INPUT: Duke Dumont/ Hayden James (LIVE) in The Panther Room

Before 2012 Duke Dumont was known as a 'producer's producer'. He was the name on a 12" record the DJ knew to reach for when he wanted to please the crowd, without them knowing who had constructed the mesmerising sonic confection they were dancing too.

In 2012, two EPs on Tiga's Turbo Recordings (with whom Duke has had a long standing relationship) changed all that. 'For Club Play Vol. 1 & 2' offered up sweet ecstatic deep house & UK bass cuts that have united people across the spectrum of music, from early club adopters like Annie Mac, Erol Alkan, Diplo, Martyn and Jackmaster to Fearne Cotton on daytime Radio 1, Trevor Nelson on 1xtra and even podcasts by Tiesto and Avicci. On some nights in Duke's beloved Fabric London, you would hear the anthemic 'The Giver' being played in all three rooms at the same time.

Duke's early career was mentored by Switch (last sighted producing for Beyoncé) and he made his name as the 'go-to' man to remake a pop song for the dance floor (Lily Allen and Bat For Lashes were notable clients). In 2011, he moved out of London to the countryside (Hertfordshire, where his studio overlooks a forest) to focus on his original material.

Synthesising his influences from techno to UK garage and house he brought back goodies from this zen-like exile. 'For Club Play Only Vol. 1' was released in April 2012 on Turbo. With 'Street Walker' and 'Thunderclap' on there, it alerted the heads to the Duke movement and received support from the likes of Jamie Jones and Simian Mobile Disco.

Remixes for AlunaGeorge and Santigold quickly followed, then in August 'For Club Play Only Vol.2' featuring 'No Money Blues' and 'The Giver' made Duke the man to watch. 'The producer's producer' had become the 'people's producer'.

'Need U (100%)' features 17 year-old starlet A*M*E* on singing duties. With a chunky low-end, funky stabs and silky vocals this is like an early 90s house classic couched in 2013 techno techniques. In 1988 Inner City would have been jealous of this one.

Co-written by teenage wonder-kid MNEK (who recently sung on Rudimental's 'Spoons' with Syron) 'Need U (100%)' is out now on his newly minted Blasé Boys Club label.


Hayden James may have only released his first track in late 2013, but he has already amassed 4 million plays across Soundcloud and YouTube for his work. Producing immense summer jams with soulful and evocative vocals his music has stockpiled consistently rave reviews from the US, Europe and Australia alike, being labelled the "face of the new Australian production music scene". Hayden's first single "Permission to Love" garnered worldwide love and attention hitting #1 most blogged on Hype Machine, as well as becoming the most played track on national broadcasting giant Triple J in Australia.

It is still early days for Hayden, with just the one EP, a string of remixes out on tastemaker label Future Classic and a 60 date 6 country tour, but with BBC Radio 1's Pete Tong labelling "Something About You" a song to watch in 2015, Triple J again making the single their most played over summer, and a visually stunning live show to boot, it seems like everyone wants a hit of Hayden's love….