01Profile
A Blue Lab Beats Photo
Blue Lab Beats
Musicians — London
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Blue Lab Beats:
NK-OK, North London.
Mr DM, North West London.
Describe your style in three words?
NK: Colourful, joyful, fun.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
NK: Nas 20 year of Illmatic tour in Roundhouse London.
DM: Blue Note Cruise, Derrick Hodge band, R+R=NOW, Christian Scott Atunde Ajudha.
If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
NK: Anderson Paak.
DM: Bernard Wright and Banda Black Rio.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
NK: Grime for grungy drums/drum patterns, gritty bass lines.
DM: Jazz-funk/Rare groove.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
NK: J Dilla. What he did for hip hop sonically how he EQ’d his drums, his bounce and whole vibe, but I'd need more than an hour with him if he were still here!
DM: I’d spend an hour with Herbie Hancock, Clare Fischer, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Ayers, Warren Wolf, J Dilla.
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
NK: WOMAD Festival because of Bowers sound system and the crowd and our features, Tiana Major9, Kojey Radical and Kaidi Akinnibi. And our Oval Space headline show as I love the venue, all our features and crowd was so concentrated and enjoyed the gig so much!
DM: WOMAD Festival, Oval Space, Troy bar for its intimacy.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
NK: Kankick- his drum programming is ridiculous how he flips samples and EQ’s stuff.
DM: Chad Hugo, 1/2 of the band Neptunes and 1/3 of the band NERD. His genius gets overlooked a lot and DJ Harrison, a multi-instrumentalist from Richmond, Virginia.
London duo Blue Lab Beats have been taking jazz into the stratosphere with a futuristic melting pot fuelled by hip-hop, Afrobeats and electronica.
They will release their eagerly awaited second album 'Voyage' on October 18th and you can pre-order it at backl.ink/voyage.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
NK: 'The Click Song' by Miriam Makeba.
A song that defines the teenage you?
NK: 'Work (Remix)' by A$AP Ferg.
One record you would keep forever?
NK: 'Songs In The Key Of Life' by Stevie Wonder.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
NK: Not exactly an inspiration but I love...
"Clips, whatever happened to. 38 Special?
Now it’s Desert Eagles, government issue
Probably the same one that killed Noriega. Chips
that power nuclear bombs that power my Sega"
From 'Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers' by The Crooklyn Dodgers - Jeru The Damaja’s verse.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
NK: 'Music' by Erick Sermon ft Marvin Gaye.
A song you wished you had written?
NK: 'Contusion' by Stevie Wonder.
Best song to turn up loud?
NK + DM: 'Players' by Slum Village.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
NK: 'Wells Fargo' by Dreamville.
DM: 'Synchronicity II' by The Police.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
NK: 'The Light' by Common.
DM: 'Holding You Loving You' by Don Blackman.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
NK: 'Be Encouraged' by Kiefer.
'I Think About You Sometimes' by Brother's Testament.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Blue Lab Beats:
NK-OK, North London.
Mr DM, North West London.
Describe your style in three words?
NK: Colourful, joyful, fun.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
NK: Nas 20 year of Illmatic tour in Roundhouse London.
DM: Blue Note Cruise, Derrick Hodge band, R+R=NOW, Christian Scott Atunde Ajudha.
If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
NK: Anderson Paak.
DM: Bernard Wright and Banda Black Rio.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
NK: Grime for grungy drums/drum patterns, gritty bass lines.
DM: Jazz-funk/Rare groove.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
NK: J Dilla. What he did for hip hop sonically how he EQ’d his drums, his bounce and whole vibe, but I'd need more than an hour with him if he were still here!
DM: I’d spend an hour with Herbie Hancock, Clare Fischer, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Ayers, Warren Wolf, J Dilla.
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
NK: WOMAD Festival because of Bowers sound system and the crowd and our features, Tiana Major9, Kojey Radical and Kaidi Akinnibi. And our Oval Space headline show as I love the venue, all our features and crowd was so concentrated and enjoyed the gig so much!
DM: WOMAD Festival, Oval Space, Troy bar for its intimacy.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
NK: Kankick- his drum programming is ridiculous how he flips samples and EQ’s stuff.
DM: Chad Hugo, 1/2 of the band Neptunes and 1/3 of the band NERD. His genius gets overlooked a lot and DJ Harrison, a multi-instrumentalist from Richmond, Virginia.
London duo Blue Lab Beats have been taking jazz into the stratosphere with a futuristic melting pot fuelled by hip-hop, Afrobeats and electronica.
They will release their eagerly awaited second album 'Voyage' on October 18th and you can pre-order it at backl.ink/voyage.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
NK: 'The Click Song' by Miriam Makeba.
A song that defines the teenage you?
NK: 'Work (Remix)' by A$AP Ferg.
One record you would keep forever?
NK: 'Songs In The Key Of Life' by Stevie Wonder.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
NK: Not exactly an inspiration but I love...
"Clips, whatever happened to. 38 Special?
Now it’s Desert Eagles, government issue
Probably the same one that killed Noriega. Chips
that power nuclear bombs that power my Sega"
From 'Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers' by The Crooklyn Dodgers - Jeru The Damaja’s verse.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
NK: 'Music' by Erick Sermon ft Marvin Gaye.
A song you wished you had written?
NK: 'Contusion' by Stevie Wonder.
Best song to turn up loud?
NK + DM: 'Players' by Slum Village.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
NK: 'Wells Fargo' by Dreamville.
DM: 'Synchronicity II' by The Police.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
NK: 'The Light' by Common.
DM: 'Holding You Loving You' by Don Blackman.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
NK: 'Be Encouraged' by Kiefer.
'I Think About You Sometimes' by Brother's Testament.
Blue Lab Beats | Stand Up (2019)
Blue Lab Beats | Vibe Tribe (2019)
Blue Lab Beats | Pineapple (2018)
Blue Lab Beats | Movement (2016)