The second track we ever wrote together in Feb 1995 (first one was the flipside 'Images'). We then entered a 3 single deal with Moving Shadow untill 1996

'Dezires' - Aquasky - Moving Shadow 1995

We wrote this on a thundery night in our new studio in Hampstead Garden Suberb in North London. We had signed the biggest pay out deal during the d&b days when an advance was a massive amount of money. But not wanting to look uncool by being on Polydor we started Passenger Records as a front!!! And we are still running it now, though the Polydor involvement stopped in 1999. Fun times!!!

'Opaque' - Aquasky - Polydor/Passenger Records 1997

Love this tune and it seems to be one that most people mention that are into d&b back then. Actually it was a huge inspiration to High Contrast who actually wrote a tune inspired by it (i cant remember which tune it was, ill ask him next time i see him) on his first album! It came out on a limited edition doublepack EP titled 'Radium' (with the tracks 'Radium', 'I Cant Wait' & 'Uptight' and also a 12" in its own right. A classic roller for sure!!! Also featured on the Rob Playford's GTA radio station mix for the computer game GTA

'Spectre' - Aquasky - Moving Shadow 2000 - GTA!!!

We actually wrote 777 in 2000 but Botchit didnt want to release it at first as it wasnt like any other 'breaks' tune that had been around before. Basically when we got into breaks properly in 1999 we didnt like most of what we heard. It was too slow, wasnt really created for the big room and didnt have enough RRRAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! so thats what we decided needed to be done, a track layout like what we had been doing in d&b - intro beat, first drop, 16 bass, 16 bass more mental, middle drop even nuttier than first, after drop even more bass madness... then a good run out for mixing. We wanted to bring back the rave sound that we grew up with in the 80's/1990. We wanted it to be uber produced like tech itch was doing in d&b... and we wanted there to be lots of musical styles being referenced... in 2003 this style of music was named 'Bassline Breaks' by Carl Loban of DJ Mag when he interviewed us when we released the 'Stayfresh' album. 10 years later or so, the new 140 amen sound is very much on the same tip... lovely! This is the 'Lucky Strike' mix and it takes the insanity level even higher. available on our 'beat the system' album

'777 (Lucky Strike Mix)' - Aquasky - Botchit & Scarper 2001

The year after we started Sonix, our drum and bass label, we decided to ressurect our Passenger label and this remix was the second release from that point. As the d&b version did so well and the sounds fitted what we were doing in breaks we decided to re-rub the tune. This was a total classic and i still love playing it now, on those rare occassions i do a retro breaks set...

'Lords Of Motion (Breakbeat Mix)' - Aquasky - Passenger Records 2001

Classic tune!!! This one we are really proud of. Again, nothing was out like it at the time and it sold bucket loads!!! later it was remixed by The Freestylers, who were big fans of the original (whose first Raw As Fuck tune sampled the beat from our Lords Of the Null Lines remix we did for Hyper On Experience). Teah... play this LOUD!!!

'Soundbwoy' - Aquasky - Passenger Records 2002

This tune brings a lot of memories... we wrote this track the day the twin towers collapsed. it was quite an emotional day and i think this shows in this peice of music. this came out on our 'beat the system' album back in 2002... very deep!


'Satellite Channel' - Aquasky - Botchit & Scarper 2002

What can we say about this one... probably the most memorable of tracks we have done with the Ragga Twins. 4/4, big bassline... ragga vocals... made in 2002! still current against a lot of whats going on today in 2011. released as a single and also on the 'stayfresh' album

'Coffee' ft. The Ragga Twins - Moving Shadow 2003

Cracking track and one of the best d&b tunes we wrote... still works on the floor now, though obviously the production levels arent as good as todays digital styles! but for analogue it kicks arse!!! wont name the samples but i think anyone with some knowledge of the old school will appreciate it :)

'Blow Your Mind' - Aquasky - Sonix 2003

another banger from the stayfresh album... this is a remix of the pre-album single... we take it to the next level here with some bassline breaks badness!!! COME ON!!!

'Shadow Breaks (Keep On Moving Mix)' - Aquasky - Moving Shadow 2003

again, a real nutty track from the 'stayfresh' album back in 2003... this is probably the best album to date we have written and it sold amazingly... but so did most stuff on moving shadow! bassline breaks at its finest!!!

