Lateral

Since joining Toronto Is Broken’s YANA Music as a brand new act to in the early summer of 2021, production duo Lateral have already shown that they have what it takes to become one of the leading acts in dancefloor drum & bass. A culmination of the last year’s releases and hard work, Lateral drop their debut self-titled EP showcasing the wide breadth of their high energy sound. Featuring tracks such as “Every Nite” and “Flesh & Blood”, they’ve already gained widespread support from the likes of Metrik, John B, El Hornet, Natty Lou, Something Something and many more in the scene.

I caught up with Ben and Patrick to find out more about their release and their love of music

Introduce yourself and tell us a bit of the history behind Lateral:

Ben: Well we both met at school and had music in common straight away. Back then it more guitars and things until Paddy got a beat machine. And he started to show me how to construct beats although it was mainly hip hop and grime stuff then. And then after he finished Uni he got a DAW and we starting making bits and bobs although it wasn’t dnb at this point… I was playing in a band at this time, but the idea of making electronic music appealed so much so i went and got a music PC too and then started to get a bit serious about it.

Where did you get your name from? 

Ben: Nothing deep or anything to this: we needed a name and brainstormed for about 2 weeks. This one was the least weird and most DnB sounding we could come up with. And there is 2 of us… we work side by side. Or “laterally” haha.

Who is your favourite non-dnb artist?

Ben: too many to chose honestly. I’m a massive fan of some pretty diverse stuff, my dads record collection got me into music. Everything from The Prodigy to scratchy old blues records and 70s punk and 60s rock. I love early hip hop so much as well.

Patrick: I listen to a lot of different styles but I’ve always been a big hip hop fan since I was a kid. Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Run the Jewels are a few artists I’m really feeling at the moment. Being a guitarist I’m also a massive Hendrix fan.

What was your first experience with Drum and Bass like?

Ben: It was a pretty slow thing for me – like I realised I liked dnb before i realised it was dnb. So i liked chase and status songs and pendulum and rudimental stuff and at some point I just realised “this is drum and bass!” When before I thought dnb was basically jungle music and stuff made before 2005. When i started to hear Netsky and High Contrast and people like that the penny dropped how amazingly diverse and exciting the genre is and I was hooked

Patrick: I remember going out raving to a few jungle nights when I was younger and loving the energy but never really pictured myself producing it. It was a few years later when I          started listening to D&B more regularly and learning about the different techniques that go into making it that I got more into it.

Talk about your signing to the label:

Ben: during the first lockdown possibly because there was all this free time we got a bit serious about trying to bring our stuff up to point. And after we got to a level where we thought we possibly get something signed we sent our track Do It to Christian aka Toronto Is Broken on a twitch stream where he did some demo feedback and things. And we saw him nodding along in real time as he played it and we thought that was a good sign and then after he said… “yeh id play that out – i’d sign that”

What is the thing you are most thankful for to date in your music career?

Ben: probably seeing all the support for our releases. We get random messages saying how people are loving our work fairly often which blows us away. Just fans saying big up, your tracks are sick etc… we always reply!

Patrick: Yeah its always nice to know people are feeling your music. But for me getting signed was big because we’d spent so long crafting our skills and it felt like it had finally                paid off.

Who are your top 5 current Drum and Bass artists?

Ben: Wow. So… it changes to be honest all the time, but right this minute I’m feeling 1991s stuff. His album feels like its gonna be amazing. Also Dimension as always, still loving the album. Subsonic is coming out such exciting tracks at the moment. Ripple and Bensley are doing some really viby stuff too. And Flowidus. Also big shout out to the YANA music boys – too many to all include, but there’s some serious talent about! I think I went way over 5 there oops!

Patrick: I’d say High Contrast, 1991, Break, Shy FX and Lenzman.

Ben: Yeh High Contrast is still killing it!

If you could collab with any artist, of any genre / style, who would it be and why?Ben: Id like to see how how we would work with some techno artists. Cant say who theres too many. I like techno influences in dnb. We just did a Jack U bootleg which is going to be a free download and we are really pleased with how that turned out so I’d say Skrillex and Diplo too haha.

Patrick: A collab with Zinc or Chris Lorenzo might be cool, I love all the crazy original sounds they use in their tunes.

Describe your favourite bassline of all time, preferably by just describing the sound (no technical terms- this is supposed to just be a fun answer).Ben: Can’t say I have a single favourite  bassline ever… but i love the whomp whomp whump of Metriks fatso vip. That for me is about the most perfect simple dancefloor concept ever. Also Grafix bassline on stutter. That diggadiggadiggadiggga rapid rubbery type techno vibe gets me every time. Rapid rubbery vibe haha!

Patrick: By far, Dead Prez – Hip Hop. Words can’t even describe how big that bassline is…

How do you think dnb will evolve in the future?  Ben: more of the same, especially the cross fusion in styles which is its greatest strength! I love dancefloor, I have no qualms with pop and bass as some people like to call it… ok there’s probs a line there somewhere haha but generally there’s nothing better in music than people together in the moment just having a good time to some bangers. I like the way its going though so hopefully it carries on!

Patrick: I’d like to see influences from other genres like Grime come into D&B, while still keeping in touch with its Jungle roots.

What is one tip you would like to give to aspiring Drum and Bass artists
Ben: Make music you like listening to rather than trying to recreate somebody elses vibe which is a trap we all fall into. And make lots and lots of music throw yourself into the craft  and be prepared to be really REALLY patient

Patrick: Yeah just let the creativity flow and if something sounds good just run with it.

Here are some links to check out the boys fantastic new releases.

And a link for discord and Spotify for YANA Music

JOIN OUR DISCORD SERVER: discord.gg/Sa4bAKxcAy
YANA SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: spoti.fi/3GnqqUE
SMARTLINK: hypeddit.com/yana046