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DARK. POWERFUL. COLORFUL.Based in Oakland, Aftab Hafeez is a highly versatile and classically-trained music producer who has programmed, recorded, mixed, and mastered all-original instrumentals since 2002.
From Colombian and Pakistani roots, Aftab was raised to appreciate a broad palate of world music, including Latin dance rhythms, classical music, and Pakistani music. As a self-taught producer at the age of 13, his inspiration included the likes of Luny Tunes, Just Blaze, Swizz Beats, and Timbaland. While his producing roots are in Rap, his versatility has enabled him to traverse genres over the years—from Pop, Electronic, Reggaeton, to Orchestral. Aftab’s fundamental motivation to create music pulls from his experience being on the Autism spectrum. Music has always been his primary way of connection and communication. His ultimate aim is to inspire anyone who has ever felt voiceless to express themselves—especially those on the spectrum. His latest energetic trap/pop beat, "Commakazi", has been featured in blogs such as Visual Atelier 8. "Deserve You", an experimental Rap/EDM fusion track about love lost, earned Semi-Finalist in the 2020 International Songwriting Competition (ISC). With clients including the multi-Emmy award-winning Pollen Music Group and two-time GRAMMY nominee Tommy Soulati Shepherd, his Electronic/Rap productions have opened for major acts, such as Tech N9ne and Smoove-E. In a parallel career as a film composer, his scores include the soundtracks to the feature film “Last Chance Charlene” (2022), and the 3D animation “Redemption” (2020), which received GFFA Special Mention for Best Original Score at the 2020 Global Film Festival Awards, Los Angeles. He was also the lead actor, composer, and sound designer for the award-winning film “I Don't Want to Sleep Alone” (2018). By day, Aftab works at Google as a composer, sound designer, and psychoacoustic researcher. As part of his lifelong passion of communicating through sound and language, he has devoted significant time to achieving varying degrees of fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, French, and Korean. |
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“Beyond the joy of promoting talented artists with a positive message, it’s the obliteration of both creative boundaries and the ones that divide us. Bending the rules and breaking the limits to create a new, relevant sound that moves you. To say what can’t be said with words—to have a voice for myself and give one to others. Those are the things that drive me.”
AFTAB HAFEEZ |
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“He has wowed us and our team. Aftab is a brilliant composer, and I recommend him with high regard.”
— Tony Gapastione, Founder, BraveMaker Media |
“Absolutely a great artist to work with! Not only in his ability, but he’s also very collaborative, responsible, and has a great attitude as a professional. I definitely want to ask him for our next project!”
— Seora Hong, Director & Lead Animator, Redemption. Animator, PlayStation |
“It was such a joy and an amazing experience working with Aftab. His masterfully created score captured the intensity and vastly complex emotions of the protagonist, propelling the story further. His attention to detail surprised me, incorporating even the smallest of sounds I had not even imagined were needed. If I'm ever in need of another composer and sound designer, Aftab will be my first choice.”
— Terri L. Smith, Director & Writer, The Scarlet Thread
— Terri L. Smith, Director & Writer, The Scarlet Thread