Fresh off the back of his double award win at the Drum and Bass Awards 2021, Manchester-based DJ and producer, Bou, is killing the scene right now.
Last weekend, he picked up the award for Best Producer for the second year in a row, as well as Best Track for his collab with fellow Manc drum and bass legend Trigga with “Veteran VIP”.
He managed to take a break from his New Zealand tour this week to squeeze us in for a quick chat about what he’s up to at the minute.
Not only has he been busy swiping up industry awards, Bou has had his head down with the launch his own record label, Gossip – and its first release is out today.
“I’ve been visualising Gossip for over two years,” he told Audio. “Getting the right team together to make the dream come to life – having Dale, Hedex, David & Wilf around me – has helped me so much in making this happen and I can’t wait for the future of it.”
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“I have tons of unreleased bangers that I’ve kept for this label. From huge collabs with legends like High Contrast to dubs from myself that people have been after for the last three years – and also talks of my first album on there. I have so much to release and create, and it’s finally time.
“My first release on the label is “Cous Cous”, with the talented Inja. I’ve been sat on this tune for around a year and a half, so I can’t wait to get it out. Plus, we had a wicked livestream and music video to premiere, so keep an eye on that.”
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Looking back on Bou’s career so far, it’s been packed with highs and he’s still only 24-years-old.
He first got a taster of drum and bass when he went to a rave in some woods in Rivington with his mates when he was 15 – and he instantly became hooked on the genre.
So, he set about learning to DJ and produce and cites Shy FX as one of his early inspirations. But it was the legendary station Bloc2Bloc that helped him find his spot on the Manchester scene.
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The guy behind it, Jack Banner, helped put Manchester’s bass music on the map and was streaming online long before the pandemic-induced livestreams came along.
Any up-and-coming drum and bass or jungle artist in Manchester is likely to have passed through the Bloc2Bloc HQ at some point, Bou being one of them.
“I met so many people [at Bloc2Bloc] who are into drum and bass,” said Bou. “Having a community of people that relate to what you want to do is massively important, in my opinion. Jack has helped myself and many artists grow so much. Huge respects to him.”
Now, Bou is on track to becoming one of the most exciting producers on the scene at the minute. His recent awards speak for themselves. But his secret to success is taking your time with productions and releases, as you’re always learning and improving.
“I feel like my sound is always developing and maturing the longer I make music. And my taste is always changing,” he said. “One of the main things I love in drum and bass is there is so many ways to express yourself when making it, it’s something you don’t find in a lot of other genres.”
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He’s got a load of tours and festivals all around the world planned for the post-Covid comeback.
Currently touring New Zealand, he’s played alongside some familiar Mancunian drum and bass faces like Tonn Piper this week, headlining in front of a 4000-strong crowd in Christchurch. Something he says is still so surreal.
But despite global success, Bou still manages to stay humble. And it’s only a matter of time before he becomes one of the biggest names in the genre – if he isn’t already.
If you’re into drum and bass, keep your eyes on Gossip because there’ll be a lot going down on the label very soon.
Listen to “Cous Cous” on our New Manc Audio playlist now here.
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Featured image: @rhysbelding/IG
Music
Ocean Colour Scene announce 2025 gig at legendary local venue in Manchester
Thomas Melia
2024 just keeps giving us more excuses to roll back the years as UK rock veterans Ocean Colour Scene have announced a Manchester date as part of their upcoming UK and Ireland tour next spring.
The Birmingham-based Britpop band and alternative rock band are heading out across the country, starting in Leeds (did you hear that, Hooties?) and reaching Manchester around halfway into their 22-date tour.
OCS were most prominent in the 90s when British rock was arguably enjoying one of its most influential periods ever, and the beloved Brummies, rather fittingly, were very part of that scene.
Known for their successful hits like ‘The Riverboat Song’, ‘The Day We Caught The Train’ and ‘The Circle’ just to name a few, this announcement comes just a few months after the release of their Best Of Album which dropped back in June.
We're excited to announce we will be touring the UK & Ireland in 2025 with very special guest Kula Shaker (selected dates)! Tickets go on general sale 4th October at 10am, sign up here to gain early access to the pre-sale from 2nd October at 10am – https://t.co/GPCuNjpL1npic.twitter.com/fQhVCFjJCx
Manchester and the UK at large are about to be dominated by Britpop in 2025, as we’re still fresh from the Oasis reunion and the upcoming tour, with Heaton Park set for four fantastic nights, but other genre-adjacent names like The Cure are also set to release their first new record in more than 16 years.
