Chief VIVa Warrior Steve Lawler is heading out to Dubai. Amidst hectic preparations to showcase his record label and fellow Warriors out in Miami at the Winter Music Conference next month, Steve is flying solo for a gig on Friday February 7 at Blue Marlin UAE.

The British DJ’s schedule remains as hectic as ever and his VIVa Music label – which chalked up its 100th release last summer with the La Familia EP featuring tracks from Lawler himself, Livio & Roby, Darius Syrossian, Julian Perez and more – continues to put out quality tuneage. A two-part compilation – mixed by Fosky and Zohki & Roozlee – pulled together the label’s best tracks of 2013 and more recently Philip Bader’s Next Step EP was unleashed by the imprint.

Lawler can also count another great VIVa Warriors season, which sees him joined by handpicked upcoming and established DJs at Ibiza club Sankey’s, as one of the success stories to emerge from the island last summer. In 2011, after 10 years at Ibiza megaclub Space, Lawler took a gamble and switched to the smaller venue, helping to turn its fortunes in the process. “All we did was show the potential of the venue,” said Steve modestly.

With relentless gigs and an impressive label release schedule, Lawler is as active pushing the underground today as he was as a 17-year-old hosting illegal raves in a tunnel beneath a motorway in England.

Ahead of his appearance, we asked Steve for his top five club bangers right now.

DJ Pierre – Come Together feat Felicia (Supernova 2013 Remix)

Kevin McKay – Club Trax

Patrick Topping – Stop

Marc Molina – And So Smile The Far

Philip Bader – Next Step

Ghantoot Al Jazira Island Hotel, Dubai, Friday, 1pm to 11pm, guestlist only. Tel: (056) 1133400. Taxi: Ghantoot Al Jazira. bluemarlinibiza-uae.com