Our artist of the month this month is none other than Techno Legend Dubfire!
Iranian based DJ and Producer Ali Shirazinia has been running the techno scene for the past 10 years and can easily be classified as a legend in the industry.
He is better known for his work prior as “Deep Dish” and has even picked up a Grammy award for his remix of Dido’s “Thank you”.
This month, his solo project “Dubfire” completes a decade. So, we dedicate this month to the man who single-handedly made minimal techno what it is today!
Growing up in the Washington, DC area, Dubfire spent much of his youth playing the guitar in school bands and listening to heavy doses of classic hip hop, jazz/rare groove, dub, new wave and industrial and was also influenced by the local punk scene and the music of Washington DC-based bands including Fugazi and Minor Threat. He frequented a local record store called Yesterday And Today Records, where he became acquainted with the sounds of artists like Kraftwerk, Ministry, Jesus & Mary Chain, Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, Adrian Sherwood of On-U Sound and Einstürzende Neubauten.
Deep Dish and Other Projects
In 1991, Shirazinia and fellow DC resident Sharam Tayebi formed Deep Dish, a DJ and production duo that became notable for their productions and DJ sets.
Deep Dish released acclaimed dance classics beginning with the 1995 remix of De’Lacy’s “Hideaway”, and went on to work with an eclectic array of names in pop, rock and electronica. Sharam and Dubfire established Deep Dish Records, and they went on to win a Grammy in 2002 for their remix of Dido’s “Thank You” along with many other high-profile awards
Splitting up, starting his own solo project and record label
Having firmly established the reputation of Deep Dish as pioneer amongst the greats of electronic music, no one would have blamed Dubfire for resting on his laurels and accolades. But in 2007, despite all the odds and dance music history being stacked against him, he decided to split and start his own solo project. Both Sharam and Dubfire began to produce and DJ individually claiming they got bored doing the same thing. They’ve always been separate producers and separate DJs who have just collaborated for all these years.
Shirazinia used his long-time stage name “Dubfire” for his solo productions. His solo sound differs noticeably from that of Deep Dish, consisting of minimal, techno, and house rather than the predominantly progressive house sound of Deep Dish. His production I Feel Speed, which is a cover of an obscure Love & Rockets song, features his own vocals. Dubfire also sings in ‘In Love With a Friend’ on Deep Dish’s debut album.
‘I Feel Speed’ has appeared in the advertisement of the Volkswagen Eos.
He set up SCI+TEC Digital Audio as an outlet to release his new music, and began quietly unleashing a string of remarkable tracks, including “Roadkill” and “RibCage”. Richie Hawtin, who signed Dubfire’s “Emissions” to his highly respected Minus label, also released Dubfire’s rework of “Spastik” (the classic that Hawtin produced in 1993 under his Plastikman alias) as an official re-work.
Soon thereafter, Sven Vath’s Cocoon Records took notice and released some of Dubfire’s music, cementing his extraordinary reinvention.
In 2009, Dubfire produced a remix of Danton Eeprom and Radio Slave’s “Grindhouse” which encapsulated everything that Dubfire stands for today: Dark Rhythms, Superior Audio and Technological Brilliance. In the words of DJ Magazine, his kind of techno was labelled as “Jet black, Polished Chrome Techno”.
Still not satisfied with his status quo, Dubfire spent two years crafting a live show and his HYBRID live concept has been wowing audiences since it’s soft launch debut at Amsterdam Dance Event, 2014. Described by Thump as “unlike, anything we had previously seen or heard before anywhere,”
Dubfire’s story is also set to be told through a documentary, titled “Above Ground Level” chronicles his career trajectory from fleeing Iran as a youngster, to becoming one of the biggest electronic stars on the planet.
Featuring contributions for his closest friends, family and peers such as Richie Hawtin, Pete Tong and Hot Since 82, it reinforces his stellar achievements and gives an inside look into Dubfire’s journey. With over two decades of experience in the music, Dubfire continues to push the envelope and challenge himself.
To celebrate the completion of a decade under his solo project Dubfire, Shirazinia will be releasing a compilation titled: A Decade of Dubfire. You can read about it here.
In the words of Resident Advisor “Dubfire is an artist whose drive, talent and intuition have placed him within the top tier of electronic artists. Constantly evolving, Dubfire is in a forward-thinking class of his own.”
And we couldn’t agree more!
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