Infusion #296: 25 June - 9 July '17

Space Dimension Controller,

Magda, Fur Coat Eli & Fur

Summer Vibes • Plus Minus • Dance FM & Tomorrowland La Come Di • Wear It Well • Boca • Style It Out • Pioneer Toriaz • Move Launch • Barasti • Sweet Chilli Jam & more

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TALAL BUDEBS Publisher CHARL CHAKA Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae STEPHEN O’DONOVAN Sales/marketing magazine@infusion.ae STU TODD Editor editor@infusion.ae PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae SONIA IGNACIO Operations operations@infusion.ae CONTRIBUTORS: Dan Fafy, Ginger Silvera, Neil Henderson, Stu Todd, Paul Walker, Stephen Day, Andy Mcgirr INFUSION IS PUBLISHED BY Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098

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OUR PARTNERS

Congratulations to our employee of the year and designer Paula who recently got married to the lovely Gustavo. Parabéns pelo seu casamento!

Game of Thrones is back on our screens as of July 17th and judging by the latest trailer, this season is going to be unreal.

More great news for movie fans as it looks like a sequel to Top Gun is “definitely happening” says Tom Cruise.

GUEST LIST BLACK LIST The recent terrorist attack in Manchester has been heart breaking for those with family back in the UK that are affected, however, the reaction and solidarity shown by the Muslim community has only strengthened relationships.

It was a sad day for electronic music recently when it was announced that artist Marcus Intalex aka Trevino had passed away. Few artists had impacted the world of both drum & bass and techno. Thoughts are with his family and friends.

Fans of Netflix original series The Get Down were dealt some sad news recently it was announced that the Baz Luhrmann directed hip-hop chronicle will not be returning for a second series.

Say What?

CALIFORNNIA LOVE

By the time you are reading this, one of the most hotly anticipated movies in hiphop history will have hit the cinema’s. A biopic of the late Tupac Shakur, “All Eyez On Me” tells the story of one of Tupac and the biggest and most defining feud in the East/ West coast rap scene which resulted in the death of Tupac.

Released on June 16, this film is a must for all hip-hop heads, let’s just hope it does the man and the music justice.

CAREEM LAUNCH BOX

From the regional taxi hailing app Careem comes a new concept BOX; which aims to transport not just people but, well, whatever you want really. The BOX tracking system will offer an A-B service which will transport anything from a set of lost keys to important documents. The service will make use of a fleet of bikes too, so no need to worry about your precious items being stuck in traffic jams. All this will be fully accessible via the easy to use Careem app.

JUST FOR FUN

RETRO GAMING CENTRAL For all your retro gaming needs, head over to ssega.com. You can thank me later, much later those boxes.

WE LOVE CASA LATINA

Having been a staple of the Dubai clubbing landscape for many years, Casa Latina at the Ibis Hotel, Al Barsha has seen many a top promoter pass through its doors. Over the years, Casa Latina has enjoyed a massive range of parties taking place in its intimate surroundings such as Analog Room, Warped, Bassworx and Bad House Party to name but a few of the popular events that have helped shape what is now a thriving music scene. What keeps dancers and promoter’s returning to Casa Latina is almost a knee jerk reaction to what most Dubai venues have become; overpriced, misguided, wannabe VIP lounges with almost no discerning music policy or identity. Casa Latina has stayed true to its roots since the day it opened for business.

One thing that Casa Latina has in spades over its rivals is a true sense of what a party space is and should be about. The fact that you can’t reserve any of its booths and that bottle service is a distinct no no, harks back to the smaller venues that we and many reading these pages grew up dancing in and playing in. From its no frills dance space, to its booming sound system and attentive staff, Casa Latina will always have a place in the hearts of the true party goer that holds quality of music and electric atmosphere above the number of sparklers that can be carried through the crowd at any one time.

It is also worth noting that that newest addition to the clubs’ roster is Move - a new monthly house and techno party from the minds of Russ Cooper (360° and audio tonic) and Stu Todd where this exact, raw ideology will be at the bedrock of there soirees, but more information on that later in the magazine.

What we did

ANALOG ROOM CLOSING W/ KEVIN SAUNDERSON

First up was Analog Room’s own Siamak Amidi and Shemroon doing what they do best with a classic house beat set that suited the early vibe of the night. The buildup to the headlining artist, Kevin Saunderson was perfectly weighted. The committed and loyal Analog Room crowd were on the dance floor in full force reacting beautifully to Saunderson’s record selection throughout the night.

The relatively new home at Industrial Avenue, The Westin Hotel also is a perfect fit for the Analog Room ethos and the direction they look to take their events in.

The crowd were not only exposed to great music and an electric atmosphere, but for those that stayed to the later hours of the morning, being able to watch Saunderson in his full flow dropping such classics Inner City’s “Good Life” with his own modern day twist. This night was a great way to finish the season and we look forward to what the Analog Room crew have in store for us next season.

Words by Paul Walker

THE FLIP SIDE OPENING

When the launch date was announced, I, like many couldn’t wait to check out the fruits of Shadi’s labour and like so many others in attendance agreed that it was a special night for Dubai. From the lane outside the store, to the listening stations, to the racks of vinyl adorning the rear of The Flip Side, there was an almost tangible buzz about the place.