'Dominatrix' - Aquasky - Moving Shadow 2003

Quite a dark one really for the ragga twins. we were surprised when they came with the lyrics but it worked so well with the backing track!

you may recognise this from the second series of Ali G in the USA!!! I know, it was mental. it was either to be this tune or the 'Loko' track we did with the twins on the 'beat the system' album, but 'dem no no we' won the race... it paid pretty well too :)

the beat is also quite ahed of its time, compared to the amount of bashy beats you hear these days!

'Dem No No We' - Aquasky ft. The Ragga Twins - Moving Shadow 2003 (Ali G!!!)

what can i say that hasnt been said before about this track... probably up there with 777 in our catalogue. this was and still is a BIG TUNE! was great to do a remix with parts that were totally useable!!! awesome...

'Whats Down Low (Aquasky Mix)' - Baitercell & Schumacher - Passenger 2004

some right old skanking biz here. there are some great reggae sounding breaks tunes around this era, mostly by the freestylers and tayo as both of those guys know their roots! another banger! on the flip to this was the track 'ready for this' with the ragga twins

'Party Skank' - Aquasky - 777 2005

The Breakfastaz were the closet producers to what we were doing back in theose days and i loved their music, still do! and they were funny guys... diane charlemagne is the queen of the jungle really... inner city life, say no more!!! this tune use to BANG HARD! part of the 'Teamplayers' album and it was on the flipside to 'Overneath' on the first pre-album single we did

'Good Sound' - Aquasky & The Breakastaz ft. Diane Charlemagne - Passenger 2005

we like doing tunes with the twins that use classic breaks... it works well and compliments their party lyrics... i am sure you have seen the method by now! this one was another big seller. we also roped in DJ Go from Mixologists as well!!!

'Everybody Hype' - Aquasky ft. The Ragga Twins & DJ Go (Mixologists) - 777 2006

an awesome original and we were well pumped in getting involved in a remix on this one... we wanted to take it back to the bassline vibes of the early 00's on this remix (we also did backdrafts labrat remix the same week!) The Breakfastaz never would tell me who sung on the original version, its someone famous... any ideas???

'The Pressure (Aquasky Mix) - The Breakfastaz - Passenger 2006

i use to listen to a lot of miami bass in the late 80s and early 90's so we wanted to make a tune in that style. acafool came to see us when we were performing in Miami in 2006 and we got on well with him so he was the vocalist for this project. we wanted to name check some of the original pioneers of the scene in the tune (if you are into that kidna music i am sure you can spot em!)... he is a great vocalist and we are writing a new track with Acafool this week

'Have A Good Time' - Aquasky ft. Acafool - Passenger 2007

i met sporty-o during the summer of 2007 whilst in LA djing... he was a mate of DJ lethal from House Of Pain / Limp Biskit. I was at lethals studio when we were introduced. we got on well and it was decided to fly back out in october 2007 and write tracks with sporty-o, lethal and crash berlin as well as pink enemy. i stayed out there for 6 weeks... it was awesome! we got loads done with sporty-o...

but as is always the way in breaks others were lazy in looking for their own vocalists and decided to jump on ours (naming no names!!! cough cough) and since then we decided not to water down our stuff and didnt get to write anymore with sporty-o which was a shame but no worries... we hooked up with wizard sleeve the following year and had great success with them so things happen for a reason!

this tune still goes off... it should of been a black noise tune really but it was so fun and summery it really had to be an aquasky release as its pure party times!

maybe one day in the future we will work with sporty again... the international businessman :)

'Outta Control' - Aquasky ft. Sporty-O - Passenger 2009

I did my first breaks gig for 5-6 years this year. It was 20 years since my debut at the infamous Vinyl Touch gigs. At that first gig, in November 2003 I met Ellis Dee, Froe from the Breakfastaz and Inchie - Control Z for the first time. It was also the location for the debut play of Baitercell & Schumacher's incredible 'What's Down Low' track.

The return to Vinyl Touch this year also was the first time I have ever used CDJs at a gig. I had done a crash course with Terry Hooligan at his On The Rise DJ Academy the month before . I was certainly a bit nervous of using them for the first time... but it came out OK. The only issue was the booth was really dark, so I couldn't really see the buttons and of late, I have had to wear glasses for close up things! But so long as the booth is lit and I remember my glasses, we should be all good for future gigs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

The set features Cash MC, who was also my MC for the night 20 years ago. Top guy and a great MC.

Thanks go out to Andy Lock Up for finally convincing me to do a breaks gig again!

