Meet the UAE Producers Making the Best Dancefloor Tunes

Ibiza Global Radio UAE plays the freshest underground tunes – with many created right here on home turf. With its thriving club scene, Dubai is home to a growing army of talented DJs and producers. Lucky for us, the best of the best are also part of our amazing Ibiza Global Radio UAE family. Ahead of their sets at the Ibiza Global Radio UAE Beach Festival, on Saturday 19^th March, meet the UAE producers making killer tracks.

Alex Twin

From: Romania

Years in Dubai: 8

My sound: A mix of deep house, Afro house and melodic house

Catch me DJing at: Sushi Samba and Iris Dubai

First great clubbing experience: I was 14 years old and my cousin took me to one of the biggest clubs in Bucharest. I don’t remember who was playing, but I fell in love with the powerful sound system – my lungs were vibrating! I do remember hearing James Zabiela DJ at Mania Club, in Mamaia, Romania, when I was 17.

First DJ gig: Bucharest in 2008. I played for maybe 500 people in a new club where I was the resident. Music-wise, I played house and micro house.

First DJ gig in the UAE: VIP Room in Dubai, playing house and deep house. I was very lucky to play my music considering VIP Room was a 100% open-format music venue.

The club scene in the UAE is… very close to the club scene in Ibiza, Mykonos or Tulum. When I moved to UAE, the night life industry focused 90% on commercial music and 10% on deep house. I was talking to all my friends, telling them it’s going to change in few years. And now, here we are… the market changed completely and we have 80% electronic music and 20% the rest. Today, Dubai is a clubbing destination for musically educated people.

The highlight of my DJing career in the UAE is… many great moments at COYA Dubai. With hard work and consistency, we’ve created something very special there.

The first tuned I ever made was.. a house tune called Paradox, in 2015.

Find my music on: Bar25, All Day I Dream, Sirin Music, Bercana, COYA Music and Pipe & Pochet.

My latest production work is: Justify featuring Angelina on Bar 25. I have more music coming out next month on Sirin Music and Bercana.

The tune I wish I’d made is… Whilk & Misky’s Clap Your Hands (Solomun Remix). This track is very special to me, it always brings good vibes and memories flooding back. The track sounds simple but it’s actually very complex.

Advice to aspiring UAE producers: Focus on making quality music and not quantity.

My Ibiza Global Radio UAE show is… Alex Twin Live. I usually play my unreleased tunes, my friends’ promos and my fave tunes of the week.

Hear it… every Wednesday, from 3 – 4pm.

Ibiza Global Radio UAE Beach Festival will be… amazing. I’m so excited to be part of this outstanding line-up. I will be playing a b2b DJ set with my dear friend Darko De Jan and we’ll be premiering a few of our collabs.

My festival set will be… full of my upcoming music and my favorites tunes.

 

Darko De Jan

From: Macedonia

Years in Dubai: 15

My sound: Deep, melodic and Afro house

Catch me DJing at: The W Hotel in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Hakkasan, Mercury Lounge. I also have a gig coming up at Coya on 27^th March.

First great clubbing experience: From the late ’90s to early 2000s, parties consumed my whole life; nothing else mattered. I postponed my graduation to party! Either John Aquaviva, Carl Cox or Digweed was playing the night before my exam. I couldn’t miss the party so the exam had to wait! I remember Matthew Dekay playing at Club Colosseum; his set left me speechless.

First DJ gig: I started DJing when I was around 14 years old armed with just a great number of cassettes and CDs and an even greater love and passion for music. After playing at local bars in my home town, I swung my way into one of the local radio stations.

First DJ gig in the UAE: The Apartment, in Jumeriah Beach Hotel, in 2007. I played there regularly alongside the late legend Ricardo Da Force, who was resident. I couldn’t believe I was sharing the decks with one my childhood heroes from The KLF and N-Trance!”

The club scene in the UAE is… well synchronized with my taste. So many great DJs in Dubai are playing quality music with such great passion. They are bringing the country to the forefront of the global scene.

The highlight of my DJing career in the UAE is… being part of Ibiza Global Radio family. That said, every club, bar and lounge where I’ve played has a special place in my heart.

The first tuned I ever made was… way back in 2010. I never expected anything but cR2 Records signed it and it entered Beatport’s Top 50 House Chart.