This was also the first public listen of the custom Martin Audio system expertly installed by Levels, Abu Dhabi and it didn’t disappoint. With sets from Shadi, Salem Rashid (The Flip Side), Essarai (264 Cru) and Hassan Alwan (Boogie Box) the bespoke DJ booth complete with Rane rotary mixer, SB Designs Isolator and of course the all-important Technics 1210 mk2’s received the best possible induction. The selection of vinyl that was on offer clearly went down well too as much of the stock was already gone by the time I arrived. This would literally be music to Shadi’s ears, but this in turn would mean further orders would need to be placed – as is the nature of the beast. Shadi, the Dubai music community dips our hat to you and your unwavering vision. Good work.

Words by Stu Todd

SOLOMUN @ BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

Born in Bosnia but raised in Hamburg Solomun has slowly taken over the world and as his Solomun +1 night at Pacha in Ibiza reaches its 5th season, he’s on top of the deep house game and he brought it with him and brought it hard. The afternoon started off as a bit of a dull affair in a queue, turns out I wasn’t the only person in the country to know who he is and the crowds turned out in force, yes, it’s been busy before, busy for Carl and Sven but I’ve never seen it like this, cars parked on the roadside and people walking in from all around. Finally, we hit the bar and the beach, excellent vibes all around, the sun was beaming, everyone seemed to be on form including a fantastic warm up set from the BMI residents. Solomun took to the decks around 8pm and set out his stall, starting light, it built and I don’t think I’ve ever heard him play so well, tune after tune but a true journey, reading the crowd, ducking and weaving, and if it wasn’t for the panic of not finding a taxi home I would have had to have been peeled off the dance floor at the end, top night, job done BMI. Words by Stephen Day

BARRY HILTON

South African comedian Barry Hilton will be kicking off a 3 date Middle Eastern tour at the Park Rotana, Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, June 28. The South African funny man will then be making his way over to Dubai the following night (Thursday, June 29) for a show at the Moevenpick Hotel, JBR. The acclaimed comedian will then be rounding out his jaunt around the Middle East with a performance at the Grand Hyatt in Doha on Friday, June 30. For more information on tickets head over to thelaughterfactory.com.

PLUS MINUS MOVE HOME

Much loved promoter Plus Minus is upping sticks this summer and moving from their long-time home at Media One Hotel to Business Bay venue Bridgewater Tavern. With a solid line-up of guests including La Fleur, Ruede Hagelstein (LIVE) and Marco Resmann amongst others all scheduled to appear at the up and coming venue the parties will come thick and fast. The indoor/outdoor venue will be a slight departure from the industrial space of ON42 but the addition of outdoor space come the cooler months will be welcomed by the promoter and clubbers alike. More information on the summer Plus Minus parties coming soon.

MUSIC ROOM RETURNS

Award winning live music venue, The Music Room returns with a bang on Thursday, June 29 when promoter Ravelations will be joined by French Psy-Trance heavyweight DJ Stryker. A night of high octane electronic music awaits, entry is AED100 and the doors will be open from 9pm to 3am.

Deepak Dev, a name that is synonymous with the Malayalam film industry will be performing live and unplugged on Friday, June 30. Doors open at 9pm and entry is AED100 for this intimate performance. The following Friday, July 7 Canadian metal heroes Beyond Creation will be making their Middle Eastern debut when they take to the Music Room stage. The Canadian rockers will be supported by Verdict. Entry for this event is AED125 and doors are open from 9pm.

From Monday through Thursday, EvolveR, will be performing a wide variety of popular music styles: from Rock to Reggae, Blues to RnB, Dance music, and everything in between. EvolveR will also perform an acoustic show on the first Tuesday of every month. On Saturday and Sundays your favourite guilty pleasures will be served up by power trio Big Mouth. Doors will be open from 930pm and entry is AED50 inclusive of a welcome drink.

SUMMER DREAMING

Long running and much loved Dubai event promotion team Third Eye Crew have released details of their upcoming Summer Vibes parties and you will not be disappointed. There will be some close family friends returning to the airconditioned tent at Tamanya Terrace, Radisson Blu, namely Beirut based selector Djette amongst others stopping by the intimate rooftop party. Little information has surfaced regarding dates for the upcoming guests but so far confirmed guests include Magda, Joyce Muniz, Slow Hands live, Eli & Fur and Parisian Viken Arman. As with all Third Eye Crew events, a close family community is carried through all facets of the event, from the door crew, to the PR’s and of course the supporting cast of local DJ’s.

MAGDA

JOYCE MUNIZ

ELI & FUR

SPACE DIMENSION CONTROLLER One booking that we are particularly excited about is on Friday, July 7 the otherworldly Irish artist Space Dimension Controller will be making his Middle Eastern debut. His productions are quite simply out of this world and when at the controls his deft song selection and ear for a modern-day classic is unfathomable, for a point of reference of this check out the scenes when he dropped trance classic “Ayla� by Ayla at A/V Festival in his home town Belfast. For more information on the upcoming Summer Vibes parties keep your eyes locked to facebook.com/vibeseries. We will of course have the scoop as it happens.

