Twenty-five years is a long time to wait for the third part of a story. But when the first two chapters are #GU21 Moscow and #GU25 Toronto, the wait feels justified. Deep Dish, the Grammy-winning Iranian-American duo of Ali “Dubfire” Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi are returning to Global Underground with #GU49 Dublin, completing a trilogy that began 25 years ago.
The album arrives on 29th May 2026, and pre-orders are open now.
The Trilogy: Moscow, Toronto, Dublin
To understand what #GU49 Dublin means, you have to understand what came before it. Between 1999 and 2003, Deep Dish released six DJ mix compilations, including Global Underground Moscow (2001) and Global Underground Toronto (2003), two albums that sit among the most revered entries in the entire GU catalogue.
GU Founder Andy Horsfield did not mince his words while speaking on the latest album. He said, “It’s an honour to be able to team up with Ali and Sharam again to deliver yet another outstanding GU City Series album, this time from the vibrant city of Dublin. Deep Dish have again excelled themselves just like they did with Moscow and Toronto in delivering a stunning album. I’m sure the GU and Deep Dish fans across the globe are going to love this album as much as we do.”
For Deep Dish, the return carries a weight that goes beyond nostalgia. “Global Underground was foundational for us, not just as a platform but as a legacy — a series shaped by decades of iconic artists who helped define the culture of DJing and club music,” said the duo. “It was always about storytelling, and in many ways each compilation served as a musical time-capsule. We always tried to include the most timeless songs possible and coming back to the series now feels like closing a circle while opening a new chapter.”
Who Are Deep Dish?
For the uninitiated, a brief history. Ali Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi formed Deep Dish in Washington D.C. in 1991, after a chance meeting at a party where they were both behind the decks. Their collaborations and remixing abilities first came to global attention with their seminal 1995 remix of De’Lacy’s “Hideaway.” What followed was one of the most remarkable runs in electronic music history.
Their 1998 debut album Junk Science featured a collaboration with ”Everything But The Girl’s Tracey Thorn”, and “The Future Of The Future (Stay Gold)” flirted with Europe’s pop charts. Then came the commercial success “Flashdance” peaked at number three in the UK and remained in the top ten for four weeks in 2004. Followed by “Say Hello” and a collaboration with Stevie Nicks on a reworking of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” The duo won a Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording for their 2002 remix of Dido’s “Thank You“.
After nearly 15 years together, Ali and Sharam shifted focus to solo careers around 2006. Dubfire went deep into techno, building his SCI+TEC label into one of the respected imprints in the underground. Sharam took a more house-flavoured direction, earning his own devoted following. In 2014, Deep Dish re-emerged once again. The two packed surprise reunion shows in Chicago and Washington D.C. led to a performance at Winter Music Conference that reminded everyone exactly why this duo had been missed.Â
Dublin, Barbarellas, and the Road to GU49
The story behind #GU49 Dublin did not begin with this announcement though. Last summer, Deep Dish headlined the Balance Croatia Festival Launch Party at Barbarellas Discotheque in Pirovac, Croatia. It is one of Europe’s most revered open-air clubs, tucked away on the Croatian coast. Joining them was Israeli maestro Khen, whose hypnotic, deep progressive soundscapes have earned him a cult following, in an intimate, electrified setting that set the tone for the weekend ahead. It was a performance that reminded the scene why Deep Dish belong on any shortlist of the most important acts electronic music has ever produced. This indeed was an indication that something bigger was in store for their fans.
That something bigger is #GU49 Dublin. The album features an exclusive Deep Dish remix of the seminal Moderat track “Eating Hooks,” which will be released as a standalone single on 1st May. The launch party took place at Index Dublin on Friday 30th January, a sold-out event that gave a first live taste of what the album delivers.
#GU49 Dublin is out on 29th May 2026. Pre-order now.
