DJ Aqeel, aka Aqeel Ali, has been rocking the dance floors across the globe for more than a decade. Being in this highly competitive music industry, he has truly been meteoric throughout his journey. His passion for music gave him the motivation to defy convention and pursue music more than just a passing hobby.

He began his musical ride in 2000 and since then there was no turning back. He is the only Indian DJ to fill up concert size venues internationally. Besides playing for every renowned celebrity, he has also been the only DJ to play twice at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Swiss) representing India and entertaining the likes of Bill Clinton, Kofi Annan amongst others.

In the same year, Aqeel set his first milestone in music production by releasing the album “Shake it Daddy Mix” which turned out to be a massive hit. One after another, he has got 9 blockbuster albums and sold over 7 million copies worldwide that redefined the landscape of Bollywood music. His master collection includes Forever-2 (2012) that comprises of songs like “Kya Dekhte Ho”- remake of famous song from the movie Qurbani, 1980 that gained a huge popularity amongst the listeners.

Aqeel’s kitty of official remixes includes Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga and songs from Bollywood Movies like Bunty aur Babli (Kajra Re), Om Shanti Om (Dard-E-Disco, Deewangi), Dus Kahaniyaan (Title Track), Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (Lazy Lamhe), Saawariya to name a few. In addition to his albums, he has also introduced the first ever DJ owned record label in the country under the brand Power Play Records and has released compilations albums featuring some of India’s finest talents.

Aqeel has spun at the sangeet of the bollywood biggies like Saif and Kareena, Abhishek Bachhan and Aishwarya Rai Bachhan and many more. Not only bollywood, DJ Aqeel has made the corporate tycoons grooved to his tunes such as sangeet night of Laxmi Mittal’s daughter.

Talking about his ventures, this inspiring DJ owns few state of the art clubs like RSVP (Delhi), One Beach (Goa). He was also the owner of eminent nightclub chain Hype (Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Ludhiana) and Poison in Mumbai. Aqeel has given a new dimension to the luxurious night clubs across the country.

“Brown Folks”, Su Real’s latest E.P. showcases a rapid evolution from his November 2014 full-length release, the concept album, “Trapistan”. “Twerkistan”, the full-length follow-up to that album, described by various Indian music critics as “raunchy, hedonistic” and “bawdy & robust”, is slated for later this year and promises to be even moreso.

In the meantime, Su Real delivers a solid selection of desi bass anthems, mashing up traditional Indian music with modern styles of dance music like twerk, moombahton, midtempo and dancehall. The suspenseful build-ups and climactic clangs of opener “Indian Curse” yield to flavors of broader appeal – some might even say a commercial
edge, given recent trends in dance music. Tracks like “Brown People” and “Dum & Dumma” feature Su Real’s on vocal duties for the first time while “Bajre de Soundbwoy” and “Dilli Shahar” are dancefloor-oriented remixes of north Indian oldies.

He says, “Brown Folks, as the concept for this E.P., is an homage to the subcontinental-origin musical pioneers that established themselves at a global level. Not just your Ustads like Ravi Shankar and Zakhir Hussein… From Apache Indian’s “Make Way For The Indian” to
Cornershop’s “Brimful of Asha” to Talvin Singh’s “Sutrix” to Jai Paul’s “Str8 Outta Mumbai” – these songs helped build my identity as a child of the Indian diaspora. Growing up abroad, never really fitting in anywhere, music defined my identity. Now, back at home, it continues to do so.”

The “Brown Folks” artwork is designed by Pulak Bhatnagar

“Brown Folks” will be available from www.realsureal.in

About Su Real:

Su Real is changing the face of bass music in India, one drop at a time. Possessing a rare talent to both appease the crowd with contemporary club hits as well as get them moving to underground sounds, Su Real harnesses a wealth of experience to deliver dance parties that are both physical and mental workouts.

Returning to India in 2008 after a decade as a musician, DJ, radio host and PR specialist in New York and Montreal, Su Real has been working tirelessly to push the limits of India’s dance music and nightlife scene. Su Real first gained notoriety in 2010 by founding Disco 31, the weekly dance party at T.L.R. that lit up Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village long before it became the destination of choice party kids from all over India. By 2013, Rolling Stone India declared “Su Real is the legendary secret ingredient to some of Delhi’s recent favorite underground sets/parties/combinations thereof.”

Never slave to any genre, Su Real’s DJ sets surprise with seamless slides from modern club hits to yesterday’s classics. As a producer, Su Real stays on top of latest nano-genres in global bass (Trap, Moombahton, Kuduro, 3Bal, etc.), blending them into the entire history of recorded dance music from EDM to hip-hop, dancehall, house, disco, soul, funk, and R&B. These international sounds are often finished off with a touch of desi masala like folk instrumentation and retro Bollywood vocals. Su Real’s inclusive approach to music ensures his status as a champion of the underground who can also whip a main-stage crowd into absolute panty-dropping hysteria.

Su Real’s debut EP, “The Grind”, was released in September 2013 to critical acclaim in India. The lead track, “Grinding”, was selected to appear on Dualism Records’ inaugural label compilation. Soon after, Su Real was nominated for a VH1 Sound Nation award in the “Best Hip Hop Act” category. His latest, his first full-length album, “Trapistan”, released in November 2014 has already received critical acclaim from trend-setting international music website Generation Bass. Meanwhie, NH7.in has called it “raunchy, hedonistic trap music that does to dance floors what The Hulk does to tanks.” Never one to rest on his laurels, Su Real is currently on a production bender, dropping a new tune – usually from a new genre – every two weeks through his facebook, YouTube,and Soundcloud pages.

