Infusion # 266: Mar 6-20 2016 by Infusion Magazine

MUSIC • PEOPLE • LIFE

DEEP DISH ARE BACK!*

*WELL, KINDA. SHARAM & DUBFIRE PLAY EDEN John Digweed, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, Danny Rampling, Groove On The Grass, DJ Premier, The Spin, Angry Monkey and more!

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GUEST LIST TALAL BUDEBS Publisher

CHARL CHAKA

Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae

ANDY BUCHAN

Editor andy@infusion.ae

VIP PATEL

Magazine / Sales Director vip@infusion.ae +971 050 169 8712

CHRIS RAYNER

Online Guru chris@infusion.ae

PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae

CONTRIBUTORS:

Pure Sky Lounge have launched their Pure Picnic every Saturday, including a picnic basket of food plus drinks for AED300 for two people, bean bags, stunning JBR views and ace tunes. . You just can’t keep him away now! Sven Vath is back in the UAE, playing for the Blue Marlin gang at the end of March.

New seasons of House of Cards and Game of Thrones incoming. Hungover Saturdays bingewatching just got that bit better...

Vip Patel, Chris Rayner, Sarah Abel V, Dale Chandler

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Dubai promoters paying too much for DJs: one hip hop DJ is reportedly being paid a whopping AED60,000 for his recent set. Venues wanting people to ‘come as they are’ for the opening night but then turning people away in shorts (very smart shorts we should add). Not cool. Bad flyer design. There’s just no need. Good job our Design Awards are coming very soon, highlighting the great and good!

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OLD JOKES HOME: Q: What do you do if you are attacked by a circus mob? A: Go for the juggler.

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LOOKING

BACK

Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.

• WHAT WE DID • PHOTO GALLERY

Looking Back

What we did HOT SINCE 82 & JOSH BUTLER @ BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

Another Friday, another excellent night at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE. They’ve hit on a winning formula – good staff, good sound system and one of the best DJ line ups this side of Ibiza. Josh Butler, returning to the UAE after his debut for audio tonic last season, impressed yet again, with a chunky house meets techno sound that got the floor moving before handing over to headliner Hot Since 82. Another DJ talent from Leeds in the UK, Daley Padley AKA Hot Since 82 stepped up and kept the groove going with a succession of rolling, driving, percussion driven tech-house tracks, proving once again why he’s so in-demand. Like we said, just another Friday at Blue Marlin. Up next: Kolsch & Matador, Friday March 11

BASSWORX LIQUID DRUM AND BASS BRUNCH FEAT MISTANOIZE @ STORY ROOFTOP Unlimited Food, Drink and DNB. Every Emirates Bassheads dream, right? Well that dream became a reality on 19th Feb as the, inaugural Liquid Drum and Bass Brunch got underway. Sold out days in advance, the successful new concept, attracted a mix of bass loving booze hounds to Story Rooftops latest underground offering.   The food was simple yet varied with a decent selection from the BBQ and some South American fare that would have DJ Marky rewinding for more. Local heavyweights Mach4 and The Artist Formerly Known as Somali(e) stepped up to the decks with an outstanding selection of rolling basslines that took us into sunset.  The day could have ended there with a smile on everyone’s face, but last orders were called for brunch and things ramped up a notch as 2011 Ram Records “Ram100” DJ Competition winner Mistanoize took to the decks alongside MC R VEE and what proceeded was an onslaught of some of the finest Drum and Bass mixing the region has seen. The Birmingham native rinsed out a technically excellent 3 hour mix comprising almost everything drum’n’bass has to offer – classics, liquid, jump up, jungle all expertly cut and mixed together by a true master of the craft. Next up Bassworx Head Honcho Woodle hopped on for some B2B action, double dropping tracks until the last man was standing. We can’t wait until the next one is announced. Vip Patel & Dale Chandler Up next: Bassworx, March 17, Casa Latina

Looking Back

DUBAI JAZZ FESTIVAL @ MEDIA CITY AMPHITHEATRE The 14th installment of the Dubai Jazz Fest kicked off with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and their pop/Jazz twist, coupled with some spectacular tap-dancing. English indie-rock band, James, were next and were a hit with the Brit expats, especially during classic 90s tracks ‘Come Home’ and ‘Sit Down’. The large crowd were there mostly for headliners Toto, and they weren’t disappointed as they got all the classics – and a few new tracks – and ‘Africa’ as an encore. Day 2 started with David Gray who set a dreamy tone for the night. Ending his set with “This Year’s Love” was apt for the headliner next in line, masterclass trumpeter Chris Botti. He filled the air with breathtaking, sensual trumpet sounds along with the skilled violinist Caroline Campbell and the insanely talented drummer Lee Pearson,

while Sting joined them on stage to give the crowd a show filled to the brim with hits and smooth grooves. Argentine percussion group La Bomba De Tiempo opened Day 3 with their rich captivating beats, and were the perfect set up for the final headliner Santana. His world-music, Latin infused influenced rock set could not help but teleport us to a land of overflowing 60s Love with full on Woodstock vibes. The Peace themed monologue tribute by Carlos to the likes of Bob Marley, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors amongst so many closed the 3 day festival in style. Sarah Abel V

