As one of the most populated regions on the planet, it’s no surprise that Jungle Drum & Bass has found a home on the Indian subcontinent.
We chat to some of the heads pushing the sound in Bharat and bringing their own flavour to the JDB Blueprint.
SMOKEY
Please tell our All Crews audience your top 3 most memorable moments DJing.
Performing at Locus Drum & Bass Festival In Bali, Indonesia. (2024 & 2025)
The first time I played at the Locus Drum & Bass Festival. I played my original tracks & remixes infused with Indian classical vocals; and the audience was absorbing it. That was one of the most emotional moments for me, because it was the first time I felt like I could truly express ‘who I am’ through my music and people connected with it instantly.
Speaking at “TEDx Stage” about “My Journey & Electronic Music”. (2025)
One of my most memorable moments was speaking on the TEDx stage about my journey and electronic music. It was surreal, standing there, not as just a DJ or producer, but as someone sharing a deeper story about identity, sound, and self-expression. Being able to talk about how electronic music became my voice, especially as a woman blending Indian classical influences with modern sounds, felt incredibly powerful. It reminded me that music isn’t just for dancing, it can also start conversations and spark change.
Performing at “Bacardi NH7 Weekender Festival” In Pune, India. (2017)
The energy was wild. The bass was rolling, and I remember thinking, “This is why I do this.”
Which 5 peak-time tunes would you draw to shut down a dance?
If I’m DJing peak-time and the mission is to absolutely shut down the dance floor, here are 5 tracks I’d pull:
Saajan Na Aaye (Smokey Original Mix)
Aigiri Nandini (Smokey DnB Mix)
Garaj Garaj (Smokey DnB Mix)
Sapno Se Bhare Naina (Smokey DnB Mix)
We Love Drum & Bass (Teddy Killerz, Serum & P Money)
You’re a teacher at the Audio Qube Academy, can you please tell us more about this?
Yes. Teaching at AudioQube Academy is honestly one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey. As someone deeply involved in electronic music and DJing, I know how overwhelming the learning curve can be when you’re just starting out, gears, softwares, mixing, it’s a lot. At AudioQube Academy, I work with upcoming artists and producers to help them not only understand the technical side of music production and DJing, but also to really discover their own sound.
What I love most is giving students the freedom and confidence to experiment, to break boundaries, and to stay true to their own expression. Whether someone wants to play Techno, House, Drum & Bass or even blend Indian classical influences like I do, I’m there to support and guide them. Teaching keeps me inspired, it’s a constant reminder of why I fell in love with music in the first place.
Find Smokey on: Instagram, Soundcloud, Mixcloud
Fragment
How did you discover Jungle Drum & Bass?
This was back in 2013 when I went to a proper underground rave at this warehouse-turned-venue called Sitara Studio. Skream & Benga were headlining, but it was the opening set, mainly Sound Avtar playing Drum & Bass, that really caught my ear. At the time, I was all about house and trance, and D&B was something I’d never really heard before. After that night, I was hooked. I spent the next few months digging for tracks, starting with artists like Camo & Krooked and Mefjus, and before I knew it, I was completely lost in the world of Drum & Bass. It honestly changed everything for me.
If you could play a back to back set with any three DJs in the world, who are you choosing and why?
Those three DJs would be Kasra, Calyx, and Technimatic.
Kasra – His music, and especially what he’s built with Critical Music, has been a huge inspiration for me. It’s shaped a lot of the sound I love and try to push in my own sets.
Calyx – His work with Teebee had a massive influence on me, especially tracks like ‘Elevate This Sound’ and ‘Long Gone’. Calyx was also one of the first D&B acts I saw live when I fully fell into the genre back in 2013, and that experience left a real mark.
Technimatic – No one does emotionally driven Drum & Bass quite like them. Their music has made me laugh, cry, and just feel things deeply. I’d love to share a stage with them someday, just to play alongside them and take in the magic they create.
What would you like our readers to know about the Jungle Drum & Bass scene in India?
The Drum & Bass scene in India might be small, but it’s got a serious heartbeat. It really blew up around 2012 to 2015; those were the golden years with underground gigs, packed dancefloors, and a ton of energy. After that, things slowed down a bit, and D&B moved to the background for a while. But ever since the pandemic, there’s been a real comeback. You can feel it; local nights are happening more regularly, and there’s a new wave of energy spreading across cities with newer crowds joining with every passing night.
What’s really cool is how every city or region in India seems to have its own sound. So as a DJ, you get to explore a lot, but you’ve also got to be on your game because the crowd KNOWS what’s being played. It’s a super informed and passionate audience. They’re not just there to nod along, they’re fully locked in. You’ll get people cheering the loudest for a tune they love or coming up after your set to say you made them dance or introduced them to a new sound. That kind of connection is something else.
Honestly, it feels like we’re just at the beginning of something truly exciting for Drum & Bass in India. The foundation is there, the energy is back, and the community is growing stronger every day. I’m genuinely excited to see where it goes next.
