It's a London Ting: Globetrotter Social Club welcomes Simbad to Jakarta this Saturday.
Simbad ak Dj Simbad aka SMBD has been producing classics for years, with sounds across retro soul, house, hip-hop and electronic. The "London based Frenchie" has produced for Mala, Lulu James, Dayme Arocena, Gilles Peterson, Roots Manuva and more while releasing his own material.
We caught up with the appropriately globetrotting DJ as he makes his way to SE Asia for a quick five questions about travel, culture and vibes.
Globetrotter Mag: You're off on tour! We can't wait to have you in Jakarta. What do you find beautiful and good about touching down in new cities?
Simbad: Feeling the energy of the people and seeing how different systems affect one another, I guess. I'm always fascinated by architectural structures that keep an aesthetic and how some cities have exploded while still keeping nature close by. Personally, I need the elements of mother nature to recharge totally.
GT: How does traveling and connecting with different cultures impact your music process?
Simbad: Movement and people are what inspires me the most for my music so discovering new places to play and spread my frequencies is an essential part of what i do. I'm always happy when I return to places i've connected with & loved, and even more excited to explore new cultures & new territories and make new friends along the way. Our Earth is such a beautiful planet !!
And music is that universal language that can affect us positively & remind us that we're all one in the scheme of life. So yes always grateful to travel!
GT: So you drop into a city for the very first time for a gig - how do you create a vibe? Without knowing the crowd, their preferences, their exposure to music, how do you make a night happen?
Simbad: That's a good question. I guess the only way to answer to it is to show up and try my best! My job is to sense how far we can take it thru the set and just to spread some good vibes. Hopefully you'll feel the music too and we'll have fun dancing.
GT: You've been making inroads into Asia - it's obviously quite a different market from Europe or the US, growing and emerging but still young in some ways. Does your style or setlist change based on what you've found and discovered here? Do you see holes in the music scene in this region, and/or potential?
Simbad: I definitely see a growing potential in places that have had less exposure to certain kinds of soulful music. Various regular parties, new venues and various crews are emerging to spread that which is great (as i've been coming to Asia since a good 10-12 years).
Most importantly the idea for me is to always remain open minded. I never stick to one kind of setlist: first because i get bored very quickly, secondly because a tune that will rock the floor in one city might not work the next day & thirdly because i love improvising & taking risks as a DJ somehow, that's where the fun lies the most :-)
GT: What's on deck for you post-tour?
Simbad: Quite a few releases under SMBD coming out, finishing a new album & new remixes, gigs in Europe & preparing for future destinations in the south hemisphere for the upcoming winter. Living my music life day and nite, basically!
Catch Simbad at The Safehouse Jakarta this Saturday, August 5th. RSVP and more details here.