"A select crew of rebels, gypsies and one-armed bandits, using the science of slime and reason as a weapon… a renegade crew of modern shamans investing spirit into technology and technology into spirit, configuring rude synaesthetic rainbows over the concrete horizons of sub-urban reality."
As mission statements go, that of London's Ninja Tune records stands self-consciously apart from the crowd - much like the label itself. After starting as a side-project of 1980s dance-music duo Coldcut, it celebrates its 20th anniversary this week with an extravagant series of celebrations and releases. "Eclectic" is a word devalued by overuse, but Ninja Tune's roster has a fair claim to the adjective; drawing on a broad spread of influences and leaving behind a diverse collage of joyous electronic experimentation, cut-up jazz, the farthest reaches of hip-hop, dub, and drum and bass, and numerous points in-between.
After years of quietly building a reputation DJ-ing in the London warehouse dance scene, by 1990 Matt Black and Jonathan More, as Coldcut, were surprised to find themselves collaborating with stars such as Lisa Stansfield, Yazz, and Erik B & Rakim, and occupying the upper echelons of the British pop charts with songs including Doctorin' the House. Surprised, and not entirely happy about the musical compromises it began to demand of them.
"It was a bit of a whirlwhind really," More explains, recalling Ninja Tune's inception. "Matt was a computer programmer, and I was a part-time teacher. We made records, not in his bedroom exactly, but in the sort of hall area…" he laughs. "And then we were on Top of the Pops, and it went crazy. The label we were signed to was bought by a major, and things started to go a bit murky. Whereas before we'd make a record, give it to the record company, and they'd put it out, suddenly they were saying 'we don't like this: make another record like Doctorin' the House or The Only Way Is Up. They didn't want to put out the music we were making, and then they asked us to change our name because we were 'so eighties, and it's the nineties now'." He sighs. "We had a good basting in that pretty tasteless sauce".
While on tour in Japan with Norman Cook (then in his Beats International incarnation, but later to reach global fame as Fatboy Slim), they fell in love with the "vibe of the ninja" and the striking differences in Japanese culture and technology. This came down to one particular epiphanic moment for More, while watching television.
"I turned the sound down because I couldn't understand the language, and I was jet-lagged and in a pretty strange state. It was an old black-and-white TV show, quite creaky, and I suddenly thought 'this is just like us'. Really, we're just two blokes going around from town to town, entertaining people with our tricks. It's smoke and mirrors, it's flashing lights, it's sparkly jackets and trap doors. Then there was the element of stealth, of having lots of different identities, being able to work both sides of the fence. We could disappear underground and reappear in a different guise because that's what ninjas did - they'd play off one form against another."
To More and Black, this wasn't just an elegant metaphor for their occupation as DJ-entertainers, but an inspiration to find creative freedom while still bound by their major label contract: in September 1990 they released Zen Brakes Volume I under the pseudonym "Bogus Order", and Ninja Tune was born. They pulled in like-minded souls from across the world, and their ad hoc spirit allowed the label to become "almost Motown-esque" in turning friends and acquaintances - people who "got it" - from nobodies into stars.
Has it become harder to be an independent label in the last 20 years, given the rise of illegal downloading, and the dramatic fall in revenues from CD and vinyl sales? More isn't convinced. "It's really about passion and dedication - there's never a right time or a wrong time, it's just about appropriating whatever technology's available. A lot of people think the internet means things have to operate really differently, but certain principles remain the same."
Like having a clear vision?
"It's not even about having a clear vision necessarily, just having one at all! A lot of companies don't really, except for cashing in as much as they can, wrapping up rubbish in gobbledegook.
"But we paid attention to the gobbledegook companies used, and came up with our own - it was a useful device."
Is that part of the smoke-and-mirrors approach?
"Absolutely. And it's part of being British, as well - right through our history, through music hall, Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies, Steptoe and Son, and punk - there's always a similar kind of irreverence and stupidity going on in the background," he says fondly.
The spirit of sampling is another constant: musically, in terms of the individual beats or other sounds Ninja Tune artists often use as their "raw materials"; but more generally, the appropriation and reconfiguration of ideas suffuses the label's way of thinking - whether it be in their aesthetics, live visuals, or superlative sleeve artwork.
"It's not about the cut of the cloth, it's about the spirit involved - and it's the same with the music and artists on Ninja. They're all individual and they all have a character. You might not like all of it, but you can guarantee it'll all be left-of-centre, in a non-political sense."
The 20th-anniversary celebrations include a worldwide tour, a book commemorating the label's history, and a six CD set comprising entirely new music: a project so vast they had to start compiling it not long after the 19th anniversary, More jokes.
"I'm a total rambler", he proceeds apologetically, as we round the interview up. "I always take the scenic route. We've done that with Ninja too: if you're going to take a journey, you might as well enjoy it, and look for spring water along the way. And at the moment there's a particularly good supply of fresh young spring water on the label - and that's great. That makes me very happy."
THE%20SPECS
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The%20specs%20
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
%3Cp%3EBy%202030%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%20aims%20to%20achieve%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2039.3%20million%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20nearly%2064%25%20up%20from%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20Dh90%20billion%20contribution%20to%20GDP%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2084%25%20more%20than%20Dh49%20billion%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%20178%2C000%20new%20jobs%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20bringing%20the%20total%20to%20about%20366%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%2052%2C000%20hotel%20rooms%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20up%2053%25%20from%2034%2C000%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%207.2%20million%20international%20visitors%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20almost%2090%25%20higher%20compared%20to%202023's%203.8%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%80%A2%203.9%20international%20overnight%20hotel%20stays%2C%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2022%25%20more%20from%203.2%20nights%20in%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Company%20Profile
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