Find Fragment on: Linktree
The Untitled One
Please tell our All Crews audience all about DnB India.
Drum & Bass India started in 2013 as a way to connect the dots between a handful of artists and fans who were deeply moved by this sound, but had nowhere to experience it live. Over time, it’s grown into a full-blown community, platform, and movement for all things Drum and Bass across India. We’ve hosted club nights, international tours, festival takeovers, and monthly residencies in Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai. It’s always been about creating safe, high-energy spaces for the heads, while giving Indian DJs and producers a platform to evolve. We’ve brought down artists like Alix Perez, Ant TC1, and Conducta, while also nurturing a new wave of local talent. For us, it’s not just about throwing parties, it’s about building a legacy for this sound in a country where it’s still very much underground.
Please tell us about Box Out.fm
Boxout.fm has been one of the most important platforms in shaping the Indian underground music scene. I was fortunate to be a part of the station for three years, where I hosted monthly sets that pushed me to dig deeper and deeper into the genre. That residency really shaped my ear. It forced me to stay curious, explore newer artists, and constantly evolve my sound. Boxout.fm gave artists like me space to experiment and grow, and it helped bring together listeners and creators from all across the region.
As a DJ, what are a few things that you’d like to accomplish in the future?
As cheesy as it sounds, one of my biggest goals is to see DnB India grow even bigger, to keep inviting more DJs to India, build deeper bridges with the global scene, and eventually have India recognized as a major spot on the international Drum and Bass map. Personally, I’d love to one day play a full set made up entirely of music produced by Indian artists, that’s something I’m working toward slowly.
I also really want to tour outside India, especially in places like the UK, Europe, and New Zealand where the roots of this sound run deep, and represent what South Asia has to offer. Curating a festival stage with full creative control, like sound, visuals, and curation, is another dream.
Beyond that, building a mentorship program or school that makes music more accessible to underrepresented voices in India is something I feel strongly about. Sonically, I’m really drawn to the intersection of Indian classical/folk and D&B, that fusion has a lot of potential, and I’d love to release a project exploring that space fully.
Find The Untitled One on Linktree
kSaya
Please tell our All Crews audience about the work you do with Warner…
At Warner Music India, I head A&R for our key artists and projects, focusing on building a strong and forward-thinking creative ecosystem around them. My role involves scouting, developing, and connecting talent to the right collaborators, helping shape the sound and direction of our releases.
While my core focus is India, our creative vision is global. We’re deeply inspired by the innovation happening in scenes like dance music, and we’re increasingly connecting with producers and sounds from across the world to create something fresh and genre-fluid. It’s a really exciting time for cross-border collaborations, and I’m here for all of it.
Who are some of the producers that you’re feeling at the moment…
We work with an incredibly talented and diverse pool of producers who are truly pushing boundaries, names like Sunny MR, Trosk, Kimera, Tedd, Ukato, Sauurabh Lokhande, Bharath, Neversober, Sharan Rawat, Doss, Brij Dalvi, Rusha & Blizza, Will Spirit, Lambo Drive, Kalmi, and many more. These are the artists not just influencing Indian music but actively shaping what the next wave of global sound could look like.
What interests you outside of music?
Although music is at the core of everything I do, I’m deeply passionate about adventure and learning in all forms. I love pushing my limits, whether it’s running marathons, go-karting, hiking, or even learning how to sail. I’m also an avid reader and fascinated by human psychology and behavior. I have a genuine curiosity for the world and try to absorb as much as I can across different experiences and disciplines. It all feeds back into the creativity I bring to music.
Find KSaya on: Instagram
King Sinister
Calculon & Survival remixed your track, Kettaman, how’d that come about?
Calculon was in India touring with DnB India, and me being the host for DnB India for a good 4 years now was blessed to have Calculon play for our gig in Bangalore. Being the emcee, I had the privilege to spit some freestyles over his set at Bangalore Massive. He seemed to love what I brought to the table that night. Later that night we spoke for a bit and we were both pretty excited from the jump about the idea of working together from the get go.
Then, a few weeks later after Nik’s return to the states and after me dropping my track KETTAMAN, he hit me up saying he’d love to do something with this and so I sent him the stems. Then a couple of weeks after that I got a call from Nik stating he’s with Steve in the UK and is working on the remix and I was like.. ‘god damnnnn!’ I was pretty taken aback that it was actually happening!! We got on with it. A few more days down the line they sent me the sickest remix I could have asked for and there it was. A remix as good as the original. That was the remixx we put out into the world!
Talk to us about your journey as an MC, when did you first pick up a mic, when did you know, yeah, this is for me, etc:
Me picking up the mic goes back years to my childhood, and since I used to dance I was drawn to Hip Hop. Then came Rap music along the lines of listening to some great Hip Hop dance numbers. I started listening to a lot of western Hip Hop and Rap, around 16 years of age one of my friends introduced me to one of the first Indian rap crews “Machas With Attitude”, which comprised Brodha V, Smokey The Ghost & Bigg Nikk. They were taking Hip Hop, that wasn’t all that accustomed to us, to new levels in itself. So I was inspired by them to dream about getting on the mic and making music n rap my career.
