It wouldn’t take any visitor long to work out how Adriano Konialidis, also known as Adriano K, spends his time. Stepping over the threshold of his Dubai home is like entering a curio shop, the walls and floors lined with exotic instruments from across the globe.
A quick scout uncovers a Mexican hand drum, a Bali steel pan (similar to a hang), a percussive cube from Peru called a cajón, and a guitar made from a cigar box.
But it’s the centrepiece that really gives the game away. Konialidis, a 34-year-old Greek-Uruguayan, isn’t a mere curiosity collector.
Much of the living space of his cramped one-bedroom apartment is taken up by a huge home-studio, sprawling out from a desk and chair in the centre of the room. It’s a seat the producer has been spending an awful lot of time in of late, with as many as eight projects being prepared for release on his home-grown label, Desmo.
First up is an EP collecting four mixes of the same tune, a Latin-flavoured original composition by Trio De Cajón. The track was recorded by Konialidis three years ago during sessions for his label's debut album, A L.A.S., a two-part collection of traditional Argentinian and Uruguayan folk songs. Each track was presented in both its original trio form, and as a guest remix from one of 14 contributors, including Stimming, The Orb and Mark Farina.
But the one original composition recorded at those sessions – an after-hours jam entitled Cerca del Mar – was left sitting on the shelf. Until recently, when Konialidis decided to repeat the trick with this new release, which presents the original tune alongside three guest remixes. These include a minimal club edit from former Señor Coconut frontman Argenis Brito, a soulful summery reading from Berlin-based Uruguayan Xavi Zeta, and nu-disco-flavoured collaboration between Konialidis, under his artist name Adriano K, and Megadon Betamax – Aka Mostyn Rischmueller, the Dubai producer last featured on these pages after creating a track entirely from car noises.
Also in the works is a limited 12-inch collecting four brand new remixes of recordings by noted Lebanese singer-songwriter Tania Saleh.
“It was all about her voice,” says Konialidis. “I told her from the start, ‘I want to take your music to people that have never heard it’.”
First however is a whole album from Uruguayan singer-songwriter Pablo Damonte, a mellow, trippy mood piece which combines acoustic instruments with electronic textures, with a debut single in November.
Also coming up on Desmo is an electro-funk trio called Monday Club, with Konialidis on keys, and an album of new recordings of centuries old Balkan accordion music.
“I do all of this for the love,” adds Konialidis. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without my ears, and the help of my partners – hopefully there will be reward in years to come.”
• Cerca del Mar is available for pre-order on vinyl now from www.juno.co.uk, and will be available as a digital download later this month
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
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