MOVE YOUR BODY

With the summer months offering a reduced service to the normally insane calendar of events, solid house and techno events are usually thin on the ground.

Step forward 2 of Dubai’s most dedicated selectors Russ Cooper and Stu Todd. Having cut their teeth on the UK club circuit and fed their thirst for dancefloor knowledge at the best clubs and festivals in Europe, these lads know more than a thing or two about making a dancefloor move. Infusion Magazine caught up with them to talk about their new night Move which will launch at Casa Latina on Thursday, June 29‌.

MEET THE RESIDENTS RUSS COOPER

What was your reasons for setting up Move?

Myself and Stu have been good friends for a while now and, both of us having a strong pedigree of DJing here in the Middle East and back in Europe, we share a passion for a particular style of house music and a common vision for what a real house music event should be all about. This is how Move was born, and we hope that Dubai shares the vision - there is definitely a gap in the market for a regular, intimate event like this.

What club would be your dream home for Move?

To be totally honest, we are super happy to have secured Casa Latina. It’s really ideal for what we need, certainly to begin with at least – an intimate, dark room in a good location with great drinks prices! The in-house sound system is not so good there so we will be bringing in our own rig to work around that but, otherwise, we are very excited to be working with the team there, and to seeing what we can do with the space. That said, if I had to pick a ‘dream’ venue from anywhere in the world, it would probably look something like De School in Amsterdam or Fabric in London.

What has been your defining set as a DJ? Playing at Below which was a regular event hosted by Adam Shelton and Subb-an back in Birmingham, UK. I was a regular attendee at those parties for years so when Adam asked me to come and play, it really was a defining moment for me, and something of which I am still immensely proud. I played to a packed-out courtyard and I could not have asked for the crowd to be more receptive – it was a very special time which I will never forget.

What was the most important factor when devising Move?

Grass roots-simplicity on everything – from the graphics, to the venue, to the music policy, and everything in-between. This will be a truly no-frills house music event! No fancy sparklers or other such nonsense, just a straight-up party for lovers of deep and minimal house music.

TODD What was the most important factor when devising Move?

Getting the atmosphere of the club right. As long as the basics are right, which is a good sound system, minimal lighting, great music and sensible prices at the bar you have yourself a party.

What club would be your dream home for Move?

Like most DJ’s the chance to run a night in Panorama Bar or Club der Visionaere in Berlin is the stuff of dreams, but taking the brand back to the club where I cut my teeth - Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh would be amazing. The acoustics of the main room and the arched brick walls are something else when the club is bouncing.

As a DJ, what has been your defining set?

There is a few that spring to mind, but I would have to say the defining moment for me as a DJ would have to be performing to 800,000 people at the Hogmanay Street Party in Edinburgh. The buzz I got from playing to that many people and not having to really tailor my sound too much was ridiculous. Having my girl right beside me introducing me and then performing with her band at the next stage was probably the most special new year’s I could ever wish for.

Who would be your ideal guest?

At Move’s core is funky, grooving tech house, so I would have to say somebody like Shonky from Apollonia, I am also a big supporter of Adam Shelton and the One Records crew. Our sound definitely goes much further than that as does our influences, so approach to dance music similar to Dekmantel strikes a massive chord with me. It would be amazing to have artists like Joy Orbison, Midland, Craig Richards or Hunee playing at our intimate parties.

Move launches on Thursday, June 29, Casa Latina, Ibis Hotel, Al Barsha, 9pm to 3am, free entry.

LIVE AND DIRECT FROM ROMANIA

Plus Minus return with a full summer schedule of top flight international and local guests, but this time they will be moving to their new home at Bridgewater Tavern, JW Marriot Marquis. In advance of their first show with Romanian live act Premiesku on Friday, June 30 Infusion Magazine caught up with the Romanians to find out more about their signature sound‌

Where have you been on your travels recently that has surprised you? Anywhere new that you haven’t been before?

Actually, we’ve been to couple of new places. At the beginning of May we played on Marvellous Island in France near Paris, very nice festival, we played with both of our projects, Premiesku and Livio & Roby, that was a great experience.

Your “In Sfera” EP has just dropped on 20:20 Vision, tell us more about the release?

This release has 3 tracks: “Fidelio”, “Point Phrase” and “In Sfera”. All these tracks were made during our studio jams, so this is something in common even though the tracks sound rather different.

In the studio do you all have clearly defined roles in the writing and production process?

We don’t have clearly defined roles, and that’s the beauty of it because we never get bored. We change roles once in a while since we believe that more interesting things can appear.

What piece of equipment do you attribute to the “Premiesku signature sound”?

Definitely the one called “rack1” there are a couple of machines piled up together, a drum modular, a semi modular synth, 1 analog drum machine and one sampler.

What other releases and events do you have coming up that you are excited about?

We are really excited about a South American tour. Across Europe we’ll be at playing at OFF Sonar and Ibiza to name a few, all the new gigs are bringing enthusiasm. It’s always a pleasant surprise. We have a release coming out on the brilliant Vakant records in July and at the moment we’re working on our new Premiesku album and on a revised version of the live act.

