Introducing… N-Type

Q: So who are you and why are you here?
A: Hello my names N-Type! No I'm not a type of car, a computer game or mates with R2 D2, Im a DJ, producer and label owner from Surrey.

Q: How would you describe a typical N-Type set?
A: Hype! Pure energy! I vibe off the crowd! I like to be spontaneous and creative. Not one of my sets is the same. I like to take people on a journey and work with the crowd. I build up the tension then hit them with straight bangers, maybe drop in some new exclusives, see how they like it then hit them with an anthem or two and tear down the dance with bangers again! Its all about getting on ya dancing shoe no time for rest. Lets have it!

Q: Three saviour tunes you always have in the bag?
A: Any Benga, Coki, Caspa, Skream and Kromestar tunes will hype up a rave. ‘Flames’ by Benga, ‘Burning’ by Coki, ‘Way of the Dub Rmx’ Caspa, Skream ‘Make Me’… That's four, I know.

Q: Best dance ever played and why?
A: The best dance I’ve played at would have to be a toss up between FWD>> and DMZ! Ever since Velvet Rooms, back in the day, I have wanted to play at FWD>> I was so happy to be playing there! The vibes were amazing! Going back 2 back with Hatcha there was cool too… And Oh. My. God. DMZ was nuts. I did one of my best mixed sets ever at DMZ up in the Brixton Mass! The crowd were goin' nutty and I was getting loads of rewinds! That was one of the happiest days of my DJ career.

Q: Most memorable set for all the wrong reasons?
Three spring to mind... But I’ll tell you about Imperial Gardens when I was 17. Some garage raves and venues were getting trouble and this rave was DIRT! People were getting jacked in the dance and the vibe was dark. We were playing garage in this shack of a third room, we got some super gear from my mate and got off our faces. We became nervous wrecks, sweating it up with this monitor speaker of doom that we couldn't turn down cos the mixer was broken. It was so load in my ear was practically eating my eardrum and making my soul shudder!

Q: How will your mix for the Dubstep Allstars compilation differ from those in the past?
A: I don't want people to compare my mix to the others in the series as I believe the point of Dubstep Allstars is to be unique and show people a slice of your personality as a DJ. A noticeable difference is there are quite a lot of tunes on this helping but this is down to the style of my mixing. I wanted my mix to give off the energy I create in a rave but at the same time give certain tracks enough time to breathe. I
have always believed if you leave tracks in to long in a rave, they become boring and people start to stand around plus you loose impact of the next tune. There has to be a balance in short impact mixing and longer more technical mixing that's why I try to combine both. Dubstep Allstars 5 is a good representation of me as a DJ and the current selection of producers and riddims that are smashing dance-floors around the world.

Check for bookings or listen to N-Type over at www.myspace.com/djntype or every Sunday, 11-1 am on www.rinse.fm

A version of this appeared in Blues & Soul