Following a formidable debut single on Ram Records, plus a speaker shaking remix for chart topping artists Kleu, Waypoint pushes forward on his impressive rise to prominence with 2 stunning pieces of drum & bass on our LoveThatBass label.
Of course, to mark the realease of ’Ready For Love / Breathless’ we had to speak to the man behind the music to get the lowdown on his journey so far…
Firstly congratulations on the attention you seem to be getting for your music! Signing to Ram is kind of a big deal… Has all this come as a bit of a shock to you?
Yeah, I was shocked when RAM approached me – they’re a historic label with a legendary roster! I’m so grateful to have been considered, and the team helped push me to make the best batch of tunes I’ve made to date.
So you didn’t have a plan for drum & bass world domination when you set out?
Haha, no. And I don’t plan on it now either. I just want to spread the love of the genre and create music people can relate to. I see myself as someone who’s purpose is to push the genre to a new place, while staying true to its roots.
What was your entry point into music production?
My production journey began with making trap/hip-hop beats, which seems to be a common factor among DnB producers. I’ve always enjoyed the sampled styles of producers like Dilla, Madlib, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder. I definitely still take a lot of influence from them in my current music!
Did you set out to make drum & bass or have you dabbled in other genres?
Since I switched over to drum n bass, I’ve been set on defining myself as an artist within this genre only. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not producing other genres too! I’ve delved into some 140, jungle, and even some pop. But I don’t think I’ll be releasing anything in these genres before I establish myself within DnB.
Your tracks so far have managed to balance both strong musicality & that rawness needed for the dance floor. What elements do you usually start with when you sit down to make music?
I usually always start with an instrumental element, whether it be a pad, keys, or a vocal. Then, I’ll build an ambience around that and use tension/release to figure out where the drums & bass can come in.
Ready For Love
Of course we love your most recent single on our label, but we also know that you’re particularly proud of ‘Ready For Love’. What is it about that tune that track for you that stands out?
‘Ready For Love’ is the first tune I had made where I felt like I had finally found my style. Inspired by Particle’s ‘Fall 2 Fast’, I wanted a tune that made you feel a very particular way (imagine driving really fast while also feeling isolated and lonely), and I feel like I captured this with the vocal, analog pads, and laid back yet heavy drums.
The single got some really great feedback from the DJ’s we sent it to. It must be a great feeling to see your hard work resonate with DJ’s & ravers like it had been?
Yes, it’s an amazing feeling. Sometimes I’ll finish a track and be blind to whether it even sounds good or not, so it’s reassuring when people react well to my tunes being dropped in the rave. Its also really great to see something in the flesh (as opposed to the heavily digitised world we live in).
We have a lot of budding music makers that visit LoveThatBass so we always like to ask producers about their favourite plug-ins. Do you have a go to plug-in?
Damn, that’s a tough one. I could talk all day about plugins.
If I really had to pick, it would probably be kiloHeart’s Multipass. It’s a versatile effects plugin that combines all of the kiloHearts FX plugins with LFO and macro capabilities. Just great for adding interesting movement to your sounds.
Going Viral
You went viral recently with a bootleg you shared on TikTok. I’m guessing the attention that got came as a bit of a surprise?
I always love to test out new tunes and ideas on TikTok. I really didn’t expect my recent Love Island inspired tune to get the reaction it did, but I’m so grateful for people supporting it! It allowed me to get a studio session with Antigoni herself and make a fully fledged tune.
@waypointdnb who knew @Antigoni would sound so good on dnb 😳 #dnb #producertok #rave #uk #dj #fyp ♬ ANTIGONI DNB – Waypoint
That’s Amazing! What’s next for Waypoint? I know for starters people have been very patiently waiting for your release on DnB Allstars!
I get messages every day about ‘Sweet Disposition’. I can confirm I’ve secured a release with DnB Allstars, but there have been some copyright issues that are extending the timeline.
I’ve also just signed a 2 track deal with Sony’s Robots & Humans label which I am really excited about. Following that, I’m looking to play my music out all over the UK!
Finally, no one comes into this scene knowing everything & in the run up to releasing ‘Ready For Love / Breathless’ I’ve shared a lot of my knowledge with you, I’m sure Jim at Ram did the same. What essential bit of knowledge have you learned on your journey so far that you’d pass on to another artist trying to make their way in D&B?
I’m very appreciative of the knowledge you and many others have shared with me. I wouldn’t be here without it.
If I had to give new producers one piece of advice, it would be to believe in your ability. If you truly believe in yourself, quality music will deliver quality results. There may be other producers out there with better production, ideas, and skillsets but only you can make the music floating around in your brain. Your style is completely unique to you, own it!
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