Brooklyn, N.Y. – Call it from artists on his SCI+TEC label, a second wind, reinvention, 2014 saw the long-awaited reuniting or new life; but however you with Sharam come to fruition for slice it, Dubfire has built a an official Deep Dish reunion. Since dance legacy two times over. the release of the group's comeback Ali Shirazinia's story began single, “Quincy,” and subsequent live in 1991 when he formed the dates, Dubfire has brought his his- now-legendary group Deep tory in line with his now. Dish with fellow Washing- DJ Times caught up with Dubfire ton, D.C.-based DJ/producer the morning after a performance at Sharam Tayebi. Fifteen years, Space Ibiza New York this winter two studio albums, and an as part of his SCI+TEC label night innumerable amount of high- at the club, and he dished on the profile remixes later—includ- new live show, Deep Dish's reunion, ing a Grammy-winning re- and how technology has shaped his work of Dido's “Thank You” career. in 2001—the pair called it DJ Times: How did that initial quits to pursue other ven- concept to do a live show come tures. to be? The rise and fall of a suc- Dubfire: I had been wanting to cessful musical group is typi- put something like this together for cally the fodder of a VH1 Be- years, but it is wasn't until I felt like hind The Music special, with I had enough material and a body of down-and-out artists remi- work that I was proud of that I felt I niscing on the glory days of could put it together in a unique way, a band's exploits. For those reinterpreting all the ideal tracks, former members who do and also collaborate with the right continue in the solo realm, people. The visual design company— it's common for the former VolvoxLabs—is based in Brooklyn. members' further pursuits to Once the idea came together, then be held against and compared I had to find the people. When I to the group's seminal work. found the people everything kind of Somehow, Dubfire es- fast-tracked to the first show basi- chewed this tradition entirely. cally, from the time we came up with Completely redefining his the idea. While I have been thinking sound by abandoning Deep about it for years, it wasn't until I Dish's peak-time, vocal-heavy found the visual design team, but progressive house aesthetic then it happened very, very quickly. in favor of a dark, techno- DJ Times: How did you find centric style, Dubfire crafted those artists? a new identity that owed Dubfire: With VolvoxLabs, I ac- little of its success to his ear- tually initially approached Jarrett lier career. With a series of [Smith] from Derivative. He is the massive releases—including guy who is basically responsible for last year's “Exit” with Miss the Plastikman show, and he devel- Kittin and his 2009 remix of oped the TouchDesigner software Radio Slave's “Grindhouse”— which has become the sort of in- and tight, technical DJ perfor- dustry standard of software in terms mances integrating the latest of live performance. He initially ac- gear and technology, Dub- cepted, but it turned out that he was fire's legacy as a solo artist going to be too busy. He knows a lot is just as storied as anything of people in this industry who are he's done collaboratively. trying to get our foot in the door, so He's showing no signs to speak, and he recommended Vol- of resting on his laurels, ei- voxLabs. They were fans of my work, ther. This past October, he and we had an initial meeting in New debuted a brand-new live York and hit it off, and the rest just performance concept at the happened very naturally. Roest Warehouse as part DJ Times: The title is Dubfire of Amsterdam Dance Event Live:HYBRID. What does that refer 2014. Bridging the gap be- to? tween a DJ set and a truly Dubfire: The word “live” is in live performance with cus- there not only visually—like when tom visuals, real-time lighting someone sees my name on a flyer— and video, and pure freedom but also concept-wise. It's to tell of artistic expression, Dubfire everyone that it's not a DJ set; it's Live:HYBRID represents a fur- a live performance. I knew I wanted ther evolution of the Iranian- to do more shows—maybe the next American artist's work. show centered around something The show's name is a fit- like an album with a completely ting title, as Dubfire's pre- different concept—so I wanted to sentation is a hybrid of his make sure that “Hybrid” was there. past and future. While he Hybrid obviously has a lot to do with continues to push on with the narrative that is sort of playing out visually in this performance. We Photos By Andrew Rauner Andrew Photos By new releases by himself and Sound &Vision wanted to show that we do have a specific look and a specific concept, and Hybrid is this particular show's concept and look. I haven't figured the name for the next one yet, but it will have a completely different look and concept. People will be able to talk about all the tours that I do and not only have a name attached to each tour, but visually see each tour as an identity unto itself.

