D-BELL's IRIS: A Dubai Music and Comic Art Project

1. ABOUT THE PROJECT

IRIS is a music and storytelling project created by Ukrainian music producer and composer D-BELL. It brings together more than 100 artists from different countries, cultures, and musical backgrounds.

The project combines original music, live instruments, orchestral and choir recordings, comic art, and an original science-fiction story.

The idea behind IRIS was to create something that goes beyond a traditional music album. Every composition has its own character and identity, but all the pieces are connected through one story. The music and comic are developed together, giving the audience two different ways to experience the same world.

IRIS is currently in production, with completion planned for December 2026.

2. THE STORY BEHIND IRIS

The story of IRIS is an original science-fiction concept written by D-BELL.

It takes place in a world that exists within music, a reality with its own characters, rules, conflicts, and deeper philosophical ideas.

The story follows a group of musicians who must come together to save music from destruction. Music is not just something that exists in the background of this world; it is at the centre of everything.

The story is told through a comic, while the music acts as its soundtrack. Each composition is connected to particular moments, characters, or emotions in the story.

The idea is to allow people to enter the story not only by reading and looking at the artwork, but also by listening to the music and discovering how it connects to what is happening.

Through this concept, IRIS explores ideas about creativity, identity, freedom, and the importance of music in our lives.

3. THE MUSIC AND RECORDING PROCESS

Music has always been at the centre of IRIS, and a major part of the project has been bringing real musicians and live instruments into the recording process.

Over the years, D-BELL has built his own studio and developed relationships with musicians from different musical backgrounds. For IRIS, this has meant working with instruments and musical traditions that are sometimes difficult to find or bring into a recording session.

The recordings include instruments such as grand harp, as well as traditional and less commonly heard instruments from different cultures.

The project also involves collaborations with Arabic and Emirati musicians and other artists from the region. Orchestras and choirs have been brought together and recorded as part of the production.

A significant amount of the work has taken place in D-BELL’s personal studio, alongside recording sessions in larger professional studios in Dubai and other locations.

Every track has been approached as its own musical production, with individual arrangements, performers, and sound. Some compositions have their own distinct musical direction, while others are closely connected to the characters and events of the comic.

Bringing all these different musical elements together while maintaining one overall direction has been one of the most important parts of developing IRIS.

4. ABOUT D-BELL

D-BELL is a Ukrainian music producer and composer who has been living and working in Dubai for the past ten years.

His work focuses on original music, live instrumentation, and collaborations with musicians from different cultures. He has always been interested in exploring sounds beyond familiar musical styles and finding ways to bring different instruments, performers, and traditions together.

D-BELL approaches every composition as a complete production, paying attention to everything from the initial musical idea and arrangements to the recording and final sound.

IRIS is his largest project to date, both in terms of its musical scale and the number of people involved.

He is personally leading the entire project, from writing the original story and developing the concept to composing, arranging, recording, producing, mixing, mastering, and coordinating the work of the participating artists.

5. MORE THAN 100 ARTISTS, ONE PROJECT

One of the most important parts of IRIS is the people involved in making it.

More than 100 artists have contributed to the project, each bringing their own experience, background, and musical perspective.

Working with so many different people has meant bringing together musicians with different approaches, finding the right sound for each composition, and making sure that all the individual contributions work together.

For D-BELL, the challenge has been to give every artist and every musical part its place while keeping the original idea of IRIS consistent from beginning to end.

The result is a project built through a large number of individual collaborations, all connected by one creative direction.

6. WHAT COMES NEXT

IRIS is currently in its final stages of production, with completion planned for December 2026.

D-BELL is also exploring possibilities for presenting the project in Dubai, with a potential launch or presentation event in December 2026 or January 2027.

The date, venue, and format have not yet been confirmed.

Further announcements regarding the music release, participating artists, comic, and presentation plans will follow as the project develops.

7. IRIS: AT A GLANCE

• Project: IRIS
• Creator, composer and producer: D-BELL
• Based in: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Artists involved: Over 100
• Project format: Music, comic art, and original science-fiction storytelling
• Music: Original compositions, live instruments, orchestral and choir recordings
• Collaborations: International musicians, including Arabic and Emirati artists
• Recording: Personal studio and professional recording studios in Dubai and other locations
• Story: Original science-fiction narrative written by D-BELL
• Planned completion: December 2026 / January 2027
• Potential Dubai presentation: December 2026 / January 2027 (to be confirmed)