Looking Back

DXBEACH FEAT. TIESTO @ ZERO GRAVITY We’re not sure what was more impressive – Zero Gravity’s new 2000m sq pool extension which was freshly opened, or the club’s brand new stage which hosted trance-turned-EDM star Tiesto for their first DXBeach of the year. True to form for the JBR venue, the open-air club filled up quickly, with over 6,000 people packed in well before midnight to hear the Mambo Brothers on sunset duties and local residents Grant Collins and Andrew Hartley before hand. Dutch DJ Tiesto took to the stage at 11 and quickly got into the groove, dropping 2014 track ‘Red Lights’ and ‘Trance Sensation’ but the biggest cheer of the night came when he played his timeless trance classic ‘Adagio For Strings,’ as thousands of hands and – inevitably – camera phones were thrust into the air. Up next: DXBeach, Friday April 15

ALY & FILA @ CHAMELEON CLUB

BLACK SHEEP @ MOVIDA

DECIBEL FEAT. DE LA SWING @ LEVEL 41

I AM HARDWELL @ MEYDAN

LIQUID BRUNCH @ STORY ROOFTOP

NO.1 FRIDAY BEACH FESTIVAL @ NASIMI

UNER @ CAVALLI

BACK2BASICS FT. JAMES ZABELIA @ PACHA IBIZA DUBAI

DWA FEAT. TALIB KWELI @ THE ACT

EDDIE HALIWELL @ CHAMELEON CLUB

LOOKING

FORWARD

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

• LOCAL NEWS •DEEP DISH •JOHN DIGWEED •KOLSCH • ALL TOGETHER

Looking Forward

Local News A COLLECTION OF CLASSICS

House classics night Journey Thru House returns for its monthly residency at Zero Gravity with UK house godfather Danny Rampling on the decks on Friday March 18. Widely credited as one of the original house/rave founders in the late 80s following a life-changing trip to Ibiza, Rampling has a huge collection of tried and tested classics in his collection, making this a highlight of Zero Gravityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s season. Support comes in the form of DXB favourite and original Hacienda resident Graeme Park, alongside Abigail Bailey on live PA duties and local DJ Kristian Valdini.

LOADED TEAM UP WITH STEP ON

Indie/alternative nights Loaded and Step On have teamed up for a series of monthly parties at Casa Latina starting on March 11. The two long running nights first went head to head last summer for a couple of packed out parties, and will be playing everything from Joy Division to the Jackson 5. The night starts at 9pm, with buckets of beer AED125 all night.

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Looking Forward

ET W!LD DJ FOR ATGROOVE EDEN ON THE GRASS!

The much-loved techno festival returns to Emirates Golf Course on Friday March 11, with Pan-Pot, Paul Ritch, Steve Bug and more across 2 stages. And they’ve teamed up with TAG Heuer for one of the best DJ competitions we’ve seen recently – five local jocks will battle it out at the start of the night for a future full set at GotG, so get down early to support the city’s up-coming DJ talent, including our very own Chris Rayner!

LEADER OF THE TRANCE

A State of Trance star Armin Van Buuren is heading back to Dubai to play at the Meydan Racecourse on Friday May 20. In whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a big year for trance in the region, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the biggest booking yet having dominated the scene and the DJ Magazine Top 100 poll (when it mattered), winning it four times in a row. And with Ramadan scheduled to begin at the start of June, this is set to be one of the biggest parties before the summer season.

Looking Forward

ET W!LD GOING ATDEEPER EDEN UNDERGROUND

New Chameleon club night Underground is aiming to live up to its name and bring Dubai a taste of clubs like ‘Sankeys, Mint, Egg, Fabric’ and their signature UK house music sound. They have rising Hot Creations star Seff on launch night duties on Thursday March 17 alongside warm up DJ Bad Catholic. Entry is free before midnight and AED100 after.

SOMETHING BIGGER

DnB night Something Big are back on dry land for their next event having thrown several yacht parties, and have ‘Buffalo’ DJs Dub Phizix and Strategy on headline duties at Story Rooftop on Friday March 18. The BBC Radio 1 UK residents recently mixed the FabricLive 84 compilation, while their 2014 hit ‘Buffalo’ is still one of the scene’s big tunes. It’s free entry before 11pm, and AED100 after.

ET W!LD DWA SIGN AT EDEN UP DJ PREMIER

New hip hop night Dubai With Attitude has got off to a flyer thanks to guests like Talib Kweli and DJ Yoda, but their biggest booking is yet to come as producer and DJ Premier touches down on Thursday March 24 for a night of stone-cold classics. Previously one half of hip hop duo Gang Starr, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s produced for KRS-One, Mos Def, Kanye West and The Notorious B.I.G during his long career. Doors open at The Act, Shangri-La Hotel from 8.30pm.

