Fusing Naked Beat's mission is to unite musics and people of the world with its unique multicultural mosaic of sound. The London-based duo, comprised of Asif Gillani, a.k.a. DJ Asif, and vocalist MRT, recently released Outer Perspective, its second album of genre-defying electronica that seamlessly combines Indian, Arabic, house, hip-hop and drum & bass elements. Several notable guest vocalists also contribute to the disc, including renowned Pakistani singer Najma Akhtar; Sonia Mehta, best known for her work with Asian Dub Foundation; Nihal, of BBC Radio One’s Bobby Friction and Nihal fame, performing under the alias Rowdy Brown; and German MC Sulal Kool. 

DJ Asif's wide-ranging compositional and production aesthetic derives from his equally diverse musical background. Traditional Asian music was a core component of his upbringing, but like many second-generation Asian youth, the call of rock and punk proved irresistible. He took up guitar in his early teens and by age 17 found himself part of the touring line-up of Asian Underground pioneers Fun-Da-Mental. Stints with the punk act All You Can Eat and Asian fusion innovators Charged followed.

Ultimately, DJ Asif chose to follow his own path by launching Fusing Naked Beats in the early '90s. The act's first CD, 2005’s Digital Asia, made significant ripples across Europe's underground electronica scene. Support slot opportunities with acts such as Asian Dub Foundation, Talvin Singh, Nitin Sawhney and Leftfield soon emerged. Several filmmakers also sought out DJ Asif's talents, including the team behind Bollywood Queen, a Sundance-nominated tribute to and parody of India's film industry.

Innerviews caught up with DJ Asif soon after completing the new album. He offered several enlightening perspectives on the motivations behind his music.

Describe where the Fusing Naked Beats journey began.

I decided to form Fusing Naked Beats and set up my own label Just Play records because I had so many ideas to produce music that had my stamp on it. Fusing Naked Beats was formed in 2001 and the idea was that MRT and I would be the core music producers but that we would also work with other musicians, songwriters and vocalists. We wanted to experiment and create music which reflected our experiences and influences and which fused different styles to represent this.

Fun-Da-Mental and TJ Rehmi influenced me a great deal, as did the whole Asian Underground scene at the time. The music was so original and different to anything else that I had heard. I also loved The Prodigy, especially the production. The first track we produced as Fusing Naked Beats was called “The Music, The Message,” a collaboration with Najma Akhtar from the Stolen Generation album. It was licensed to Club Star Records in Germany on a compilation called Asian Garden.

What drives you to pursue the idea of fusing so many global musics together?

My inspiration comes from experiences such as traveling and meeting different kinds of people and my perspectives on life, relationships and the world. I always like to see the alternative view, even if it is a little twisted and dark. I have always been interested in fusing different musical styles. I listen to music from all over the world to study the production and instruments used and experimenting further with these ideas just came naturally. I would describe my music as a fusion of dance and breakbeat with Arabic and Asian vibes which can change into a more underground, darker vibe with heavy beats and bass. It was important to me to incorporate music from my culture with that of the west which in part forms my musical identity. However, it is not just limited to that as the new album Outer Perspective reflects.

Some artists find it challenging to seamlessly merge Indian and western musics. What’s your perspective on making that connection work?

I don’t think it has been very challenging at all. It was important for us to keep our music original and exciting and not to churn out something which has been done before. As music producers, we understood how music can be manipulated and chose to merge Asian and Arabic vibes with funky house, hip-hop, and drum & bass, but in our own unique style which is a little dark and dirty. We always have so many ideas buzzing around so it’s a fun process. 

How does being second generation inform your sensibilities? 

My parents originate from Pakistan, so my identity is as a British Asian. I grew up with sounds of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Noor Jahan, as well as Metallica and Prodigy. I was 17 when the Asian Underground scene kicked off for me and I practically know everybody who’s been involved. It’s a small scene and at some point I’ve met all the key players. I’ve worked with members of Asian Dub Foundation, State of Bengal, Fun-Da-Mental and supported acts like Talvin Singh and Nitin Sawhney. The Asian Underground scene influenced me heavily at the time as it finally gave a voice and identity to many British Asians. It’s always been a struggle to be an Asian artist and be mainstream and successful, but that has not stopped first or second Asian artists from making excellent music. Gradually, I believe we will become much more successful as change always happens slowly. For me, fusing music from Asia and Arabia with contemporary Western musical styles was almost inevitable as it represented both my combined Eastern and Western identity. 

What can you tell me about the creative process behind the new album?

While working on Digital Asia, we had definite ideas for the new album in terms of including more vocal tracks and more experimentation with different musical styles and collaboration with various different artists. We came up with around 30 tracks and chose our top 14 tracks from that for Digital Asia. We then continued working on the rest of our tracks and fine-tuned them until we got exactly what we were looking for. The idea was that Outer Perspective would be different to Digital Asia was a given, right from the beginning. The album title also illustrates our concept. It signifies that everybody has their own inner perspective through which they view the world but it is only when they take a different perspective—an outer perspective—that change can happen.

What tend to be the biggest obstacles you face in your creative process?  

Ensuring the artists I work with are comfortable and understand the music we are collaborating on. We have to be 110 percent happy with any piece of music we produce, so we work on it until it is perfect which can be a long and tiring process.

Tell me about the political philosophies that underline your music.

Peace, love and an end to war.

Do you believe music can make a difference in the world today?

Yes. I’d like to think my music brings people of all nationalities and races together which is why I like to fuse world cultures in my work. The fact that people have responded really well to my music in different countries across Europe is a testament to that idea.

Have people in India or Pakistan heard your music?

They have and the reaction has been great. I am talking to a few labels at present to distribute my music out into India. We recently completed a video for “Transcendental Knowledge” directed by two Mumbai directors which will be getting airplay on all the Indian music channels.

What were the rewards and challenges of being a part of Fun-Da-Mental?

The experience I got being in Fun-Da-Mental was priceless. I got the opportunity to tour in so many countries that I had never been to, playing at huge festivals alongside acts like Green Day, Coolio and Fun Loving Criminals. I was basically living out my musical dreams for that short period of time. The best part was performing onstage and the great response we got from the audience. The challenges were the practicalities of traveling. The worst thing was the waiting because you’re raring to get onto that stage while spending so much time traveling from one place to the next. But the good outweighed the bad and I’m glad I went through the experience. It taught me a lot about touring. 

Are there any underlying spiritual elements that inform what you do?

Always remember God in whatever you do and live your life with principles. 

Tell me what's coming up for Fusing Naked Beats. 

I am working with a few hip hop, R&B and Indian artists at present. A few tracks from these artists will surface later in the year produced by Fusing Naked Beats. If I feel the reaction is positive I will move into an album direction for these artists. I have also started work on the next Fusing Naked Beats album for next year and am excited about the direction it is taking. We will also be touring in India soon.