OPTIV is a name firmly embedded in both the forefront and deep memory of any true fan of drum & bass. He emerged into the scene with the seminal Cause4Concern sound, which made an enduring mark that influenced many of today’s great artists, including Noisia, and helped to mould the tech aesthetic that we –know today. The Optiv moniker erupted into existence a few years after the establishment of Cause4Concern, with the founding of his own label Red Light Records in 2002, an imprint that continues to be influential in both launching the careers of promising artists such as Inward, Hanzo & Randie, Impak as well as putting out high quality audio from established artists such as Tobax, Telekinesis, The Upbeats and Black Sun Empire. This is in addition to running the pioneering C4C Recordings imprint, that’s been committed to pushing forward-thinking tech for close to two decades now.
Over the course of Optiv’s prolific and long-running solo career, he’s released on a significant range of labels, including leading taste-makers such as Virus, Playaz, Blackout, Subtitles, Eatbrain, Hospital, Shogun Audio, Invisible and Dispatch to name just a few. His commitment to a pure analogue sound, inspired by his techno and electro roots, in combination with a stripped aesthetic that requires audio purity, has ensured that his sound remains both timeless and ahead of the pack. With years of experience behind him to apply to the dance, as well as his immaculate sense for freshness, Optiv is a tried and tested artist who continues to make a significant impact on the drum & bass sphere.

Drum & Bass duo DC Breaks have made their way onto the widest range of playlists. Their hardcore club cuts have been rewound by the likes of DJ Friction and Andy C. On the other hand, the songwriting ability displayed on the single ‘Faithless’, featuring Bianca, has plastered them all over the radio. That’s just the tip of a very large iceberg. DC Breaks have earned their stripes in the underground but, with an album due in the Autumn and a packed festival season ahead, they’re about to explode onto the international stage in a spectacular fashion.

Since signing to Andy C’s Ram Records they’ve carved a reputation for delivering world class remixes for some of the biggest names in pop. Their work on singles by Paloma Faith, Lady Gaga, Lana del Rey, Tinie Tempah and others, and production for Example (a cut on the ‘Playing in the Shadows’ album) woke the pair up to the possibilities offered by vocalists. It was the start of the journey that led to the forthcoming album, packed with crossover cuts such as the piano-led ‘Breathe’ featuring Dave Gibson, with its contagious, urgent chorus. Or the soulful explosion of ‘No One Like You’ sung with passion by Niara Scarlett. Or the epic blast of ‘Salvation’ wherein DC Breaks take heavy duty bass sounds and tie them to uplifting, irresistible vocal hooks.

Once they graduated to Ram itself, with monster cuts such as ‘Shaman’ and last year’s battering ‘Lock-In’, they hit the drum & bass A-league. Before long it wasn’t just the drum & bass scene paying attention. DC Breaks tunes made it onto BBC Radio via Zane Lowe, Mistajam and Annie Mac.

“Chase and Status opened the door to drum & bass being accepted in the mainstream,” says Dan, “and through that door went DJ Fresh, Wilkinson, and now us.”

It certainly looks that way with appearances at multiple 2015 festivals, including UKF, NASS, SW4 and Glastonbury.

“I love the wildness of festivals,” says Dan, “Like we played on Arcadia’s outdoor stage last New Year’s Eve, in this big tower with fire blasting out of it. I was literally three or four feet directly underneath the flame-thrower in a really small box. If something goes wrong we were literally toast!”

If DC Breaks can avoid being fried by flame-throwers, the summer will be theirs. By the end of 2015, with their debut album blowing up everywhere, the year might well be too.

Exploding onto the Drum & Bass scene back in 2012, Kove quickly grabbed the attention of industry heavyweights including Andy C and Futurebound. After a string of successful releases on Viper and ProgRAM, Kove hit the radar of titans Chase & Status, signing to their imprint MTA records. Diversifying his sound on the successful E.P’s ‘Measures’ and ‘Murmurations’, Kove began setting the airwaves alight with his songs ‘Searching and ‘Way We Are’ as well as his remixes for John Newman and Bastille gaining widespread support from Annie Mac, Danny Howard, Mistajam and Toddla T.  
 
Kove’s eclectic mixing style quickly made him a firm fixture on the festival circuit playing sets at Glastonbury, Lovebox, Reading & Leeds, EDC Vegas, Hideout, EXIT, Creamfields, as well as 2 nationwide tours across the U.S for Bassrush and supporting Netsky. 

Kove kicked off 2016 with the double E.P Nightfires vol. 1&2. showcasing his forward thinking production and a multi-genre approach. Songs such as ‘El Camino’ & ‘Bring Me Life’ racked up hundreds of thousands of plays on UKF & Spotify. Picking up support from BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra along the way. Finishing off the year with further remixes for Rag’n’Bone man, Emilie Sande, Sigala & WHTKD.
 
After a 12 month hiatus to explore other musical avenues, Kove is back with the new E.P ‘In From The Cold’, on DNBArena. Heading back to his roots, this 4 track Drum and Bass release is sure to set dancefloors alight.

