˚
No Track Loaded
No Track Loaded
In Conversation with Vibe City: Launching the Label with Liquid Intent Cover Image

In Conversation with Vibe City: Launching the Label with Liquid Intent

In the ever-evolving world of drum and bass, new labels come and go—but some arrive with a sense of purpose and identity from the jump. Vibe City is one such label. Born from a series of much-loved Liquid DNB compilations on Dirtbox Recordings, it’s now stepping out as its own standalone platform, with a fresh focus and a powerful debut release. We caught up with the label’s founder to explore how the idea took shape, why Liquid needed its own space, and what’s in store for 2025 and beyond.

Vibe City began as a series of Liquid DNB compilations under Dirtbox. When did you realise it was ready to stand on its own as a label?

It was during the process of building the third album last year that I realized how much fun I had working on them. I had also put in a lot of effort leading up to the first album, putting together a mailout of Liquid DNB artists for my Inflyte, which did really well, so I wanted to take better advantage of that momentum.

While working on those albums, I definitely rediscovered my love for liquid DNB, a sound I had forgotten about. It just made sense to streamline the music a bit, especially since having it on Dirtbox may have slightly hurt the compilation. Dirtbox covers all genres, but some people associate the brand exclusively with Neurofunk or Jump Up. That led me to believe that separating the releases would help them reach their full potential.

The branding—from GTA-style artwork to the Guess Who theme—really caught people’s attention. How important was that visual identity in creating a buzz?

When you have as many releases as I do by artists across multiple labels, it can be tough to create a unique identity for every single release. That’s why I started making a conscious effort to plan things out months in advance. As soon as we introduced the GTA theme on the second compilation, I began taking notes and gathering ideas for Part 3, which would follow a year later.

Through that process, it became clear that this was more than just a series—it was a brand in itself. I want to carry that same energy into Vibe City as a label. It won’t be releasing music weekly or even monthly, but when we do put something out, it will have a distinct identity and creative concept behind it.

It’s a really fun approach and brings a different kind of creativity to the process—something that sets it apart from the usual day-to-day tasks of running a label.

What drove the decision to create a dedicated space for Liquid, separate from the multi-genre scope of Dirtbox?

Well, aside from developing a newfound love for the liquid sound, I felt that Dirtbox was sometimes mistakenly labelled as a neurofunk or jump-up label. In reality, it was never meant to be either—I originally envisioned Dirtbox to be more like Ram Records, covering all sub-genres of drum and bass.

Even though the three compilations performed well, I think being released under Dirtbox may have slightly held them back due to that misperception.

So now I’m working on streamlining things a bit and building this into its own distinct brand. Liquid will still make occasional appearances on Dirtbox, but full releases will now live permanently on Vibe City, where we’ll relaunch the compilations in 2026.

You mentioned a strong community forming through the compilations. What’s that artist's energy been like behind the scenes?

It was great to connect and build relationships with some of the liquid artists. As I mentioned before, I hadn’t really given liquid the attention it deserves on Dirtbox—I’d only released two tracks in that style prior to Vibe City (one of them being my own). So for me, it was about expanding my network and building a portfolio of artists, which has definitely benefited the label.

I really appreciated everyone’s enthusiasm to be involved in the projects. When we put together the first two albums, we had a little community going for a while through group chats, with everyone supporting each other on the promo side. That felt really special, and it gave me the chance to help a lot of artists improve their online presence and share some advice on building their profiles—which I genuinely love doing.

By the time I announced the third compilation, demos were pouring in from artists keen to be part of such a unique project. The artwork definitely caught people’s attention, and with Part 3—where I actually created a physical working board game—I think it really set the stage for attracting some amazing music for Vibe City, the label.

For the first release, you’ve brought together Beskar and Just Breathe, with vocals from Charlie Wren. Why did this track feel like the right one to launch the label?

