Disco Montego
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Founder | Dennis Dowlut, Darren Dowlut, Tony Vass |
| Defunct | 2005 (initial disbandment) |
| Fate | Disbanded following Darren Dowlut's death; revived in 2010 by Dennis Dowlut with Michael Abdul |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles, remixes |
Disco Montego—initially known as Kaylan—was an Australian trio specializing in R&B and dance music, established in Melbourne in 1995 by siblings Dennis and Darren Dowlut alongside Tony Vass. Under the name Kaylan, they launched the R&B album No Commandments in 2000, which climbed to No. 23 on the Australian charts and produced three singles that entered the top 50. Transitioning to a dance-centric style, they adopted the moniker Disco Montego in May 2001 and issued their self-titled album Disco Montego in September 2002. Their production portfolio includes a remix of Mariah Carey’s "Boy (I Need You)" released in 2004.
The ensemble’s activities ceased unexpectedly following Darren Dowlut’s death from cancer on 5 August 2005, merely six weeks after his diagnosis. In 2010, Dennis Dowlut resurrected Disco Montego alongside Michael Abdul, unveiling "Hearts on Fire" as a tribute to the FIFA World Cup. That same year, Dennis’s newly formed group Electric Empire independently released its debut album, achieving sales exceeding 30,000 copies globally with distribution across the UK, Japan, and France.
History
Dennis Dowlut was born around 1974 in the United Kingdom, while his brother Darren arrived circa 1978 in Mauritius. After relocating to Melbourne, Dennis and Darren founded Kaylan in 1995, naming it after a nephew. By 1996, they secured a contract with Warner Records.
Beginning in 1998, Kaylan collaborated with producers affiliated with Rockmelons. Their debut single "Rock Me All Night" launched in March 2000 and reached No. 14 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The follow-up track "Shake It" attained No. 15, while their album No Commandments peaked at No. 23 nationally. Their third single "Because of You," released in March 2001, charted at No. 50. Additionally, the Dowluts contributed as co-writers on two songs for Bardot’s inaugural album (2000). Kaylan supported major acts such as Vengaboys, Destiny's Child, and Bardot during national tours.
The album No Commandments was accompanied by a bonus disc featuring five remixes crafted by Studio 347—a production team comprising Darren Dowlut, Dennis Dowlut, and Tony Vass. Studio 347 also provided remix work for artists including Bardot and Human Nature.
By May 2001, the group transitioned to the name Disco Montego and released the single "We Got Love" ahead of their September 2002 album under WEA. They revisited "Because of You" and partnered with former Bardot vocalist Katie Underwood on several singles such as "Beautiful," which peaked at No. 9 and received ARIA gold certification. This track also secured a No. 10 position on the ARIA Dance Singles Chart. Disco Montego toured Australia and New Zealand performing alongside Underwood during the Rumba festival series.
Their subsequent singles "Magic" and "U Talkin' to Me" reached positions No. 22 and No. 17 respectively. At the 2002 ARIA Awards, "Beautiful" earned nominations for 'Best Pop Release' and 'Best Video,' while "U Talkin' to Me" won APRA’s 'Most Performed Dance Work' accolade in 2003. The Dowluts penned "Autumn Breeze," which was recorded by German pop ensemble No Angels for their successful sophomore album.
The Dowluts managed Bomb Music together with George Said and developed artist Jeremy Gregory, who later signed with Warner Music US. Following their international breakthrough, Disco Montego remixed a track from Mariah Carey’s 2002 album Charmbracelet. They also reworked Elton John and Blue’s collaboration "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (2003). Furthermore, they wrote and produced "What Will They Say" for Jimmy Barnes’s 2005 release Double Happiness.
Plans for relocating to Los Angeles in 2005 were interrupted due to Darren Dowlut’s cancer diagnosis; he passed away at age 27 on 5 August that year. Tributes were extended by numerous artists including Mariah Carey.
In 2009, Dennis Dowlut established Electric Empire alongside Jason Heerah and Aaron Mendoza, independently releasing their debut album in September 2010. In June of that year, Dennis revived Disco Montego with Michael Abdul to launch "Hearts on Fire," a FIFA World Cup-themed single supporting Nando's 'United Against Malaria' initiative distributed through Varrasso PR.
Members
Kaylan (1995–2001), Studio 347 (2000–2002), Disco Montego (2001–2005, 2010)
- Darren Dowlut – vocals, songwriting, programming, mixing, production, guitar (1995–2005) (passed away 5 August 2005)
- Dennis Dowlut – vocals, songwriting, programming, mixing, production (1995–2005, 2010)
- Tony Vass – production (2000–2002) as part of Studio 347
Discography
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| under the name Kaylan | ||
| No Commandments |
|
23 |
| under the name Disco Montego | ||
| Disco Montego |
|
17 |
Singles
| Single Title | Release Year | Peak Chart Position | Certifications | Album Association |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||||
| as Kaylan | ||||
| "Rock Me All Night" | 2000 | 14 | No Commandments | |
| "Shake It" | 15 | |||
| "Because of You" | 2001 | 50 | ||
| as Disco Montego | ||||
| "We Got Love" | 2001 | 98 | Disco Montego | |
| "Beautiful" (featuring Katie Underwood) |
2002 | 9 | AUS: Gold | |
| "Magic" (featuring Katie Underwood) |
2002 | 22 | ||
| "Good Times" (featuring Katie Underwood, Selwyn, Peta Morris, Jeremy Gregory) |
2002 | 52 | Non-album single | |
| "U Talkin' to Me" | 2002 | 17 | Disco Montego | |
| "Hearts on Fire" | 2010 | - | Non-album single | |
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards have been held annually by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) since their inception in 1982.
| Year | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Beautiful" – Disco Montego featuring Katie Underwood (Katie Underwood, Darren Dowlut, Dennis Dowlut) |
Most Performed Dance Work | |
| 2004 | "U Talkin' to Me" – Disco Montego (Darren Dowlut, Dennis Dowlut, Robert Woolf) |
Most Performed Dance Work |
ARIA Awards
Since 1987, the Australian Recording Industry Association has annually presented the ARIA Music Awards. Disco Montego received three nominations over the years.
| Year | Work | Award Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Beautiful" | Best Pop Release | |
| Best Video | |||
| 2003 | Disco Montego | Best Dance Release |
External links
- [ Kaylan], [ Disco Montego] on AllMusic