His own words: “I try to apply a punk ethic to my own music... it has to be groundbreaking, futuristic, unique and organic.”
There are few artists that can lay claim to conquering the underground as well as the mainstream, yet Ali “Dubfire” Shirazinia has managed to dominate both. In fact, he’s setting the musical agenda for others to follow in his footsteps.
As one half of the legendary electronic partnership Deep Dish, Dubfire has won Grammys, released hit singles, remixed music’s biggest names and rocked the world’s most respected venues. Their last album, 2005’s “George Is On,” catapulted their name into the mainstream charts and saw the duo crisscross the globe. The album peaked at number three in Billboard’s Electronic Album Chart.
Scaling the dizzy heights of dance music left both Dubfire and his partner, Sharam Tayebi, wanting a creative break to pursue solo projects and express themselves in new ways, but no one was quite prepared for what Dubfire would do next.
In keeping with his obsessive love of music — spanning punk, industrial/new wave, jazz, dub, hip-hop, house and techno — Dubfire set out to push the musical boundaries and challenge the dance scene’s preconceptions by going back to his roots. His release I Feel Speed illustrated his new sound with a nod to his influences and saw him step up to the microphone for vocal duties, setting the bar for what was to be a huge year in his career.
As tracks such as Roadkill and Ribcage were released, an avalanche of accolades emerged, including an invitation to mix the cover-mount CD for Mixmag, front covers of Raveline and DJ Magazine, an Essential Mix for the UK’s Radio 1, and glowing write-ups from Beatportal to Resident Advisor. The praise was universal.
With a barrage of remixes and productions on respected labels (including Cocoon, Get Physical, Minus and Rekkids) earning him acclaim from his DJ and producer peers, Dubfire shocked and inspired the industry in one masterstroke!
In 2007, Dubfire took another huge step forward with the launch of his label, Science + Technology Digital Audio (SCI+TEC). Initially formed as an exclusively digital label and a vehicle for his own productions, the label won fans around the world and now releases in all formats from a range of breaking new artists including Delete, Paul Ritch, Rocha & Lewinger and The Dolphins — as well as the man himself.
As 2008 got underway, Dubfire was heralded as the most forward-thinking artist, featured twice in the Top 10 of the “100 Most Charted Records of 2007” on Resident Advisor and winning Best Techno and Best Minimal Artist at the Beatport Awards.
With new production partnerships in the works alongside Oliver Huntemann, forthcoming productions and remixes with notable techno tastemakers and upcoming SCI+TEC showcases in London, Tokyo and New York, Dubfire is once again breaking new ground and moving the scene forward — while keeping a steady grasp on his “punk ethic”!
Dubfire is set to land on our shores soon. When? Stay tuned to “Beat Generation” every Friday to find out.
Now, for you to get a taste of deep progressive and trance music, get your black gear ready and make your way to A. Venue tonight, 10 p.m. for our Gatecrasher Innovation Black Party, featuring the German Duo Kyau & Albert, together with Johnboy Lee and Anton Ramos. Tickets available tonight at the door; for VIP reservations call 0921-8380133 or log on to www.bigfishmanila.com. We work hard, we party even harder! See you on the dance floor.
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For comments and suggestion feel free to email me at rickydaker@gmail.com.