There's something about Duke Dumont that makes you lean in closer. Not because he's loud, but because he's quietly brilliant in a way that makes you want to know more.
This is an odd thing to say about an electronic music producer – a breed of human not particularly known for having much chill. However, even Dumont's biggest dance-floor bangers like 'Alter Ego' and 'Ocean Drive' have a sense of tranquillity balancing the bassy energy.Dumont rarely gives interviews. When he does, he beautifully and bluntly speaks his mind, comfortably criticising the issues he sees in the music industry at large and the weaknesses in his own performances.
This is a man who'll happily tell an interviewer who's trying to promote his show that his last performance sucked. However, you have to keep in mind this is coming from someone who cares deeply about delivering a truly mind-bending show.
His harsh self-criticism is what drives his ability to deliver massive, immersive experiences that get wilder every year, pushing the limits of what can be done with lights, music, and lasers.
By playing in the realms of euphoric house, new wave, garage, broken beat, and wherever else his impulses take him, Dumont's drive for endless improvement has made him one of the UK's most loved producers.
Speaking with Coachella in 2022, he said: "To be a successful artist, stick to one genre, but if you actually like music, you wanna play around. You wanna be a bit of a David Bowie and try different things every few years.
"I may not be the most successful producer in the business," he concluded, "but I still enjoy music. I've been doing this for 20 years, and I'm happy just making and creating music."
This commitment to his craft and the crowd experience is evident when you see him live. He's an absolute master at whipping up the atmosphere, building tension, and then slamming out a beat at just the right moment to break it.
There's a reason his YouTube comments are littered with remarks like 'Duke Dumont is the reason I love house music'; 'I can't describe how I feel about this song. . . It feels like only listening to it is not enough'; and 'All I do is replay this song. Haven't eaten in days. Haven't gone back to work. Probably fired. Family left me. House is getting foreclosed.'
In an interview on The Will Clarke Podcast three years ago, Dumont revealed the secret behind his ability to get these sorts of reactions from people. "The most important thing is to make music that has some kind of emotional impact on yourself, and then you watch to see if it does on other people. . . Make music that makes people dance, make music that makes people happy, make music that makes people sad – the whole point is that this is f...ing art.
"Do something. Be political, don't be political. . . do what's in you. Make music you would want to listen to."
This month, Dumont is bringing his wild, obsessive, multidimensional experience to The Tivoli, with UK DJ duo Eli & Fur in tow, alongside appearances at Electric Warehouse (Melbourne & Sydney) and Electric Island (Perth & Adelaide).
This is the only Queensland show on his tour, making it essential for local Dumont fans and bass addicts in general. His first Australian tour since 2022, it's shaping up to be a banger of epic proportions.
The humble, self-critical, but low-key genius producer promises thick beats, immersive visuals, and a full-blown sensory experience like no other. "Because I've been doing this for a while, I have a wealth of music I can tap into," he said to Coachella.
Then in true Duke Dumont style, he got sick of talking about himself and went off on a tangent that felt more important: "That's my only goal: that the day I die, my son inherits a catalogue of music, and that he's not embarrassed by it as well.
"So long as when he goes to school, the other kids don't bully him because it's cringey EDM bullsh.t. As long as it's got some soul and life to it, and it still sounds good, that's it."
Catch Duke Dumont's only Queensland show at The Tivoli (Brisbane) on 13 April.
Electric Warehouse & Electric Island 2025 Tour Dates
Fri 4 Apr - Electric Warehouse @ Hordern Pavilion (Sydney)* selling fastSat 5 Apr - Electric Island @ Cottesloe Beach (Perth)* selling fast
Sun 6 Apr - Electric Island @ Cottesloe Beach (Perth)* new show
Fri 11 Apr - Electric Warehouse @ PICA (Melbourne)* selling fast
Sat 12 Apr - Electric Island @ Glenelg Beach (Adelaide)
Duke Dumont 2025 Brisbane Tour Date
Sun 13 Apr - The Tivoli (Brisbane)Electric Warehouse & Electric Island 2025 Line-up
SYDNEYDuke Dumont
Hayden James
Trilucid
PERTH (Day One)
Duke Dumont
Hayden James
Eli & Fur
Trilucid
Yorp DJs
PERTH (Day Two)
Hot Dub Time Machine
The Presets (DJ set)
Darude (Storm Live 25)
Crooked Colours (DJ set)
Late Nite tuff Guy
XTINA
MELBOURNE
Duke Dumont
Hayden James
Eli & Fur
Trilucid
Market Memories
ADELAIDE
Duke Dumont
Hayden James
Nora En Pure
Eli & Fur
Trilucid
DJ Souli
