Dirtbox Recordings continues to edge further into darker, atmosphere-led territory with B.O.L.O.T.O / Crickets, a collaborative release from Trueangle and JIROBASS that feels properly built around tension, space, and mood. Across both tracks there’s a loose cinematic thread running underneath the drums and low-end pressure, with swampy textures, restrained intros, and heavy transitions doing most of the work rather than brute-force impact. We caught up with both artists to talk collaboration, groove, atmosphere, and how the release gradually found its identity.

How did you both first cross paths, and what made you want to actually get in the studio together rather than just keep an eye on each other’s work?

JIROBASS: Our paths first crossed in the middle of 2023. Since then, we have been actively communicating and spending time together. The collaboration probably started like most others. The Trueangle members liked my work, so we decided to write a collaborative piece and then another to solidify our efforts.

Trueangle: We actually met through the musician Subminderz. We got introduced on his Discord server. He is JIROBASS’s brother.

Trueangle: From there it naturally developed into us hanging out in Discord regularly, talking a lot, and constantly ending up doing different collaborations together.

When you are starting something new, do you usually come in with a rough idea or just see where it goes once you are in the session?

JIROBASS: Often, there is no initial idea; it is created during the process. However, when inspiration is strong, the idea is present from the beginning.

Trueangle: Usually, everything happens naturally during the creative process. Someone starts writing music and streams the session, others join the stream, give ideas, suggest things, or start working on something together. That’s probably how most of our collaborations are born.

On this release there is a strong sense of atmosphere running through both tracks, is that something you think about early or does it tend to build as you go?

JIROBASS: In the beginning, I didn't think about anything, but just did something. However, after hearing my work, namely "Crickets", Trueangle said that it resembles crickets, and from that moment the development of this idea began. After completing this track, we thought about what we could come up with in the development of this release and decided that it would be B.O.L.O.T.O)

Trueangle: Yeah, the atmosphere turned out really interesting and unique. Then with the second track, we thought about the whole feeling of crickets at night, the evening mood, and the swamp atmosphere. That’s how the track “B.O.L.O.T.O” came together, “boloto” means “swamp” in Russian, and we decided to keep the Russian spelling as the title because it matched the vibe perfectly.

B.O.L.O.T.O has a really heavy, swampy feel to it, what were you both focusing on to get that mood right without overcomplicating things?

JIROBASS: For the most part, the combination of all the sounds in the project reminded us of a swamp in one way or another.

Trueangle: Like we already mentioned, with “B.O.L.O.T.O” we always knew from the beginning that it would be paired together with “Crickets.” Because of that, we naturally started associating it with a swamp-like atmosphere, and we tried to recreate that heavy, dark feeling throughout the track.

“Crickets” takes a different route at the start before it flips, do you enjoy playing with that kind of contrast or does it just happen naturally?

JIROBASS: This contrast effect allows the listener to feel the beginning of the drop more strongly. Initially, we did not aim for this result, but as we progressed with the track, we achieved it.

Trueangle: What’s interesting about “Crickets” is the way it transitions into such a heavy drop. We really like that kind of concept when you start with a calmer, less intense intro and then suddenly move into a heavy drop, it makes the drop feel much more powerful and impactful.

When you are working on drums, are you both quite particular about where things sit, or is it more about getting a feeling and locking into it?

JIROBASS: When working with drums, I try to pay attention to all the details as much as I can.

Trueangle: You usually try to refine every single element as much as possible and make sure all the instruments work well together. At the same time, it’s important that it doesn’t negatively affect the groove, while still keeping the drums more upfront in the mix.

Trueangle, since the move from Double Medley into a trio, how has that changed the way ideas get shaped between you?

Trueangle: After moving from Double Medley to Trueangle, not that much actually changed. We basically have this triangle of ideas where we constantly send projects to each other, someone adds something new, develops the concept further, and then we try to push the tracks forward and send demos out to different labels. Overall, the workflow itself hasn’t changed too much. The biggest difference has really been the sound and the fresh ideas that came with adding a new person to the project.

JIROBASS, you have been putting out a steady stream of music, what felt different stepping into this collaboration compared to your solo work?

JIROBASS: These works are different from my solo projects in the following ways: we came up with the idea together, I added my sound design, and we had a different perspective on music.

Outside of writing, what does a typical week look like for you at the moment, are you constantly in the studio or balancing things around it?

JIROBASS: I have both personal and music-related tasks to attend to on a weekly basis, and I try to strike a balance between the two.

Trueangle: In the Trueangle project, everyone has their own responsibilities, some people work, some study so we just try to balance everything together. Some are able to spend more time on music, some less, depending on how much free time they have at the moment.

Looking ahead a bit, are you treating this as a one-off link-up or something you would like to build on further?

JIROBASS: There are certainly plans for further cooperation.

Trueangle: As for future collaborations, yeah, we’ll definitely make more music together. We’re constantly spending time together, so I’m sure new ideas will come naturally.

You’re stranded on a desert island with one turntable, a generator and one record, what’s it going to be?

JIROBASS: MAZE - Stun Gun

Trueangle: If I ended up on a desert island with one turntable, a generator, and only one record, honestly, I don’t even know that’s always such a difficult question. But I would definitely choose something from before 2008, probably somewhere in the 1998–2008 era. I can’t name one exact record because there are just too many legendary tracks that I love. If compilations counted, that would make it much easier. Maybe something from Konflict, maybe Counterstrike, or another classic release from that period.

B.O.L.O.T.O / Crickets works best when it lets the atmosphere do the heavy lifting. Both tracks lean into tension, space, and contrast rather than constant impact, which gives the drums and low-end more room to breathe on a system. There’s also a genuine sense of collaboration running through the release rather than two separate styles stitched together remotely. Dirtbox Recordings continues to lean comfortably into that darker, textured edge of drum and bass where mood matters just as much as pressure.