Society of Sound: Blue Lab Beats

Blue Lab Beats are NK-OK, aka 18-year-old electronic beats programmer Namali Kwaten, and Mr DM, aka multi-instrumentalist David Mrakpor, 23. A double act with a combined love of hip hop artists J. Dilla, Public Enemy and a Tribe Called Quest; jazz heroes Herbie Hancock and Roy Ayers; soul legends Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield.

They pair fuse minds as well as genres. Their new Society of Sound release, Xover, captures their sultry mish-mash, with its American source and London attitude – the duo neatly side-step the clearance problems that beset so many of their hip hop heroes by cutting up live music made especially for them, effectively sampling themselves.

The album was recorded at Real World Studios.

Read more & hear Blue Lab Beats

"We just do what we love doing. Whenever we're together the work flows really fast."

By Online Editor

Published on Fri, 20 October 17

Further reading

GRIT wins Modern Scottish Classic Award

The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) has today announced Martyn Bennett’s final studio a...

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali announce new album At the Feet of the Beloved

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali return with another deeply accomplished, moving collection of songs.

‘I’m really moved by people’s response to it’ – John Metcalfe discusses the album Tree

John Metcalfe releases three new remixes of tracks from his album 'Tree' and brings a special perfor...

Swaken Lyrics

Bab L' Bluz second album, Swaken, released in May 2024. These are the song lyrics in English, French...