DXBeach is back for a second innings on Friday, October 23.
Topping the bill this time are Clean Bandit, the baroque-house quartet behind hit Rather Be – a song you might have heard at the last DXBeach when guest vocalist Jess Glynn performed. If not, you may remember it from Clean Bandit's last UAE show 12 months ago, at the final Sandance.
Co-headlining is Idris Elba, enjoying some musical downtime following weeks spent shooting in the city for Star Trek Beyond, in which the Luther star is rumoured to play a villain. While the 43-year-old's acting skills are beyond dispute – contrast The Wire's Stringer Bell and his title role in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and all argument is obsolete – the Londoner's DJ skills are less established. Let's hope he's put in some practice since May's short and lightly shambled set at Sandance in May 2013.
Earlier in the afternoon, there are live gigs from locals Hollaphonic and Adam Baluch. After-dark the tempo will be kept up with DJ sets from Dutch deep-house name Mike Mago and French Jubel hitmaker, Klingande, whom we took five with.
Having a tune so very successful must be a great door-opener, but do you ever find it restricting, like you are pigeon-holed or expected to live up to it?
aIt's a great door-opener, yes, but it's also a real difficulty. Coming back after a huge success such as this is not always easy. Which is why I took so much time to release new songs. After Jubel, I was a bit lost in something so big.
Klingande are often referred to as a duo.
We were two at the very beginning. Then everything became complicated for my partner [Edgar Catry] and we decided to split a few months after Jubel. It's sad, but he wasn't made for it. Everything became terribly complicated after Jubel and we had to manage a lot of pressure.
What’s been the tune of 2015 so far for you?
Without any doubt, Lean On by Major Lazer [and DJ Snake] is the hit of this year.
EDM came and conquered. What’s next?
That’s the question. I don’t know what’s next, music is evolving so fast. You know what? EDM was a misclassification of some big room, progressive house, and sometimes brutal electronic music. Literally we are all doing “electronic dance music”. So it’s difficult to say there is something next. What can I answer? Future house? Melodic house? Tropical…?
Dxbbeach is on Friday, October 23 at Zero Gravity, SkyDive Dubai. From Noon to 3am. Tickets cost from Dh250 from
rgarratt@thenational.ae
