(Fabric Records) - At the age of 16, Lincoln Barrett (aka High Contrast) impulsively bought a Cubase demo, intrigued by the claim: 'With this, you can even make your own jungle tunes!' With a background rooted in the film industry and minimal knowledge of jungle (or music for that matter), he didn't have high expectations.
Little did he know that only seven years later he'd be flourishing: signed to Hospital Records, locked in a bulky international DJ schedule and causing a deafening buzz around the world with his illustriously received debut LP 'True Colours.'
"It was quite bizarre listening to the music then and just not having any idea about what the drums were, you know, it was just alien to me. It was so different to anything I knew because growing up there was no one around who had any interest in dance music. So I just started playing around with Cubase, really just taught myself everything. I started off trying to make jungle at 120 beats per minute!" – High Contrast
High Contrast entered the world of drum n bass without pretence or warning, lighting up the scene with his dazzling tunes and irrevocably changing its composition. As he spent the majority of his life engrossed in films, he had the objectivity needed to pan out from the norm and focus on a different angle. His imaginative singles and remixes find comfortable homes in the record boxes of the scene's most notable DJs, and influence other DJs across the musical spectrum.
'Not being someone totally immersed in drum n bass culture, I wasn't really aware of how different what I was doing was, you know? I played it to some people that were more long-term junglists and they'd be a bit like: 'Well, it's a bit too different.' People used to think I was nuts for going and buying an old disco record to sample, where as now it's completely acceptable.' – High Contrast
As a DJ, High Contrast mirrors his reflective production approach by finding the fine balance between the chaos of a heaving dancefloor and the serenity of at-home listening. His eclectic sets are a true antithesis to the criticism that drum n bass is jarring and redundant. His DJing style is highlighted on Fabriclive 25: a warm, glittery mix that provides a vivid snapshot of some of drum n bass' most exciting artists. It explores the wide grounds of the genre from the smooth, sunny 'Restart' by DJ Marky, Bungle & DJ Roots to the turbulent, thunderous beats of Sparfunk & Joe Solo's 'Rapture.' The mix is pushed forward by classic rolling basslines from Blame, swept by stunning melodies on Klute's celestial 'Hell Hath No Fury,' and infused with Miami breaks and bass on 'Ghetto Blaster.' It ends with High Contrasts' own 'Days Go By,' a palpable wave of soul and emotion that brings the things to a delicate close as it slowly fades to black.
FABRICLIVE.25: High Contrast Tracklisting
01. Adam F 8ball Breakbeat Kaos
02. London Elektricity Power Ballad Hospital Records
03. DJ Marky, Bungle & DJ Roots Restart Innerground Records
04. Logistics - Life Rhythm Hospital Records
05. Cyantific Vs Logistics Flashback Hospital Records
06. Funky Technicians Desperate Housewives Advanced Recordings
07. Martyn Nxt 2 u Play:musik
08. Cyantific Ghetto Blaster Hospital Records
09. Jenna G Woe Bingo Beats
10. Matrix Vs Futurebound Strength 2 Strength Metro Rec/Viper Rec
11. Artificial Intelligence The Big Picture Widescreen Rec
12. Craggz And Parallel Forces Love Insane Valve Recordings
13. Danny Byrd Soul Function Hospital Records
14. Blame Solar Burn Charge Recordings
15. Logistics Summer Sun Hospital Records
16. Chris S.U. & SKC What's Happening? Hospital Records
17. State Of Mind Real McCoy CIA Records
18. Nero Bitch I'm Gone Formation Records
19. Total Science Going In Circles [A.I. Remix] CIA Records
20. Klute Hell Hath No Fury Commercial Suicide
21. Sparfunk & Joe Solo Rapture Ram Records
22. High Contrast Days Go By The Contrast
