Dham Dham began as a three day workshop, “Thalaam Riddim Reapers” to introduce free digital music productions tools at DreamSpace Academy during Dinacon 3, 2022. In 2024, it evolved into a 10 day “bootcamp”, Dham Dham Riddim and in June 2025 it will rejoin Dinacon at Sea Communities and Les Village to lead a research Node, “Sonified Plastics”. This episode revisits conversations, field recordings and music made in Batticaloa to tease out some of the ideas and context that gave rise to the “Dham Dham Method”. Featuring the voices of: Dinoj M., Lucinda Dayhew, SajaS, Kishoth Navaretnarajah, Andrew Quitmeyer and Hannen Wolfe and music from the Dham Dham Riddim EP (2024) [Bandcamp].
More details soon.
A conversation between Dinoj M [Instagram] and SajaS [Instagram] of DreamSpace Records, artist Lucinda Dayhew [Instagram] and myself, Sumugan Sivanesan. Together we co-organised “Dham Dham Riddim”, a nine-day intensive music production “bootcamp”, held between 21 and 29 February at DreamSpace Academy, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. The workshop sought to introduce people to digital music production across a series of sessions that progressed from field recording to sampling, from rhythm programming to lyric writing, and then on towards making a song that will contribute to a compilation album or EP. It emphasised using free, open source and accessible tools, with a focus on the digital audio workstation, Reaper. It arose out of a three-day workshop “Thaalam Riddim Reapers” we organised at DreamSpace Academy as part of Dinacon 3, 2022.
The episode also features the voices of participants in the programme including: Sivanathan Nivethika, Rameshkumar Sathursaan, Sajanthan Vasanthakumar, A.H.M. Asaath, A.S. Sajeeth, Thavarasa Jeyashanth, Velrajan Rohan, Ravichandran Jeroem, Chandrujaan Sathiyamoorthy, Yash Kirirajah, Kabilashini Balakrishnan, Anantharajah Ajai, Mokeethan Sathiyamoorthy, Suresh Ashwin, Raviraja Rishahari, Sakithyan Jeyakumar, Christy Suthakaran Abiyashap, Christy Suthakaran Joshua, Joseph Jesreyal Jeyashanth, Dinoj Mahendranathan, Sajani Sivasithamparapillai and Nirushika Pragash…I hope I’ve not missed anyone!
This episode was made during Dinacon 3 Digital Naturalism Conference in July 2022, hosted by DreamSpace Academy — a grass roots organisation focused on peace building through challenged-based learning, innovation and impact venture building in Batticaloa Sri Lanka.
It features an interview with DreamSpace Academy co-founder Kishoth Navaretnarajah (Instagram), alongside the voices of other Dinacon ‘dinasaurs’ including founder Andrew Quitmeyer (Instagram) and Hannen Wolfe. There are also snatches of speeches delivered by DreamSpace Academy co-founder Aravinth Panch (Instagram) and co-director Anna Jeyaraj Moses.
I must make special mention of DreamSpace’s Music Lab, organised by Prasanna Sivagnanam and Dinoj Mahendranathan where I focused my time. Extra special thanks extends to all who participated in the many spontaneous jam sessions and singalongs, whose voices also make a significant contribution to this episode.
‘Metal Walk Riddim’ is a new track made by Dinoj Mahendranathan building on the Thaalam Riddim Reapers workshop devised in collaboration with Lucinda Dayhew (Instagram), Brendy Hale (Instagram) and delivered with contributions from Ashlin Aronin (Instagram).