Cover Feature

DEEP DISH DELIVER FOR EDEN

* Well, kinda. Eden’s big 2016 continues as they have ex Deep Dish stars Dubfire and Sharam trading house music blows on March 11 and March 25. Here’s their history in quotes... On DJing Sharam “What matters the most is that 1) you are good at your craft and are prepared for the crowd 2) you are paying attention to your instruments (the sound, the lights, the vibe, the feel, opening DJ, type of crowd, etc.) and 3) you are willing to let loose and entertain while you educate. Obviously the kind of music you can get away with at a 500 capacity club or smaller is different from the stuff you end up playing at a 8,000 capacity club or a festival. But at the end, it doesn’t matter. Just do your homework and be prepared for the ride.” Dubfire “With all these digital files floating around, everyone has access to everything, so programming becomes extremely important and how you interpret the music in the context of a DJ gig becomes very important. Guys like me and Rich (Hawtin), Chris Liebling, Joakim and Speedy J are really trying to re-define it for ourselves and hopefully trying to inspire a whole new group of DJs.”

Cover Feature On the Deep Dish split Sharam “I’m not going to lie. The original split was acrimonious. But a lot of time had passed, and we let it go, and started to forget why we were angry at each other at the beginning. While that was happening, we both went out and achieved our own solo successes. We got to thinking that we both just walked away from Deep Dish. We’d felt like we hit the end of our own creative cycle. We got bored doing the same thing. We’ve always been separate producers and separate DJs who have just collaborated together for all these years.” Dubfire “People are more sceptical of my new direction because I come from Deep Dish. A lot of people thought Deep Dish had become this commercial beast turning out Top 10 hits and were wary of accepting me. But the music speaks for itself.”

On music Sharam “I make music so I tend to play music that is well-produced. If it’s music that’s well put together and it’s telling a story and turning heads then I’ll play it. I don’t care what genre of music it is. It could be hip-hop, it could be trance, it could be tech house, minimal, whatever you want to call it. I’ve always been about good music. I don’t care what genre it’s from. I’m not aware of people tagging this album a certain thing. And if they do, I don’t really care because it’s the music is all that matters.” Dubfire “Loco Dice was instrumental in shaping my new direction when I was at a crossroads, musically. I had a chance to see him play last summer in Ibiza and he changed my whole perspective of music – he played an amazing set at DC10. He’s unbelievable. I try to apply a punk ethic to my own music...it has to be groundbreaking, futuristic, unique, and organic.”

On the underground and commercialism Sharam “Extremism is not good in anything. You have to balance everything out. The underground is important because that’s where new talent and organic growth comes from. The other side is that it is a music business and in order for it to thrive you have to cater to the masses or you’re not going to be relevant and nobody’s going to give you the time of day. So, it is a juggling act. All groups in all genres of music deal with this.” Dubfire “For me it’s never been about money. It’s always about keeping interested. The day I lose interest is the day I hang up my hat. I do get criticised but I think the proof is in the pudding. It took a long time. People thought I was just trying to cash in on a trend. But you don’t go from what we did [in Deep Dish] back underground.

On getting back together Dubfire: “We have enough material for an album. We’ve got to make it all cohesive, and make it all make sense. We’ve got some collaborations we’re working on. So it’s a matter of getting it all together. We’re hoping we get it all done by the summer so that we can then get about the business of releasing the record.” Sharam: “Deep Dish hasn’t felt like we did everything we wanted to or achieved everything we wanted to. We need to go back and pick up where left off, being who we are today. Maybe it’ll finish the arc or maybe it’ll be a new trajectory. With all the work we’ve done in the studio, some of it has been incredibly positive and inspiring and signalling some kind of new sound. Right now, we’re only focused on zeroing in on each of Sharam the songs we’ve been working on for the last plays Eden year or so. We know we want to do Friday March 11 an album and we want to have Dubfire plays Eden Friday March 24 maximum impact with the facebook.com/edendubai new music.” 04 277 1477

John Digweed

The DJ’s DJ and Bedrock main man John Digweed is back in Dubai, playing at Pacha Ibiza Dubai on Friday March 11. Ahead of his big gig, we look back at his career in numbers…

Age when he first began DJing in his home town Hastings, going on to book The Prodigy and Carl Cox

2001

The first year he was voted as DJ Magazine’s No.1 DJ in the world

Years old

172,000 Number of Twitter followers

in Numbers 1994

Year he released the first commercial compilation for a nightclub as he launched Renaissance: The Mix Collection

610,022

Number of Facebook Likes to date

Brother, who just so happens to be the 25 times World Clay Pigeon Shooting Champion

