Can you describe yourself in 3 words?
-Hungry, Happy, Hyper!
‘Strictly' is the paragon of Dhaka City underground electronic music. It’s home to exclusive electronic and house music artists and it changed the whole DHK underground scene. How would you describe the concept of Strictly?
-I got into electronic music in 2006 and 2 years later went to Sonar Music Festival in Barcelona which is one of the most cutting edge festivals in terms of musical content and delivery – containing the highlight of that year’s best sound & light shows (people like JUSTICE, Amon Tobin, Richie Hawtin). I came back from that thinking that I could probably convince a few friends from Dhaka to go with me the following year but with a desire to bring some of that flavour to Dhaka - thus Strictly was born.
-The idea behind Strictly was to create a night of music discovery and push people outside their comfort zone of commercial music. Every party in Dhaka to me “sounded” the same as the soundtrack was basically whatever was on the charts and the idea of dancing to the same music week in, week out, was not appealing. There is so much good dance music out there across a range of genres that can be delivered to people who may not have otherwise been exposed to it before. I love it when people Shazam tracks at a party, or rush excitedly to ask the DJ what they’re playing… it means a certain part of the music has resonated with the audience and that people will be taking this experience away with them after the event (by perhaps playing the songs they shazam’ed on a road-trip, or while relaxing at home with headphones on).
-Along with this, sound and light were given little consideration with organizers looking to book the cheapest vendors resulting in sub-par audio quality and over-the-top lighting. Finally, it was important to focus on the right mix of people. Strictly is often misinterpreted as a snobby affair but it’s quite the opposite. We want to create a safe space for friends to dance, ESPECIALLY girls and hence the events are not promoted openly. However, over the years we have managed to grow the crowd through a reference system as friends are welcome to add their other friends (to the “secret” facebook event page). This gives an air of exclusivity which it perhaps is by default but the ethos behind the process is to keep the events manageable. As a small example, beyond 150 or perhaps 200 people capacity it’s hard to find places aside from massive convention halls, where there are adequate bathrooms for everyone! If you spend too much time queuing to go to the loo or spending time getting there and back, it’s less time that you have on the dance-floor, or with friends.
-I also wanted to create an event series where it was a high priced ticket for entry, but one that provided value on the night with great entertainment and beverages. The events are all-inclusive affairs so you can effectively leave your wallet at home on the night (don’t forget your ID though!). Other organizers at times may have struggled to understand our cost structure because I financed the losses on my own and it took about 5 years to achieve a point where we are now at least breaking even. A large part of that is due to my event partner Naveed Alam, joining me. In recent years, I can focus more on the event execution and the music, while he does the “heavy lifting!”. It’s also meant longer sets for me as a DJ because I have a reliable partner to manage things while I am.
You have cultivated a global music network and curated so many sets in Dhaka; is there anything special you would like to put together at Strictly in the future?
-Yes! A music festival with visiting artists and DJs – ideally over one day, during the day. I want to bring this music into the mainstream of Dhaka culture and take away the stigma of electronic music being associated with dark rooms and late nights (I sleep early and wake up at the crack of dawn when I’m not booked to play an event!). The vibe I have seen at Sonar by Day in Barcelona is one I want to bring to Dhaka as parents even take their kids along! Modern day electronic music is a very inclusive affair and these festivals are treated as concerts with people almost as if they were on a picnic, albeit with a very very loud boombox.
How much do you think cultural differences shape the club scene and experience? And how would you say that your traveling and performing sets across the world has shaped the approach you take as a DJ?
-Well in Dhaka we have no clubs! So it’s a challenge every time to find a venue and set it up for the event as opposed to having a purpose-built venue with the right sound system and acoustics. At the same time, many visiting artists have commented after their trip that the vibe they felt from the crowd was one of the best they had come across. That happens from having a crowd made up of friends so it’s a commercial event, but with a house-party feel. I haven’t performed too many sets “around the world” but with my limited experience I have honestly come to appreciate the limited scene that we have in Dhaka. People abroad can be jaded from too much choice and often expectations are unreasonably high. Add to that with long lines at the door and cloakrooms, coupled with the high cost of a night out, I think we often overlook what a lovely and cozy scene we have in Dhaka.
What would you consider to be the most incisive moment in your artistic career yet?
-DJing in Berlin! I was invited by Phonique to play an afternoon set at a day club called Badeschiff in Berlin. It was the first time I’d played abroad and no one threw eggs or booed! Phew!
Everyone in the dance music community has felt the impact of social isolation and a global shutdown. People are helping and supporting each other, skills swapping, tapping into new markets for growth and career potential. How do you maintain a creative balance during these times?
-The time has actually been welcomed, as I had stepped away from the scene and focused on organizing myself for a post-pandemic world! I’ve been able to discover more music and use the time to learn some software skills to use visuals and lights better for events and for the first time, in a long time, I found myself listening to music for pleasure rather than “work”.
-Since I balance a full-time job and a couple of businesses along with the event management, I often will go through 100-120 tracks in 20/30 minutes, listening to just a few seconds before categorizing the tune into a playlist, often multiple playlists based on certain characteristics of the track .Does it have vocals? is it lounge-ey or dancey? Would it work better for 3pm or 3am? any organic or “eastern” sounds? Does it have an aggressive beat? Or a chilled one? And so on and on. I very rarely had the time to hear a track twice or thrice. This year I’ve had the time to appreciate and dig through my volume of music and discovered a “sound” I’m happy with and will focus on for a while. My next goal is to produce a track or two of myself and hopefully I can get that done in 2021!
Get in the festive mood and check out his sets here: RCBD