To be honest, this was originally going to be the second release. We had planned to launch the label with another artist who was set to become our first in-house talent—a regular we’d consistently push and support. Unfortunately, that artist had to take some time away from music, so the EP was left unfinished.

Then Sam (Just Breathe) sent me a clip he’d put together with vocalist Charlie, and I immediately saw huge potential. It’s rare to come across a voice like Charlie’s—so having her involved was a big win for me.

Sam was also interested in a potential collaboration on the track, and Ruben (Beskar) was a natural fit. He does a lot of work across my labels and has become my go-to guy when I need a track or a remix. I always give him first refusal, and like me, he saw the promise in this project right away.

It didn’t take the three of them long to finish the track, and once it was done, I knew I wanted to release it as a single. I didn’t want any distractions—this tune deserved the spotlight on its own.

I've always launched labels with a strong single before moving into multi-track releases, so in the end, everything lined up perfectly and stayed true to the foundation I’ve been building across all my labels.

From an A&R perspective, how did the track come together? Was it a hands-on process, or did the artists come through with a clear vision?

Sam (Just Breathe) loves sending me music—one day it’s a roller, the next it’s jump-up, then liquid. There’s no rhyme or reason to what he shares; he just genuinely loves making music. 

This particular track stood out and instantly caught my ear, and I gave him a resounding “YES” the moment I heard it. I knew it was a banger, and I knew I wanted it to be released on Vibe City—even before Beskar added his golden touch.

Karl (Sonication) is now helping steer A&R—how’s that working dynamic helped shape the direction of the label?

It’s really good—I’ve known Karl for a while, having booked him for events we’ve run in the past. He also contributed music to the first Vibe City compilation.

Like me, he’s juggling a lot with a day job and family responsibilities, so I’m giving him the space to discover great music without the pressure of strict deadlines. The label officially launches on April 18th, and since we already have four releases lined up, there’s no rush or expectation to push out music quickly or on a monthly basis. Ideally, we’ll aim for releases every 2–3 months during the first year and see how it evolves. That timeline gives both Karl and me plenty of room to find the next batch of tracks.

Running Dirtbox has also given me access to a solid pool of artists like Beskar and Just Breathe—people I can bounce ideas off and ask for music when needed. So even if Karl hasn’t found anyone new for a month or two, we’re not going to be in a bad spot.

What’s your release schedule looking like from here? Are you focusing more on singles, EPs, or continuing the compilation approach?

A little exclusive for you—after the first release drops on April 18th, we're already planning the second. I haven’t scheduled it yet, but I’m aiming for July. It’ll feature one of my new signings to Dirtbox, Canis X Sirius—a father and son production/DJ duo from the West Midlands. This release will be a 3-tracker, and every tune is solid. They just put out their debut EP on Dirtbox this month, and it’s already getting some critical acclaim from our peers.

After that, we’ve got two more EPs lined up from other artists—we’re just waiting on the final tracks. There’s also another Just Breathe single in the works, which might evolve into an EP… time will tell. Either way, this should take us right through to the end of the year.

Liquid’s having a real moment right now. What do you want Vibe City to contribute to that space?

It's an outlet for artists who want to produce liquid and gain some exposure. It would be great to develop this into a touring brand for my artists to help them land gigs and build their presence. I’d definitely be up for turning it into a full event when the time is right.

For listeners discovering the label through this first release, what do you hope they take away from it?

Exciting new music isn’t just coming from the big names—there are some incredibly talented artists you might not have heard of yet, and they’ve got amazing music waiting for you.

And finally… if you could take just one drum and bass track—by any artist, from any era—to a desert island, what would it be and why?

Spor, Ewun, Evol Intent & Apex- “Durge” - One of my favs

Thanks to the Vibe City crew for giving us a proper look behind the curtain of this new label. Their debut release lands on 18th April 2025—don’t sleep on it.

Comments

0
Please login to post comments

Latest Drum and Bass News

See all
×