A boiler room is defined as a room in a building where the real work of an organisation happens which often goes unseen. The term boiler room operation came from Investment firms that would sell shady investments and products that would be set up in the basement of a building to remain undercover. But it wasn’t only associated with criminal activities. Rober F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign had ‘boiler room girls’, a team of women who would make campaign calls. Derived from the same notion of a powerhouse that ran an organisation, as well as an overheard conversation in a bar, the Boiler Rooms in London were born. Like the origins of its name, these rooms became synonymous with individuals shaping culture.
Starting with a webcam taped to a wall, Boiler Room sessions turned into a keyhole into London's underground music scene. Although electronic music was at the core of the sessions, Boiler Room created an identity for itself through the streams of gigs which featured the listeners surrounding the DJ operating as one unit instead of facing them. That visual experience became a defining feature of the sessions and started a movement with brands that stood for the same philosophy of authenticity and collaboration.
Boiler Room has recently teamed up with Absolut in a celebration of art and culture through inclusivity called ‘Boiler Room X’. Representing the global underground with homegrown and international artists that define the club culture, the collaboration draws on the power of rave culture to unite and give voice to the underrepresented.
The event took place in partnership with Regenerate Music, a Mumbai-based electronic music promotion and artist management agency that has been curating and executing club nights across the country. Regenerate caters to a growing demand for alternative house and techno music in India.
The lineup reflected the inclusivity that the collaboration is striving for. Featuring Cashu from Sao Paolo, Goa’s Pulpy Shilpy, and London-based Rrose, the event brought together artists across the spectrum of dance music who are blending rave culture with personal and cultural expression.
All of our identities come in colours. And while that makes us all vibrant and unique, looking at the world through a monochrome lens can feel extremely myopic and biased. Absolut’s ethos of being ‘born colourless’ speaks to an openness and acceptance that is buoyed by inclusivity. Through their collaboration with Boiler Room, they’re building a community that has both cultural and emotional resonance. Using music and art as social devices, Boiler Room X embodies the empathy and shared love that rave culture stands for.
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