It may seem a relatively modern phenomenon, but musicians have been sampling material from other musicians for over 30 years now, and the results remain enormously varied. For every clever, creative bit of sonic recycling there's a commercial dance producer looping a famous old chorus and driving radio listeners to distraction.
When you do hear something familiar in a club track it shouldn't automatically be assumed that the producer has done the borrowing, however. Two singles by German DJ André Tegeler, aka Moguai, may sound oddly recognisable to followers of British pop, for example, but he didn't sample Girls Aloud and the Sugababes. They sampled him.
"The Sugababes' track In the Middle, that was based on one of my songs," admits Tegeler. "It was three or four years ago. [Sugababes' producer] Brian Higgins gave me a call because my You Know Why track, he heard it and asked for something similar.
"So I produced one thing and he said, 'No, I want it exactly the same,' but they couldn't make it sound exactly as my record sounded, so I went over to London and we produced this track together. But I've never met the Sugababes. They'd already sung it before I came."
A small disappointment, but then Tegeler never really expected to become a pop producer. The Dusseldorf-based DJ began making music in the early 1990s, and was happy to remain an underground presence on the techno-trance scene.
His usefulness to the pop world is clearly still a source of some amazement and amusement, but does also highlight the more inclusive methods now being utilised by the latter industry, a trend that can loosely be traced back to 2002.
This was something of a golden age for edgy, modern pop. While cutting-edge producers Timbaland and the Neptunes began working with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in the US, girl band the Sugababes were unlikely UK pioneers.
Their huge comeback hit Freak Like Me was produced by Richard X - a rework of his own Gary Numan-sampling bootleg - and the aforementioned Brian Higgins came on board for the even better follow-up. Round Round was actually based on an obscure track by German producers Dublex Inc, and the influential Higgins then repeated the trick, borrowing more material from Tegeler to beef up the sound of another girl group.
"The Girls Aloud thing was similar," explains the DJ, "but I wasn't in the studio there, they took the instrumental from my single Get On for the track Something Kinda Ooh. They'd heard it on radio and said 'Ah, it's you again!'"
Tegeler is now taking a more hands-on role, collaborating with Higgins' production team Xenomania on material for several promising young artists, and it seems that club DJs currently have the Midas touch. Two of the past year's biggest critical and commercial hits emerged from unlikely urban/dance collaborations.
Dizzee Rascal's enormous single Bonkers was produced by US DJ Armand Van Helden, despite the grime-pop star previously professing a dislike for traditional dance music. He does like hit records though. And US rapper/singer Kelis turned to European dance culture for her worldwide smash Acapella. The original producer was French club veteran David Guetta, whose releases have usually been rather less memorable, but the singer was so impressed by a remix from Italian DJ Benny Benassi that she often performs that version live too.
For dance producers such crossover successes can be career-altering, greatly enhancing their profiles and, indeed, their finances.
"That's right," laughs Tegeler, "but for me it's not so much a money thing. I'm very, very proud that tracks work really well in the clubs and then guys like Brian [Higgins] - who produced Cher's Believe, and also Franz Ferdinand and the new Kylie Minogue album - they appreciate the sound too."
But what do fans of Moguai's own records make of his pop links? Can you still be 'underground' while working with Girls Aloud? "It's funny, when the Sugababes track came out, I got e-mails saying 'Hey, they stole your hook, and your chorus!' and so on. But it's cool, my tracks are all made for working on the dancefloor, so it makes sense for me to make it bigger, to spread it to other genres. I'm fine with it."
Indeed, pop producing can lead elsewhere. Take Stuart Price, who was best known for making 'big beat' records under the faux-French moniker Les Rythmes Digitales until Madonna hired him as producer for her 2003 album American Life. Since then Price has worked with everyone from stadium rockers The Killers to the legendary New Order. His next project will be the new Scissor Sisters album.
For Tegeler, these forays into other territories remain a part-time concern for the moment, as he remains devoted to his original path: making music for the more discerning dancefloor. Methods from other sources are beginning to seep into his regular work too, however. After two decades as a DJ he is only now releasing his debut album, a decision heavily influenced by a more mainstream associate.
"A good friend of mine is a popular songwriter in Germany," says Tegeler. "He had sometimes 10 tracks in the top 20, and he asked me 'What do you want to say, what's your message with the album?' I said 'I don't know, I just want to make an album' and he said 'Well then, you are not in the position right now to make an album'."
The DJ finally began work on a long-player last year, temporarily dropping all other remix and production assignments to focus the mind. The result, We Ar Lyve, will come as a surprise to anyone expecting a record full of potential girl-band backing tracks, as it's minimal, sometimes dark and definitely not easy-listening. Unfortunately, several interested record labels were also hoping for something rather more radio-friendly.
"There was a pressure," sighs the DJ. "Some guys said: 'If you make an album you need to make big co-operations, with [Coldplay's] Chris Martin' and so on. And I said: 'Why do I have to do it like this?' I didn't want to make a hit album, I wanted to make an album that's the right sound for me."
He eventually became the first signing to Canada's Mau5trap label, founded by the hugely popular producer Deadmau5, who didn't insist on any famous collaborators.
Tegeler has again been persuaded to allow samples of his work to be re-used, however, although Moguai devotees should be less dismayed this time, as they are the beneficiaries. The component parts of his track Nyce have been uploaded to the internet and the best fan-made remix will get an official release through the label.
Tegeler suggests that such ideas are "the way forward" when it comes to publicising a new release, so it pays not to be too precious about your material, whether pop stars or the general public end up using it. One further question does occur though, for the working DJ: with all those fan-generated remixes to wade through, each using the same source elements, surely he won't want to play that particular track ever again?
"No, I'm looking forward to hearing what they do with it," he insists. "We chose a hard track. We're really testing them!"
Recycled music is often anything but a lazy option.
The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
No Shame
Lily Allen
(Parlophone)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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
