AC13: “Drum & Bass Represents the Underground”

DJ, producer, and Alpha Circuit label boss AC13 swung by to spin a mix and share his thoughts on the drum and bass scene.

Turn back the clock to 2017, and you’ll find AC13 getting his footing within the drum and bass community. He picked up momentum soon after, leading labels like Crucast, DnB Allstars, Tomorrowland Music, and Universal Music to sign his records while getting nods to play festivals and shows all over Europe, Australia, Canada, and more.

At the core of this Brighton-based producer’s soul are the infectious grooves and jump-up energy of drum and bass, and his passion runs deep. “Drum and bass really represents the underground. It’s energy, unity, and raw expression,” he said about the genre. “The community is like a global family built on a shared passion and underground spirit that’s full of amazing people.”

Drum and bass has started to really have its impact around the world, to be honest. I think there’s still a long way to go for other countries that are adopting it, but recently, it’s become a bit of a worldwide phenomenon, which is a good thing! As long as the underground element stays alive, that’s all that matters!
AC13

AC13’s approach to drum and bass has taken the scene by storm, but he has only recently honed in on his signature sound. “I have been through as many styles as I have haircuts in the past five years, and I’ve finally landed on what works for me, a sound I can identify with,” he shared. “I’m really enjoying making this kind of fast-paced, high-energy jump-up that still retains an element of melody.”

While his solo work has stunned crowds, collaboration has been on AC13’s mind as well. Last year brought forth “I MISS U” with Leo Baby and “POW” with Eksman, while he’s teamed up with Primate on “Action” and KAZHI, Cartoon, and Jessee on “Made For The Game” already in 2025.

This year also marks the start of a new project for AC13 as he’s teamed up with REAPER to form ALPHA:OMEGA, aka A:O. This collaborative project is rooted in 2020 when he remixed REAPER’s tune with Bella Renee, “IMY.” Fast-forward two years, and not only had his version of the tune found a home on Disruptor Remixes but he finally met the fellow DnB producer at Rampage Festival.

“After a few (too many) drinks backstage, we knocked heads with our managers and thought, ‘Screw it, let’s do a b2b at Rampage next year,'” he shared. “After the success of a B2B the following year, we thought we should take it further and really capitalise on what we had going, thus giving life to A:O.”

Photo Credit: Rampage

Since joining forces as ALPHA:OMEGA, the two artists embarked on a quick tour of Europe. This included stops at Let It Roll Winter, a return to Rampage Sportpaleis in Antwerp, and shows in London and Bristol. The first release from the project, “Face2Face” with Hedara, was also released in May to build on the hype they’ve sparked in the scene.

The energy surrounding AC13 is bubbling up, brightening his future in the scene. This summer, he’s set to make his return to Rampage Open Air with a back-to-back set with Murdock that will be filled with heaters. That’s not all that this UK talent has global ambitions, citing Japan and South America as two places he wants to play and visit.

As for the future of drum and bass, AC13 feels like it’s difficult to tell where it’s heading next. “Drum and bass is an ever-evolving ebb and flow of change, progress, and development,” he said. “No one can really predict the next big thing. I would like to think Jungle is making its way back into the limelight.”

Although he can’t predict where the scene is heading, AC13 plans to be part of the next era of drum and bass, especially after starting his label, Alpha Circuit. The release of “FAFO” trumpeted the arrival of the imprint, and it’s since hosted multiple nights in the UK. Alpha Circuit has also opened AC13’s mind to more artists as he sifts through demos. “It helped bring so many fantastic artists to my attention, ” he said. “Some of those I’m rocking with the most at the moment are DJ Limited, Latte & Toxinate, Bennie, and Tantron.”

To showcase his style and where he’s heading artistically, AC13 dropped off a stunning mix for our Drum & Bass Devotions series. The mix features a flurry of his original tunes and curated tracks from Kanine, Dimension, and Toxinate, among others. Listen to this exclusive guest mix on SoundCloud, and follow his social media channels to stay in the know about upcoming releases and shows.

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