Baloo is a artist and producer from Saudi Arabia, who is also a leading light at the enormous MDLBeast Festival. With him recently launching the label Gabu Records, we sat down with him to discuss the Middle Eastern scene, and how he came to the scene himself…
Hey Baloo, introduce yourself to us an tell us about your journey into dance music?
Hello! I am Baloo, I consider myself a creative before anything; I’m also a DJ, Composer, and design strategist.
Musically, I’ve been at it since I was 7 years old. Always loved making mixtapes and spreading music to my friends and family. I picked up on house music at an early age. My oldest brother has always been a cultural guide in my life and he was the original DJ in the family. I learned so much from him, and was the only 12 year old kid with a house mixtape in my Walkman… I bought my first batch of records in 1997… and haven’t stopped since.
What is the scene in the middle east like now? What is its history?
The scene has been simmering underneath the surface in Saudi, working in silos and generally centered around djs and their tribes..
Right now, it’s erupting with creativity. So many musicians have come to the surface, and the audience continues to grow.
What does it need to improve and grow?
Well, I feel it needs musicians and entrepreneurs, to join forces and create music brands, build music culture, and a big part of that is education and exposure to new sounds. The locals have talent, beautiful music, and it’s all raw, and ready to be shaped. I think it’s growing and improving organically.
How important is MDLBEAST to that, the label and the festival?
MDLBEAST is a big catalyst for music culture here, it also has social ripple effects. MDLBEAST helped us all meet, exchange ideas, and connect tribes and sounds. The scene is unstoppable now, and MDLBEAST is there to be the catalyst for its ongoing evolution.
And what inspired your new EP for GABU – what was in mind when you wrote it?
Gabu is a new label coming out of our region, and I wanted to create the type of music I personally love to hear when I am listening to a DJ play. The two tracks on Gabu represent night and day, “In the Area” for example represents the kind of music I would love to hear in an underground space. It’s fresh and funky, but also big room and can shake a full party. When I tested it, after Carlo and I first made it, it got everyone screaming, that was an indication that this would be a great first track to release on Gabu. “Sweet Tooth,” the title track is a daytime jam, percussive and sunny. It really is made for a beach party.
How do you work, do you have an idea in your head you work towards, or do you just experiment and jam and see what happens?
Well I have amassed so many ideas over the years, mainly based on sounds I want to hear in house music that may have been forgotten or no longer trendy, but timeless nonetheless. I also love to play with samples from 70s and 80s music, disco, R&B and funk rooted mainly.
Do you think of where a tune might be played, to who, when making it?
Yes always. It’s good to have a space and time in mind when creating music. It helps you work on the tracks’ details with a clear framing in mind.
Do you make the tunes you want to play in your own sets, is there a direct link like that?
Absolutely! I usually think of sounds that are no longer found in the newer productions, or that aren’t exactly trending. I like to play fresh music, and generally never adhere to what’s popular.
Are you concerned with your environmental impact as a dj, and what can you do about it if so?
Well Gabu is not only a record label, it’s also a series of pop up events planned to happen across Saudi and eventually the region. We are very conscious of leaving every venue or space we use spotless, with a “no trace left behind” sensibility.
What is next for you after this ep?
More music! Carlo and I have another 8 tracks to release over the next year and we are super excited to see them on Gabu and other labels. Aside from that, we are continuing our development of the local talent and scene, and customizing our underground to fit our landscape and needs as a new underground culture.
Baloo & Carlo EP “Sweet Tooth” released on Gabu Records is out now
Grab it here
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