I’m excited to finally reveal my new single ‘Hackers’. I made this track to be a techy dancefloor piece but also explore some of my early influences referencing Y2K cyberpunk. It’s been getting an amazing reaction when I play it live and now you can hear it for yourself. Enjoy!
Wilkinson x Metrik Minimix
I went on the Annie Mac show to drop a special minimix with Wilkinson. Listen back on YouTube.
I Need added to BBC Radio 1 playlist
My remix with Wilkinson has been added to the Radio 1 playlist! Big thank you to Annie Mac and BBC Radio 1 for the support.
S.P.Y - Dusty Fingers (Metrik Remix)
Big thank you to Annie Mac for supporting my remix of S.P.Y on BBC Radio 1. It was a very special remix to work on as it has a stunning vocal from Diane Charlemagne. It’s out now on all platforms. Let me know what you think.
Primary Talent
I am now represented exclusively by Primary Talent International - for all booking enquiries contact francesco@primarytalent.com.
Salford University Music Video Challenge
Hospital Records and I set the students of Salford University a challenge to produce two promo videos for my music. Given these were made on zero budget, it's clear to see the love and skill that went into them. I was so impressed with what they came up with, I had to share them.
Check out the winning videos and let me know what you think!
Metrik - Dawnbreaker
I wrote a track exclusively for Forza Horizon 4 called ‘Dawnbreaker’. It’s available now ahead of the full Xbox release on Tuesday 2nd October. Follow the link below to listen.
Live from XOYO London on Red Bull Radio
In August I played at XOYO London and was easily one of the stand-out club shows this Summer. Always love playing to a home crowd. The good people at Red Bull Radio recorded the set and made it available on their website. Check out the link below to listen to the full set.
https://www.redbullradio.com/shows/on-the-floor/episodes/metrik-xoyo
Polar Youth - All Night (Metrik Remix)
Had the pleasure of remixing this exciting new artist, Polar Youth. Was really fun reworking the song into a high energy dancefloor track. This is first in line of a large batch of new material I'm currently working on and will give you a taste of what's to expect in the near future.
https://PolarYouth.lnk.to/ANMetrikFB
The Future of Drum and Bass | The Art of Dolby Atmos
Massively excited to be working with Dolby on a technology I believe will change the future of electronic music. We shot this video in Chicago on my most recent USA tour to talk about my musical background, creative process and working in Atmos.
Sub Focus - X-Ray (Metrik Remix)
Very excited to announce I have remixed all-time classic Sub Focus ‘X-Ray’. It was a huge honour to be asked but also a big challenge to take on such an iconic record. I remember hearing it for the first time during an Andy C set at Fabric in my early years of going to raves and is one of the most influential tunes for me growing up. The remix will be released on the #RAM25 album. Head over to UKF on YouTube to check it out.
Producing in Dolby Atmos at Ableton Loop
A few weeks back I was lucky enough to be invited to Berlin to present Dolby Atmos at Ableton Loop. It was a great honour to be asked to work with a brand such as Dolby and on a project as ground-breaking as Atmos - it’s going to be a game changer! For those unfamiliar with Dolby Atmos, it's the next step beyond surround sound for cinema and in my mind, the most exciting development in music for a long time. Sound is reproduced in 3D and can be moved in space to create an immersive experience. Apply this to electronic music, and you've got something pretty special!
The idea for my presentation was to make a track from scratch in Dolby Atmos. The track came about across a few sessions at Dolby's studios in Soho. The more I got stuck in, the more ideas I had on how to use the 3D panning to my advantage (some were quite crazy and experimental like taking a sound and have it ping-pong against the back of the room). The track evolved into this cinematic beast as I imagined sounds as characters in the centre of an epic battle in a sci-fi movie. It was such a cool experience animating my sounds like this using the Dolby Atmos Music panner - lots of fun was had :)
The presentation took place at Loop Berlin which is a music summit hosted in probably the most unique building I’ve ever seen, Funkhaus. It was purpose-built in the 50’s as the broadcast HQ for the GDR’s state radio. Such an awesome setting for an event like this. Seeing it from the outside, I was struck by it's imposing Bauhaus architecture. Inside was a colourful fest of music tech and visual art with Ableton’s slick branding stamped everywhere. It was really inspiring to just walk around and geek out on all of the amazing gear!
I made the presentation in a huge hall alongside Gabriel Cory, head of Dolby Atmos for electronic music. We started by playing the finished track; it was very cool to see people's reactions, some were looking around the room to see where the sounds were coming from! We exploded the track and I explained how I created and mixed a lot of the sounds. We then talked about the general challenges mixing in 3D space and expanded on psycho-acoustic phenomena such as the Doppler effect and how it can be used to great success. We also covered some conventional sound engineering stuff such as phase alignment, working with drum transients and sound design / synthesis - I'm planning to do a blog post on these topics at a later date.
It's been a great experience making music in Dolby Atmos and it's something I want to do a lot more of. The end result is pretty mind blowing and in a club scenario you can imagine how epic that is. I love the idea of creating something custom made for this medium to really show off it's capabilities. I also highly recommend Ableton Loop for any electronic music people out there; artists / producers / engineers of all levels will get a lot out of it - it's seriously inspiring stuff!
loop.ableton.com
www.dolby.com/atmosmusic
www.funkhaus-berlin.net
Hosting the D&B show on BBC Radio 1
Honoured to host the drum & bass show on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra whilst Friction was on holiday for the last two weeks. I've had Coda and Muzzy in for guest mixes aswell as Friction Fire from 1991, Killbox and a Murky Monday from Phace & Mefjus two weeks in a row. Check it out on BBC iPlayer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0902wnk
R1Residency Show 7
I went live for the first time on international BBC Radio 1 last night with my latest Residency show. The vibe in the studio was amazing and it was so good to see everyone's texts and tweets rolling in. The show is now live every month so don't forget you can get in touch by texting 81199.
