Dameer

Bangladeshi rising artist ​Dameer​ released his striking debut EP ​‘For We Are Distant’​ in 2021. The EP features singles​ ‘Sun’​, the uptempo ​‘Believe’​ and the Bengali psych-pop of ​‘Amar Jaan’​ alongside four new tracks that present Dameer as a precocious young songwriter who has created a vivid snapshot of what it is like to grow up internationally.

In Dameer’s words, ​“So much of For We Are Distant is about miscommunication and the difficulty of processing deep, previously unearthed trauma that's been hanging around your life like a ghost.”​ Coming from a relatively young country, there is a real sense of David vs Goliath within his art, ​“the act of self expression that I’m doing is in some sense radical. I intend to put out a complex, radical emotional framework that has not at all been explored in Bangladeshi art, which in my opinion has been seriously lacking in political vigor in recent years.”

Alongside the previous singles, the EP is a great reflection of his songwriting talents. On ‘Michelle’,​ Dameer reflects on the aftermath of a breakup over a doowop inspired indie-rock beat,​ ‘Keep’​ begins as a restrained ballad, before the ending shows Dameer flexing his skills on the fretboard. ​‘Air’​ is a playful track built around a bossa nova groove, whilst EP closer ​‘Again’ perfectly draws from every aspect of his writing to draw the EP to a satisfying finish.

Dameer was born in Dhaka, one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Growing up with music constantly around him, and learning how to play and produce in his bedroom, he has taken influence from his surroundings to write songs that are both intimate and vast. Although he’s not afraid to tackle big issues from mental health to politics, he chooses to do this in a positive way, using the small absurdities in life to frame his stories.

Having learnt how to create music in Dhaka, it was the move to Kuala Lumpur that expanded his horizons as a lyricist, channeling new surroundings and feelings of loneliness into his songwriting. Dameer plays the guitar, piano, drums, bass, and the Bashi (a traditional Bangladeshi flute) and pairs lo-fi tones with psychedelic guitars and mesmerising vocals, creating an ethereal bridge between the East and the West.