It’s not usual for a house act to win a Grammy for Best Dance Recording, but Dirty Vegas managed it with their 2001 hit Days Go By. Rather than cheesy and predictably house, their mishmash of various influences was something fresh, and was recognised globally. “We have always listened to a wide range of music from classic rock, soul and disco to house and techno. So when we go into the studio we always have an open mind,” says Steve Smith of the trio, that also includes Ben Harris and Paul Harris (no relation). “Sometimes we start writing a track with a drum loop, and sometimes with a melody and an acoustic guitar.”

A decade on, and this musical flexibility continues in their current output, such as their newest single Electric Love. Pulsating and edgy, it sounds like it was crafted in preparation for the summer.

The boys got into what they call “the acid house explosion” along with the likes of Paul Oakenfold and Pete Tong. But over the years, Dirty Vegas have found a sound that was distinctively their own. “We have always tried to add as much of our live shows into our DJ performances, when we DJ we play exclusive versions of our own tracks and play live percussion and perform live vocals too,” says Smith. In many ways it is the use of actual instruments alongside the electronic tones that creates that specific Dirty Vegas sound.

Although it would be easy for them to slide into the more easily accessible indie rock scene, they’re going to stick it out in their particular brand of house music. For them, it’s all about the energy. Says Smith: “House music has a primal beat to it and we have been dancing to the beat of a drum for thousands of years.”

Hannah Slapper

Republik Fri Apr 8
Tickets: $150; 2261 1111