Listen and learn exotic and eclectic sounds by DJ A'alely

Melting synth-punk with sutras, guitar riffs with Tibetan gongs, Fiz Aalely Zahid dishes up the exotic and eclectic in his mixes.

Better known as A’alely , his brand of sonic magic crosses freely between contemporary electronics and tribal percussions, tapping into the musical roots of Nusantara, Africa, and the Middle East.

A core member of boundary-breaking collective Darker Than Wax , his recent exploits include a new bi-monthly show, Maksiat!, on Radio Huru Hara. We chat with A’alely on his penchant for traditional rhythms and his upcoming projects.

Take us back in time – how did you start out DJing?

The after-afterparties! I became the YouTube DJ no one hired, shuffling playlists through the aux cables. Before I knew it, mates started requesting mixes and people were dancing to my selection.

You’ve got a penchant for hypnotic rhythms and ethnic influences like African percussions – what got you into tribal sounds?

The sound of two objects hitting each other to form a rhythm is the most basic thing a human being could do, that’s just how it feels for me. We did it since we were infants! It is remarkable that this basic rhythm holds deeper symbolic and historical significance throughout all cultures on this planet.

From religious rituals to war cries, the world celebrates life and death through drumming. Its the idea that used Milo tins and dead animal skin are making us move and feel truly alive. I want to represent these ideas, as well as my love and respect for the beauty of percussion.

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What’s your approach to mashing together traditional and club sounds of all kinds as you do?

To me club sounds and traditional sounds all play similar roles. My mother would say ‘lagu buat hayal‘ (translating to ‘song makes imagination’) . I want to make you hayal.

We hear you were the builder behind the BREW bashes on Habbo last lockdown – absolutely loved the dose of nostalgia. Was Habbo a big part of your good ol’ childhood days?

Oh yes! When dial-up modems and IRC was still a thing, I discovered Habbo Hotel and  made my first ever penpals and friends with similar interests.

I was 13 when I met my first few internet friends from Habbo in real life. We went to a punk gig at IJ Studios in some industrial area in Paya Lebar, and the rest is history!

I would say that I wouldn’t be in the music scene, have played in a band, or have even explored electronic music – if I hadn’t made those first friends on Habbo. So in some ways, that party was a tribute to finally finding my tribe.

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If you could play at any space in the world, where would it be?

It would be a really, really tiny space, at a slumber party at the edge of a pool in some dirt. Remember: we’re all gonna be really, really tiny, like ‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ tiny, with everything we thought we were used to looming over us.

It’s been a tough year without live music and parties – how have you been adapting?

I’m not doing this full time so I’ve been adapting to that 9-to-5 Zoom life. Covid has taught me that the outside world, as well as connection, is so important for us humans.

And music is one of the main ways to connect. We gotta stay optimistic together and support one another.

The main direction would be to stay as part of a community with all the other DJs, musicians, organisers, and enthusiasts out there.

Any artists or tracks that’ve been on your radar recently?

Two or The Dragon! I’m a fan of the ouds and buzuqs of the world. And buzuq on distortion, f*** me.

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What’re some projects you’re looking forward to this year?

Just some mixes on my mates’ new radiosite, Radio Huru Hara . Check them out!

Describe your mix and tell us what dishes would pair well with it.

Personally, I’d pair it with sambal lonteh manga, plain porridge, and a thin fried crisp layer of shredded ginger, turmeric, cumin, and coriander seed.

Keep up with A’alely on Mixcloud and Instagram .

This article was first published in City Nomads.