Chaal

Since Young Singh’s viral Boiler Room set at the end of 2021, the Asian Underground in the UK seems to have exploded, almost reaching early 2000s heights. Dozens of new, boundary pushing DJs and producers have emerged from this scene, thanks in part to Daytimers Collective. Darama is part of the collective and has been included on lots of compilations and lineups, but Chaal is his first solo release. With its percussive combination of South Asian instrumentation, UK garage, grime, and UK funky, Chaal is a fantastic debut that shows how young producers like Darama are taking the baton from the foundational Asian Underground musicians of the 90s and 2000s and running with it  in new and imaginative directions.