Premiesku live at Plus Minus on Friday, June 30 at Bridgewater Tavern, 6pm to 3am, JW Marriot Marquis 6-9pm free entry, 9pm to 10pm free for ladies, AED100 onwards for men.

JUNGLE JAM

With the summer months leaving Dubai feeling more like the surface, few outdoor venues are able to adapt and thrive during these unbearably hot months.

On the other hand, most outdoor venues are not Barasti. The long running Marina beach club has no quarrels when it comes to the summer months as their outdoor courtyard is transformed into an oasis with the help of a massive air conditioned tent. This year, the theme for the tent is The Lost World of Barasti where their summer tent is turned in to a lush tropical hideaway where the promise of crazy adventures is very real. It will also feature the Ice Age Zone where you can “chill out� with a jungle juice or two. The Lost World will be open from Wednesday, June 28 and will remain open for the duration of the summer months.

SWEET CHILLI JAM

As well as the usual roster of amazing resident DJ’s returning for the summer season, Barasti has also secured the talents of one of South Africa’s most in demand bands – Sweet Chilli Jam. Due to the Sweet Chilli Jam’s ability to play almost any genre of music, the much lauded 5-piece collective have become a staple of the UAE hotel circuit.

Speaking to adwonline.ae the band explained their favourite songs to perform, “Neil likes to play “Free Bird” (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Martin likes to play “Come Together” (The Beatles), Mr vocalist, Johan, loves to sing “I’m Yours” (Jason Mraz). As a band, if we have to pick one song it’s got to be… “Rock and Roll” (Led Zeppelin).” When Sweet Chilli Jam take to the stage at Barasti’s Lost World it is clear that you can easily expect anything from rock, r&b to 60’s crowd pleasers and everything in between.

For more information head to barastibeach.com and facebook.com/sweetchillijam

Frankfurt born, Berlin based rising star Emanuel Satie has been steadily covering a lot of ground in the house and techno circuit.

With his name quickly being associated with top labels such as Moon Harbour, Get Physical, Suara, Snatch Records and Cécille, Emanuel’s productions have found their way in to some of the biggest jocks in the game. This has also transferred to a very busy touring schedule and will see the German artist turn out for brand new Ibiza super club Hï, Moon Harbour’s off week showcase in Barcelona as well as starring for Darius Syrossian’s Do Not Sleep at Sankey’s Ibiza.

Dubai promoter recognise a star in the making and have booked the German in for a headline slot at the second of their summer sessions at Bridgewater Tavern on Friday July 7. On the night, Emanuel will be supported by local heroes Hoolz from the Deep Like crew and Mo Ezaby. Given the calibre of Emanuels productions and the quality of the warmup acts, the second instalment of the Plus Minus summer parties has got it all.

Emanuel Satie plays Plus Minus, Friday, July 7, Bridgewater Tavern, 6pm to 3am, JW Marriot Marquis 6-9pm free entry, 9pm to 10pm free for ladies, AED100 onwards for men.

AT

Festivals don’t come much bigger than Tomorrowland and one look at the line-up and you can see why this event sells out in record time. The Belgian super festival takes place across the weekend of July 21st to July 23rd (and again the following weekend) and it attracts artists from across the full spectrum of dance music, but the top draw of this festival is reserved for main stage and its superstar spinners such as Tiesto, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, Solomun and David Guetta to name just a few.

With Dance FM becoming the regions hotspot for all the latest electronic music, it comes as no surprise that the radio station has hooked up with the Belgian festival to deliver unparalleled coverage of all the goings on. For those that were not lucky enough to get their hands on a ticket, fear not. You can join 8,000 other revellers at the Dubai Festival ft. Armin van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and KSHMR. On Friday, July 29 will have the performances beamed directly to the specially designed Tomorrowland UNITE stage in Dubai.

Also, taking to the UNITE stage in Dubai will be Martin Solveig, Frankie Rizardo, Tom Swoon, Ferreck Dawn, Barry Fore, Siege, Robert Falcon, Mikael Weermets and local artists Arcade 82.

If you have been even more unlucky and were not one of the lucky ones to get a ticket for Tomorrowland UNITE,the lovely people over at Dance FM have you covered. From midnight to 3am on July 21st and 22nd Dance FM will be broadcasting from the Belgian festival and then on the final night from 8pm to midnight. So if you don’t manage to make it to Belgium or to the UNITE party you can still feel like you are part of the action as Danny Cee and his breakfast team will be updating you as the weekend progresses.

You can find more information on Tomorrowland at tomorrowland.com and dancefm.com.

