The suffocating heat has arrived and the Shanghai summer is living up to its reputation.
In July, the clubs and lounges are also hotting up, bringing big name DJs to please the city's summer party cravings.
Attica has consistently brought popular DJs from all over the world to Shanghai. This year has been no exception, with the popular nightspot bringing you the best from Ministry of Sound and other DJ stars and legends such as Sandy Rivera, DJ Rocky Rock, Sebastien Leger, Steve Lawler, DJ Pierre, Mo-Funk and many more. The DJ stars are always complemented by the best line-up, with Shanghai's favorites DJ Vicky, DJ Big One and our own incomparable resident DJ Jon White.
So what else can you expect this summer in Attica? We've already brought you a sizzling hot and steamy pool party and the Black Eyed Peas official DJ, Rocky Rock.
If you weren't here partying with us, you missed out on one of those nights you talk about with your friends for weeks. If you don't want to be left out once more, then mark your calendars tomorrow. Attica proudly brings you once again - for only his second visit to Shanghai - Dimitri from Paris.
As the French ambassador of house music, Dimitri is a DJ, producer, and remixer of the highest standard, and a stylish snake-hipped pin-up with French reserve.
Over the course of his 10-year career, our man from Paris has sold over 1 million copies of his eclectic outings, mostly on independent labels.
Dimitri From Paris's stage name pays homage to the city that saw him grow up as a child and DJ - he was actually born to Greek parents in Istanbul, Turkey. Dimitri's long and successful career began in the 1980s, where he was the DJ for Radio 7 station in France. By the mid 1980s he had worked at Skyrock and by 1986 finally landed at Radio NJR - Europe's largest FM network. While working at NJR, Dimitri managed to launch the first ever house music radio show in France. During this period he also produced runway soundtracks for the best fashion houses in the world. Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermes and Yves Saint-Laurent were among his elite list of clients.
Like many of his DJ contemporaries from France, Dimitri From Paris draws some inspiration and music identity from 1970s funk and disco music. But Dimitri's widely known little secret - his "Je ne sais quoi" - is that his music's soul originates from the Continental jet-setting faux jazz of the 1950s and 1960s. Soundtracks from cult movies such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "The Party" are his inspiration. This DJ, remixer, and composer has also produced a diverse range of musical genres, including lounge, electronica, samba, downtempo, house, funk and jazz.
Dimitri received world acclaim and recognition in 1996 when he released on Yellow Productions his debut album "Sacrebleu." This album sold 700,000 copies worldwide and was named Album of the Year by UK's Mixmag magazine.
Before his debut album, Dimitri had only released a couple of EPs in the early 1990s and a mini LP, "Les Esquisses." He also collaborated on the Yellow Productions compilation "La Yellow 357." He has also remixed many renowned artists such as Bjork, The Cardigans, James Brown, New Order and Quincy Jones.
But the 1997 mix album "Monsieur Dimitri's De-Luxe House of Funk" showed the Frenchman coming back to his house roots. In 2000, Dimitri followed "Sacrebleu" up with "A Night at the Playboy Mansion" (Virgin) and "Disco Forever" (BBE), followed by "My Salsoul" in 2001 and "After the Playboy Mansion" in 2002. In 2003, "Cruising Attitude" was released, to be closely followed by his first outing on UK's premier dance music label Defected, "Dimitri from Paris In the House." Dimitri went back to his funk and disco roots in 2005, with Japanese hip-hop producer DJ Muro for "Super Disco Friends" - a double CD mixdown. In 2006 he offered his "House of Love" outing to Valentine Day's lovers. Later, Dimitri produced Los Amigos Invisible's "Super Pop Venezuela" album which grabbed a nomination for a Grammy award. His "Cocktail Disco" album was released in 2007, which was a project with long-time partner BBE and the record has a handful of disco classics, remixes and other surprises.
This French "ambassador of house" debuted in Shanghai at Attica on New Years Eve in 2007. What a night it was for all present. It was packed with people and the terraces were overflowing, even in Shanghai's chilly winter. This DJ is a house music icon not to be missed. So, if you are looking for another great weekend, Dimitri is the man who knows how to get the party going this summer.
(Shanghai Daily July 10, 2008)