Mel – Night Fire/Madness – VTO Records – INTERVIEW

by | Apr 25, 2025 | Interview, Releases, Tunes

Howdy D&B Heads!  Happy Friday to one and all!

Got a wicked one for you this week on VTO Records from the mighty mighty Mel.  I’ve seen Mel a fair few times live now at the Virus Recordings nights in London and she smashes it each and every time and we got the chance to catch up with her about her new release on VTO Records which I must say is an absolute belter!

Lets get into the interview!

 
1. Tell us a bit about yourself and something that may surprise us
 
I’m MEL, a DJ and producer with a serious love for the darker and heavier side of D&B, But something that might surprise people is that my DJ journey actually started in the rock and metal scene, spinning Metallica, Slipknot, and all sorts of heavy riffs in Camden’s dive bars.
 
 
 
 
 
2.  Oh wow that’s really cool to hear!  I’m a big metal fan myself and love Slipknot!  You always seem to have a lot of fun behind the decks but maintain a great sense of professionalism. Tell us what it’s like to perform at a Virus night at the Steelyard, it’s a big dream of mine to play there myself
 
Really appreciate that, thank you! Playing for Virus is always a proper experience. The crowd’s such a great mix, different ages, different walks of life…but all totally locked in and there for the music. Barely a phone in sight, just people fully living in the moment. What I love most is that I can go all in with my sound – no need to hold back or water it down, and the crowd gets it. 
 
3.  Tell us a bit about your release on VTO, I’m loving both tunes but I think Madness clinches it for me. It’s got a kind of original Dieselboy CD sets era vibe about it, like mid 2000s
 
Going into Night Fire and Madness, I had a handful of tunes I was working on, and I usually try to treat each one as its own standalone piece…But with these two specifically, there’s a certain energy and vibe that connects them. I didn’t necessarily plan them as a pair from the start, but as they came together, it became clear they complement each other really well. I take a lot of inspiration from 00s D & B and I’m glad thats been picked up on, That era had such a raw, uncompromising energy, producers were really pushing boundaries, experimenting with sound design, and carving out these dark, gritty atmospheres that still hit hard today.
 
4.  What are your main influences/inspirations in D&B?
 
Producer-wise, my main inspirations are definitely the pioneers of that raw, gritty sound; Ed Rush & Optical, Spor, Noisia, Bad Company, Ram Trilogy… all that rough around the edges energy. 

As for DJs, it might sound cliché, but I’ve got to say Andy C. His energy behind the decks, the way he flows through a set, and his track selection. To me flow and selection are really important in a set, you want to be taken on a journey, not just drops. 

 
5.  Have you always been into the darker side of D&B?
 
I’ve always been into a real mix of D&B, I love the full spectrum, and I’ve even got some liquid mixes up on SoundCloud. But I’ve always naturally gravitated towards the darker, heavier side of the genre. Up until recently, I’d sometimes find myself softening my sets a bit to cater to different crowds, but now I’m leaning fully into my sound and trusting the right people will connect with it. It’s been really freeing!
 
 
6.  I’ve definitely noticed a slight difference in your sets as time has gone on, I’ve had similar before where I’ve catered for audiences but not truly playing what I’m passionate about!  What other things can we expect from Mel in 2025?
 
2025 is all about not holding back. I’m fully locked in on pushing my sound, no compromising, no watering it down. Just really going for it and staying true to what I love, more music and some collabs are in the pipeline too! 
 
7.  Where can we see you performing this year?
 
This year is already shaping up to be a big one! This weekend I’m heading out to Rotterdam to play for Eatbrain, I’m going b2b with Enta which I’m buzzing for. We’ve actually got a few b2bs lined up this year, so it’s gonna be exciting! I’m also playing Audios’ Snake Pit night in Brighton, which is gonna be a heavy one, and making my Hospitality on the Beach debut in Croatia this summer!
 
 
8.  Can you tell us if there are any more Virus events planned in 2025?
 
Ah, I wish I could say more… but my lips are sealed for now 
 
Brilliant stuff Mel, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me!  Really interesting stuff there!  Shame about the Virus spoliers but whatever happens the nights are always epic!
 
So get yourself a copy of this wicked release on VTO Records, click the banner at the top or the artwork below and give yourself a dose of the wonderful Mel!  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/2009477490″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”600″ iframe=”true” /]

Article Written by: Strex
Absolute D&B nut! Love any type of Drum & Bass really but Neuro is my main passion. I got into D&B back in around 2004 where I started going raving, I then discovered heavier D&B in the form of Renegade Hardware nights in London which I attended almost every one for several years. Having developed my listening style with how the music has evolved I love the freshest tunes as well as the old ones! I've been mixing for fun since around 2005 and just love playing in front of people and sharing the music with likeminded people.

Recent Posts