DJ Times: From what I recall from the performance at Time Warp US in Brooklyn last year, many of the visuals were inspired by the meeting of sci- ence and technology. What inspired that concept? Dubfire: What I didn't want to do is just take a bunch of images and throw them against the screen and do it the way everyone is doing it these days. You see, a lot of the festi- vals and the more EDM-centered art- ist kind of trying to throw in much as possible—not only on to the screens, but also on to the audience—and I feel that audiences are becoming a bit insensitive to the barrage of light and visuals and sound. What we wanted to do is create a story, something that people can follow, and have a great interplay between light and sound and visuals. That is where the members of the team had to really take a step outside the comfort zone and realize we are all coming at it with our unique sort of vision, and we will have to try to work kind of like jazz musicians. DJ Times: How so? Dubfire: We all had to try and create some sort of a balance be- tween what we are all doing. There were moments in the show when we were developing it where I had to ask or the lighting guy would suggest that we scale things back and allow of visuals to come to forefront. Other times, the visual guys said they are going to totally kill what is happening on the screen behind me so we can zero in on the screens that I am sort of placed in between, and that was a cue for the lighting guys to take over. There is a great balance between what everyone was doing. We were doing it in a way where we didn't just throw everything that we had at the audience. DJ Times: What sort of equip- ment are you using up there? Is it dif- ferent from a regular setup of yours? Dubfire: During a DJ set, I'm us- ing [Native Instruments] Traktor and [Ableton] PUSH as well, which is also something I am using during the live show's setup. However, the live shows are based around Ableton Live, and all the music has been reinterpreted. Everything is coming out through its own separate channel, and I am able to completely rework the tracks on the fly or—if I want—to let the sequence play out. We made it really, 14 really flexible so I am free to experi- ment as much as possible within the parameters that we've set for a show that has a beginning, middle, and end. DJ Times: What kind of freedom are you afforded each night? Can the music change significantly from show to show? Dubfire: Totally. It has to do with my comfort level. I have done three shows so far, and those three shows were a sort of test to see if all the technology was going to work. Funnily enough, we had virtu- ally no problems with the first show, but the second and third show we had completely unrelated issues. It's hard for me to completely dive into how everything is laid out. We work everything on the fly now, but once I get more comfortable with the tech- nology and once we know everything is working fine, then I will be free to do that. DJ Times: How has the response been? Dubfire: Really, really good! In some ways, it is sort of an uphill bat- tle because these days there aren't a lot of artists who are doing a live show in the techno field. A lot of the producers who aren't DJs that are getting booked will have sort of a plug-and-play set up. They don't bring a visual concept, they don't come at it with their own lighting and sound guys, and they are not really like put- ting forth a performance-based live show. That's where we are coming at it, and yeah, it is difficult to try and convince the promoters to invest into something on this scale. I guess they are not used to seeing some- body from the techno arena coming at it with that kind of professional quality and team. DJ Times: In addition to the live shows, you've still got your regular DJ sets. How do they co-exist with each other? Dubfire: For years, everybody has wanted at me to play my own material. A lot of times when you are working on it in the studio, you listen to it over and over again so many times that the last thing you want to do is play it out in your DJ sets. This was also an opportunity for the fans to hear selected works of mine rein- terpreted in a new way as part of my “Dubfire sound.” The DJ sets are DJ sets; it just needs for me to be free to play whatever I am feeling at the mo- ment without any sort of parameters set around me. DJ Times: Are the lighting and vi- suals controlled live so that they can react to what you are feeling? Dubfire: Just like I can be free to completely break down what I am playing and rebuild it in a new way or have it play out the way it has been programmed, the lighting guys and the visual guys can do the same thing as well. I am sending time code and (continued on page 40) DJ_Times_March?April_2015.indd 1 40 DJ TIMES MAY 2015 CALL 800-YES-7678X507 FOR ADVERTISING RATES ANDDEADLINES MARKETPLACE *Pending CreditApproval.©2015IDJNOW. AllRightsReserved.NYSDept.Consumer Affairs#1387598 DJ Gear | Lighting Effects | Live Sound | Recording | Stage | PerformanceDJ Gear|Lighting Effects|LiveSound |RecordingStage Leasing OptionsAvailable Se HablaEspañol Fast FREEShipping Queens, NY718.762.0100 | Go toidjnow.com fordetails ShowroomsOpen7Days | idjnow.com | Babylon,NY631.321.1700 | 1.800.355.7746 SUPPLIES with | We RentLocally

