What is the hallmark of a good party? Some will say it’s good food, others may say the company, but filling out the trinity are the good vibes.
A DJ, in a sense, is a vibe curator. Now, to me, a good DJ is one who can play five good songs successively—songs that keep me out on a dance floor, hard-pressed to leave.
There are people who know more about DJs beyond the thumping bass line. DJs are much more than mavericks on the turntables; they make our parties worth remembering.
Just in time for the holiday season, when people are gearing up to host their own parties, Masala caught up with Bangkok-born-and-bred Niman Doowa, aka DJ Nimbu Beats.
How did your DJing journey begin?
My introduction to DJing started on a path different from those of other DJs that I know. I got my start as a music producer making hip-hop and trap beats back when I was living in Brooklyn, New York, in 2019.
I moved back to Bangkok shortly thereafter and continued to make beats and even dabbled in a little singing and rapping. I have always had a passion for music and have been making music for quite some time now.
I figured the best way to have my music connect with a wider audience and entertain crowds was to add disc jockey to my résumé. It is definitely a career move I wish I had made earlier.
As an Indian-origin DJ, how do you differentiate yourself from the sea of DJs out there?
I would say it is my ability to read a crowd, blend multiple genres of music, and incorporate both desi and western sounds into my set. I also tend to add my own music to my sets.
I believe that any DJ can play other people’s music and entertain a crowd. However, once you start to integrate your own productions into your sets, it allows you to grow your sound and build a stronger identity as an artist.
I have produced many tracks with my sister Remee, a singer-songwriter and performer, including releases like “Love Frequency”, “Moonshine”, and “Awake”.
There is also no better feeling than seeing the positive reaction from the crowd when you play your own music.
Did you receive any sort of pushback or challenges from the community when you started pursuing this path?
To be honest, not really. People who know me always knew of my passion for music from an early age and supported me when I began pursuing this line of work.
Of course, there were people who questioned whether this was something serious or just a hobby. It may have started as a hobby, but I always knew that only my opinion of myself mattered—no one else’s.
What is your opinion, as a DJ, of the idea that people are partying less? Fake news, or are they just going to the wrong clubs?
I would not say they are partying less, but rather, the concept of partying has changed and evolved from its original iteration into new mediums.
People are partying at all kinds of venues now: clubs, bars, coffee shops, kitchen raves, floating beach clubs, etc. On top of this, genres are blending together now more than ever.
I see this as an opportunity to be more creative and experiment with sound. Not everything will work, of course, but it is all part of the process.
As a DJ, what are the etiquette rules you wish partygoers would follow?
Every party is different, which is why I don’t have any such rules that partygoers should follow. The main thing would be to be just as respectful as you would with anyone outside of the party scene and keep an open mind.
Song requests are fine in settings like weddings and private events, but giving the music room to breathe and grow is appreciated. You might discover your next favourite track if you let the DJ take you somewhere unexpected.
“Next Station” – Nimbu Beats
“Taka Doom” – Trace
“Deshi Sprinter” – Conscience Khan
Be sure to check out DJ Nimbu Beats’ upcoming collaboration with Remee, “Make It Clap”.
Follow him on Instagram @nimbubeats for more updates.