NEWS
EVENTS
Get to know: Redlight
House | Thursday 13th August 2015 | Arren
Redlight will be releasing his debut album, X Colours on his label Lobster Boy later on this month. We take a look back at his impressive career.
Few are as good at crafting bass as producers from the UK. There is something about this island that makes us love bass in our face. This obsession is something that has transferred into the works of many UK producers, and Bristolian Hugh Pescod is no different. Better known as Redlight, Hugh is a champion of UK music and has been slicing subs with his bass heavy riddims for years. He has stormed the underground with countless classics all whilst hitting it big in the mainstream by adding a softer touch to his unparalleled style.
Hugh began his musical journey in the early noughties under drum & bass alias Clipz. During these years he moulded his style and began earning his DJ stripes. Clipz’s heavy, in your face take on the jump-up style smashed the drum & bass scene and caught the attention of some of the biggest names around. He was widely celebrated in the genre and saw his productions feature in all kind of drum & bass mixes and albums. Such was the thirst for his production skills that Clipz was commissioned for a number of remix duties for heavy duty artists such as Dillinja, TC and Pendulum.
Clipz and his impressive back catalogue of music left a lasting legacy in drum & bass. His tunes were filthy, fast paced and a lot of fun. But all good things come to an end, and Clipz drew to a close in 2009. But as one chapter finishes a new one begins, and this new chapter was a venture into a more twisted, experimental look into all things bass.
Redlight was the name for this new project and along with a new label Lobster Boy, Hugh was ready to rattle those subs with a new formula. He kicked things off in 2009 with 'Rock The House / Twist Up' and the Lobster Boy EP. These new releases were on a more breakbeat tip but drew heavy influences from a number of big UK genres, all whilst maintaining his characteristic bass infused fun. They picked up support from a number of big DJs and he quickly became a host on BBC Radio 1’s In New DJ’s We Trust show.
The radio show meant he became an ambassador for bass music; a figure for pushing a new, post dubstep, bass obsessed musical style to all those bass obsessed audiences. He began attracting a lot of attention and for all the right reasons. He knew good bass music and brought it to the thousands. New music was inevitable from the producer and his next releases came out on some very reputable labels, namely Shy FX’s Digital Soundboy and Chase & Status’ MTA Records, a sign that things were working out very well.
As the years went on Redlight created a swarm of incredible bass anthems, from the grimey ‘What You Talking About’ featuring Ms Dynamite to the rave wrecker ‘Source 16’ alongside a huge list of high profile remixes for names including Little Boots, The Maccabees and Magnetic Man. Not satisfied with dominating the underground, in 2012 he began his assault on the mainstream with a new piano centred house anthem style. ‘Get Out Of My Head’ and ‘Lost In Your Love’ exploded in popularity both reaching the UK top 20.
Away from the studio Redlight is a highly sought after DJ, receiving bookings from festivals all over the world whilst also being a regular on the club circuit. His technical ability combined with his impressive record collection leads to supreme sets. His label has kept up the pressure, furthering his claim to throne of all things bass. It is quickly becoming the go-to label for top quality bass music with signings from Mak & Pasteman, New York Transit Authority, and most recently Mele with his summer hit ‘Ambience’.
He is a master of bass and is a leading figure when it comes to rumbling low frequencies. He has demonstrated this already this year with his BBC Essential Mix, which was filled with bass heavy tracks. His debut album out at the end of the month will only further this man's reputation as the boss of bass. Two tracks are out already and have been doing the rounds, and if they are anything to go by the album will be huge.
You can pre-order the album here, and check Redlight out online, on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud for more details.