Aquasky & Cash MC - The Vinyl Touch - London - March 2023

25 Years Basswerk Sessions

Talk to Me

Orange Dust

Opaque

Raw Skillz (Instrumental)

Plane Invaders

Raw Skillz (Da Beatminerz Remix)

Opaque (The Spirit-Ual Mix)

Opaque (Total Science Future Funk Mix)

Brent Aquasky joined up with Aquasky close friends The Ragga Twins for a proper breakbeat session at The Vinyl Touch in Dalston, London on Saturday March 16th 2024.

One hour of breaks from 2001-2023.

We hope you enjoy!

Tracklisting:

1: Zombie Robot - I Gotta Have It - Passenger
2: Bobby Lasers - Darkcore
3: FM3- Non Stop (Guau Remix)
4: Backdraft - Popcorn - Passenger
5: Dexorcist - Jah's Comin'
6: Rasco & Jonay - Come On
7: Rasco, Keith MacKenzie & Sport O - Can't Hide
8: Fred Again & Swedish House Mafia - Turn On The Lights (Rasco Re-Edit)
9: Tony X Destroyers - Gang
10: Skeelo - I Wish (Aquasky Re-Edit)
11: Bowser & MBreaks - Analog Saw
12: Fugitive - Too Strong (MOY Remix) - AmenTec
13: Backdraft - Funk Rock - Passenger
14: DJ Jubilee 1997 - Alchemist
15: Pessimist - Ridge Racer Revolution
16: The Rave Doctor - Ruff In The Jungle (Jonay & Suga7 Obscene Frequenzy Remix) - Rave Kulture/Vinyl Fanatiks
17: Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - Intro (Aquasky Re-Edit)
18: Sound Beach - Be Happy (Obscene Frequenzy Remix)
19: Aquasky Vs Masterblaster - Lords Of Motion (Breaks Mix) - Passenger
20: Kodek - Pegaziks (Rasco Remix)
21: Multiply - Bounce
22: Jiro - Hanna
23: Leeroy Thornhill & Rasco - Annihilation 
24: ED209 - You Know It
25: Deekline - 4x4x4 (Aquasky Remix)
26: Distortionz - Infectious
27: Circulation - Turquoise 
28: Tiga - Sunglasses At Night (Aquasky Re-Edit)
29: Dillinja - Twist Em Out (Aquasky Re-Edit)
30: P.E.S.T - Elevation

Album

Aquasky & The Ragga Twins - The Vinyl Touch - London, UK - March 16th 2024

Three men, eight albums, five hundred tracks, four labels, numerous aliases, myriad genres: One machine.

Bournemouth trio Brent Newitt, Dave Wallace and Kieron Bailey have played by their own rules and stamped with their style since day one. 20 years deep into their game and the indelible Aquasky legacy is sprayed colourfully, thoughtfully and, at points, antagonistically over all shades and styles of electronic music since they started exploring the new wave of early 90s rave: drum & bass.

The Aquasky story keeps on unfolding and influencing the scene. Their latest venture is a revisitation of their Moving Shadow era D&B. A double decade document that acts as a love letter to the future; every success they’ve made takes roots in these evergreen space-aged sounds. The sound of a three man machine who have consistently played by their own rules and stamping with their own style, long may the Aquasky story continue…

Omni Trio 'Who Are You (Aquasky Mix)' (Remastered). Taken from the album 'Shadow Era'

Aquasky 'Kuana' (Remastered). Taken from the album 'Shadow Era'

Aquasky 'Dezires - DJ Krust Mix' - Passenger

Back in March 2017 I played a set in Seville at the Winter Festival. I was asked to play a classic Aquasky Vs. Masterblaster set, so I asked which tracks people would like and put together this mix. I recorded it all live on my return to the UK so thought it would be worth putting up onto Soundcloud.

As always, mixed live with:

2x Technics 1210's
Rane TTM 56s
2x Novation Dicers
Serato SL3
Macbook Pro
2x Shure Whitelabel Needles

Ill  get a tracklisting up ASAP. Please share if you like it :)

Aquasky Set from the 2017 Winter Festival in Seville *Free Download*

In early 2017 I was contacted by my old mate Si from 2 Bad Mice. He told be he was putting together a Legends Of Moving Shadow Showcase for the Bangface Festival in Liverpool and wanted to know if I could play. Of course, it would be awesome to catch up with my old Shadow Crew as its would of been 20 years since I have seen some people!

