Ones to Watch: ZAR
In our Ones To Watch series, we spotlight exciting new producers who are shaking up the game and progressing dance music culture while they do it.
Zar, AKA Arun Dhanjal, is a London-born DJ, producer and drummer. He’s one of the original members of the Daytimers crew, the British South Asian collective that has redefined the sound of the UK’s underground since they emerged in 2020.
Zar produces left-field bass music, has a monthly show on Voices Radio, and DJs all over the UK. His music connects cosmic soundscapes with dance floor rhythms, and he doesn’t stop at electronic music. He has played in several successful rock bands, including Hindustani classical/ and psychedelic rock band Karma Sheen and Muscle Vest. We caught up with Zar to find out more about his breakthrough EPs, the impact of non-stop touring, and why DJ Mag named him the “emerging artist you need to hear.”
Zar’s Musical Journey
Born and raised in West London, Zar’s early exposure to music came in the form of rock and metal bands, and his clubbing life unfurled through watching Floating Points, attending London’s Beauty and the Beat club nights, and joining the Daytimers and Dialled In communities.
Daytimers and Dialled In are UK-based platforms championing South Asian talent in electronic music and creative culture. Daytimers, inspired by the daytime raves once held by British South Asian youth, showcases emerging artists through mixes, events, and releases, reclaiming space in the dance music scene. Dialled In, co-founded by Daytimers along with No ID and Chalo, is a festival and cultural platform that brings together South Asian creatives across music, art, and performance.
Together, they’ve redefined South Asian representation in UK nightlife, fostering a vibrant and inclusive community. Some of Zar’s early DJ gigs were alongside this crew, and Manara played Zar’s first track on BBC Asian Network back in 2020.
Breaking Through
But it’s really been the last two years that Zar’s career has truly kicked off. “Since 2023 onwards things have been going pretty well,” he says. “But putting out my first record was quite a difficult process.”
Zar finished his debut EP in 2021, Practice Makes Miracles, and spent a year trying to place it with a label before deciding to release it himself. “It did well,” he says. “It definitely exceeded my expectations.”
Once he had his first release out, it was much easier to find a label for his second. Unfurl came out in 2023 on The Tabula Rasa Record Company. “They got records pressed and it was stocked in stores,” stays Zar. “It was in Phonica, and I got to play at Warehouse Project at the end of 2023 with Daytimers. I handed over the decks to Four Tet and gave him a copy of my record.”
Around the same time, Zar joined a new band, Karma Sheen, and toured the UK with them. “I found it challenging in a good way,” Zar says. “I’m interested in projects that push me to learn new skills, and the learning curve was steep with this band, and it pushed me to become a better musician.”
Light Stain at Dawn
2023 was such a whirlwind year, that Zar crashed at the beginning of 2024. “I felt back to square one,” he says. “I didn’t know how to top all of it.”
So he started digging deeper, figuring out where he wanted to go as a musician, and turned inwards instead of looking outwards. At the same time, a community-first music organization called CDR (Create Define Release) launched its new artist development program, Pathways, and gave Zar funding to work on his own musical project. He spent close to a year working on the intricacies of a 5 track EP, even working with a live orchestra to record with.
The result was Light Stain at Dawn, released in March 2025. It’s a beautiful and expansive project, opening with “Slip,” an 11-minute track combining live guitar, bansuri, harmonium, and strings over a pumping house beat. The dance floor-ready single “Deph" follows, while the title track allows the live strings to stretch out and take center stage. The EP ends with “Peace to All Mankind,” built around a bittersweet piano loop and chopped samples, remixed by bass music royalty SUCHI.
Zar says the EP was inspired by personal growth and therapy and describes it as “the most complete sounding record I've made so far” and “an exploration of the process of dealing with emotions.” The EP marked many personal firsts including recording live instruments and arranging for a string quartet.
Looking to the Future
Soon, Zar will publish a book to accompany the EP. “I woke up one day and I had the entire book mapped out in my head, so it was a quick process to write it,” he says. He has gigs lined up at Green Island Festival, Dancing Family Festival, and Glastonbury, tons more shows with Karma Sheen, and is currently working on more music.
“I don’t want to be so precious with what I make,” he says. “I spent a really long time crafting Light Stain at Dawn, and now I’m moving in the opposite direction and want to make music fast, build up a bank, and just see what happens and what sticks.”
