DUBAI: Here are the major acts performing at this year’s festival, which runs Sept. 19-21 in AlUla.
James Blake
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The UK singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, Grammy winner, and in-demand DJ and producer has managed the rare feat of maintaining both critical and commercial success for the majority of his career since first coming to prominence in his homeland with his eponymous 2011 debut album. That’s a feat which is even more impressive when you consider his penchant for stylistic experimentation, inspired by his love of electronic music. But whatever’s going on musically, his soulful soprano and smart, honest lyrics are a constant — his popularity as a collaborator among hip-hop’s A-listers tells you plenty about the latter.
Top tracks: “I Need A Forest Fire,” “Coming Back,” “Say What You Will,” “Where’s The Catch?”
The Blaze
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Paris-based ambient electronic music duo consisting of cousins Jonathan and Guilluame Alric. They’re not the most prolific of acts — releasing just eight singles and two albums in seven years — but the high-quality of their output, not just in terms of songs, but visually too (their music videos have led to headlines like Fader’s “Somebody Give The Blaze an Oscar Already”), suggests that’s a wise strategy. Their music is a slow-burn delight that combines elements of pop, house, and dub to create something all their own. “Blaze” is French slang for “name,” but, Guillaume told Fader, “the principal meaning is warm and strong things — love, and hope.”
Top tracks: “Territory,” “Heaven,” “She,” “Places”
Ben Bohmer
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Critically acclaimed German DJ-producer whose live shows generally see him embellish his tracks with live synthesizers and effects. He’s known for his progressive house sound, which also incorporates indie electronica elements. The Azimuth audience may well get to hear some as-yet-unreleased material too, as his new album, “Bloom,” drops Sept. 27.
Top tracks: “Breathing,” “Begin Again,” “Home”
Jamie Jones
(AFP)
The Los Angeles-based Welsh DJ-producer is a busy man. Not content with putting out a regular stream of his own music and being a good enough DJ to top Resident Advisor’s rankings in 2011, he’s also a member of the band Hot Natured, head of a record label, host of a radio show, and founder of online store House of Hot, which sells clothing, records, and artwork. In an interview with Wales Online, Jones credited his mother for giving him the emotional support to pursue his dreams of a career in music. He recalled that she told him she didn’t care what he did as long as he was happy, “and I think to hear that from your parent at an early age allows you the freedom to not care about some of the other pressures that life throws at you.”
Top tracks: “Lose My Mind,” “Fine Fine Baby,” “Summertime,” “La Musa”
Seth Troxler
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The American DJ-producer famed for his mammoth live sets topped the Resident Advisor Top 100 DJs poll the year after Jamie Jones, in 2012. Like Jones, he’s a keen entrepreneur — founder of several labels and also owner of a barbeque restaurant in London, Smokey Tails. He’s known primarily on house and techno music, with a solid grounding in the Detroit (he’s a Michigan native) and Chicago sounds. But that’s not the sum of his music by any means. As he told Forbes in an interview last year, “The best genre is no genre. I try really not to be definable.”
Top tracks: “(still) WON’T4GETU,” “Hate,” “Dead Room; Trust; Dexter”
Ghostly Kisses
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French-Canadian singer-songwriter Margaux Sauve heads up this musical project, which is also a collaboration with producer Louis-Etienne Santais, her real-life partner. Sauve’s singular vocals and gift for melodic melancholy have brought Ghostly Kisses international acclaim, although their most-recent album “Darkroom” saw a shift in atmosphere. Sauve told Montreal Rocks shortly before its release, “So far our music has been felt, mainly, for our introvert fans, but we wanted them also to feel it in their body and be able to move with the music. That was kind of a goal. I think this album is a bit more affirmative and maybe a bit more confident.” In that same interview, Sauve also mentioned that Ghostly Kisses’ fans are “mainly from” overseas, citing Saudi Arabia as one of the countries where her music is most popular.
Top tracks: “Empty Note,” “Golden Eyes,” “There’s No More Space”