I went up and played this set and people were loving it as was I! It would of been 20 odd years since I played this kind of music in a club (all tracks are from 93-96) and to hear them again was a delight.

So I came back to Bournemouth and recorded the set, but now I was back in contact with all the Shadow Crew and within that network I managed to track down shout outs from Calyx, Tech Itch, Dave Wallace (!), Justice, Blame, Nookie, Foul Play, DJ Harmony, DJ Trax, Dev Paradox, 2 Bad Mice, Deep Blue, Essence Of Aura and Cosmo & Dibs!

Now I had a great mix, with great music and shout outs from a gang of Shadow artists, so I approached Serato with it, who have backed me since 2008 and I was even one of their Tech Mates (which I had to sit an exam to join!)

With all the above in mind I decided the mix should be called 'Back From The Shadows' as all the music is from either Moving Shadow or from artists who were signed to Moving Shadow. As usual, all recorded live with 2 Technics Turntables and Serato SL3. NO BEAT MAPPING!!!

Respects to Eddie Rathbun at Serato, Si from 2 Bad Mice, The Bangface Festival as well as al the Moving Shadow artists who contributed their time by recording me a shout and lastly, to the main man Rob Playford who brought us all together in the 1990s!

Aquasky – ‘Back From The Shadows’ Mix – July 2017 Tracklist
1: Aquasky ‘Images’
2: Aquasky ‘K-Rocks’
3: Foul Play ‘Sci-Fi’
4: Justice ‘Aquisse’
5: Aquasky ‘Orange Dust’
6: Aquasky ‘Cosmic Glue’
7: Nookie ‘Give 2 U’
8: King Just ‘Warriors Drum (Foul Play Mix)’
9: Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse ‘We Are The Future’
10: Aquasky ‘Dezires’
11: Aquasky ‘Opaque’
12: Foul Play ‘Chrysalis’ 
13: Nookie ‘Only You’

Aquasky 'Back From The Shadows' Mix - July 2017 *free download*

Found this old mix on a CD in one of my many archive boxes (aka random boxes piled high with stuff from back int day!)This is a mix we did live on the decks way before we were running a digital set up... 2004 we were still analogue.

There are tracks and mixes of tunes on here that werent released back then... enjoy and please share and like

Aquasky Vs. Masterblaster - Live Oct 2004 Mix - Unreleased tunes *free download*

An old mix I found on a CD from 2000. I think we must have done this for a radioshow or something, or maybe a DJ showreel. All recorded live on 2 turntables!!! Old School Style!

This is when we first started getting into playing breaks out, so some really early stuff on here, including '777' which shows how old it was before it got released!

Brent also went in with a bit of a golden era uptempo hip hop mix as he was playing a lot of that at the time at his Stayfresh nights in Bournemouth.

Enjoy the vibes!

Mix-cd2-Nov.2000

Aquasky '80s/Early 90's Hip Hop, Funk, NuSkool Breaks & Liquid D&B Mix' - Nov 2000 FREE DOWNLOAD

After Boomtown 2017 I decided to quit DJing. It felt like a good time to leave the decks behind after such an awesome gig.  I spent the next 12 months turning down gigs, but was asked to perform again at Boomtown with the Ragga Twins on a bigger stage. After a long think, I decided just one more and signed up to the festival.

This is a recording of the live show but due to various technical/sound difficulties with the recording, I had to splice in sections of a pre-record at home. Dont worry DJ purists, everything recorded at home was done live using 2 turntables, Serato and controller vinyl. No computer wizardry and certainly no sync lock cheating was used for those sections.

So here it is, the last gig I did alongside my pals the Ragga Twins and the Outkastz, the DJ scratch crew that we as Aquasky have been working with since our Bodyshock album on Moving Shadow.

I hope you enjoy it. A mixture of old school rave classics, early 2000 breakbeat antics, tunes we released with Ragga Twins as well as some new school rave vibes.

Tracklisting in the comments.

Much Love - Brent. Aquasky 2020

Aquasky, Ragga Twins and Outkastz - Live Boomtown Set 2018 *FREE DOWNLOAD*

Aquasky... old school bangers!!! lovers of the rave... addicted to bass. always LOVING LIFE!!!

Site updated and managed by Brent Newitt - b@aquasky.co.uk

All Dj Bookings please contact: Lee Rocstar: lee@rocstar.com

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