A true pioneer of the Drum and Bass sound, Gridlok remains one of the most highly regarded artists in the industry. With a discography spanning over a two decades and featuring classics such as ‘Moodswings’, ‘Bottomfeeder’, and ‘Standing Room Only’, it’s little wonder that the Gridlok name has become synonymous with timeless Drum and Bass.

Involved with music from an early age, Ryan Powell aka Gridlok picked up a variety of instruments, but it was after experimenting with a cheap radio shack microphone paired with a 4-track tape recorder that he soon found himself in the murky world of production. Now with the use of a computer and an E-mu sampler along with an ever-changing combination of analogue gear and production techniques, this West Coast producer has led by example, constantly exploring new ways of injecting emotion and attitude into his art. 

The grimy uncompromising style that Gridlok has developed forms the foundation for his glittering career, gaining him the attention of his peers with household names such as Shy FX, Pendulum, and Dom and Roland lining up to work with the American producer. Acknowledged by artists in and out of Drum and Bass, Gridlok has put his spin on other genres, remixing for the likes of electronica giant Josh Wink and house legend Sasha. Gridlok’s original music and remixes have also branched into other media, with his work appearing in titles such as Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution and MTV’s Challenge series. Covering a wide spectrum within Drum and Bass, Gridlok’s versatile production has allowed him to release on a diverse range of labels, spanning from Ram Records and Playaz to Commercial Suicide and Moving Shadow, whilst maintaining his signature sound....

...find the rest on Facebook.

Formed in 2011, and consisting of Phobia, Sato & Tyrone Chroma announced their arrival on the scene with releases on Klute's Commercial Suicide label and Phobia's own Coded imprint.

Having already released individually on an impressive roster of labels
including Critical, Symmetry, Renegade Hardware, Ingredients & Med School, the trio show no signs of slowing up with forthcoming music on Ram's new label Program, CIA and Renegade Hardware. Gaining DJ support from the likes of Andy C, Friction & Hype along the way, the future looks bright for the lads from Newcastle…

For bookings contact: chromaHQ@gmail.com



Music production duo formally known as Xample & Lomax signed to Ram records.

Live Bookings: tom@gramagency.co.uk / kevin@circletalentagency.com (USA)

https://linktr.ee/renelavice

A little bit about René LaVice

From the humble beginnings of finding out about Drum & Bass music via the late night broadcasts on Toronto’s College Radio stations (88.1FM & 89.5FM) while growing up, René has travelled worlds away from where he started. Flash forward a decade or so, René’s own productions are now hailed around the world as some of the genre’s most iconic and innovative records in electronic dance music. He’s flown worldwide performing shows and cultivating the sound of Drum & Bass as a true tastemaker and leader in the genre. 

As though coming full circle, René was approached by the BBC about creating his own specialist show on Radio 1, so in 2017, following in the footsteps of legendary former hosts Fabio & Grooverider, and Friction, René is now the Drum & Bass representative on the world’s biggest platform. 
 
As a producer, René LaVice’s sounds are unmistakable. Known for combining different styles and influences with his own sensibility, his music has a thumbprint which stands out in the mix. Nowhere could this be more evident than in his first breakthrough track ‘Headlock,’ which took the scene by storm and turned heads of tastemakers worldwide onto what would soon become one of dance music’s most exciting producers. Since then, René’s made a string of hits, such as The Calling ft. Ivy Mairi, a musical hybrid unlike any other which was A-Listed on Radio 1 for weeks and hit the billboard top 40 dance chart. 

Renowned for his remix track record and ability to turn a song upside down, he has remixed an impressive roster of artists such as Diplo, DJ Fresh, Craig David & The Prodigy, making him a highly sought after remix artist.  He released 3 albums on the illustrious Ram Records which earned him the respect of young fans and veteran DJ’s alike. 

Having the support of touring Drum & Bass royalty such as Andy C, Goldie & Randall combined with attention from Radio presenters and tastemakers such as Annie Mac, Mistajam, Zane Lowe, Nick Grimshaw, Greg James, and Scott Mills is like a dream to any young producer and René’s skills as a performer and a DJ have been consolidated thanks to touring all around the globe and turning even the most unlikely shows upside down. Known for crowdsurfing at his gigs, he may sound like a bit of 
an anomaly when it comes to dance music. The excitement he feels from his music is as captivating as it is infectious. Having performed shows at major festivals such as Glastonbury, Download, EDC, and world class venues like Brixton Academy, Fabric, and Alexandra Palace, René has evolved into one of the most exciting headlining acts in dance music. 

Now living in London, UK, one can only speculate where René LaVice’s journey through music will lead next.

All The Things She Said - OUT NOW
https://orcd.co/attsscsv
Enquiries:
seb@worshipartists.uk
UK/ROW bookings: 
tom.jones@unitedtalent.com
North America bookings: 
mrodriguez@teamwass.com

Dan Dicker 1 is following