To James, it’s the fact that India is still so fresh that really appeals. “Back in Europe, where the trend is a lot older, clubbers are already beginning to get bored. Here everyone is still excited about electronica and eager to hear more.” While not exactly an old

India hand, the British DJ is still familiar with Indian audiences, having performed in Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore the previous year. This will be his first time in Mumbai where he plays at Shiro on July 11, but he’s fairly sure he knows what to expect. “I know Indians love a lot of drama and they welcome anything different very warmly.” At the Saturday gig, he’ll be performing with home-grown DJ Ivan and speaks warmly of his meetings with

Indian exponents. “They’re very knowledgeable. They listen to a lot of new music via the internet so are very familiar with new trends.”

While India is still raw when it comes to electronica, James says that it doesn’t mean listeners here aren’t learning quickly. “They know what’s good and what’s not and expect a lot from DJs. While that makes it challenging, it also made me dig a little deeper in order to find something with which to surprise them.” The ace up James’ sleeve is the fact that, since he works with a vinyl production house, he has access to a lot of unreleased records and can use them in his performance.

Unlike a lot of other international DJs who’ve professed their love for the wild party scene in Asia, especially Tokyo, James continues to enjoy playing for his European audiences. “I’ve been playing there for over 20 years and while I agree the scene tends to be more saturated and monotonous, it’s still a great place to play in. I also enjoy playing in Australia and in India, Bangalore was simply brilliant. I’ve heard great things about Mumbai and I hope I have just as good a time, if not better.” The feeling is mutual.