A persistent rhythm underpins Ahadadream’s movements.

With unflagging energy and passion, the London-based artist manages various facets of his creative self, predominantly as a DJ and producer, but also A&R, label-head, event director, and now as one of the leading tastemakers in the UK club scene.

Ahadadream’s music is pure percussive energy; club belters full of skittish drum rolls. With menacing, coiled energy waiting to be unfurled, his unique, drum-focused production draws influence from sounds across the UK, his homeland of Pakistan, the African Diaspora and beyond. Ahadadream’s club weapons have become set staples for Peggy Gou, Fred Again, Four Tet, Skrillex, Dixon, Jamie XX, Bonobo, Laurent Garnier, VTSS and Ben UFO, and his edits have beenco-signed by pop royalty such as Rosalía.

Noted as “One To Watch” by the Guardian, in review of his most recent EP, Homecoming, they declared, “Ahad Elley had a dream and, judging by his thrilling club music, that dream involved Catherine wheels of polyrhythmic, brash beats, huge horns and neon-bright... truly, the stuff of ravey dreams.” Beatport has also tipped Ahadadream for 2024, whilst over on BBC Radio 1, Pete Tong chose Ahadadream as his Future Star for 2024, declaring “Ahadadream is a rhythm king and percussion specialist. He’s currently a bit of a trade secret, talking about him is like talking about Bicep a few

years ago. He’s about to blow this year.”

His debut Boiler Room dropped in October, acting as the perfect introduction to his varied, but distinctly unified sound. Featuring special guest appearances from Skrillex and ELIZA, two artists Elley was working with over the summer, the platform declared it “one of the rowdiest of the year”. Those looking for more, can check out his BBC Radio 1 Essential mix, Radio 1 Residency, RA Podcast and NTS residency.

“I think the challenge has always been to describe my music succinctly,” Elley explains. “I borrow elements of sounds from across the globe. I want to create music that can’t be contained inside a box. Although I try to include my Pakistani heritage where possible, it’s never about pigeonholing myself in that.”

Alongside DJ bookings at the world’s best festivals and clubs last year - including Glastonbury, Sonar, Printworks, Circoloco at DC10, Fabric, Panorama Bar, Notting Hill Carnival, CTM, Lost Village, Nuit Sonores, GALA, CRSSD and more. In October, he sold out a hometown show at London’s Village Underground.

Indeed, when Ahadadream played the closing party of the legendary Printworks, alongside Peggy Gou, Bicep, Roisin Murphy and more, it was Ahadadream’s set the Guardian singled out in their coverage: “during a pummelling set of syncopated club bangers from Ahadadream, a robotic voice rings out over the music: Make space ... make space… make space…” The Guardian were referencing Ahadadream’s own track, Make Space, one of a batch of new music he has been quietly working on last summer, amongst sessions collaborating with Skrillex across the A&R and production of Skrillex’s next album, due in early 2024.

“After meeting at a gig in 2019, Skrillex hit me up out of the blue during the pandemic and we started chatting regularly on Zoom,” Elley explains. “He asked me to send some of my unfinished music to him, and right then and there, he put it into Ableton and just started working on it. I was just like, ‘what the hell is going on here?!’ That song is now going to be released as a collaboration early next year, and has already been played out by Peggy Gou, Four Tet and Fred again…. We’ve played B2B at the very first Dialled In, at Printworks’ closing party, and he jumped on my Boiler Room set when I played our collab, I didn’t even know he was in the building! I also went out to South America to work on

music with him, where I also opened for him and Fred Again. It’s just been incredibly inspiring to learn from him.”

Born in Pakistan, Ahad Elley moved to the UK at the age of twelve. After school, he studied Chemistry during the day, whilst DJing and throwing parties at night. He then went on to programme some of Boiler Room’s landmark broadcasts, platforming iconic artists early on in their careers, such as Sherelle and Jyoty. In 2017, he launched More Time Records with Sam Interface. The label has released artists from Ghana, Trinidad, South Africa, Taiwan, UAE and more, their music complimented by a distinctive, rugged UK edge, to create a sound unique to More Time. Soundtracking campaigns for Stella McCartney and Apple, More Time has been described by DJ Mag as “the foremost champions for UK club music” and was nominated for their Best Breakthrough Label award.

Throughout his life and formative career, Ahad was driven in part to provide representation for other South Asian creatives and artists, something he never saw growing up. In early 2021, this led to the birth of Dialled In, a South Asian creative movement. Showcasing a wealth of talent, Dialled In has, perhaps more importantly, fostered a new community.

A resounding success since its inception, Dialled In has hosted festivals, classical concerts, a V&A late, the inaugural Boiler Room Pakistan, and an artist residency in Nepal. “I owe it all to artists such as Ahadadream who have put me forward for so many slots and opportunities”, Surusinghe explained to the Guardian from the Dialled In stage at Glastonbury. “It’s so nice to feel supported by other south Asian artists – that’s what gives me the confidence to keep growing.”

Ahadadream has been at the coalface of the UK club scene for several years now; championing new artists, platforming new sounds and quietly, but confidently, supporting everyone else from behind the scenes. With the success of his Boiler Room, and the release of the collaborative Skrillex project coming up, before a long form solo artist project, it’s now that we see all the hard work and previously disparate threads from his career converging to introduce the unique energy and sound of Ahadadream to the rest of the world.

As RA said in their recent review, “it’s safe to say (Ahadadream’s) work is starting to receive the recognition it deserves.”

Raves & Dances

Date range

Location

Chase & Status: RTRN II DANCE at All Points East