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ON THE RADAR

EL CHRIGINUITO W/ PETER DUNDOV JUNE 26 – RIXOS HOTEL

RAVELATIONS W/ STRYKER JUNE 29 – THE MUSIC ROOM

BARRY HILTON JUNE 29 – MOVENPICK HOTEL, JBR

SPECTRADOT LAUNCH W/ TKNO JUNE 29 – UP AND BELOW, ABU DHABI

ANALOG ROOM W/ MORITZ VON OSWALD JUNE 29 – THE WESTIN, MINA SEYAHI

JULY 14 - BRIDGEWATER TAVERN, JW MARRIOT MARQUIS

MOVE LAUNCH PARTY JUNE 29 – CASA LATINA, IBIS HOTEL

JULY 21 - TAMANYA TERRACE, RADISSON BLU HOTEL

PLUS MINUS W/ &ME

SUMMER VIBES W/ MAGDA

WE ARE OPEN MMI ARMADA JLT

Locate us at

TEL NO. 04 425 1701

LOTS OF SPECIAL OFFERS AND GIVEAWAYS IN-STORE

Music News BPM RETURNS

PHOTO CREDIT BPM FESTIVAL

After the terrifying shootings BPM Festival in Mexico at the beginning of the year, BPM have announced the first phase of artists that will perform at their new location of Portimão and Lagoa, Portugal. BPM have revealed an impressive array of big hitters such as Loco Dice, Richie Hawtin, Chris Leibing and Carl Craig with much more to come in the following months. The date you need to keep in your diaries is September 14 to 17 so plenty of time to spare before Dubai bursts in to life again when the outdoor season starts again. You can keep up to date on the line-ups and parties at thebpmfestival.com.

HÏ OPENS IN IBIZA

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past month, you will have missed the fact that the Ibiza club formally known as Space has reopened as Hï (let’s not mention the clubs’ choice of name). By all accounts, it seems to have been a success, this is largely due to South African artist Black Coffee and a supporting cast of acts such as Luciano, Kölsch and Apollonia all turning in stellar sets. All we can say is, to really give an informed opinion on what they have done with the legendary venue, get yourself over to the White Isle and judge for yourself.

More information on their weekly parties can be found at hiibiza.com.

PHOTO CREDIT Hï IBIZA

Soundstage ADAM LONG

As well as playing sax at Dubai’s top venues, Adam Long is also responsible for supplying venues, hotels, top sporting and corporate events with top musicians through his music booking agency SOLE Agency. Adam gave Infusion Magazine an insight into his life with music.

My biggest gig ever was… The biggest audience for me in the region was probably playing with local musician Tim Hassall’s band Bridge Incident at Beats on the Beach 2015 in Abu Dhabi - that night it was rumoured around 15,000 were in the crowd on the beach!

I’m most proud of… My family. My son is just over a year old now.

He was born at 33 weeks and underwent various operations in his first 6 weeks. He is an absolute fighter and words can’t express how proud I am of him and my wife Holly.

The artist I’d most like to work with is… If I could have, James Brown and Earth Wind and Fire, I think. Any of those big-time funk/ soul bands with a top horn section!

One thing you may not know about me is that… I have a first-class honours degree in BSc Quantity Surveying from London Southbank University.

This year, I’m playing in… Waka at The Oberoi (Business Bay) and Cargo at Pier 7, (Dubai Marina) - both with DJ, but very different styles of music!

My music sounds like… a cross of traditional big-band music and funk and soul. I studied both classical and jazz at music school.

The one piece of music kit I can’t live without is…“a saxophone”, every sax player’s sound is distinguished by the saxophone they play and make of mouthpiece and brand of reed they use. For my work with DJ at the moment I play either my Alto Yamaha 62 Mk2 (sax) or White Alto Vibrato with a Jodie Jazz DV NY (mouth piece) and Vandoren Java reeds.

For more information go to www.sole-agency.com.

DJ BOOTH: TRISTAN GIRAULT

We sat down with the Boogie Box resident about life in Abu Dhabi and of course the records that matter most…

One thing you might not know about me is…

Even though I am French, France is the place where I have lived the least of time.

My favourite ever record is…

Too many to mention, truly depends on the mood I am in.

Mobb Deep’s “Survival of the Fittest” ranks as one of those that is never too far from reach.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s clubbing scene is…

Thanks to a dedicated few, evolving and maturing. Music is also an attitude, a way of life, a culture, a hub/conduit for creativity and connecting people.

I’m really proud of…

Boogie Box and the way it is growing and evolving as a night, the podcasts and as a record label. Of course super proud of homie Shadi Megallaa, who just opened The Flip Side, a unique independent record store in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue.

What track could you drop in every set?

“Normandie” by Jonas Bering, 2003 – just hypnotizes me every single time.

I can’t live with out…

My Technics SL 1210’s and my record bags My biggest DJ achievement to date is…

I would say that having a residency right here in Abu Dhabi just feels great, very humbled by the trust shown in me since I have arrived in the UAE by both Boogie Box and Analog Room.

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

Mid -90’s electronic scene, that was just an insane time to be playing records, wild times.

If I could go back to back with any other DJ it would be… Jan Krueger, a true dj’s dj.

