Shy FX was in his mid-teens when he made tracks that helped define the early jungle scene. Since 2005, he's run Digital Soundboy with one purpose: to release music he likes, whatever the style or tempo.

The drum & bass scene has changed a lot since the mid-90s, when Shy FX was releasing genre-defining tracks such as Original Nuttah. But Shy's enthusiasm for music has stayed constant. He started Digital Soundboy in 2005 to be a close-knit team of artists with a passion for UK dance music in its many forms.
 
"The whole point of Digital Soundboy is it's good music, whether it's drum & bass, dubstep, broken beat, hip hop, whatever," says Shy. "We want to put out the best music we can, and not think about tempos."
 
The label's back catalogue starts with the superbly upbeat Feelings by Shy FX & T Power. It also features Breakage's recent album, Foundation, a cross-genre selection that's tipped as one of the best albums of 2010. Digital Soundboy has signed D&B from DJ Fresh and Calibre, and dubstep from Skream, Benga and Caspa. Today, Shy says he's got plenty more big names asking to be involved.
 
"Everyone on the label's got the same vibe," he says. "Let's just go into the studio, jump up and down and whatever tempo that vibe's at, let's make a beat."
 
The label's had a number of chart successes, most recently with Shy's remix of Wiley's Never Be Your Woman hitting the top ten in the UK. But Shy says he's not concerned if his tracks don't generate big sales and claims he'll release music even if he thinks it won't break even.

 

Naughty Boy Feat. Wiley & Emeli Sandé 'Never Be Your Woman' (Shy FX Radio Edit) by DigitalSoundBoy

 

Digital Soundboy has signed a range of diverse acts such as Redlight, the new alias of DJ Clipz, who's making a raucous blend of house and funky rhythms. MC Stamina is aboard, as is singer Donae'o. There's also a strong roster of drum & bass artists such as Marcus Visionary, Benny Page and newcomer Rockwell. Digital Soundboy has its roots in jungle, but it's now grown to embrace a much wider selection of sounds.
 
"There's a skank in everything we do"
 
Before Digital Soundboy, Shy ran a label called Ebony, which he started around 1996 as an outlet for his own music. Jon Wrec aka MC Wrec, who does label management for Digital Soundboy, jokes that Shy is thought of as "a bit of godfather of the scene". However, Wrec warns against viewing him as an elder statesman.
 
"He's actually really young," says Wrec. "Him and Andy C made their big records when they were 15. They went into the charts when me and you were still on the bus. There's a misconception that Shy is this old G. He is a G but he's not old!"

Though the label puts out different styles of music, there is a common thread. "There's always a skank in everything we do," says Wrec. "It's all black-influenced British music."
 
This description covers a range of music from dubstep to UK funky and more. But Wrec says this diversity reflects the label's origins in mid-90s jungle, which "wasn't restricted by rules and BPMs". There's a reggae influence too, especially in Shy's and Breakage's music. And of course, everything is bass heavy.
 
"Shy is one of the few guys from that generation that we all grew up listening to that's still relevant now," says Wrec, explaining the label's success. "He spots talent before everybody else."

"D&B needs a kick up the arse"
 
Though Shy comes across in interviews as a calm and tranquil character, he's not afraid to criticise aspects of the scene that he dislikes. He disapproves of labels that split their output into sub-labels as these break up the scene into segments. He also frowns on music production that's obsessively technical or self-absorbed. This attitude says a lot about Digital Soundboy's approach.
 
"It's very important to know your equipment and to push things. But the most important thing is the vibe. Now, people are so caught up on showing off what they can do with a sound or whatnot, they forgot about the basics: the groove and the party," he explains.
 
This obsession with technical skill and "showing off about how loud it can get" has sapped creativity in the scene, says Shy. There's less variation in the music than in the jungle days and this is disappointing for a guy who was drawn to jungle precisely because it was a mish-mash of different styles.
 
"It was a melting pot of different cultures and genres and everything – reggae influences and rock influences," says Shy. "Now you've got a generation of people that were brought up on drum & bass. They're making it but they've got no other inspirations."
 
"Gone are the days when the same plate sounds totally different from the first part of the tune," he adds, sadly. "People have to come and give D&B a kick up the arse. I don't think D&B is dead by the way, I just think people have got a bit lazy with it."
 