As for Ocean Colour Scene, they’re set to follow in the Manc icons’ footsteps with their tour announcement stopping off at another landmarkManchester live music spot, the legendary O2 Apollo.
If fans are hoping to have a ‘Better Day’, they can catch them at the Apollo in April or one of their many other Northern shows, including dates at Leeds’ O2 Academy, Sheffield’s City Hall and Mountford Hall in Liverpool, as well as some big venues down south.
As well as being admired by fans, the charts loved them too as they remain one of the UK’s most revered bands of all time, having three top-five albums around the turn of the century and influencing generations of artists in the decades since their heyday.
It really is going to feel like the late 90s are back again as a psychedelic rock band and fellow contemporaries Kula Shaker will be supporting them on this tour, known for their smash debut single ‘Tattva’ and with plenty more nostalgic tracks to be enjoyed.
Crowds at any show you decide to attend are expected to be some of the best, known especially for their dedication to singing along to those memorable choruses frontman Simon Fowler.
Speaking on the announcement, 59-year-old Fowler said, “Having had such a great time playing festivals all through summer, we now have an incredible tour to look forward to in 2025. And we’re delighted that our old friends Kula Shaker will be joining us for so many of these dates. See you there.”
Ocean Colour Scene with support from Kula Shaker will be stopping off in Manchester on Saturday, 12 April, tickets go live on 4 October from 10am HERE.
MTV is hosting a week-long venue takeover with some exciting artists to celebrate the EMAs coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
In case you haven’t heard, the MTV EMAs (European Music Awards) is coming to Manchester later this year, and to mark the massive occasion, they’re hosting a huge week-long takeover at some of the city’s best venues.
This may be a first for Manchester but this isn’t the only time the award ceremony has come to the UK, with London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Belfast all having hosted it before, and with the world-leading Co-op Live now attracting endless global artists, the state-of-the-art venue was a no-brainer.
However, they’re no muppets, these MTV lot: they know that Manchester has one of if not the best music scenes on the planet and has some of the most influential venues to back it up, so they’ve decided to partner with several of them for a celebratory gig takeover.
Running from 5-9 November (Tuesday to Saturday), MTV Music Week will host a series of live music nights at some of the city’s best concert spots and nightlife destinations.
Showcasing both rising and well-established artists from Manchester and beyond, MTV‘s annual Music Week for the 2024 EMAs isn’t just sponsoring a few extra shows ahead of the awards do, they’ll also bespotlighting homegrown artists, hosting unforgettable performances as well as industry workshops.
With the likes of Rebellion, Band on the Wall and Soup Kitchen, as well as Depot Mayfield and Aviva Studios – home to The Warehouse Project and Factory International, respectively – all taking part, this is effectively a week-long tour of some Manc’s most magical music venues.
Acts that we’re excited to see include homegrown indie and alternative lads, Larkins; fast-rising electronic cult favourite, salute, as well as drum and bass duo Piri and Tommy, just to name a few.
Better still, with sub-brands like MTV Push Live, Club MTV and YO! MTV Raps hosting several of these stages, you can rest assured that there’s plenty of variety when it comes to genres.
Alongside MTV Music Week and the 2024 MTV EMAs, Paramount’s Creators House is also heading to Manchester that same week.
As part of their ‘Content for Change’ event series, this company-wide, social impact-led initiative will take place across between 7-9 November, with a packed slate of programming and networking opportunities aimed at Manchester’s creative community.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said of the event series: “Our music scene in Manchester is the stuff of legend and we’re known the world over for our brilliant musicians and iconic venues.
“Music Week will be a great showcase for our city and the stage is set for an incredible Manchester music takeover. A boost for the industry, our economy, and fantastic opportunities for some of our best homegrown artists as well as unforgettable performances for audiences to enjoy.”
The EMAs land on 10 November but before then, you can grab tickets for any of the 10 exciting events happening over MTV Music Week Manchester 2024 HERE. Catch you there!
Hannah Starkie -
7th May 2021 