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2/16/15 11:37AM ferent locations around the world? How are the the are How world? the around locations ferent dif to playing when style DJing your adapt to have or justplay backandlistentomusic. to opportunity completely free to record, perform, the us afforded really has It hardware. of tons and computer desktop a with many, ago ing years many hadonmusic? has technology impact of + SCI TEC. sort named What being label your career,to your down even throughout thread situation. any handle to adapt and audience an read to open completely are who instruments real with regard, with a kind of that approach like that of musicians in free be to wanted it. really We shorten or lengthen to decide also can in,I it and play to going I'm order what in decide can I and play to encore which decide can encores. 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Idon'tknow how. doing—you you're everything and—despite label, before you are fullinsyncwithyour audience. to connecting they're what to, what see responding to they're them at things different throwing of hour an takes it Sometimes audience. the match to do I what adapt and do I what alter ently.to have I differ respond another,to goingto are country audiences one from that to stick to try I if that find order, play a I to in particular always but I want that stuff I where of a current the made playlist situation I to crowd. read the a go into Sometimes important is yeah,Germany,it So etc.in crowds the from ent crowds different depending on where you're playing? can set Weit anywhere. up and it do it the take same way and that we are doing do are we whatever take to allowed really have that hardware portable and software, powerful really laptops, slim having it's Internet; the just not music, to it's respect With lives.our of aspect every shapeever to seems before than moreso technology and technology, to different from the Spanish, Portuguese are differ are Portuguese Spanish, the from different are Italians the the Europe from in and audiences, different European lot a are audiences American (continued from page 16) Dubfire DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: You always have to adapt. I mean, South I've always said that I am sort of a slave of sort I am that said always I've I have a pretty simple setup and pretty pretty and setup simple pretty a have I Yes. Also, each audience is going to be be to going is Yes. audience Also,each I don't either,don't technology.mean,I it's I es, m o c d n a h c a e b e h t n o t i s n a c I , s Ye What gear are you using in the studio studio in the are you gear using What So it'sdefinitely ateameffort. Are there specific ways you feel you you feel you ways specific there Are You're constantly touring, you run a run you touring, constantly You're Technology seems to be a constant constant a be to seems Technology So you can do everything on the the on everything do can you So (continued onpage 42) ------42 DJ TIMES MAY 2015 DJ Spooky:ThatSubliminalKid we have another three weeks to go. to weeks three and another have weeks, we two last the for studio the year? of rest the for have Dish Deep does creative the thatwe synergy have. into life new injected has it air; fresh a of breath a been of for appropriate necessarily wasn't maybe always but Dish, we Deep within do to what wanted and explored learned having having together back come to interesting be to going was it that knew We sound. and his got sound he's my got I've differences. another's one for tolerance and ism, comfort,professionalmore bit little a with it at came we back, came we music. When of world the within als individu as comfortable felt more much and ways different in proved ourselves of kind both we think I but first,at scary bit artists,a solo was it as out ventured we a When collective. as known been always having out as artists... solo We were went individual both we who with comfortable being of point a to got we once and stuff and likethat. aside,that set wehad Once differences business and issues we could—personal that to other one between passed differences had our settle time enough until wasn't it but years, for do to wanted been? again collaboratively working for has How dates. live and year material new last Dish Deep as Sharam it. really that's and keyboard, USB a and card sound a it's hardware, For Cubase. was it that years. before for And that using was I Logic; was it that Before ever.than more now Live Ableton (continued from page 40) Dubfire Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: Deep Dish Deep For me,DJingismore We have been in the the in been have We It was something we we something was It . Coming at it has sort sort has it at Coming What sort of plans plans of sort What You reunited with with reunited You than music … - - It's basically to create new music be music newcreate to basically It's varied artists from all backgrounds backgrounds all