Zar, aka DJ and producer Arun Dhanjal, is known for blending a variety of genres into his melodic sounds – including UK garage, techno, deep house and hip hop – and as well as being a core member of the South Asian arts collective DAYTIMERS, he’s brought his music to a wider audience with appearances at The Warehouse Project, Wide Awake Festival, and other venues.
DAYTIMERS was established in 2020 to ‘carry on the message of the daytime parties of the 80s and 90s, where young British Asians skipped school to dance to bhangra, jungle and garage in community spaces’, and these parties have influenced Zar’s productions, including his latest single, Rivulets, which is set to be be released via Tabula Rasa Records on July 26, and can be pre-ordered here.
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— zar / arun (@ajdzar) July 9, 2024
Rivulets
26th July@TabulaRasaRcrds pic.twitter.com/ebeaVa7AoB
For the latest instalment of 909originals’ #MyRecordBag series, Zar shares his top DAYTIMERS tracks. As he explains, “I have deep emotional connections and memories associated with all these records. These tunes, as well as countless others, have all in some way, shape or form, inspired my new single, Rivulets.
“From DAYTIMERS‘ inception during lockdown of 2020 through to 2022, the tracks below all resonated not just with me but with the wider South Asian diaspora. There are so many more that I could put on this list, but for now, in no particular order, these are my 10 favourite records that were played out and around the DAYTIMERS club nights, live streams and parties during this period of time.”
Chande x yourboykiran – Pani Puri Pirates [DAYTIMERS / Stamp The Wax]
“An absolute classic that will go down in history as one of the defining records from the new wave of South Asian artists, by two of the collectives OG’s: producers and DJ’s yourboykiran and Chande. I’ll always remember hearing this at the first Dialled In Festival in September 2021 to frenzied audiences, accompanied alongside a picture of Skrillex eating his first jalebi.
“It’s a tune that absolutely characterises both the artists personalities into the tune. The infamous story of how they created it in Pirate Studios whilst trying to eat Pani Puri without the right utensils is part of the lore of the tune.”
Darama – Vera [More Time Records]
“An outstanding and slinky record from the master of percussion and bass: Darama. What I love about this record is it’s simplicity, it easily blends UK Funky, bass, and Chaal rhythms (usually played on the Dhol) and evokes a real sense of pondering. I love this track.
Nitin Sawhney – Nadia [Outcaste Records]
“Timeless classic. Released in 1999, it still sounds fresh now. It’s an incredibly emotive song. I remember during the DAYTIMERS takeover at the Kite Bar at Brainchild Festival in 2021, DAYTIMERS crew member Vindya was finishing up her high octane techno leaning set and out of nowhere dropped this. The whole tent just melted.
“A perfect way to end what was a monumental summer for the crew, and it was just the beginning for us.”
Noor Jehan, The Homeboy & DJ Jadlion – Mundeya Dupatta Chad Mera [HI-TECH MUSIC]
“A UKG refix of the track of the same name from the film Mukhra, sung by Noor Jehan. I first heard this during the DAYTIMERS x No Nazar live stream in support for the protesting farmers in Punjab in March 2021.
“The whole 24 hours was a real community gathering of like minded individuals from the diaspora into one moment of unity.”
Amar Singh Chamkila & LL Cool Singh – Jatti Morni (keep On Movin’ Mix) [Zahid Productions]
“Shouts to Anu for turning me on to this track, with the coolest artist name ever: LL Cool Singh! I love how the tune uses the same James Brown The Payback sample that’s used in En Vogue’s Hold On – but this is cooler, ha ha. The track features the voice of Amar Singh Chamkila, a punjabi singer who was assassinated at the age of 27.”
A.G. – Kehna Hi Kya (Spice Queen Remix) [Manara]
“A wicked remix of one of my favourite Bollywood tunes, from the film Bombay. A.G. juxtaposes the sweet (and stupidly sampleable) vocal line against furious bass and drums. Featured on the equally sick Ultimate Spice Mix compilation on Bandcamp, put together by Manara.”
Manara – J Sweet x Dhak Dhak (Live Blend) [DAYTIMERS / Stamp The Wax]
“Speaking of the queen of blends, Manara conributed this awesome live blend on the 2nd DAYTIMERS compilation in aid of COVID relief in India. A blend of J Sweet’s tune Kerb and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, taken from the 1991 film Beta.
“Manara has helped pave the way for collectives like DAYTIMERS to exist and having her on a compilation, as well as continuing to work together in artistic capacities is a real blessing.”
Manj – Heer (Remix) [Self]
“Heer is a track that’s been played at almost every South Asian wedding I’ve ever attended. And hearing a UKG spin on this was the thing I never knew I needed. Manj smashed it out the park with this one, and it went down so well at Warehouse Project when I went b2b with Darama for DAYTIMERS.”
SUCHI – Gula i Deg [Ganzfeld Records]
“SUCHI is one of my favourite producers of recent years. She’s gone from strength to strength with releases on !K7 and Spectral Sound (Ghostly International). However, one of her first releases on Ganzfeld has made a pick here. It introduced me and the world to her amazing blend of breaks with production precision.”
State of Bengal – Flight IC408 [One Little Independent]
“Another classic from the first wave of the Asian underground. A fond memory of this is hearing an absolutely mind blowing remix by DAYTIMERS family Somatic at the DAYTIMERS first birthday party at NTs Loft – a modern DnB banger, that made Bobby Friction headbang furiously.”
Thanks Zar for your selections. Keep up to date with his latest releases here.
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