Number of tunes produced: More than 150, including remixes, collaborations and originals.

Find my music on: Sol Selectas, Pipe & Pochet, Souksonic, Bercana, Harabe, Shango, Coya, Buddha Bar and Toolroom.

My latest production work is… the forthcoming Koren EP with my dear friends from COYA Music. Scheduled for release at the end of March, the EP contains two original tracks and a remix.

The tune I wish I’d made is… Dennis Ferrer and Jerome Sydenham’s Sandcastles. This all-time classic combines so much emotion and power. It’s uniquely designed and can be played in a set at any time.

Advice to aspiring UAE producers: Don’t copy what is trendy; produce what you love.

My Ibiza Global Radio UAE show is… Paparazzi. It’s an hour of blended percussive rhythms and melodies, spiced with lots of organic ingredients.

Hear it… every Friday, from 1pm – 2pm.

Ibiza Global Radio UAE Beach Festival will be… the first festival aired live on an FM frequency in the UAE and the first proper post-Covid event.

My festival set will be… a blend of deep, melodic tunes with an organic and percussive touch.

 

Roberto Mermand (Mar+Mer)

From: London

Years in Dubai: 14

My sound: House, melodic tech, indie dance, Afro

Catch me DJing at: Soho Garden DXB, on Fridays and Saturdays, and Lucky Fish, on Sundays

First great clubbing experience: Carl Cox DJing in fabric, London, in the late ’90s. It was an energetic performance, for sure.

First DJ gig: Playing at a Defected night in Pacha London, in 2001. The experience was surreal. The wild crowd made it truly amazing and memorable.

First DJ gig in the UAE: Sanctuary, at Atlantis The Palm, in 2009. The club had a great vibe with amazing sound and dancers. I played tribal house back then with vocals.

The club scene in the UAE is… definitely on the global map now. With so many great DJs and UAE producers performing here, the scene continues to evolve and progress, just like Dubai.

The highlight of my DJing career in the UAE is… playing our tracks to over 4000 people at Soho Garden and the amazing reaction from the crowd.

The first tuned I ever made was… a funky vocal house track called Searchin’ in 2001. It was pressed on vinyl and distributed on Juno Download.

Number of tunes produced: Over 50.

Find our music on: Fryhide, Monaberry, Radiant, King Street NYC and Augmental.

Our latest production work is… the With Your Pleasure EP, released on Monaberry in December. We have a number of tracks lined up for this year too.

The tune I wish I’d made is… Danny Tenaglia’s Music is the Answer. This tune is so special. Music is the answer to life.

Advice to aspiring UAE producers: Learn an instrument if you can.

Our Ibiza Global Radio UAE show is… Live by Mar+Mer. It’s a mix of our own productions and some of the tunes we’re currently playing out. Expect a blend of indie dance and melodic vibes from different eras of house music.

Hear it… every Thursday, from 9pm – 10pm.

Ibiza Global Radio UAE Beach Festival will be… fun, with great DJs showcasing local and international talent.

Our festival set will be… groovy, uplifting and melodic, taking the crowd on a special journey.

Marc Marshall (Mar+Mer)

From: Miami, USA

Years in Dubai: 12

My sound: Melodic house, indie dance, melodic Afro house

Catch me DJing at: Soho Garden DXB on Fridays and Saturdays, and Lucky Fish on Sundays

First great clubbing experience: Danny Krivit, Joe Clausell and François Kevorkian at Body and Soul, New York City, in 1997. It was the “church” for house music.

First DJ gig: Opium Garden, in Miami, during 2002’s Miami Winter Music Conference.

First DJ gig in the UAE: Okku Dubai, where Sundays were the biggest night in Dubai. I was music director there from 2010 – 2015.

The club scene in the UAE is… evolving, with more trendsetters flocking here than ever before. With nightlife brands on the rise, the UAE offers many opportunities for artists.

The highlight of my DJing career in the UAE is… our ‘New York, NY’ Sunday nights at Provocateur. They were epic.

The first tuned I ever made was.. a deep tech track called Searching on Soulfuric Records in 2003.

The tune I wish I’d made is… a timeless track called Sandcastles by Jerome Sydenham and Dennis Ferrer.

Advice to aspiring UAE producers: Find yourself in the music and stick to that.

Ibiza Global Radio UAE Beach Festival will be… an amazing step forward for the brand.