I’m not a politician but…

We should all take a step back more than we normally do and look out for each other, make the best of what you got and try to make things right just around you. soundcloud.com/tristan-komatt

TECH TALK PIONEER TORAIZ SP-16

The Pioneer Toraiz SP-16 is a full music production suite, sampler and DJ’ing tool and it features the well-known performance pads akin to the famous Akai MPC range, and more recently products such as Native Instruments Maschine and Ableton’s Push 2. It also features a 16 step sequencer which is very similar to that of Roland’s TR-8. That said; the similarities more or less stop there. Equipped with an analogue filter from the legendary Dave Smith Prophet 6 synthesizer, with overdrive circuitry to push the harmonics into sonic bliss, you know Pioneer have taken this project seriously, and are

aiming for it to play a huge part in any professional DJ/Producers studio or live set up. Coupled with a build quality which you would expect from leading German car manufacturers, smooth nonstepping rotary encoders and a touch screen that would sit well in any high end tablet device, it oozes quality.

I opted to add my own one-shot samples through the very familiar USB slot; you can see the nod to Pioneer’s Nexus range here. Not that there is anything wrong with the pre-loaded sample pack from Loopmasters, but I wanted to use the sounds I’m more familiar with, and to my own taste. Once I had loaded in my chosen samples to each of the 16 tracks via the touchscreen, with each being represented on the performance pads, I was ready to go.

The great thing about working with hardware is the hands on feeling, and when making music this is invaluable. I began with programming a simple 4/4 kick drum on the 16-step sequencer, I

then played and recorded live a bass groove using the performance pads. Within minutes I had a solid low end groove, I was then able to perfectly tune this thanks to the extensive audio editing section available for each sound. Recording in percussion and synth hit layers on top of this was just as simple and before long I had a respectable sounding 16 bar loop.

At this point I would normally move into thinking about song arrangement but Toraiz can store 16 patterns of 4 bar length as one scene, and has up to 16 scenes available per project. It also has the ability to modulate each step individually on the sequencer, making up in part for the lack of traditional automation. For me creating an arrangement within a sampler is a bit alien, as I’m accustomed to arranging on screen in Logic or another DAW. However, Pioneer has made this very simple using the dedicated arrangement view.

I don’t believe they intended for the Toraiz to be used completely

standalone to create, arrange and mix a record, but it’s certainly possible. The array of built in effects which can be inserted on each track is impressive, there’s even a ‘ducker’ to create the well-used side-chain compression effect. My only gripe here, and it’s a small one, is that you can only insert one effect processor on each track.

The send options, two per track, do go some way to alleviate this issue, but I’d still like to see multiple effect inserts available for each channel. I would expect this could be added at a later date through a firmware update.

Incorporating Toraiz into a live set up is definitely a personal decision based on your existing set-up and ways of working, however, due to the lengthy feature list, the options are near limitless. It could easily hook up to your existing MIDI instruments & DAW via USB or MIDI connectivity to trigger scenes & patterns, or process audio through the Dave Smith filter via the stereo audio inputs . The main option one would have to expect is using the included Pioneer Pro Link, also found on the CDJ Nexus and XDJ range of Pioneer DJ players. This allows the device to sync seamlessly to the BPM of the players, and therefore offer the ability to trigger pre-programmed patterns or scenes on the fly, perfectly quantized, to create a sort-of hybrid DJ/live set. The limit here is really just down to imagination.

After a couple of days using the Toraiz I have to say I am very impressed, it’s feature list make it a potential ‘must have’ for any DJ/Producer. It will also bode well with DJs looking to make the step into music production. It’s well built, intuitive to use and has many of the main features of popular DAW’s available on the market, making it a very powerful and diverse tool. Combined with the ability to link with Pioneer’s Pro DJ range, make the Toraiz something both unique and exciting.

Words by Andy Mcgirr

Food News RIXOS, JBR

The big news for those living in Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence is that the new Rixos hotel situated on The Walk in JBR is nearing completion. The hotel had intended to be open midway through May, but this has been postponed. The good news for foodies and music lovers alike is that the luxurious hotel will feature a second Black Tap venue, which is famed for its monstrous burgers and shakes. The JBR hotel will also feature a 1,000 capacity Lock, Stock & Barrel outlet, trendy US steak house STK and fine dining Luigia Ristorante will also feature in the premium hotel. With the opening date being pushed back, there is little confirmed information regarding the plans for their beach club, but considering that El Chiringuito has been doing well at the Palm hotel, hopes are high for a similar direction for its JBR counterpart.

A SMALL SLICE OF BELGUIM

Having recently opened at the Pullman Hotel, JLT, Le Petit Belge offers something a little different from the myriad of burger joints that litter the streets of Dubai. Serving authentic Belgian dishes such as Coq au vin, mussels, and of course what meal would be complete without a helping of Belgian chocolate mousse. As well as the famous Belgian delicacies, Le Petit Belge also offers Belgium’s unparalleled hospitality, charm and of course their love of cold beverages. For more information head over to facebook.com/ lepetitbelgedubai.

SUMMER EATS

The popular food truck event TruckersDXB has joined forces with the World Trade Centre to deliver a food truck jam of epic proportions. Situated in hall 8 of the massive exhibition venue, Truckers Summer Warehouse will feature 15 trucks featuring cuisine from all around the world. The event will also be showcasing local musical talent, so what better way to beat the heat and get something tasty to eat. Entrance is AED10 adults and free for kids under the age of 12. For more info head to truckers.ae.

