Kevork Keshishian, aka Diamond Setter, has become in the last few years a household name in Beirut’s thriving dance scene. His DJ sets have established him in record time as one of the city’s top spinners, one that is admired by his peers and club-goers alike.
Kevork’s stage-name, Diamond Setter, is a reference to his previous occupation, as he used to spend long, extensive hours setting diamonds in the workshop every day. He decided to let go of this alternate occupation in 2008, and devote all of his time to music and music-making. Along with fellow DJ and producer Jade, he built a home studio in a little room in Beirut, where he now spends most of his days listening, composing and remixing.
Following several stints in various pubs and bars in Beirut, Diamond Setter became a resident DJ at the renowned club The Basement; there, he played alongside several international DJ's and musicians, including Tigerskin, Scratch Massive, P-Toile, Fafa Monteco, Jennifer Cardini, Remote, Till Von Sein, Aspro, Monolake, Cosmo Vitelli, Reynold, Thomas Brinkmann, Dj Fex, M.A.N.D.Y., Fairmont and many others… It is also at the Basement that Diamond Setter held his first successful residency, ELECTRO IS DEAD, with Jade.
In parallel to his Dj’ing activities, Diamond Setter holds an impressive track record in the field of production. His partnership with Jade yielded a remix for Lebanese electro-rock band Lumi in 2007, entitled “Banging in the Stars”. Since then, the duo has built a solid reputation as dance music producers, and their tracks receive impressively positive feedback on Lebanon’s dance floors. Their second release, a remix for Fady Ferraye's “Rhodesia”, was released on Presslab Records. Their third production, “Get Together”, was remixed by Till Von Sein, P.Toile and Tigerskin, and received support from renowned names in the field of dance music, such as Laurent Garnier.
The pair’s fourth production, “Ekhla3”, features humorous Arabic vocals and was never released due to its controversial content, but is still one of the audience's favorites whenever it is played. Next on Jade’s and Diamond Setter’s agenda are two massive remixes, one for Till Von Sein on Supplement Facts and the second on Readymix Records, to be released at the end of 2009.
In the year 2009, Kevork partnered up with Lebanese producer Shant to record a track entitled “Champagne”, released on Fady Ferraye's label Goosebumps. He also remixed Nina Simone’s “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair”, which will be released as a white label in 2010, alongside a remix by famed New York producer Abe Duque… The tireless Diamond Setter has also remixed “Man of Wool”, a song by Tunisian electro-jazz musician Dhafer Youssef, as well as Abe Duque’s “What Happened”.
Last but not least, Diamond Setter held successful gigs in the Middle East and Europe in 2009. He broadcasts a weekly, one-hour music set on local Lebanese radio station NRJ.