The first weekend of February was a big one for Ahad Elley, AKA Ahadadream. On the Friday, he was featured in Vogue India alongside other South Asian artists and crews currently lighting up UK dance music. 24 hours later, he launched a residency at London club Colour Factory, playing to a packed crowd who, during a brief power cut, chanted his name like adoring teenagers.
To outsiders, this might feel like a story of overnight success, but Elley has been grafting away for years: DJing, producing, running a label (More Time), throwing parties (No ID) and, perhaps most importantly of all, co-founding the first edition of London festival Dialled In, which launched last September. As well as showcasing a wealth of South Asian talent, the event fostered a new community of ravers who, in Elley's words, "felt seen in a club space for the first time."
When he was younger, Elley shied away from centering his Pakistani heritage in his music. Today, it's a huge part of his identity, from the events he runs and the music he makes to the tunes he plays. But, as RA 825 shows, his DJ sets also go way beyond South Asia and London, spanning gqom, Egyptian percussion, Portuguese Afro house and classic Peverelist. This is Elley at peak time, the kind of thing you might hear at his next Colour Factory gig. "The idea was just to include tracks that bring me joy and make me move," he said. "I hope they do the same for you."
Read more: http://ra.co/podcast/825
@ahadadream