Lakota’s ones to watch 2023 – Bristol Drum and Bass/140 female and non-binary artists

2022 has drawn to a close, and with the beginning of 2023 comes lots of excitement in the Drum and Bass scene, particularly for female and non-binary artists and DJs, since 2022 was an astounding year for the progression and development of female representatives within a predominantly cis-male dominated scene. 

We take a look back at some female drum and bass artists who stood out for us last year representing Bristol’s bustling bass scene, whilst also taking a peek into the future at the new wave of female DnB/140 producers and DJs who are set to break through the scene in 2023!

MANDIDEXTROUS (They/Them/Trans/Non-binary)

Mandidextrous unquestionably went from strength to strength last year, pushing the boundaries and crossing genres in their own unique style combining DnB, hard Techno and Bassline. As a former EQ50 mentee, they have since taken the nation by storm with dancefloor damaging releases on Ram Records, Imprint, Program, Device and Bristol’s very own Born On Road, plus a plethora of main stage and Headline shows, as well as closing sets at Printworks.

This powerhouse prides themself on warping ravers’ minds with their high energy productions, unruly mixing and switching up genres to a whole new level. As a trans-empowered artist striving for equality, Mandi stands as an inspiration for young aspiring LGBTQ+ DJs by speaking out about equality within the music industry to help enact change within the DnB community and wider scene to make it a safer and more inclusive space.

Check out Mandi’s hefty release ‘Techno On My Mind’ here.

EUPHONIQUE (She/Her)

Next up we have Jungle queen, music teacher, mentor, DJ and producer, Euphonique. Originally hailing from Manchester but now representing the Bristol scene, this influential and empowering female has become an inspiration for many other young females in Bristol with her success as an artist and expertise as a mentor, driven by community and equality. 

Euphonique certainly put her stamp on the genre last year. Her intricate mixing and production skills have led her to play festivals including Glastonbury, Boomtown, Hospitality On The Beach and Love Saves the Day. 2022 has seen her release on Deep In The Jungle, Jungle Cakes, Dread Recordings and Hospital records, including a feature on Hospital favourite Lens’ mixtape. Last year was a big year for Euphonique and we can’t wait to see what she brings this year!

Listen to Euphonique ‘Reload’ on Lens Hospital Mixtape here. 

ONES TO WATCH…

ANAIS (She/Her)

For our next female to watch, we have Anais. If you’re local to Bristol, then Anais needs no introduction! 

As a former Lakota resident, budding DnB producer, DJ and key member of ‘Best Newcomer Label’ winners ‘Invicta Audio’, Anais has quickly made a name for herself in the scene. Since discovering DnB at an early age with school friend and Invicta Audio founder, Anton Bailey, the dynamic duo funnelled their energy into the music with DJing and Anais later became inspired to take producing seriously during lockdown by Euphonique. 

Following a number one Juno Download release with her Bad Gyal EP, Anais gained traction to play at Boomtown, WHP, Tokyo World and Tobacco Docks for the mighty DnB Allstars. Following this, Hospital Records picked up her latest release with club banger ‘Tek It Easy’ and has starred as a guest on Charlie Tee’s BBC Radio 1 dance show. 

This small but mighty artist specialises in taking ravers on a journey with her fast, unpredictable mixing and original blend of ragga and 4×4 style. She will leave you captivated with her strikingly creative sound, heavy subs and varying drum patterns; Anais really has no limits! Prepare for lots more releases this year and be sure to follow her journey.

P.S. we’ve also heard she’s been in the studio with Euphonique!

Listen to her newest track ‘Tek It Easy’ out on Hospital here.

ENADA (She/Her)

Introducing Enada…a bourgeoning Dubstep DJ and owner of 140 and DnB collective Dynamics, celebrating female, female-identifying and non-binary artists in a unique way through an accessible database. Enada’s ingenious idea was originally sparked after a conversation with best friend and DJ, Kyrist on the lack of knowledge and access to females in the scene. Following this, Dynamics was birthed in the form of an artist database, broken down into producer, DJ and genre categories to give women a platform to be discovered by fans and promoters. 

On the DJ front, it’s safe to say, Enada is gaining momentum in the scene as a highly talented DJ, as well as an activist and spokesperson in the 140 community, leading the way in making a conscious effort to change the lack of female representation in the genre. 

Enada is somewhat of an encyclopaedia of dubstep knowledge which shows through in her deeply underground and moving sets, with a careful selection of tunes that lean towards the darker side. This year, we’ve seen her play for the mighty 1985, Outlook Festival, Rinse FM, former Bristol radio station SWU FM, and more recently core dubstep label Deep Medi. We have plenty to look forward to from her in 2023 and we’ll be keeping a close eye to see what she does next!

Listen to Enada’s most recent mix for Deep Medi Musik here.

AVERSE (She/Her)

Last but not least, we have talented newcomer: Averse. Having steadily been building her profile in Bristol over the last few years’, Averse is no amateur when it comes to the genre as a core member of the Dynamics team with Enada and former member of popular girl boss trio, Nuance. 2022 has been an important year for her as a DJ, beginning to find her feet as a solo artist inspired by the tech-step era and underground DnB.

After a deep passion for Drum and Bass for 6 years, Averse was inspired to take up mixing after she came across leading female DJ, Kyrist…and we are very glad she did! Initially inspired by the darker, techier and more minimal side to DnB, Averse has since obtained 5 years of experience behind the decks, with a fresh underground mixing style that specialises in rolling tunes and funky DnB with rugged drums. Her sets showcase her distinctive style, digging deep through the back catalogues of her favourite labels CIA, Soul:R, Commercial Suicide, Sofa Sound, Carbon and Dispatch. This girl has a real passion for the music, and it shows!

Admirably, Averse prides herself on ‘unapologetically and authentically doing what you love’ and not allowing her sense of worth to be defined by social media statistics. Having played for Sofa Sound, Outlook UK for Dynamics, Metalheadz, Overview and Fabric supporting Break on room 1 duties, it’s safe to say that this approach is paying off. As such, we expect big things to come from her in 2023! Be sure to check out her FRS (funky rolling shit) mix series to hear what she’s all about.

Check the FRS mix series here.

Danielle Dell 05.01.22