Keeping the vibe
 
One of the crucial things about Digital Soundboy is that everyone on the label gets a say about the label's direction. Shy says he won't put out a track if one of his artists has a strong objection. The Digital Soundboy team keep a close bond and renew their creativity with regular listening sessions, each artist picking pieces they enjoy and discussing what they like about them.
 
Maintaining the ability to enjoy music is crucial for any musician, but strangely many producers and DJs neglect it. The routine of constant travelling, gigs, label business and press can wear down an artist over the years.
 
"There's a misconception from the gigs that it's all fun and we're all running round and everyone's making loads of money," says Wrec. "The reality of it is a lot of people have lost their creative juices because they've been doing it for so long."
 
Faced with this worrying prospect, it makes sense that Digital Soundboy is run more as an artist collective than a hard-nosed business. Shy says his intention is to surround himself with the kind of creative people he knew when he was learning his craft in the early 90s. Apart from simply putting out the music he likes, Shy claims to have no other ambitions.
 
"Shy makes music he wants to dance to," says Wrec. "He has the energy and he has the enthusiasm, and as long as you have those two things you're going to be in a good place."

Words: George Mitton

Download DJ B Traits' Digital Soundboy Showcase mix

 

Tracklisting

1. Riot Music - Donaeo
2. Riot Music (Skream Remix) - Donaeo
3. Burning Up - Skream
4. Memories of 3rd Base - Skream
5. My Pet Monster - Caspa
6. Pan Pipes - Benny Page
7. Rain - Breakage
8. Justified - Breakage
9. Together (ft. David Rodigan) - Breakage
10. Hard (ft. Newham Generals & David Rodigan) - Breakage
11. Little Bits - Benga
12. Speachless (ft. Donaeo) - Breakage
13. Open Up - Breakage
14. Step Out - Benny Page
15. Trigger Finger - Benny Page
16. Stop Watching - Benga
17. Floor Dem - Caspa
18. Make if Funky For Me (Rusko Remix) - Attacca Pesante
19. Make it Funky For Me (ft. Shea Soul) - Attacca Pesante
20. Feelings - Shy FX & T Power
21. Change - Visionary
22. Hustlin - Visionary
23. Bashment Boogie VIP - Benny Page
24. Urban Tribe - Benny Page
25. Fever - Benny Page & Zero G
26. Gangsta (ft. Spyda) - Benny Page
27. Turn Down The Lights - Benny Page
28. Can't Test VIP - Benny Page
29. Can't Test - Benny Page
30. Musical Heatwave - Benny Page
31. On The Run (ft. David Boomah) - Shy FX
32. Under Surveilance - Benny Page
33. Rub A Dub - Benny Page
34. Everyday (ft. Top Cat) - Shy FX & T Power
35. Everyday (Chase & Status Remix) - Shy FX & T Power
36. Badness - Visionary
37. Creeping Dub - Heist & Studio 12
38. Green Destiny - Loxy
39. Miss Nobody - Vapor
40. Fantasia - DJ Fresh
41. Time Moves On - Marky & S.P.Y.
42. Armshouse - Gremlinz
43. Havanna - Vicious Circle
44. The Gift and Curse - Loxy
45. Promises Promises - Vapor & Jem One
46. Riff Raff - Marky & S.P.Y.
47. Jaguar Technique - Serum
48. Sunburn -
49. Near Miss - System
50. Bambaata (Break Remix) - Shy FX
51. Hold It - System
52. So Good - 8 Bits (Spinback & S.P.Y)
53. Heavyweight - DJ Fresh
54. Shaku - Lynx & Maple
55. Storyboard - Loxy
56. Untitled Dub - G Swift
57. Cage - System
58. Thoughtless - Calibre
59. Trip It - Calibre
60. Thought Reform - System
61. Stowaway - Rockwell
62. Tempa (ft. Kemo) - Breakage
63. Plastic Soul (D Bridge Remix) - Shy FX
64. Run Em Out (ft. Roots Manuva) - Breakage
65. No Sanction - Heist
66. Stupid (ft. Roses Gabor) - Redlight

Mix hosted by www.digital-tunes.net

 

• Shy FX
,
• Digital Soundboy

Related Links:

• Looking Back Looking Forward: MC Wrec
• DSB's New London Residency
• DJ Seven Presents Dubstep Dubplates Vol. 1
• Benny Gold Arrives In The UK
• MC Wrec announces new label details

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