Just Breathe doesn’t do half measures. Whether scoring horror films or building club heaters, the UK producer’s sound has always balanced atmosphere with intensity. With his Reality EP landing on Dirtbox Recordings, we caught up with him to chat about jump-up’s past, its return in 2025, and the art of keeping things cinematic.

You’ve described the Reality EP as a nod to the late 00s jump up era. What pulled you back towards that sound in 2025, and what do you think gives it such lasting appeal?

I’ve always had a huge love for that era and spent a decent amount of time in Fabric at the Playaz nights. I tend to either have room 1 at Playaz or that giant stage at Boomtown in mind if I hear a really great jump up track and always want to make sure that if I’m making something in that vein that it fits that sort of atmosphere. As that kind of sound is making a bit of a comeback right now and I’ve been noodling with it for a few years I thought now was the time to hit the big green go button!

The influence of producers like Taxman and Clipz is clear throughout. How did those artists shape your creative direction on this project?

Guys like Taxman, Original Sin and Clipz have always been on my list of go-to producers if I want to find a flat-out 100% adrenaline-fuelled track with a hell of a lot of atmosphere. To be compared to them (even in an ‘inspired by’ context) is quite frankly an honour.

Each track on the EP feels both bold and refined. How did you manage to pay homage to that era while keeping your own sound front and centre?

I like to play with a lot of the older sounds whilst working on some elements of the newer styles. Partly to pay homage to the good stuff but also just because it sounds fab — and I find it a lot of fun when you get that old ‘rolling’ feel while keeping the sound up to date so that when you drop a track into a big rolling groove it hits that much harder (instead of just a big drop after a big build). Also I tend to put my own flavour in regardless of whether it’s ‘normal’ for DnB or not (hence the orchestra on ‘Reality’).

Jump up has had its peaks and pauses over the years. How do you feel it sits within the wider drum and bass landscape today?

Well it’s still very prominent thanks to guys like Hedex pushing that sound over the last few years. I think it’s a bit like any other aspect of this wonderful genre. Many subgenres have their moments in the sun and there’s a lot of rise and fall but they always come back for another round, usually in a new form. I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with next and how the genre as a whole is pushed and evolved in new directions.

You’ve explored a lot of ground across drum and bass, from liquid to minimal and dancefloor sounds. What made this project stand out for you creatively?

I’ve worked on a few horror films (soundtrack-wise) over the years and it felt natural to put a little bit of that into my drum and bass production. Also, regarding the orchestral and cinematic influences which are evident on ‘Reality’, it was really nice to be able to use both sides of the musical coin that I’ve worked in on that one. Usually, my drum and bass projects are a lot less cinematic, but I’ve been leaning towards this more and more recently. Watch this space.

The bass design and drum work on the Reality EP are seriously weighty. What techniques or bits of kit were key to getting that authentic grit in the mix?

I mean, there are the usual secret bits and pieces, but all I’ll say is that most of the time I’m probably working with the same plugins many other people have access to — as usual, it just involves figuratively bashing your head against a wall for hours to find what works. You know the drill (and so does the wall).

Dirtbox Recordings has a strong reputation for pushing high-energy sounds. How did linking up with Lee and the team shape the outcome of the release?

Lee has been fantastic, but then again he always is. I send him a lot of unfinished music and he’s always patient with me and happy to provide feedback and notes. At the end of the day I want to get him the best possible result and he wants me to be the best producer I can be. I’ve got a hell of a lot of time for the Dirtbox head honcho.

There’s a real sense of confidence and drive running through these tracks. Were there any particular raves, DJs, or moments that sparked that energy while producing the EP?

Honestly? Two. There was a particular night at Fabric years ago where Hype played the club mix of ‘Rebirth’ by Taxman, and the whole place just came alive. The bricks in the walls seemed to move and everyone just locked in together as one united crowd in ethereal dark energy — it was fantastic. Very much one of those amazing ‘coming together as one’ moments. The other was when I heard ‘Tonight’ by Wilkinson out for the first time on a big system (way back in the day when I was supporting Nero in Reading). Pretty sure it was Friction who played it but this was 2011 and I can’t remember now. If I can encapsulate a tenth of the atmosphere I felt at those two points, I’m doing something right.

You’ve built a solid reputation for versatility in your productions. How do you decide where to take things next with each new release?

I don’t really have a ‘set style’ that I work to as a starting point, but it all comes together in the end. When it comes to putting new ideas down it sort of depends on how I’m feeling on whatever day it is. If an idea comes, I’ll try and sketch it out straight away and then put the tools down — then I might come back to it months later and pick it up again, and it evolves from there. I never really have a solid plan — more the idea that if it feels right, then it feels right.

With the Reality EP out on 24 October, what’s next for Just Breathe as we head into 2025? Any projects or collaborations already in motion?

Oh there’s the usual million and one unfinished tracks. All I’ll say for now is expect a few more bits and pieces that lean slightly toward the cinematic end of the spectrum.

And finally, the desert-island closer: if you could take just one drum and bass track to a deserted island, which would it be, and why?

Tough one. If it had to be drum and bass… Either the Calibre remix of ‘Forsaken’ by Alix Perez and Spectrasoul (because it’s so incredibly thoughtful) or the Apex remix of ‘Just One Second’ by London Elektricity (such a beautiful track). Save the adrenaline bangers for when you get rescued — you’re going to need something with a hell of a lot of soul on a desert island.

Just Breathe’s Reality EP is out now on Dirtbox Recordings. Expect more cinematic, high-energy productions from the UK producer as he continues to expand his dark, orchestral edge into 2025.