Deep Dish on Reconnecting, Reinvention and Returning to Global Underground

More than two decades after their landmark contribution to the Global Underground series, Deep Dish have returned to the iconic label with #GU49: Dublin, a mix compilation that feels less like a nostalgic exercise and more like the beginning of a new chapter.

For Sharam and Dubfire, the project wasn't about recreating a classic Deep Dish sound. In fact, they actively resisted the temptation. “Interestingly, we didn’t set out to recreate a ‘Deep Dish sound’,” they explain. “If we had approached it that way, it probably would have felt forced. The goal was simply to get back into a room together and make music from a place of curiosity.”

What they discovered surprised even them. “What we quickly realised was that the chemistry never really disappeared. Even after 20 years of following different creative paths, there was still that shared instinct to create something original and timeless.”

That sentiment lies at the heart of #GU49: Dublin. Rather than looking backwards, the compilation captures two artists reconnecting through the lens of everything they've learned during their years apart. “The sound emerged naturally from what we had learned making music on our own individual terms; we just had to find that middle ground rather than trying to revisit the past.”

The return to Global Underground is significant. The series has long occupied a unique place in dance music culture, with its most celebrated editions acting as creative statements rather than simple DJ mixes. Deep Dish approached Dublin with exactly that philosophy.

“Absolutely,” they say when asked whether they viewed the project as a modern manifesto. “The best Global Underground releases were never just collections of tracks. They captured a moment in time and offered insight into how an artist thought about music in that era.”

“Rather than trying to document a club set, we wanted to create a snapshot of where Deep Dish is creatively right now; the music we’re inspired by, the stories we’re interested in telling and the emotional spaces we want to explore.”

That approach is evident throughout the compilation's wide-ranging track selection, which moves effortlessly between melodic house, progressive textures, indie dance influences and darker club music. It reflects a philosophy that has defined Deep Dish since the beginning.

“We agreed very early on that we didn’t want the compilation to sit inside one stylistic lane,” they explain. “Deep Dish has always been about connecting different worlds rather than representing a single genre.”

There were discussions and disagreements along the way. “There were definitely discussions about certain tracks, but that’s always been part of our process. Those conversations are usually productive because they force us to examine why a piece of music belongs in the story we’re trying to tell.”

Ultimately, the guiding principle was simple. “Every track earned its place because it contributed to the overall journey and ultimately we just want the selection to be timeless.”

The choice of Dublin as the latest Global Underground destination also carries deep personal significance. The city has been intertwined with the duo's history since their earliest touring years and remains one of the most loyal corners of the Deep Dish fanbase.

“We’ve always had a special relationship with Dublin,” they say. “We’ve come to realise over the years that Persians and the Irish are kindred spirits; we just get on so well with one another.”

They laugh as they recall those formative years. “All our early shows there are the stuff of legend, as we’re constantly reminded by the fans.”

The connection runs even deeper today through their relationship with Dublin-based manager Donal McCarthy and Purple Wall, but ultimately the project was driven by something more personal. “We did it for the fans, especially our Irish fans who have never forgotten us.”

The night that inspired #GU49 became symbolic of the wider Deep Dish reunion itself. “There were people who had followed our journey for decades standing alongside a younger generation experiencing Deep Dish for the first time. That sense of connection and continuity became a guiding theme for the project.”

That theme of continuity is perhaps most evident in how the duo view their own legacy. While many younger clubbers know Deep Dish through classic remixes and compilations rather than firsthand dancefloor experiences, the pair aren't interested in becoming a heritage act. “We weren’t interested in making a museum piece,” they say. “There are moments on the compilation that longtime listeners will recognise as part of the Deep Dish DNA, but we wanted them to sit alongside music that reflects who we are today. The challenge was finding a balance where the past informs the present without overshadowing it.”

For Deep Dish, evolution remains the highest form of respect for their own history. “The most meaningful way to honour our history is to continue evolving rather than repeating ourselves.”

That evolution is perhaps best illustrated by their reinterpretation of Moderat's “Eating Hooks,” one of the standout moments on the compilation. “The emotional core of the song immediately stood out to us,” they explain. “Moderat has always had an incredible ability to combine a certain vulnerability with hypnotic melodies and grooves.”

Rather than creating a straightforward club remix, the duo chose a more expansive approach. “We wanted to reimagine it through the Deep Dish lens by stretching it out, creating more space, and allowing the emotional weight of the original to unfold differently over time.”

The reunion itself unfolded gradually rather than through one dramatic moment. There was no single revelation, no grand epiphany. “There wasn’t one dramatic moment; it was more a series of small realizations,” they reflect.

Those moments emerged through studio sessions, writing camps and marathon DJ sets at venues including fabric in London and Stereo in Montreal. “A performance where we instinctively knew where the other person was going musically. Those moments kept reinforcing the feeling that the creative language we’d developed over many years was still there.”

The confirmation eventually arrived when the new music started taking shape. “Once we put the finishing touches on the new music, the first singles we’ve released plus the many which are in the pipeline, we knew that we still had more to say as a duo.”

For Dubfire, whose solo career has become increasingly associated with stripped-back techno, returning to Deep Dish opened creative doors that had remained largely unexplored in recent years. “One of the things I enjoyed most was allowing myself to think more expansively again,” he says. “My solo work has always been quite eclectic but become more defined by pure techno over recent years. With Deep Dish, there’s more room for melody and I quite like exploring my pop dance sensibilities once again.”

Equally important was the return to collaboration. “The biggest adjustment was simply learning to leave more space for dialogue again. When you’re working alone, every decision ultimately belongs to you. What made it easy is that Sharam and I have decades of shared history. There’s a level of trust that allows us to challenge each other creatively without ego getting in the way.”

Sharam sees that creative tension as the defining characteristic of Deep Dish. “One of the things that always made Deep Dish special was the fact that we didn’t think exactly alike,” he says. “Ali has always had an incredible ability to focus on the details in a very deliberate way. I’ve tended to be drawn toward the bigger emotional picture; the melody, the hook and the human connection in a track. When those perspectives came together, they often pushed the music somewhere neither of us would have gone on our own.”

Looking back, he believes the years spent apart may have been essential. “Sometimes you need distance to fully understand what made a partnership special. Deep Dish was never simply about a particular sound. It was about a creative dialogue that constantly pushed both of us outside our comfort zones.”

That dialogue remains alive today, perhaps stronger than ever. “Looking back, I think the years apart ultimately strengthened the partnership because they allowed us to return with fresh perspectives and a deeper respect for what we built together.”

As dance music continues to evolve at breakneck speed, Deep Dish seem energised rather than intimidated by the changes around them. “The barriers to discovery have never been lower,” they observe. “The newer producers aren’t afraid to experiment with production styles and sounds which defy the traditional genres. The scene feels more connected and diverse than ever.”

It is fitting, then, that #GU49: Dublin arrives not as a celebration of where Deep Dish have been, but as a statement of where they are heading. “Deep Dish today feels less defined by who we were and more defined by who we have come to be now,” they say. “We have a renewed curiosity and willingness to keep evolving together in new ways.”

And, perhaps most importantly, they aren't treating this as a one-off reunion. “It’s definitely an ongoing creative chapter. The goal is simply to create the best original music and give our audience, and ourselves, experiences that feel meaningful and authentic. As long as we’re inspired and enjoying the process, we’ll continue exploring where this chapter can take us.”

#GU49 Dublin – Deep Dish is out now. Grab it on Beatport HERE.

Read the full interview with Deep Dish on The Night Bazaar HERE.