Eat Sleep Rave Repeat

BOCA

Nestled at the rear of the labyrinthine DIFC complex, BOCA is a hidden gem of a restaurant that takes its cues from the Mediterranean coastal regions of France, Italy and Spain and combines them all in to one tasty package.

Since opening its doors in October 2014 Boca has offered its dedicated and knowledgeable patrons of Boca a certified oasis in the heart of bustling DIFC district and has, until now remained a relatively undiscovered culinary haven, but this could all be about to change.

With Boca becoming a go to spot for the more discerning after work crowd, due to demand they have chosen to buck the trend and have plumped to extend their opening hours until 3am, much

to the delight of their regular customers and newbies alike. With majority of DIFC’s venues closing at 2am, Boca has positioned itself as the only venue that will remain open past this time and their hugely experienced resident DJ, Andy Bush will keep the party going that bit longer. Boca’s island bar area is the perfect place to while away the hours, meet friends old and new, and generally let your hair down. When the cooler months come back around the bars outdoor olive terrace will really come in to its own and in the process transform the bar area in to a highly desirable al fresco spot.

As well as offering a sophisticated blend of house, disco, funk & soul, Boca’s sumptuous tapas menu, coupled with their unrivalled wine cellar and expert Mixologists will provide you with all the ingredients necessary for an effortlessly relaxing evening with friends and family. What Boca also prides itself is that it refuses to join the rest of the highly priced DIFC scene, where enjoying an evening with them won’t hurt your wallet. Furthermore, Boca employs the use of a Coravin system which allows any wine in their cellar to be poured by the glass, which is perfect for sampling the many delights that Boca’s extensive wine cellar has to offer.

For more information head to boca.ae.

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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

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JUST FOR

ADIDAS ULTRA BOOSTâ„¢ UNCAGED TRIPLE WHITE

The Adidas Ultra BOOST™ shoes have been a massive hit since they were first released and have seen some amazing collaborative designs and a myriad of next level colour ways, but the Ultra BOOST™ Uncaged in triple white are by far the most cleanest of kicks we have seen from the range. The Uncaged Triple White is supremely built for comfort, from the heel cage on the rear, to the Torsion system built in to the Continental rubber sole, and of course the breathable Primeknit upper which offers unparalleled comfort.

One difference to other Ultra BOOST™ sneakers that you might have noticed is the mid-top feel to the ankle collar. Along with the moulded feel the ankle collar offers maximum movement for the Achilles which can make a big difference if the shoe is worn for extended periods. Few shoes can rival the Ultra BOOST™ Uncaged in the subtlety stakes and for added stealth these shoes also come in triple black. If you want to get your hands on these primo kicks you can head over to amongstfew.com, but we would suggest being quick as these won’t stick around long.

FASHION IS NO JOKE

Feras Sobh and Elisa Arienti, founders of home grown fashion label La Come Di (pronounced La Komi Dee or Comedy) have made the leap from the world of advertising to the cut and thrust of the fashion universe and now have 3 bold collections to their name. Infusion Magazine sat down with the pair to find out just what goes in to bringing their fashion sketches to life‌

Starting at the beginning, how did you go from the world of advertising to running a clothing brand? Feras: We are visual communicators before anything. Advertising falls under communication, so does branding, illustration or fashion. So, when we started La Come Di, we were very sure that it is something that stems from the same base of our collective experience.

At the planning stage, what did you hope to achieve with the label? Elisa: At the planning stage, we had the character and the personality of the brand but not yet the product. We started experimenting with different styles, emotions and abstract designs, so we got that right before we got to design the collections. That was important for us because once the personality was set, we could adapt it to different products and markets and of course, building the brand into the future. We knew we are going to start small but we also knew we wanted to start globally and that is why we worked heavily on the website, shipping internationally and starting our social presence early.

Looking at your collections and design work there is a stark theme running throughout both, where did the initial ideas come from? Elisa: We are glad that you can see that because that means that what we’ve been doing so far is working. Once we figured out the character of La Come Di, we had a huge pool to pull from for both our design work and our collections.

Is there an artist, designer or other entity that you are both heavily influenced by? Elisa: Oh, there are lots. We recently posted about our music inspirations when we work on La Come Di which included Tame Impala and Neon Indian. We are creating a story and a lifestyle, so culture inspires us more than another designer or artist.

How has the first half of the year been for La Come Di? What successes and lessons have you enjoyed? Feras: The first half has been great. We generated a lot of interest with people, we learned a lot about running a business, met new people, built relationships with other brands and companies and all that have been really overwhelming. The biggest lesson though has been patience. It takes a lot of time and effort to start something on your own and it requires a lot patience and you can’t give up. We are a self-funded business and that was important for us to be able to maintain full creative control. Though, even with a lot planning and control, we learned to always be ready for surprises.

Tell us more about you working with Tommy Hilfiger? Feras: Well it was a surprise for us, but we were on a business trip in Germany when we got an e-mail mentioning their interest in our work. They saw our work on Instagram before we launched and has commissioned us to work on their New Year’s campaign. The work consisted of an illustration that was later going to be adapted globally by their team. It was not taking care of a full collection, but at least we got our foot in the door.