On my first time on the mic in front of a college crowd it was well received, with plenty appreciating me for what I was capable of and surprising even myself with what I could do. That was the start of me taking it to the next level on my own.
Please tell our readers about Wanandaf:
Wanandaf is basically a huge all-inclusive Hip-Hop community of rappers, producers, beatboxers, dancers, etc, from Bangalore, started by a bunch of rappers who wanted to just rap together and bring about the culture. We create shared awareness, make music, spread the culture, cypher, battle and show everything hip-hop has this city has to offer, from the glimmering city lights to dark gritty streets, Wanandaf is an embodiment of us all.
The name Wanandaf ironically comes from a very infamous laughable Bangalore term used by rickshaw drivers, asking their customers for one & a half times the rate of the fare of travel. So yeah, that’s Wanandaf to the world.
Find King Sinister on: Instagram
Hellkitty
Tell us how your Hellkitty moniker came to be..
I’ve always been drawn to the charismatic and predatory energy that cats have, especially the big cats, haha. There’s something magnetic about how they move, hunt, and own every space they enter. When I was at a point where I needed a name for my project, “Hellkitty” just came to me. I didn’t think too much about it back then, but it stuck. It felt raw, wild, and fitting for the energy I wanted to express through my music.
What are some of the most rewarding and/or challenging aspects of music production?
According to me, the most rewarding part of music production is the process itself. Getting lost in building a tune, experimenting with new layers, and watching it evolve is the best feeling. That’s the part that keeps me going, the flow state where ideas just pour in. On the other hand, finishing a track is the toughest part for me. I tend to chase perfection, which sometimes ends up ruining the raw emotion a track naturally has. It’s a balance I’m still learning to manage.
What gear do you use in your music production and why.
I’ve always been an in-the-box producer. Just me, my laptop, headphones, and a sound card. I started my journey with FL Studio and used it for about 4–5 years. Since 2020, I’ve been working on Ableton, probably one of the best decisions I’ve made. Right now, I use an Audient iD4 MKII (soundcard) and Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headphones (semi-open back). Having an external sound card makes a huge difference, you hear your music more clearly and accurately than with built-in laptop audio. The semi-open headphones also help in understanding stereo imaging and spatial dynamics better. These are the key reasons I stick to this setup and it’s really elevated my production game.
Find Hellkitty on Linktree
Sound Avtar
Which 3 aspects of DJing do you find the most rewarding.
The connection with the crowd, dropping the right track and feeling everyone lock in is pure magic. Then, the creative freedom to blend genres and add my unique touch, like infusing bass-heavy or Indian elements. Finally, the instant feedback DJing gives, letting me know what works in real-time and keeping me evolving.
Take us through your process of producing a track?
It starts with a vibe, maybe a bassline, vocal chop, or a drum loop. I build the drums and mood, then layer synths and textures, paying close attention to mixing. After arranging the track’s energy flow, I test it live, tweaking based on how it sounds on big systems and how the crowd reacts.
Please tell us what musicians, producers, and dj’s serve as inspirations for you and why.
Noisia for their advanced sound design and Drum & Bass mastery. Midival Punditz and Karsh Kale for showing how Indian classical music blends with electronica, which inspired me creatively. Finally, Skrillex for his constant evolution and major impact on global bass music.
Find Sound Avtar on: Instagram, Youtube, Spotify
Ukato
You’ve released on Ram Records & Vision Recordings, how was it releasing on those two big labels?
Releasing on Ram Records and Vision Recordings was honestly a dream come true. These are labels I grew up admiring, they’ve shaped so much of what Drum & Bass music stands for today. Working with them pushed me to level up my production and really refine my sound. The A&R process was incredibly helpful and concise, it taught me to think of tracks not just as ideas, but as complete stories with a purpose on the dancefloor. Seeing my name alongside artists I’ve respected for years still feels surreal.
Tell us about your work with Blueprint.inc.
I’m currently managed by the amazing team at Bluprint.inc, and working with people who genuinely trust your vision and help bring it to life is a blessing. They’ve consistently elevated talent in the scene, and being part of that journey has pushed me to grow as a producer and diversify my discography. Their network has connected me with some of the biggest artists in the country while also helping me sustain and thrive in the vibrant, underground ecosystem of Indian electronic music.
What should listeners expect to hear from Ukato for 2025 going into the new year 2026?
2025 is all about expansion, both sonically and geographically. I’ve been working on original material that dives deep into 140 BPM, Breaks, Jungle, and some Hybrid sounds that fuse Indian textures with bass-heavy frameworks. There are exciting collaborations and I have a few remixes lined up as we move into 2026. I’m gearing up for a full-length project that reflects where I am musically and personally, a blend of heavy club energy and deeper, introspective cuts. The goal is to keep evolving and keep surprising you.
Find Ukato on: Instagram