This week I brought in Whiney for #Back2Future ahead of his new album, Talisman on Med School. I also had exclusive new music from Makoto, Ekko & Sidetrack and Kiril.
Listen back: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08ymvs7
R1Residency Show 4
Another big show this month. I had the pleasure of chatting to Kasra about 15 years of Critical Music and the 100th release - a huge milestone, congrats! I also played exclusive new music from Mefjus, Blaine Stranger, Chords and Ownglow. The show is available to listen back to on the BBC iPlayer.
Bobby Tank 'Catalyze' (Metrik Remix)
Was delighted to return the favour on remix duties for Bobby Tank. Loved his work on Catalyze, which is basically an 80's synthwave pop tune. I gave it my own spin and brought it into the d&b dimension.
BBC Radio 1 'Ready Player One' Minimix
So I was asked to do the famous BBC Radio 1 minimix. The mix is set in a retro arcade where the player is pulled into a virtual world of drum & bass, Mario Bros, Stranger Things and more. Enjoy! 🕹️👾👽
3 Things You Didn't Know About Metrik
I chatted with UKF to reveal three things you probably didn't know about me and reflect on my turbulent teenage years. Head over to their website to read what is likely my most open interview yet 😬
R1Residency Show 3
Had great fun working on this month's show. I got interviewed Austrian masterminds Camo & Krooked for #Back2Future and dropped some exclusive new music from Muzzy, Keeno and Fliwo. The show is available to listen back to on the BBC iPlayer.
Metrik Speaks To Bobby Tank
Each Bobby Tank track is like a work of art; masterfully blending emotive jazz chords and virtuoso synth leads with powerful, intricate rhythms. When I was considering remixes for We Got It, I instantly knew he was the right choice. LIFE/THRILLS was all about combining jazz / funk / 80’s themes with futuristic synths - it was essential that I got Bobby involved. I was blown away by how well he reinterpreted the song. Read on to find out more with this exclusive interview with the man himself…
please introduce yourself…
Bobby Tank, though my real name is Neil Taank. Bobby is just a nick name.
Sounds like you had a lot of fun in the studio working on this remix. Talk us through the process...
I sure did and as you are already aware, I've been a fan of yours for quite sometime so was more than honoured when you kindly asked me to be a part of the remix project.
It all depends on the original compositions so my process can vary. I approached this particular remix by extracting that beautiful piano sequence in the intro of the original, emulating it and then pretty much work round that melody. Everything else just seemed to follow and fall into place.
Your tunes sound like the culmination of some very interesting influences. Tell us about these influences and how they shaped your unique production style.
I inherited a love for soul, jazz pop/funk, rock at a very early age from listening to whatever my mother had blasting out the system when I was kid. MJ, Prince, Genesis, Aretha Franklin, Kool & the Gang, Madonna (just to name a few) were the sounds that consumed my household whilst growing up so I naturally gravitated towards gaining a great appreciation for funky upbeat melodic music. As I grew older I started listening to jungle, metal, hip hop etc and around 2006 I started to steer towards electronic music.
Your virtuosic style suggests an accomplished musical ability. Can you tell us about your musical background and your journey to becoming a successful producer?
I picked up my first instrument at age seven and have progressed from there really. Experimenting in various bands. Learning an array of instruments and understanding composition helped me cope with foundations of what I’m making today. It wasn’t until late 2010 I actually started making music on my own under the alias Bobby Tank.
Travelling the globe as a performer you must get the opportunity to see some interesting sights. What is your favourite city? Can you share any experiences?
Over the years I've been extremely fortunate to visit/experience so many different cities and cultures off the back of my crazy music! Japan stands out for me the most as its purely in a league of its own and they thoroughly understand what I do. Played alongside a good friend of mine that goes by the stage name Brokenhaze back in 2014 and was one of the most memorable nights of my life. Their hospitality is second to none and they really made me feel like I was on the right musical path for all those years.
Are you a fan of drum & bass? What are your favourite tracks?
Went through a phase of exclusively listening to jungle music for a couple years when I was a kid. DJ Krome & Mr Time 'The License' blew my mind and still does to this day.
What are your thoughts on the current state of electronic music?
I feel the experimental aspect of composition with electronica has dissipated over these past couple of years, there is no real sense of individuality anymore. Nearly every promo I come into contact with with sounds like one producer chucking out recycled loops. Don't get me wrong though, there's a sea of unbelievable music out there, we just need to desensitise from these generic trends and really open up our ears and minds.
What would be your dream collaboration?
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis... I'd be too shook though.
Any tips for aspiring musicians?
Fuck what everyone else is doing and just do YOU.
Thank you for your time Bobby! It’s been a pleasure working with you on this release. Do you have any final words?
Big love Tom and beers on you next time we link 😉
Follow Bobby Tank...
www.instagram.com/bobbytankofficial
www.soundcloud.com/bobbytank
www.facebook.com/bobbytankofficial
www.twitter.com/bobbytank