Confirmed gigs this March, including trips to Lithuania, Holland, Miami for the Winter Music Conference, Sweden, Ireland and England

Compilation albums he’s pulled together in total, including releases for Fabric and his own label Bedrock

Top 40 hits including ‘For What You Dream Of’ which was part of the Trainspotting soundtrack

Back2Basics feat. John Digweed, 10pm-3am, Pacha Ibiza Dubai

OPEN BAR AED350

+971 4 277 1477 RESERVATIONS@EDENBEACHCLUB.COM RIXOS THE PALM DUBAI THE PALM JUMEIRAH DUBAI, UAE

The Last Time with… Kölsch

Danish melodic techno expert Kölsch makes his UAE debut at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE on Friday March 11. We caught up with the Kompakt star to talk requests, techno and the last time he lied…

The last time I was impressed by another DJ was... Last Weekend. I heard Patrice Bäumel play an amazing set. The last time I played a request was… Never. The last time I had to explain what I did for a living was... Two weeks ago. I had a conversation with a very drunk lady who insisted she hated Techno. I tried to explain to her the many sides of the genre, but she was firmly stuck in the 80s. I should have just said I was a plumber. The last time I Googled myself was… Just now when I saw this question. The last time I wondered what I was doing in the music industry was... Around 2009. Tried to figure out what to do with my sound, as I felt stuck. The last book I read was… The Prince bio by Matt Thorne. The last club I played was… Paradiso, Amsterdam. The last piece of music I loved was… There is so much music I love, but lately I’ve been obsessing over Beacon’s new album The last time I lied was… Earlier on this page. I may have played one request years ago. The last track I play in Dubai will be… I really don’t know yet! Kolsch & Matador play Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, Friday March 11

ALL TOGETHER

Monthly get together Together has been quietly gaining a reputation as a cool

hangout thanks to the tried and tested combination of good music and good people.

We spoke to Salah Sadeq behind

the event to find out what happens when people come together…

Together is… A hassle free gathering of friends and friends of friends, people come and hangout in a nice venue with a nice setting and fairly priced food and beverages. It’s more of a social thing to enjoy music and get together with friends. The other key is that we wanted to give a lot of upcoming talent that doesn’t normally get the chance to play a decent set at a decent time slot or duration the opportunity to flex their musical muscles artistically. The music policy ranges from downtempo at sunset to house, techno and other electronic or cutting edge styles. Together we can… Achieve an honest following of ‘Hey let’s go enjoy some good fresh tunes’ or see my friend who rarely gets to play a 3 hour set at a peak slot and let them express themselves. It’s a bit of a dance, a bit of chat and the chance to meet good people and listen to good sounds. Together will be hosting… Hassan Alwan, Boogie Box’s main man, for our March 10 date. He has a decent amount of experience in the scene and UAE. MAAT AKA Mattia is fairly new but has great taste and knowledge and rarely gets to play out in clubs and bars. Plus there’s the residents Adam Rahman and myself. Together will be… Nothing over the top. Just good people, good music and good times, on a nice terrace! Together feat. Hassan Alwan, Thursday March 10, Dek on 8, 6pm-3am, free entry all night

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ON THE RADAR MARCH 24 JACK PAROW Dek on 8

MARCH 25 NICKY MINAJ The Venue (Dubai Outlet Mall)

KARAK BEATS FEAT. MALA

MARCH 24 Velocity

MARCH 25 UMMET OZCAN XL

MARCH 24

MARCH 25

Tennis Stadium

Eden Beach Club

MARCH 24 DWA FEAT. DJ PREMIER The Act

MARCH 25 SVEN VATH Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE

UB40 & BILLY OCEAN

DUBFIRE

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

MARCH 25

DECIBEL FEAT. MARK REEVE

Level 41

MARCH 31

APRIL 22 PLUS MINUS FEAT. DANNY HOWELLS & MATT TOLFREY

Level 41

APRIL 28

SUPERHEROES FEAT. ROSKA

PAUL VAN DYK

APRIL 1 PEPPERMINT FEAT. AVICII

SUPERHEROES FEAT. KIDNAP KID

Dek on 8

World Trade Centre

APRIL 14

BACK2BASICS FEAT. HERNAN CATTANEO

Pacha

Zero Gravity

APRIL 28 Dek on 8

MAY 5

GOODGREEF FEAT. JORDAN SUCKLEY

Chameleon

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, Nasimi, Story Rooftop, Y Not Lounge, Bliss Lounge, Zinc, Cinnamon - Raddison, La Terrasse, Fashion Lounge, OcactI, The Scene

MONDAY 7 Projekt M feat. Rutherford, Chameleon Club Free entry all night and 3 free drinks for ladies at this house and techno night, with Superheroes’ Rutherford on deck duty. 10pm-3am.

WEDNESDAY 9 INFUSION PICK! Alsarah & The Nubatones, The Music Room Live music from East Africa retro pop from Nubian star Alsarah, with James Locksmith on support. 8pm-1am, AED100.

