunk to feel guilty.

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

My career started at the end of the rave scene, I would have loved to have played at its prime, illegal raves, no genres just amazing parties.

If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be...

Probably one of the legends just so that I could tell my grandchildren about it like Carl Cox or Pete Tong. soundcloud.com/wearefoor www.facebook.com/clubbeats

Looking

CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...

> Weird News > The Spin > Eat Sleep Rave Repeat > Cool Test > Big Question > Movies > Angry Monkey

Looking Closer

Weird News...

Word play

That Lolcat is looking well jel pulling that mahoosive duck face. Don’t worry, we haven’t had a stroke while writing, merely showing off some of the new words added to the Oxford Dictionary online.

Over 1000 new words have been added, but Dubai English phrases like backside and revert and do the needful still aren’t in there, thankfully.

WEIRD PIC It is a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, it’s a porta-potty, turned into a rocket by American enthusiasts.

Obviously.

The economics of sex Sex workers in the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk have unexpectedly hiked prices by up to 40%, blaming the tumbling rouble exchange rate.

They also want to peg the cost of services to the dollar in the longer term if the situation doesn’t improve, reports the BBC. Russian social media commentators are having a field day over the news, with some getting in digs at the authorities. “Putin - learn about the economy from the Murmansk prostitutes,” tweeted Andrei Negotov.

The management of one brothel told the FlashNord news agency that it was “trying to keep prices down, but the cost of living is rising and the girls can’t work at a loss”.

The rouble has lost more than 40% of its value against the dollar and 60% against the euro since the start of the year.

JANUARY 22

The Spin JANUARY 2015

PAGE 200

Issue 13

UN declares DJ shortage in Dubai on NYE A humanitarian crisis hit Dubai over the festive period as unprecedented demand for DJs in the city led to a drastic shortfall.

5,000 extra DJs had already been imported from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan in expectation of the NYE rush and were armed with Now That’s What I Call Music 89, a crash-course in SYNC button pushing and were kitted out in deep house DJ clothes including a pair of black Nike Huaraches.

But the UN’s figures put the official deficit at more than 10,000 DJs in what Dubai authorities are claiming as another world record for the ‘biggest humanitarian DJ disaster in the world ever’.

Despite the chronic shortage of DJs, firework retailers had a bumper NYE, with profits of over $5million as more explosives than were used in World War 2 were set off across the emirate.

Dubai promoter reveals New Year’s Eve resolution is to be more honest about how busy his nights actually are These stories are not true, this is not a real newspaper. This is * parody/fiction/satire/joke. a The Spin is not intended, in any way whatsoever, to be taken as factual.

MORE LIBERTINE LESS CAFFEINE If you want to experience freedom welcome to the feel-good drink evolution.

If you want energy, go back to school and study Alessandro Volta.

PIPER is a feel-good drink ( not an energy drink) PIPER has no caffeine, no added sugar and is 100% natural.

Packed with herbs that anhance your happiness.

Boost your mood not your sugar levels.

PIPER. Your State of Mind.

eat sleep rave repeat Hakkasan Opening in London in 2001, Hakkasan rapidly became the name on everyone’s lips (no pun intended) when it came to high-end Chinese cuisine, even gaining itself a Michelin star along the way. Now majority owned by Sheikh Mansour, it has established itself as a global brand with 8 restaurants including 2 in this region, one in Doha and here hidden away in Emirates Towers Dubai.

The first thing you notice about Hakkasan is the attention to detail: not only from the food but the thought and quality work that has gone into creating an authentic space that’s both functional and fun whilst still feeling intimate and lively.

The well stocked bar and expert mixologists running it are a lesson to some high end establishments I could mention who wouldn’t know how to produce a mind blowing cocktail if they tried: these guys totally know what they are doing and it’s a pleasure to sit down and let them take care of everything for us. I opted for the Zesty Martini and it popped with a delicate coriander top note that just sit in your mouth long enough to make you smile, whilst my guest selected a punchy berry-based concoction that’s both sharp and sweet as you would have liked.

The new resident DJ Arnav built up some great background sounds, bouncy tech house, perfect for me and her as Vincent the deputy manager shows us to our table.

The acoustics are very well designed as we can freely talk above the pumping bass.

The menu read exactly as it should, classics but with some modern ingredients and techniques along side. We started with two types of Dim Sum, steamed Sui Mai, Hargow and Seabass with chilli along with some fried wagyu, venison and duck dumplings. They had exceptional levels of flavour and balance, every mouthful better than the last. I’ve had my fair share of Dim Sum in my time but I rated these as some of the best. We also shared a steaming bowl of jasmine smoked beef ribs, a dish that I could return for time and time again, soft, unctuous bitesize mouthfuls of sweet sticky beef, fun to eat with chopsticks and small enough to feed your guest with easily if the mood takes you.

We then tucked into a crispy duck salad, so fresh and light with a crunch from the pomegranate seeds bursting in my mouth, perfect for sharing. Then it was onto some hot dishes.