Can we expect more collaborations with the American brand?

Feras: We cannot confirm or deny that :) What caught your eye at Arab Fashion Week?

Elisa: Our style would be a huge disruption to what the Arab Fashion Week crowd is used to, so we didn’t follow it closely. But there were great brands such as Ultrachic from Italy that were hard to not notice.

Is this something that you would like to be part of?

Elisa: We definitely have our eyes on a couple of fashion shows, we think the showcase of Fashion Forward in Dubai would be more in our chords. And of course, we’d love to participate to EU or US fashion weeks in the future :) What can we expect from your next collections? Elisa: Well you can expect it to be different for sure. Something we’d like to do is to maintain our bold colourful identity but look into completely fresh new angles and designs that can keep people interested and keep us sane too as designers. It will always be fresh and new and different every time but it will always be La Come Di. To check out the amazing collections head to lacomedi.com

Styling it out

DUBAI TOURISM X TAG HEUER Dubai Tourism and famed Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer have teamed up to produce specially designed time pieces to signify the cities different personalities.

The resulting partnership will give the Dubai Connected Watch Modular 45 piece 3 distinct identities, the first of which is titled “City That Never Sleeps”, an understated piece with a metallic finish and coloured in blue. The second, “The Land of Desert and Sea” will feature an ocean or desert-like vibe and change slightly through the day, representing a different state of time and the third option is called “Your Time, Our Essence”.

TIMBERLAND STEP IT UP With the American brand being firmly rooted in the heritage of the functional working boot, Timberland have now progressed in a more stylish and innovative direction with their SensorFlex collection. One of my favourites is the Amherst High Top Chukka, which is a super comfortable, yet stylish mid shoe that comes in jet black, navy blue or wheat. Obviously, the jet-black version appeals most, the perfect choice for when you need to take care of your feet during extended dancing sessions.

LACOSTE SERVES AN ACE The former tennis world number one world Novak Djokovic has joined an illustrious list of brand ambassadors which has over the years served the world of tennis and golf with an understated style unmatched by other sports brands. As well as becoming the face of Lacoste Novak has also had a hand in designing the new sunglasses from the French brand, snappily titled L186S these are the first sunnies from Lacoste to be made specifically with tennis in mind. Combining a retro-chic aviator style with a contemporary design, these shades look the business on the court and the matte green colouring adds a touch of class to proceedings.

CADILLAC X SOLE DXB The hugely popular street culture festival that is Sole DXB has just announced it has partnered up with Cadillac on a long-term basis.

Having been sponsor of the lifestyle festival for the past 2 years the successful collaboration will now see the 2 brands working together until 2019. On the partnership, Rajat Malhotra, Sole DXB Director said, “For the last two years, Cadillac has shown the trust and confidence of a true partner, nurturing our growth and breaking the mould of how an independent organization and a multinational company can come together to build a community.� The next edition of Sole DXB will take place at Dubai Design District on December 7-9.

Kenzo Bemuda Print Shirt – AED605 nordstorm.com

As always, Kenzo aren’t afraid to go too loud and this snazzy short sleeved shirt hits the spot.

Also, available in long sleeved too.

Diesel Buster Jeans – AED380 farfetch.com

For those of you that own or have owned a pair Diesel jeans you will attest to how comfortable these denim strides really are. The subtle fade on the front of the jeans is great for adding a bit of colour to an outfit, smart or casual.

Adidas Tubular Shadow Knit Sneakers – AED365 shiekhshoes.com

Having owned a few of the earlier Tubular shoes, the soles are supremely comfortable and the knitted upper will ensure your feet can breathe easy. The subtle white flecks will also help to lighten up this otherwise moody footwear.

Orciani Buckle Belt – AED335 farfetch.com

Nothing sets off an outfit more than an eye-catching belt and this red suede belt from Italian designer Orciani is just the ticket.

Eone Bradley Classic Black Mesh Watch – AED1,230 watches.com

Not just content with design stunning watches Eone and their Bradley watch offer a genuine alternative to a time piece for use by partially sighted users.

The unique styling of the Eone Bradley watch will immediately grab attention and also comes in a variety of colours and materials, but I think you will agree the triple back is pretty darn cool.

Ray Ban Round Light Ray – AED825 rayban.com

To round off this casual, yet stylish outfit look no further than these simple yet stunning Ray Ban’s. The new addition to the Light Ray collection are perfectly suited to blocking out the harsh Dubai sunlight.

SORRY, NOT SORRY! With everybody’s lives becoming increasingly busier but at the same time being filled with needless things, events and throw away comments that mean little more than, well…nothing. So, with this futile existence we call life being tough at times being upfront and truthful with your fellow sapiens should be top of your priorities. Not so.

It still seems the norm to offer lies as truths and hear say as valid argument, this is easily remedied. Be truthful, if you have no plans to keep a social engagement then be upfront and let them know. If you know that something is not 100% true, then do not pass it on as gospel. all in all; be kind to your neighbour. If you are anything like me then your honesty will be recognised and appreciated. Remember it’s nice to be nice.

Monkey Out...

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