THURSDAY 10 INFUSION PICK! Together, Dek on 8 House and techno at this monthly get together, with Boogie Box main man Hassan Alwan making the trip down from Abu Dhabi. 6pm-3am, free.

INFUSION PICK! Cuts Above, 360 The monthly house night returns with residents Jonny & Dan joined by Simon Reid and Kristian Valdini. 6pm-3am, free.

Decibel DnB feat. Loxy, Level 41 Seminal Drum and Bass DJ Loxy has been playing for more than 2 decades, and makes his Dubai debut courtesy of Decibel. 10pm-3am, AED100.

Analog Room feat. Siamak Amidi, Q Underground Trusted resident and international DJ in his own right, Volt Music head honcho Amidi headlines. 10pm-3am, AED100.

FRIDAY 11 INFUSION PICK! Back2Basics feat. John Digweed, Pacha Ibiza Dubai The Bedrock main man drops a pulsing house and techno set in the Pacha main room. 10pm-3am.

INFUSION PICK! Groove on the Grass feat. Pan-Pot, Emirates Golf Course The techno and house festival returns, with Pan-Pot, Steve Bug, Paul Ritch and more playing across 2 stages. 5pm3am.

INFUSION PICK! Kolsch & Matador, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Melodic techno from Kolsch on his UAE debut, with support from the Richie Hawtin endorsed Matador. 11am-late.

INFUSION PICK! My Digital Enemy, XL Big room house from the remix stars who impressed on their last visit to the UAE. 10pm3am, AED100.

House of Afrika feat. Chino Vv, Dek on 8 Doha DJ and vinyl fanatic Chino Vv drops deep Afro tech house. 6pm-3am, free.

INFUSION PICK! Sharam, Eden The ex Deep Dish star and Iranian DJ headlines, with support from Trix and Kaytek. Midday-late.

Tube & Berger, Zero Gravity The German deep house duo return to the UAE, this time dropping their bassline friendly sound at Zero Gravity. 6pm-3am, ladies free before midnight, men free before 10pm, AED100.

THURSDAY 17 Back2Basics feat. Marco V, Pacha Ibiza Dubai High energy house and trance from the veteran DJ and producer. 10pm-3am, ladies free before midnight, AED100.

Nouvelle Vague, Music Room French cover band Nouvelle Vague take a Bossa Nova approach to classics by Joy Division and more. 9pm, AED250.

Back2Basics sunset feat. Wehbba, Pacha Ibiza Dubai

Original Sound feat. Sam Paganini, Square

The John Digweed pre-party kicks off with the Toolroom and Tronic DJ playing the sunset slot on the Rooftop. 4pm-late, ladies free before 6pm, AED100.

Drumcode signing Paganini brings his strong techno sound to Square, with support from Dante and Daniele Travali. 10pm3am, AED100.

INFUSION PICK! Loaded vs Step On, Casa Latina Indie and Alternative nights Loaded and Step On go head to head, with ace drink deals all night. 9pm-2.45am, free.

Underground feat. Seff, Chameleon Club New night Underground promises to bring a taste of UK underground clubs Fabric and Sankeys to Dubai, with Hot Creations signing Seff their first guest DJ. 10pm-3am, AED100.

Audio tonic, 360 The trusted residents take over at the stunning Jumeirah Beach Hotel venue, with Mr Mr on headline duties. 4pm-3am, free.

INFUSION PICK! DUST feat. Pete Herbert, Velocity Eclectic electronic night DUST returns with disco veteran Pete Herbert joined by Megadon Betamax and James Locksmith. 10pm-3am, AED100.

FRIDAY 18 Cadenza Showcase, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Tech house from DJs Gianni Callipari, Cesar Merveille and Ezikiel alongside Blue Marlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trusted residents. 11am-late.

INFUSION PICK! Journey Thru House, Zero Gravity Danny Rampling and Graeme Park head up this very popular classics night, with support from Kristian Valdini. 6pm3am, free.

House of Afrika feat. Cuebar, Dek on 8 Jo’Burg DJ Cuebar brings his Afro beat meets techno DJ style to the Dek on 8. 6pm3am, free.

INFUSION PICK! Electric Odyssey Dubai, Eden A triple line up of cutting edge sounds, including Agents of Time dropping a live set, Martin Landsky, Oxia and Petar Dundov, as well as 12 local DJs. Midday-late.

INFUSION PICK! Plus Minus feat. Deetron, Level 41 A big first for the Plus Minus crew as Deetron makes his debut in the region with his pulsing, melodic, deep techno. 10pm-3am, tickets from AED80.

Something Big feat. Dub Phizix & Strategy, Story Rooftop Drum and Bass crew Something Big bring ‘Buffalo Charge’ duo Dub Phizix and Strategy back to Dubai. 10pm-3am, AED100.

