Interview: Exclusive interview: Kolectiv talk tension, trust, and their long-awaited Metalheadz debut

After more than a decade of releases across some of the most respected labels in the game, Kolectiv have arrived at a pivotal moment in their journey: their debut on Metalheadz.

The Damocles EP is a four-track statement built on precision, weight, and depth, balancing stripped-back menace with soul and space. Featuring collaborations with OB1, Omega Point, and Minor Forms, it’s a release that nods to the Metalheadz legacy while fully inhabiting Kolectiv’s own creative lane.

We caught up with the duo to discuss the story behind each track, their perspective on collaboration, the myth of Damocles, and why this release is more than just another milestone.

This debut on Metalheadz has been a long time coming. What did it take to get to this point, and what does it mean to finally have your own record on Headz?

In short, a lot of hard work, a lot of self-doubt, persistence and luck. Although for us, and to quote the Roman philosopher, Seneca,  “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”. 

What does it mean? I guess it means everything. Headz is a label we both grew up with. 

Kez: Timeless was the first dnb album I owned. I asked my mother to buy me a drum and bass/ jungle CD on the way back from her trip abroad. She came back with Timeless. 

Simon: For me, Headz was always the ultimate goal when it comes to labels in drum and bass, but it’s also a label that is uncompromising when it comes to the quality and the sound. It’s taken a long time to get to a place where we are making music that meets that high standard, but still represents us personally and is not just a pastiche of our favourite Headz tunes. It’s definitely a proud moment ticking it off the bucket list. 

The title track Damocles sets the tone for the EP; it's tense, atmospheric, and deliberately restrained. What was the inspiration behind it, and how did it shape the direction of the full release?

Well the EP started with Kill Da Fuckry and After It All. We will get to those later. Damocles was basically our attempt to fully immerse ourselves in the Headzspace (forgive the pun). We wanted something deep, dark and intricate, yet not overly complicated. We cannot call it a simple track, but it is restrained. I guess in some ways it plays as a foil to Kill Da Fuckry. 

On the subject of Kill Da Fuckry, which is raw, confrontational, and razor-sharp. Was there a particular mood or moment that drove this one? It feels like a pivotal tune.

We were just fucking angry. Both of us had a tough time in the weeks leading up to the session where we wrote this. I guess it really came through in the music, lol. It was also pivotal as it was the track Goldie really got hooked on and essentially got us our foot in the door. 

After It All brings in OB1 and Omega Point and introduces a more brooding, rolling energy. What was the process like working together on that track, and what did each of you bring to the table?

Kez: We have worked with OB1 for a long time now. We still do some music for his label, Rebel Music, and Ben and I run a night called Dub Club together. 

OB1 always brings samples and sketches to the studio. Omega Point loves his breaks and always comes with something funky. Simon is always the chief engineer, and I tend to sit back and listen. Influencing the arrangement, making sure sounds work in the track, writing basslines, and if there are musical elements, I tend to be involved. 

Simon: On this occasion, I think Omega Point and I started by getting some drums down before the others arrived. We recorded some of the big clangy snares from my crappy old drum kit which really gave the beats some character and life. From there, it was a case of all of us jamming with some synths to build the rest of the tune around it.

There are shades of Digital, Loxy, and early Spirit in that tune. Was that a conscious influence or more of a shared instinct between you and the collaborators?

Most definitely a shared instinct. It was the first track written for the EP. Digital, Spirit, and Loxy are huge inspirations for all of us. It only became intentional when we added the vocals. I think we even said it at the time in the studio.

You close things out with Ride Me alongside Minor Forms, a deeper and more musical roller that still carries weight. What made this one the right closer, and how did the collab come about?

We had written the first three tracks and had been working with Justin (Minor Forms) for some time. We had an idea for something a little more melodic but still within the same realm. A lot of space and moodiness, but with a slightly softer feel. We always try to show a few different sides to ourselves within an EP, and it felt like a great way to round off the release.

Across the EP there’s a constant interplay between minimalism and emotion, weight and space. How did you approach that balance from a production point of view?

There was a point a few years ago when we realised we had to be even more careful and selective about what plays when. Since then, it has been a process of refinement. 

We’ve worked with Wreckless for a few years now, here and there, and something he said really stuck with us: “A tune isn’t finished when you can’t put any more in it. It’s finished when you can’t take anything away”. Sometimes we throw a lot of shit at a tune and it really takes shape once you start scraping it away to just the stuff that really sticks. When you are left with just what is truly necessary, what’s left has space to shine and breathe.

Did you go into this knowing it would be a full EP, or did the tracks naturally fall together as a cohesive body of work?

We had two tracks. Kill Da Fuckry and After It All. We had sent them to JD (Submotive), and he passed them to Goldie for us. About a month or two later, we get the call from Goldie, and he said he really likes these tunes and then challenged us to write more. So we obliged, and soon after, Damocles and Ride Me were born. The inspiration from that call really pushed us on. We started a fair few ideas at the time, but it was a case of finding that spark that lets the track write itself. Sometimes it helps to have someone else in the studio to bounce off, as was the case with Ride Me. Sometimes it can come from playing with different beat patterns and percussion to find something new and interesting, as was the case with Damocles.

Army of Few delivered a striking visual for the sleeve. What can you tell us about the artwork process and how it connects to the music?

We’ve been outdone by the artwork!!  Honestly, it was the easiest experience ever. Everyone was aligned that Damocles was the title track. So, we explained our inspiration based on the myth of Damocles. We had a strong image in our minds and some imagery to reference. From there, they took control and returned with something very special. Unbelievable work. 

Collaboration has been part of your DNA for a long time. What do you look for in a good studio partnership, and how do you make sure the finished product still sounds like Kolectiv?

Kez: We have worked together for so long. We are desensitised to each other’s hypercritical nature, and yet we still remain mostly positive in search of something we both like. From the start, we know it will always sound like us.

Simon: So much of making art is about taste. Your taste drives your decision-making process, so I think it’s very important to be aligned in that sense. As long as there is enough overlap in the aesthetics you like, then you should be able to make art that represents all of the collaborators. I also think it is important that people bring different things to the table, whether that be different skills, ways of thinking or approaches to things.

Is this just the beginning of something bigger with Metalheadz? Or was this project about achieving a very specific milestone?

It is definitely a huge milestone for us, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to put our trotters up and relax. We’ve been very busy in the studio and we’ve got a lot of things in the pipeline, including some more material for Headz as well as a couple of other imprints. 

And to wrap up… 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?

Kez: Wow, that is a tough question. I couldn’t possibly pick just one, but if it were on a desert island, I think it would have to be Bukem’s ‘Atlantis’. 

Simon: I think for me it would be Profound Noize - No Way Out (Dillinja Remix) purely because it was the tune that really started it all for me as a teenager. Otherwise, I would probably choose a different track depending on what day of the week you asked me.

Big thanks to Kolectiv for taking the time to dig deep with us. Damocles EP is out 20 June 2025 via Metalheadz and available on vinyl and digital.