House DJ Josh Butler in Dubai on Friday

IT'S CODE DXB'S latest themed evening and DJ Josh Butler is at the vanguard. The club within a club complex (Code is located at Soho Garden) is launching its Defected night this Friday from 11pm featuring one of Britain's premier house mixers, Butler.
Following the success behind his debut Got A Feeling in 2013, Bulter soon went on to pick up multiple industry awards from Beatport and DJ Mag. Boasting remixes for Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox and Joris Voorn and warm up gigs for the multi-Grammy award winning Nile Rodgers and Chic, we caught up with the musician to find out about his UAE visit.
What have you got planned for your Dubai set?
None of my sets are ever planned, but I have an idea of the style that works and what my selection may potentially look like across the night. Every time I play my sets are all determined by a few things though; the crowd, the environment and setting of the venue, what the DJ before me has been playing, and of course my mood whilst I'm in the booth.
What is the city's reputation in the DJ community?
I think there's a really decent little scene that's been emerging over the last few years. I seem to know more and more people from Europe that move to Dubai and still want to hear their favourite music and DJs play. I've been playing here for the past few years with shows alongside Cafe Mambo and more, and the gigs are getting better and better each time so I'm definitely looking forward to being back.
Where is the best place to DJ?
South America is without a doubt one of my favourite places to play and also to travel to. I actually recently headed back to one of my favourite countries there, Ecuador, where I played at the Lost City in Quito and two dates at the Lost Beach Club in Montanita, before heading onto the States for a run of shows - those sets are definitely amongst my favourite from this year!
Are you positive about the future of deep house and dance? What would you like to see change?
I am actually! I wasn't so sure around this time last year, but I love the direction the music has been going over the last six months or so. I'm finding and hearing a lot more soulful elements and more traditional house sounds coming back into the music, which is something that I think it had been lacking for a little while.
What are you currently working on?
I've spent most of this year on the road and travelled to some amazing countries, but it's been hard to get time in my studio as a result. However, I've been working on tonnes of ideas whilst on my travels, from recording sounds of nature in Ethiopia, making beats on my laptop on the move and in hotels and airports, and even recording vocals with Beverly Knight.
Do you think the time when you broke out was the optimum time for your music or would you like to be starting out today?
'Social media presence' and the role that it can play within the industry wasn't as important when I started out. If it could be all about music and less about online stats then I'd start again today in a heartbeat.
What would your advice be for anyone trying to get into the industry?
Learn your craft, be polite and don't give up.
david@khaleejtimes.com