Tse Tse Fly, Casa Latina Experimental art noise and soundscapes from the monthly night. 10pm-3am, free.

MARCH 11

LOOK AND

LISTEN

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

• ALBUMS * MUSIC NEWS •FERRY CORSTEN • SOUNDSTAGE •DJ BOOTH •TECH TALK

Look and Listen

Album Reviews

AELI – LATE FUTURE CALLS Hip Hop/Electronic //aelimusik.bandcamp.com/

 Dance music is global, it breaks boundaries, it challenges conceptions. And that’s a theme that Aeli, a DXB producer and 264 Cru member, embraces on his debut album. Over 8 eclectic soundscapes, he merges boom bap hip hop, scuzzy electronics, rib-rattling snares and oriental samples to create a fully unique sound. ‘March Of The Wretch’ sounds like a Bedouin trek with Flying Lotus, while ‘Aelien’ is the sort of introspective jazz that would get Four Tet nodding his head in approval. Late Future Calls is international, highly credible dance music, straight out of Dubai, released via the 264 Cru’s fledging record label, the guys behind cult night Karak Beats. Our favourite cut is saved till last. Album closer ‘Guasba Link,’ a slow burning mish mash of bass, fizzing percussion and a Middle East flavour so heady and strong it should come with a cup of Karak and a shawarma.

CRAIG PERRY – JIGSAW REPEAT Rock/Indie //craigperrymusic.com

 A long time in gestation, Craig Perry’s debut album is finally unveiled, and we’re pleased to say it was worth the wait. A good time indie/rock frontman, Perry’s debut album Jigsaw Repeat melds 12 tracks of introspective singer-songwriter ballads with balls-out rock and roll. Opener ‘Fall For You’ is a prime example of the former, as he mournfully blends Damien Rice acoustics with love-lost lyrics to impressive effect, while live favourite ‘Mrs Stevenson’ is Perry at his pop-rocking best, all blaring horns, Blur-aping choruses and party piano. Fittingly, title track ‘Jigsaw Repeat’ finds him straddling both sounds, as soaring vocals sit over dramatic drums and a guitar line that would make Matt Bellamy weak at the knees. It’s powerful, original and one of the best tracks we’ve heard from a local act.

Look and Listen

Music News HIP HOP BEEF SETTLED IN DUBAI The Game and Lloyd Banks settled 11 years of beef in Dubai when they got together at Lloyd Banks’ recent gig at Provocateur. The pair had been at odds for over a decade, trading diss tracks, insults and more, but got together in Dubai when their gigs overlapped. The Game told the world via his Instagram account that ‘my pride was swallowed last night along with a shot of Hennesey in that club.” Well done boys, boys become men in Dubai.

HARD ROCK RISING

Want to win $50,000, and perform at an all expenses paid trip at the Hard Rock Hotel in Ibiza this September? Well, listen up band members, as this could be your ticket to the big time. Head to hardrockrising.com to register by March 11, with a world wide talent competition taking place on June 1, with Ibiza, $50k, a professionally produced music video and more for the winners.

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5 MINUTES WITH Ferry Corsten TranceFamilyUAE’s Sam Moult sat down with Ferry Corsten before his recent headline show at Zero Gravity, and asked him about Tagalog, the big trance comeback and, obviously, what his favourite cheese is On trance’s comeback

There’s been a resurgence in Trance. It took a beating during the EDM hype but now people have got tired of the drum kick and jump. We’re seeing Trance make a comeback. There’s even Trance only festivals like Atlantis in Australia and Dreamstate in USA.

On being married to a Filipina

I speak a bit of Tagalog. There’s a lot of ‘Taglish’ (Tagalog and English), so that makes it easier to understand. I like adobo, especially on the second day because it’s had more time to marinate. My wife is supportive of what I do. She is in the industry as well, so she understands, but it’s great to have that support, especially when I am away a lot for shows.

On Gouryella

The Gouryella show is going to be at festivals only, for 1 hour sets. I’ve been working on it for 5 years in my head. Gouryella has a very specific sound and vibe, so I wanted to make sure that that stayed. I even had to remake the old tracks with the new digital software and equipment, so that the old classics, matched the likes of the new Gouryella tracks like ‘Anahera’. The Gouryella sound never died. Sometimes I’d tweet Tijs (Tiesto, the other half of Gouryella) wishing him a Happy Birthday and lots of people would reply, asking if there would be another Gouryella track. People are tired of the same stuff, so they look back to the classics and what they remember, what got them into Trance in the first place. Nowadays this is all around us. Future house is just old UK Garage. People want the old stuff back, so that’s what I’m bringing with Gouryella. We’re making music that people can dance to.

On 2016

There will be more shows this year and a big project at the end of the year that we’re working on, but I can’t say anything yet. I’m not sure about Ibiza yet. The last few years we’ve been at Space with ‘Full On’ but with their policy changes, we are looking at another venue.

