Very little is discussed about the work of sound engineers in Bangladesh’s music industry. Yet the success of a song or the experience of a live concert depends largely on sound. The people behind that sound, however, always remain behind the scenes.
Arafat Kirty is one such quiet and creative craftsman. He has built a long-standing career in Bangladesh and the UK as a music producer, mixing and mastering engineer, and live sound engineer.
His journey began with studio-based music production. As a music producer and mixing and mastering engineer, he has worked on numerous songs, albums and original soundtracks that have been commercially released and have also gained considerable popularity among listeners. One of the defining features of his work is his ability to preserve the artist’s individuality, the musicality of a composition and the natural sound of musical instruments while presenting them through modern digital sound standards.
One of the most notable examples of his work in Bangladesh’s music industry can be found in the soundtracks of films released during last Ramadan’s Eid. During that Eid, Arafat Kirty was responsible for the mixing and mastering of the official soundtracks of four major films. These include the title track of ‘Prince’; ‘Shuddhatar Prem’, ‘Kalki’ and ‘Ami Rakkhosh’ from ‘Rakkhosh’; ‘Ei Mon Tomake Dilam 2.0’ from ‘Domm’; and ‘Khoye Khoye’ from ‘Pressure Cooker’.
He later entered the world of live sound drawing on his studio experience. While working on large stages, he realised that live sound is not merely a technical matter; it is an art of making creative decisions in tune with the immediate moment. Ensuring that the distinct emotions and character of every voice, every musical instrument and the entire performance reach the audience accurately is the core responsibility of a skilled live sound engineer.
Arafat Kirty’s ability to balance the subtle tones of South Asian music, the natural warmth of vocals and the sound of acoustic instruments with modern digital sound systems has set his work apart. This expertise has enabled him to present South Asian music in modern, international-standard sound while preserving its distinct flavour and characteristics.
At present, Arafat Kirty also regularly works at various cultural events in the UK. He works as a live sound engineer at different events organised by Anandadhara Arts, Pinro Media and Nandan Arts. His sound engineering at concerts by Bangladesh’s legendary band Souls and popular band Chirkutt in London has played an important role in naturally conveying the emotion of the music between the artists and the audience. He has also worked at concerts featuring renowned South Asian artists, including Srikanta Acharya and Anup Jalota. His continued involvement in these events has made him a trusted figure among South Asian cultural organisers in the UK.
The most notable aspect of Arafat Kirty’s work is that he does not view technology merely as a medium. He believes technology is a bridge between an artist’s ideas and an audience’s emotions. By combining his experience in music production in the studio with the immediate decisions required on a live stage, he has developed his own distinctive philosophy of sound. As a result, he has made a special place for himself among music lovers in both Bangladesh and the UK.
