Label Spotlight: GRAND NU MUSIC

Hi, Who Are You? 

We’re Paul T, Edward Oberon, and Zac Calder. Together we have launched GRAND NU MUSIC. We three of us teamed up because we all bring something unique to the table: Paul and Ed have built solid careers in drum and bass, with Ed also working in a music studio, and Paul running his own business. Whilst Zac is a producer and director of Just Ramps, an indoor skatepark in Wolverhampton

Together, we’ve combined our passions and expertise to create what we think and hope will be a great record label.

What’s your ethos? 

We’re all about building a drum and bass community that thrives on passion, creativity and collaboration. Our label isn’t just a place to release tracks; it’s a space where artists, both established and fresh to the scene, can find a real home for their music and creative ventures.

We’re here to support everyone; from seasoned producers looking to push boundaries, to fresh talent taking their first steps in the scene. Our goal is to create a community where everyone can learn, grow, and share their passion for music because essentially, it’s the passion for this music that made us want to start the label in the first place.

At GRAND NU MUSIC, it’s all about helping each other excel and making sure that great music reaches the people who love it. Whether you’re a veteran or just getting started, we’re excited to be part of people’s journey and to see what we can create together.

Tell us your origin story…

The origin of GRAND NU was a natural evolution of our journey in the drum and bass scene. Paul T & Edward Oberon have spent over 20 years releasing music on some of the biggest labels out there. Throughout that time, we’ve been fortunate to connect with a wide range of producers—both up-and-coming talents and seasoned veterans—who regularly send us their tracks.

After years of receiving seriously good music and passing it along to other labels, we thought; why not just create a home for these tracks ourselves? Instead of forwarding the music we got sent to other labels, we wanted to build a space where we could nurture these ideas, help the artists grow, and release their music directly through our own label. And that’s how GRAND NU was born—a hub for great drum and bass, where artists can evolve their sound and can reach the right audiences.

Tell us about your local scene…

We’re all based miles away from each other (conveniently or inconveniently depending on how you look at it), Zac is based in Stourbridge, about half an hour outside of Birmingham, Paul is based in Charlton, London and Ed is in Southampton. We’re hoping the distance between us will be convenient in the way that we can tap into the different locations that we’re based at.

The scene within Birmingham is pretty strong. There are a lot of regular ravers who you’ll see at all the drum and bass events that go on. It’s a nice community and if you go to a lot, you’ll see a lot of familiar faces. We have big events popping up now and then. I’d say my favourites to go to are just outside of Birmingham at a venue called The Hare & Hounds. We get a lot of good line ups there thanks to Break Thru Sound, which brings artists such as Goldie, LTJ Bukem, DRS, Lenzman to name a few on a regular basis. We also have other collectives such as ‘BCB’, Black Country Bass which are smashing it at the moment, doing regular events around the midlands, giving loads of up-and-coming artists a good venue to play at. 

Within Charlton, we have a great collection of artists close by such as Jumpin Jack Frost, Bryan Gee and Dillinja – we also have a great record shop/dubplate shop in New Cross not far called Planet Wax which is a great hangout. 

The scene in Southampton is quite lively, with events happening regularly at venues across the city. From liquid to jump up and rollers to mainstream dnb, as well as live bands, there’s plenty to choose from. With Bournemouth and Portsmouth close by it makes for a healthy melting pot of crews and different sounds. Legends, mainstays and new blood all about making their mark in the local area.

Do you have a specific sound or vibe?

When it comes to the sound we’re after, we’re not tied to any specific style of drum and bass. What really catches our attention is music that’s memorable. At GRAND NU, we want to support and promote a diverse range of artists, so it wouldn’t make sense for us to stick to just one subgenre of D&B. If your music has a great vibe, sounds good, and leaves a lasting impression, we’re here to help you get it out there (though we do have a soft spot for heavy-hitting basslines and catchy vocals haha).

Do you have a regular artist roster- who can we see releasing with you?

At GRAND NU, you can expect to see familiar faces releasing with us regularly, but we don’t tie our artists down with exclusive contracts. Our priority is the success and happiness of the artists we work with, so if a great opportunity comes their way from another label, we’ll be the first to encourage them to go for it. We believe in building long-lasting relationships with our artists, and while we hope they’ll continue releasing with us in the future, we’re all about supporting their growth wherever it leads them. The aim is to build the scene and the artists within it, the label is a by-product of doing that. 

Tell us about your A&R process…

Our A&R process is all about collaboration and understanding the artist’s vision. We’re here to guide and offer advice where it’s needed, but the most important thing for us is hearing directly from the artist. After all, it’s their music, and they already have a vision driving it. 

We see ourselves as the bridge that connects the dots, using our contacts and connections to help artists make the right decisions that will propel them further into the drum and bass scene. Our goal is to build strong, genuine friendships with our artists, getting to know their creative process and the motivations behind their music. By doing this, we aim to boost their self-confidence and help them grow, both as artists and as individuals.

What makes you different from other labels?

What sets GRAND NU MUSIC apart from other drum and bass labels is our deep commitment to building a true community and putting the artist’s journey first. We’re not just about releasing tracks—we’re about fostering relationships, nurturing talent, and supporting artists every step of the way.

We believe in giving artists the recognition and rewards they deserve. It’s their music, so we’re offering better percentages on releases to ensure they get a fair cut. We’re also working with artists to create breakdown videos of their tracks, which will be available on our website alongside the releases. These videos offer a deeper look into how the music is made, and a big percentage of the revenue from them goes directly to the artists. Our goal is simple: help artists earn more from their music, and if we can play a part in making that a full-time reality for some, we’re doing something right.

Our approach is collaborative and artist-focused. We listen closely to the vision each artist brings and work alongside them to help shape and amplify their sound. We’re also not confined to a specific subgenre of Drum & Bass, which allows us to support a diverse range of music and artists, giving everyone a fair shot at success.

Most importantly, we prioritize the long-term success and happiness of our artists. We encourage them to explore opportunities wherever they arise, even if it’s outside of our label. We want to see our artists grow, thrive, and make a lasting impact on the Drum & Bass scene, and we’re here to support them in every way possible.

What does it take to run a bass music label in 2024?

From our experience in the short time we’ve been running GRAND NU MUSIC, the most crucial thing you need to run a bass music label in 2024 is a genuine passion for the music you’re releasing. Running a label isn’t easy—it’s challenging, expensive, time-consuming and stressful. If you’re in it for the wrong reasons, Murphy’s Law seems to apply: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. But if you’re driven by a true love for the music and a commitment to your artists, that passion will be the fuel that keeps you going.

The drive that the three of us have to make GRAND NU a success—by helping our artists achieve their own success—gives us the motivation and determination to keep pushing forward. This shared passion and commitment is what propels us to overcome the challenges and keep the label moving ahead.

What have you got coming up that we should look out for?

We’ve got some really exciting things coming up in the near future. We’re showcasing the music we’ve got coming out at INTABEATS Rooftop Day Festival in London alongside TRIBE (Fabio), Brixton Bass (Jumpin Jack Frost), INTABEATS (Bailey), Precinct (Dogger, Mindstate, Verbz, Foxi), Four::mule (Promo Zo, Mistic, Cadence, 2Shy) & Front Left (Kieron & Harrison). And then we have our first release coming on the 11th October by two incredibly talented artists which are smashing it at the moment, Hexa & KL. We’re incredibly excited for it all.

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