On Dubai

Dubai and Beirut are two big destinations in the Middle East that I’m regularly getting requests to come to. Dubai is, of course, a major hub for Europe and Asia. Being where it is makes it a perfect place for gigs and the crowd here is so diverse it really makes for an entertaining show.

The TranceFamily UAE Cheese Question (this is a real thing, apparently) I like my Dutch cheeses like Gouda. Port Salut is nice too. But nothing to smelly. No blue cheeses.

Soundstage

ROUBA

Head down to Souq Al Bahar live music joint to catch Lebanese soul/ jazz artist Rouba My first musical influence wasâ&#x20AC;Ś My parents are huge music buffs and I spent my early years listening to some of the best music of all timeâ&#x20AC;Ś the likes of Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, James Taylor and the list is endless. I must say, my parents have great taste in music and I owe my musical foundation to them.

The last pop star I liked was… I am very picky when it comes to music and am constantly on the look out for new artists. I’m loving the fresh new vibe of musicians coming up and impressed by artists like Tori Kelly who I think is a very talented singer / songwriter. She’s soulful and her riffs are very original. Launching your debut album was… It was exhausting! It took about 5 years to get it done and it was an experience that got me to appreciate every single sound within a music track. It even changed the way I listen to music. I now find myself appreciating bass lines and little touches within a song that are not audible to the normal listener ear. My sound is best described as...Soulful jazz, born from my influences in blues, jazz and soul. Best piece of advice you’ve received? My late aunt and one of my favorite people in the world once gave me the best advice I have ever heard about relationships in general. “Never let the sun set on your anger.” To me, that has meant that I never let an argument with someone I love prolong for longer than a day. The best band in Dubai is That would have to be Hamdan Abri and his band. Great sound and artistry, plus I just love Hamdan’s voice and stage presence. When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is... A sushi bar! My musical motto is... Leave it all on stage! Best gig you’ve played? Beats on the Beach on Abu Dhabi cornice, I sang to 50,000 people and it was the most exhilarating experience for me. I was part of the lineup for Cilo Green and Missy Elliot – this stuff doesn’t happen every day! Best lyrics of all time? That’s a tough one. There are so many beautiful lyrics and it depends on my mood really… but one of my favorite songs of all time would have to be “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone… It’s such a beautiful perspective on the world and on the ideal state of mind. So if I had to pick a song, that would be it! soundclound.com/roubaz

DJ BOOTH: DIAMOND SETTER

The Eden and 40 Kong DJ – and ex Beirut star – talks us through his favourite records, what it was like working in the army and which DJ he’d like to go back-to-back with.

One thing you might not know about me is... Diamond setting was my day job. My worst ever job was… Working in the Army’s kitchen. My favourite ever record is... ‘Tool – Lateralus. DJing is much like… Diamond setting, setting tracks next to each other, creating a harmonious flow. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Looking good. I’m really proud of... Quitting smoking. What track could you drop in every set? Layo & Bushwacka – ‘The Next Level’. I can’t live without... A good espresso. My biggest DJ achievement to date is... Winning the gold medal for music production at Jeux De La Francophonie 2013 with Eye See Experience who created the visuals. What is your guiltiest pleasure? Forget about it. If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... The current one is satisfying. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... Nick Hoppner. I’m not a politician but… It would be beneficial to all if politicians added some compassion and kindness to their affairs. soundcloud.com/diamond-setter

TECH TALK Look and Listen

3 must have gadgets for 2016 Moog Theremini

Moog + theremin = instant win. With 32 presets, adjustable pitch and note range, and an easy to nagivate control panel, this Moog module cunningly updates the 70s instrument. www.moogmusic.com

Korg Cliphit Want to add some live percussion into your sets to make you stand out? This very hittable Korg offering attaches to any beatable surface via three clips â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you then hit said surface and it will trigger instantÂ beats. www.korg.com/uk

Soundmagic E10 Should you know anyone foolish enough to still be using the white iPhone headphones, immediately rip them out and replace with these. At only $40 a pair, they pack a real punch and are stylish and very durable.

LOOKING

CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...

•WEIRD NEWS • THE SPIN • JUST FOR KICKS •EAT SLEEP RAVE REPEAT • ANGRY MONKEY

Looking Closer

Weird News WATER WAY TO GO We’ve seen backgarden bars, spectacular pools, but we’re yet to see a log flume in the back garden of a villa here, although that could yet be about to change. A British theme park are selling their 2 year old log flume with a 10m and 6m drop for just AED125,000 and the accompanying fiberglass dinosaur for just AED1200. The perfect way to keep cool with summer approaching.

SAY CHEESE! Thieves didn’t give edam about the consequences after they stole a trailer with $70,000 worth of cheese in it. The missing trailer was later found minus the fromage in Wisconsin, just a week after $90,000 worth of Parmesan went missing in the same state.

