Dijit Loli (2023)
With the advent of affordable music gear like the Tascam Portastudio multitrack tape recorder in the late 1970s, musicians increasingly experimented with home recording. In 1982, for example, Bruce Springsteen famously recorded his sixth album, Nebraska, on a 4-track recorder at home.
In the 1990s, personal computers became more accessible, and software like Cubase enabled home recording on digital platforms. In the new millennium, programs like Ableton, FruityLoops and Logic revolutionized home music production, offering powerful tools for creating and arranging music.
Later on, musicians gained potentially potent marketing and distribution channels with social media and streaming services—available straight from their home studios. These studios are often situated in a corner of the musicians' bedrooms, thus the term “bedroom producer.” The setup is perfect not only for artists with limited production budgets but also for musicians who prefer not to leave the house.
Cairo-based Hashem L Kelesh is among the latter group. The artist, who rarely goes out, has built a studio in his bedroom that he simply calls “The Room.” The material that comes out of this place includes painting, photography, videos and collages, as well as music of various genres, which he releases under the pseudonym Dijit.
His 2023 album for the British underground label Youth is aptly named The Room. The eclectic selection of tunes features fellow artists Deedz, 7aleeb and Lella on vocals and spans chaabi-inspired ambient, an updated version of trip-hop and experimental beats. Our favorite: the peaceful lullaby “Loli”.
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