Amaliah: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

Cutting her teeth playing her formative musical influences – soul, funk and disco – she went on to broaden her palate into the world of club music; sounds that you can hear on Borne Fruits, her regular show on Balamii Radio, where she also works as a producer.

Borne Fruits stretches further than just radio though. As well as throwing sporadic parties around the capital, Amaliah recently extended the platform to include a label arm which will serve as a space for her own productions and releases from like-minded producers.

November saw the launch of the imprint and with it her debut release which, unsurprisingly, is custom-made for the dance floor. With plenty more in store for Borne Fruits this year, we thought what better time to get her on board to give you a taste of what she’s all about…

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you

Hiya! I’m Amaliah, a DJ and producer from London. I also run a label and events series called Borne Fruits that hosts small scale parties around the capital and the label was launched in November 2021.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)? 

My music is very club-focused and trails across the sounds of UK underground music, including house, techno, UKG, bass, breaks and everything in between. I also have another side to me that plays disco, soul and funk which is what I originally started playing out when I was first gigging in 2019. I imagine the music I play to be like one of those pop art speech bubbles saying POW! or WHAM! – punchy, high energy and loud.

Where was the mix recorded?

The mix was recorded at my workplace – my beloved Balamii studio.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

The ideal setting to listen to this mix would be in a situation where you want to get excited / pumped. Think before a night out; whilst working out or at the afters if you want to keep the party going.

What should we be wearing?

Something you can sweat in.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

My dream setting to record a mix like this would probably be in a club. I feel super inspired in club spaces and feed off of peoples’ energy in crowds, and this is what I tried to emulate in this mix – a typical set you’d see me play out n about. System wise – somewhere that sounds phat and crystal clear.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Ooo there’s a few favourites in there! But a new release I’m really enjoying atm is Shanti Celeste’s remix of Orbital ‘Are We Here’. It’s super bouncy and energetic, which are two top qualities I love in a dance track. There’s also a cheeky unreleased dub from me in there at the end hehe.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

There’s too many goodies for an ‘all time’ fav mix! I’ve listened to re:ni’s Dimensions mix a lotttt however. Probably my favourite mix to come out of last year.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

Andrew Weatherall alllll day. I saw him a handful of times between 2014 – 2019 under ALFOS and solo and each time it was like I was in a hypnotic trance. Along with the undeniably flawless selection and mixing, I felt completely guided, trusting and locked into whatever journey he wanted to take the crowd on each time I saw him and that for me is one of the key things that marks a top tier DJ.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

My first ever pieces of equipment were two Stanton turntables and a Behringer DJX750, all of which I still have. Since then, I’ve added two XDJ 700s which do the home recording job well. Hoping to upgrade my current mixer to a shiny new Xone this year tho!

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Hmmm I think they hold the same weight as each other but it depends on the setting maybe. I think for clubs, the ending track is probably more important but then for festivals, both need to be coming in hot.

What were the first and last records you bought?

Gosh I think the first record I bought was maybe Womack & Womack ‘Love Wars’ (which is one of my fav albums of all time). The last record I bought was the new Timehri release with Highrise – wicked label and record!

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Tangfastics.

If it was an animal what would it be?

The March Hare.

Upcoming in the world of Amaliah?

So I’m currently working on a new EP and all will be revealed on that towards the latter half of ’22. There’s also some fun release plans for Borne Fruits and gig-wise this year is looking very exciting. Keep an eye on my socials for the 411.