The black pepper beef was as expected, and the signature cod in black truffle sauce was divine but the real star was the Chilean Seabass roasted in Chinese Honey. There was so much depth of flavor, with layer upon layer of taste, with smokey sugary tasting caramalised flesh along side some crunchy deep fried enoki mushrooms.

Deserts are normally not a thing the Chinese are renowned for so the menu reads a bit like a who’s who of puddings of the world including the ever-present chocolate fondant. She plumped for the peach melba crème Brule as it sounded interesting and what arrived was a plate of scrummy: a silky smooth base, some little biscuit crunch on the side, fresh raspberries, soft creamy almonds and a lemongrass ice cream that will live with me for a very long time. All very very fine indeed and perfectly paired with the rose wine the sommelier recommended along side it.

Restaurants come and go in this city, you could eat out every night for a year and still not make an impact to that list.

However if you want to go somewhere that is consistently delivering amazing fine dining Chinese food in an exceptional environment with perfectly balanced cocktails, on point service and priced so that you don’t need to get a loan out first, then Hakkasan is the place for you and everyone you know.

Hakkasan, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, 04 384 8484

Cool The January Laughter Factory comedians go head to head in this issue’s battle of icy wit. But who’s the joker and who’s the joke?

BEN

The best heckle I’ve heard is…

Contrary to popular belief heckles are rarely funny and usually don’t add any value to a show. That said, I heckled another comedian once who had stolen a joke off me and then had the audacity to do it on stage when I was in the room. That I enjoyed greatly but I had right on my side.

JOE

I’ve lost my mummy can you help!? (HILARIOUS heckle I got at the supermarket from some stupid kid).

The question I get asked the most is… are you and why are you in “Do you really have triplets?’ ‘Who my bathroom?’

My biggest claim to fame is…

I used to be Kate Middleton’s Martin Freeman is my cousin. best friend until she got up herself.

Have you ever used your name or fame to get out of trouble? often have money troubles but Sadly I’m not famous enough to Ithen use my name and fame to get into trouble. procure comedy work.

Have you ever injured yourself at work?

Yes, probably my liver mostly. I have never injured myself.

Ben Norris vs Joe Lycett It’s not big and clever but…

My next door neighbour is 4ft.6 It’s my Johnson! and failed his eleven plus.

Your answer to everything is…

Rarely truthful in any way Correct. (except this one).

What’s the best insult you could give each other?

“Well, the audience seemed to You’re such a cat (very insulting enjoy you.” to anyone who isn’t a cat).

The verdict: Ben Norris is this issue’s champ, see him in ribtickling action at the venues below.

Saturday 10th Jan – The Els Club Dubai Sports City Wednesday 14th Jan - Al Badia Golf Club by Intercontinental DFC Thursday 15th Jan - Grand Millennium (TECOM) Tickets Dhs140.

Looking Closer

THE BIG Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

George: Director of a helicopter company

Chaka: Retired by the beach Danielle: Definitely not here.

Australia or New Zealand

Joe: In heaven, or in hell

Samara: In Japan Mido: Living it up with the Sheikhs and running things in Dubai

MOVIE Taken 3 The first one was silly but good, the second one ridiculous and not that good, is there any need for a third Taken? Box office receipts say yes, so enjoy.

Classification: PG 13 Director: Olivier Megaton Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace

Blackhat

A man is released from prison to help American and Chinese authorities pursue a mysterious cyber criminal.

The dangerous search leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong.

Classification: 15 Director: Michael Mann Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis

PREVIEWS American Sniper

Acclaimed director Eastwood gets behind this film, as a Navy S.E.A.L. recounts his military career, which includes more than 150 confirmed kills.

Classification: PG 15 Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller

Mad Max Fury Road Big budget magic film with a stellar cast.

James Corden and Emily Blunt wander into the woods to try and reverse an ancient spell so they can have a baby, meeting Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hoot, Rapunzel and more along the way‌ Classification: PG Director: Rob Marshall

Starring: Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt

Disclaimer: Film release schedules are subject to change, please check reelcinemas.ae, novocinemas.com and voxcinemas.com for full schedules.

So if 2014 was the year of deep-tech house monotony, as many clubs opening as closing (are investors really that myopic out here) and increasing competition and dwindling crowds, here are my predictions for 2015. t

More ‘glamorous, Instagram-perfect’ beach clubs will open. Half will close as punters realize Dhs500 for a sunbed, a lukewarm beer and the ambience of a morgue don’t quite add up.

t Dubai’s clubs will finally embrace commercialism (ha). t More ‘festivals’ will pop up overnight. NB definition of

festival being more than one act. t Enough Champagne will be sprayed – not drunk – to

actually solve the world’s water shortage. And people will

actually laugh and pay for the privilege. t

The Angry Monkey will have a hernia from all the inane, brain-defying rubbish that Dubai’s clubbers, promoters, DJs and fans will spew forth. And I’ll secretly love every second of it. Bring it on f***wits!

Monkey Out...

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

PRESENTS

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MC LOWQUI

2014

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