from artists varied such by musicreleasing I'm because it hear or that with agree I sure not I'm but sound, particular a has SCI+TEC as abrand? and musically both itself for made has it think you do identity of kind What now. years few a quite for SCI+TEC things—we tend towork separately. other or arrangement the crafting stages—like middle the during together, but studio the in are we project, a beginning are we when or ly.project a finishing are we When workingseparate more comfortable both are we we think I past, than the in more had another one erate gether? to studio the in or remotely rating future. near the in release to hope we what and then released we what between lull big a such been has it why music. new That's creating to devote to time that little very had we realized we schedules, our at released looked and [“Quincy”] new the single and off everything kicked we when but studio, the in could we as much as working of intentions had prematurely. project the launched We probably we think I hindsight, in year Last music. new by driven be to has Dish Deep as do we whatever that up. had knew Webroke we we before what done even and past the in done we've what remember to too young much are audiences of newer lot the a and years, eight than more in together been is. haven't WeDish Deep who of idea have no days these audiences younger the of lot a cause both. As much as we are able to tol to able areboth. we as much As Dubfire: DJ Times: Dubfire: DJ Times: A lot of people think that thinkpeople of lot A We try to do a bit of of bit a do to try We Are you two collabo two you Are You've been running running been You've It’s philosophy,art& expermentation - - - - - erly discover their objections before before objections their discover erly who do not book… what am I doing doing I am what book… not do who will life become aloteasier.your and contracts them sign of to more get to process sales your up face,to tune face then clients your Make get to yours. effective marketing be your should and could becomes failure on our part to prop to part our on failure becomes there.isn’t who someone to That talk or it” about to “think want they that the discouraged get we for times Many sale.) ask to way effective soft, a (It’s paperwork?” some do we Should ask, next? to “What’s right to earned have you meeting, face-to-face each of end the sale? At the for asking you wrong? artists who areartists sending me demos say by approached getting am I because world.funnythe over It's all from and that to have a release on SCI+TEC can know producers of lot a munity,and com music dance a of support the haveand time long a for around been since the label started in 2007. We have releasestotal 60 or 50 reach to going we're think year, I this of end the By strength.to strength from gone just my own solo material, and the label has establishedwasoutlet releaseantoas demos. me Also, it sending were who people and basis daily a on meeting of a lot of talented people whom I was lished as an outlet to release the music estab be always been has SCI+TEC it.hear really don't I sound,but havea we feels everybody that guessing I'm sound.a has label the that feel they because label the forspecificallywork projects their that think they that ing (continued from page 29) Bussiness Line Q: Brewer: I waste a lot of time on brides brides on time of lot a waste I … My first question is: Are question first My So yeah,sometimes - - - - the dancefloor. bride bride who takes longer to process and today’s with necessary also is up low low.too are prices your Foland that than more sell; to how know don’t you or market the of out priced be could you and that than Less ments. appoint face-to-face your of cent 90-per and 60- between closing be should You objections. become they does nothave themoney) simply she it, worth not you’re that Not charge. you what for budgeted and then there (which is most times is she has not struggle her what with table the to come and may honest get she which through, following on plan also help you to let her know that you will process sales your into piece that putting so up, follow for process no have businesses decide.wedding Most represent each of the Elements of of Life oftheElementsSeries. Elements the of each represent to gigs exclusive four have to going probably We're it. repackaging are we remixes—and the all plus songs original six is think I gether—which to done have we that everything putting are and song final one on ing Oliver with Huntemann. work actuallyWe are collaboration my also of us.all for a project big such There's of was that sort since project new a “Grindhouse” doing about are talking Eeprom Danton and Slave, dio “Exit”] with Miss Kittin, and me,Kittin,Ra and Miss with “Exit”] [to follow-up a doing am I label, the like seems it there's alotofDubfire in2015. on, going got you've this great music. giveto everyonegreat try toshotat a career. their been for wondersIt's do DJ Spooky, NextMonthinDJ Times I doempty Dubfire: DJ Times: Yeah. There's stuff on on stuff There's Yeah. Given ever ything ything ever Given

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