Name: Ibrahim Soliman aka Bad Colours
Nationality:London-born, Maryland-raised, Brooklyn-based DJ
Occupation: Producer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist
Current release: Bad Colours's new album Promise is out November 7th 2025 via Bastard Jazz.
Recommendations for New York, USA: Coney Island. It’s a magical place in New York that many people who visit never see.
Topic I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: I’m absurdly passionate about football, the beautiful game. My dad played professionally in Ethiopia, so I grew up watching and playing it.

If you enjoyed this Bad Colours interview and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit his official homepage. He is also on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, and bandcamp.



What were some of the musical experiences which planted a seed for your interest in electronic music?

I think going to school in Baltimore really planted the seed.

In the DC area where I grew up it was all about gogo/hip hop.

Most genres of music make use of electronic production means. What does the term “electronic music” mean today, would you say?

I think anything that really leans into an electronic sound rather than stuff from organic instruments.

Disco, house, techno, drum n bass, IDM and many other genres were about a lot more than just music. For you personally, is electronic music (still) a way of life – and if so, in which way?

It plays a big part in my life as someone who still DJs for sure. It connects people and can shape your life.

Debates around electronic music tend to focus on technology. What, though, were some of the things you learned by talking to colleagues or through performing and/or recording with other musicians?

One thing I’ve always done while producing for others over the years is try to take one thing the artist did with me.

I learned a ton about recording vocals from different singers like Faith Evans, JVDE, Marcus Harmon etc.

Tell me a bit about the sounds, creative directions, artists, communities, as
well as the colleagues and creative hotspots of your current hometown, please. How do they influence your music?

A lot of my influences come from conversations or just being out in the streets.

Hard not to find inspiration living in Brooklyn.

Today, electronic music has an interesting relationship between honouring its roots and exploring the unknown. What does the balance between these two poles look like in your music?

I think as someone who grew up a fan of electronic music, then working in the rap world before this, I try to bring that energy to the electronic music I make.

It’s nice that genres almost don’t exist anymore.

What were some of the recent tools you bought, used, or saw/read about which changed your perspective about production, performing, and making music?

I bought a Korg Minilogue a while ago, then shelved it for a bit. But it was back in rotation for the making of Promise.

How do you see the role of sampling in electronic music today?

It’s always been there with drum machines and whatnot, so it’ll always play a big part.

I sampled a lot on this new project, which is a change of pace for me, but I’m happy with the results!

What are some of the most recent innovations in sound design for you - and what are currently personal limits to realising the sounds you have in your mind?

I think the stuff Ableton has been doing is really great. They’re always looking for ways to make creation easier while pushing boundaries.

In as far as it is applicable to your work, how would you describe the interaction between your music and DJing/DJ culture and clubs?

They go hand in hand.

Most of my stuff is club-friendly, and I’m always trying out new mixes or unreleased stuff out in the wild before releasing.

Even if AI will not entirely replace human composition, it looks set to have a significant impact on it. What does the terms composing/producing mean in the era of AI, do you feel?

I think everyone great who does this out of love has their own feel, and that won’t be easy to replicate.