About our artist (Friction)

Artist: Friction

Brighton-raised Friction is one of only a handful of drum and bass DJs to utilise three decks to mash up his mixes, creating a unique sound. As a teenager Friction was busy playing and promoting events in Brighton when he began collaborating with local producers Stakka & K-Tee who were heavily involved in Andy C's Ram Records label.

In 1998 Friction released his debut single 'Critical Mass' under the stage name Kinnetix, attracting the attention of major labels. Soon he was releasing tracks on renowned labels such as Valve, Tru Playaz, Trouble On Vinyl, 31 Records, Hospital, Charge and Renegade Hardware alongside his own Shogun Audio imprint.

Friction is regarded as one of the biggest DJs in the drum and bass scene, with an extremely fast rise to success. Highly regarded for his various mix CDs and releases on labels like Hospital, Tru Playaz and Renegade Hardware. One of his biggest tracks was the "Back To Your Roots Remix" on Shogun Audio in 2007.

He is label manager of Shogun Audio, and was a regular DJ on the BBC 1Xtra D&B M1X Show. 

Friction has collaborated several times with British singer-songwriter and rapper Example. Since Friction's 2011 remix of his #1 hit single "Changed the Way You Kiss Me", Example has co-written songs for Friction "Led Astray" and "Long Gone Memory" and Friction has co-produced an album track for Example ("Snakeskin"). Friction also collaborated with English electronic musician Skream in the 2013 song "Kingpin" (featuring UK grime MCs Scrufizzer, P Money and Riko Dan from Roll Deep). On 10 January 2012, BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe made Friction's song "Led Astray" his Hottest Record in the World.

In 2012, Friction started presenting his own drum and bass show on BBC Radio 1. In March 2016, he launched the label "Elevate Audio". Its first release was Friction's Dare EP with the title track, Dare (Hold It Down) containing an interpolation of Gorillaz' 2005 song Dare.

Friction has won numerous accolades such as:

• Best Newcomer in the Drum & Bass Arena Awards (2002).
• Best Breakthrough DJ at Knowledge Awards (2003).
• Best Newcomer at Accelerated Culture Awards.
• Best DJ at MTV Romania Awards (2007).
• Runner Up Best DJ at Drum & Bass Awards 2009.
• Runner Up Best DJ at Drum & Bass Awards 2011.
• Hall Of Fame in the Drum & Bass Arena Awards (2011).
• Best Radio Show for his BBC Radio 1 show at Drum & Bass Awards 2013.
• Runner up Best DJ at Drum & Bass Awards 2013.
• Best Radio Show for his BBC Radio 1 show at Drum & Bass Awards 2014

Friction - Freak:

This video is a concept video with no plot/storyline which is seen as unusual for drum and bass as videos are commonly narrative. You could possibly argue that the visuals have a relationship with the lyrics in the sense that the characters are expressing mixed emotions and being portrayed in a 'freak-like' manner. There is minor star treatment and performance aspect. There is short clips throughout the video of the singer who features in the song lip syncing the lyrics - giving it both star treatment and performance aspect.