Over the course of a varied musical career, Su Real has performed live at clubs and festivals around the world and all over India. He has shared the stage with artists as varied as Win Butler (Arcade Fire), Nick Diamonds (Islands), Heems (Das Racist), Noisia, Flux Pavilion, Peaches, Michal Menert, Wale Oyejide, Julius Sylvest, Doc Daneeka, Out Hud, Alo Wala, Humble the Poet, Nucleya, Dualist Inquiry, The Ska Vengers, and Reggae Rajahs, and many more. Recently, Su Real has been a key fixture at NH7 Weekender festivals, having brought his trademark fire to stages in Bangalore, Pune, and Delhi over the past four years. In the December 2014 season he debuts at the illustrious Sunburn Festival, Goa.

A very special collaboration of BASSFoundation Root’s main man Delhi Sultanate, Moniker and Alter State for ‘Echo’ – the only club night of its kind in Delhi dedicated to tracing the journey of sound system culture right from the early days of dub and roots to modern day dubstep (the good kind).

If you’re a fan of Delhi Sultanate’s (aka Taru Dalmia) BASSFoundation Roots nights, Mala’s set at Magnetic fields last year, or came to the first edition – turn up – you won’t be disappointed.

Think early dancehall and reggae roots tunes that hark back to the days of Tubby and ‘Scratch’ Perry to the cut-throat basslines and room shaking wubs of the golden days of pure, no nonsense dubstep. We’ve put a lot of love and attention into Echo – right from the bass heavy, custom sound system, carefully hand picked by our three initiators, to our old skool Jamaica inspired posters.

Echo, which will take place at antiSOCIAL on 28 August, and will see performances by residents Delhi Sultanate, Moniker and Alter State, a.k.a. Sanil Sudan. The three main selectors will play on rotation, and future editions – this season – will feature guest artists (watch out for Sept), both homegrown and international.

Prepare yourselves for another round of the most intense sonic experience you’ve ever had in Delhi. Really.

Tarqeeb
Tarqeeb (Translation: Plan) is Ashish Jose. A seeker of hedonism through rhythm, philanthropy through music-making, he formed his moniker in the summer of 2012. The idea was always simple- -promotion of quality EDM, minus the little labels and the big boxes. The only constants remain deep, groovy bass-lines, dark atmospheres and a trajectory that ultimately crescendos into high energy dance music. Coming from a Metal (bassist) and Psychedelic trance background, his sets innately include a generous dose of live sampling, layering and an overall vibe that could be defined as ‘eclectic.’

His influences run deep. Think older heavyweights like Photek, LTJ Bukem, Ed Rush, BSE, Concord Dawn as well as producers like Alix Perez, Rockwell, Mefjus, Foreign Concept as a representation of the newer breed of the same.

If asked for a self-description, Tarqeeb tends to turn to one of his major musical inspirations, DnB producer Alix Perez’s words of wisdom: “I play generally deep but dip into various aspects of drum & bass. I like to read the crowd and let the music breathe. I find mixing in the right musical keys essential. I basically see it as a journey.”

Still in its nascent stage, Tarqeeb has already given people a reason to move on dance floors around the country. From NH7 Weekender Pune to Bass Camp Festival Delhi and Indian Surf Festival Orissa he’s enjoyed playing alongside headliners like London Elektricity, Dub Phizix, Koan Sound, Nanci & Phoebe as well as his peers from India’s own burgeoning music scene such as BBC, Ox7gen, Sandunes, Reggae Rajahs, Vice Versa and BASS Foundation to name a few.

More recently , his project has also tied up with the Lightbenders from OLE India introducing interactive light visuals for his sets, which focus on creating a complete interactive audio-visual experience with the audience.

https://www.facebook.com/Tarqeeb13

EZ Riser
Launched in Oct 2012, EZ Riser is the solo project of Sohail Arora pushing cutting edge House, Electronica, Glitch Hop, Electro Hip Hop, Breaks & more.

As one half of Bay Beat Collective (BBC), Sohail Arora has been pushing bass music for over 4 years now. His solo project EZ Riser aims to showcase his diverse taste in music and focusses more on groove based electronic music. Funky House, Deep House, Nu Disco, Glitch Hop, Electro Hip Hop & more.

As the founder of KRUNK, India’s foremost artist agency and events crew, Sohail has been responsible for touring acts such as Alix Perez, Calyx & Teebee, Concord Dawn, London Elektricity, Koan Sound and Dub FX across India, whilst representing some of the freshest local sounds, including Madboy / Mink, BBC, Delhi Sultanate, BASSFoundation, Ox7gen, Sandunes & more. Sohail also runs India’s only dedicated night / festival called Bass Camp Festival.

More info on KRUNK here: http://www.krunklive.com/

Ultimately, it’s EZ Riser’s fidelity to the low end that ties his sound (and most probably life) together. Check out his debut Glitch Hop mix for Wild city here : http://www.thewildcity.com/EN/music.xhtml/article/3714-wild-city-051-ez-riser

EZ Riser did his debut tour of EU / UK in August’ 13 performing in places such as London, Oslo and Slovenia.

https://www.facebook.com/ezriser