Community is a word used frequently in recent times. London-based producer Darama has built a distinct path in UK dance music, guided by discipline and cultural intuition. As a key member of the South Asian collective Daytimers, his output forms part of a broader effort by artists to express identity through sound instead of nostalgia. His tracks have shifted from direct dancefloor use toward more considered arrangements, where rhythm, space and texture receive equal attention. Releases that gained notice from outlets such as Boiler Room and performances at events including Glastonbury reflect steady refinement. Refractions 01 extends this approach into a unified statement. In conversation with DESIblitz, Darama explains the ideas behind this development. His connection with Daytimers started during lockdown, a period that allowed focused work and linked him with other South Asian artists pursuing similar directions. He notes that the timing aligned well with beginning the Darama project to explore heritage in music. The group offered an encouraging setting where producers exchanged tracks and ideas, speeding creative growth. Early radio play, club dates and sessions followed, yet he stresses that the collective supplied opportunities and professional momentum that would have been slower alone. The lasting value lies in sustained relationships with respected peers over five years of parallel progress. Early releases on labels such as More Time Records and Pound Shop Edits show a change in purpose. Darama describes moving away from making tracks primarily for DJ sets toward starting with sounds or moods that develop gradually. The process now prioritises composition over immediate function, with a lower tempo allowing greater structural space. UK garage, hip-hop, experimental electronics and South Asian elements serve as flexible materials rather than fixed styles. He treats production like a DJ mix, combining parts to create new results. Over time the focus has turned to core principles of each influence as building blocks that can be applied in varied ways.