PARDON YOU An Austrian man was fined for a very literal breach of the peace recently after he was docked $77 for burping at a kebab stand. A nearby police officer took offence – and possibly at the smell as well – but it could end badly for the police as a flash mob are organizing an impromptu belching session in support of the errant burper.

THE SPIN MARCH 2016

PAGE 217

ISSUE 38

GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS CALLED AFTER SPATE OF NO.1 DJS ANNOUNCED

World Record officials have been called to Dubai after an alarming number of DJs stated that they were the city’s No.1 DJ. More than 37 declarations have been processed already this year, with World Record officials flying into the emirate to help ascertain the veracity of the claims. ‘I know Dubai likes to be No.1 in a lot of things like human rights abuses and ecological footprint, but this is new territory for us,’ said Wynn Atalcosts, one of the regional officials. ‘Obviously DJ Cowboy was the undisputed champion, but since his apparent retirement there are dozens of DJs all claiming to be the best.’ Current parameters used for determining the No.1 DJ include the number of fake Facebook and Instagram followers and how many times they refer to themselves in the third person. *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.

Looking Closer

JUST FOR

NEW BALANCE MT530ATA “BEIGE/GUM”

Consider the practicalities for a minute. The off-white, beige and grey means you’ll never be able to tell you’ve traipsed through a Tecom/Downtown sandpit to get to your meeting/restaurant/home. Then there’s the leather, suede and perforated leather build, which is robust enough to deal with desert dwelling, but lightweight enough that you won’t sweat like OJ Jimpson on trial. Beyond that though, these are beautiful, beautiful shoes – the cream/white contrast is fresh and clean, and the chunky gum sole gives them a strong profile.

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Eat Sleep Rave Repeat Nola Andy Buchan goes down South to JLT’s new hot spot Nola, a New Orleans style eatery …

We’re not sure what’s louder when we enter Nola – the hype surrounding this new New Orleans inspired eatery or the din from the packed bar and restaurant on a Thursday night. Opened towards the end of last year, the JLT venue has been rapidly gaining fans for its laid back charm, bustling atmosphere and well priced comfort food. Getting to the venue is a journey in itself. You enter the Armada Blue Bay Hotel in Cluster P of JLT, take the lift down one floor, cross the car park and then start following your nose (and ears) down a series of corridors until you arrive. We were shown to one of the few remaining tables, seated half indoor and half on the terrace, as furiously busy

waiters and hosts flitted around the venue. There’s a strong industrial feel to Nola, with exposed brickwork, open AC vents and dim lighting giving it a downtown NYC feel, a mood heightened further by the mix of funk, jazz and soul that powered from the speakers. The food is a heady mix of Lousiana and Creole flavours, and we opted for the Prawn

in a big black skillet rammed full of seafood and Andouille sausage: herby, well seasoned and with a side of spicy Creole rice, it was filling and very tasty, and well priced at AED70. The slow roast lamb came with its own moat of mashed potato, and a dollop of viscous port wine gravy, while the meat crumbled as soon as you looked at it, so tender and soft was it.

Beignets for starter. A classic Southern dish, they were super fresh and crisply baked. We also tucked into some slightly floury guacamole, before our spinach and cheese dip arrived. It was so simple – literally a bowl of molten spinach and cheese – but it was rich, green, tangy and was swiftly mopped up by the sourdough croutons. The bar – and mood – amazingly got busier and more heightened as people poured in, filling the bar to bursting point. It took a slightly maddening 20 minutes to catch someone’s attention to order another round of drinks: understandable given the hectic nature, but a few were less willing than us to wait it out. Our drinks arrived at the same time as our mains – a sizzling Seafood Jambalaya and a slow roast lamb. The Jambalaya came

Desert was a triple chocolate brownie with chocolate mousse layers, that was perfectly good, but in all honesty, the Southern hospitality had defeated us. It’s no surprise that Nola is so busy or so hyped – the food is good, well priced and comes with a very down to earth feel that can be hard to find in Dubai. With improved service, Nola should become a mainstay on the city’s social calendar. Nola Social House, JLT, Cluster P, Armada Blue Bay Hotel, 04 3998155

Too much of everything ‘Without wanting to sound like an old monkey, there’s too much of everything at the moment. Too many crappy DJs, too many fake people, too many cookie cutter clubs, too many massively average laptop ‘producers,’ too many monkeys all pissing in the same pot. Competition brings out the best in us – just look at you humans who crawled up the genetic food chain from us simpering simians. But in Dubai, there’s just a morass of massive averageness, as everyone reaches for the same branches to grab the same low-hanging fruit. There’s little creativity, and the stuff that is cool and original gets Xeroxed and copied as soon as it becomes successful. Dubai isn’t a hub of creativity, it’s a seething mess of complacency, of band wagon jumping and easy bucks, where simply being competent at your job can mean you’re in the top 1% in your industry. Do better Dubai, do better.

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

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