Ill Truth: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia

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Introduction

Ill Truth is a drum and bass production duo from Great Britain, emerging onto the electronic music landscape with their first release in 2017. Operating within the competitive UK bass music scene, the pair carved out a distinct niche through a steady stream of releases across multiple respected labels. Their output spans from 2017 to 2022, demonstrating a consistent presence in the genre over a five-year period.

The producers are based in Bristol, a city with a documented history in electronic music culture. This geographic context has placed them alongside a community of bass music artists, allowing them to develop their sound within an environment that has fostered numerous drum and bass acts. The Bristol connection is reflected directly in their work, with one of their early releases explicitly referencing the city.

Over their active years, Ill Truth has released music through several drum and bass imprints. Their catalog consists primarily of EP-format releases, with five confirmed extended plays issued between 2017 and 2019. This concentrated period of output established their production credentials and built their reputation within the scene. The duo’s approach favors collaboration, having worked with vocalists and other producers to expand the range of their sound.

By maintaining a release schedule that prioritized quality over quantity, Ill Truth secured releases on labels that support the deeper, more technical end of the drum and bass spectrum. Their trajectory from 2017 onward reflects a methodical build: establishing a sound, landing on relevant labels, and contributing genuine material to the genre rather than chasing trends.

Genre and Style

Ill Truth operates firmly within drum and bass, specifically targeting the 170-175 BPM range that defines the genre. Their production style leans toward the deeper, more atmospheric end of the spectrum, incorporating elements of liquid funk, techstep, and minimal DnB. Rather than relying on high-energy drops or aggressive basslines, the duo constructs tracks around detailed percussion programming, spacious mixes, and melodic motifs that prioritize mood over brute force.

The drum and bass Sound

A defining characteristic of Ill Truth’s sound is their use of vocals. Several of their releases feature vocal collaborations, positioning their music at the intersection of club-ready drum and bass and more accessible, song-driven structures. These vocal elements are integrated into the arrangements rather than sitting on top of the beat, allowing the production to maintain its dancefloor functionality while offering something for home listening.

Their percussion work draws from the tech-influenced side of uk drum and bass and bass, with tight, processed breakbeats and synthetic drum hits forming the rhythmic foundation. Basslines tend toward the restrained and sub-heavy, providing low-end weight without dominating the frequency spectrum. This leaves room for pads, keys, and other melodic elements to shape the emotional tone of each track.

Within the broader drum and bass landscape, Ill Truth’s output sits alongside artists who value musicality and production precision over sheer intensity. Their tracks are structured for DJ sets, with extended intros and outros, but the attention to harmonic content and arrangement detail gives their music a durability that extends beyond the club. The duo’s willingness to shift between darker, more driving material and smoother, vocal-led tracks demonstrates a range that keeps their catalog from becoming one-dimensional.

Key Releases

The duo’s discography began in 2017 with two releases: the Hollow Game EP and the In Your Soul E.P. Both projects introduced Ill Truth’s production approach, establishing the template of deep percussion, melodic pads, and vocal integration that would characterize their subsequent work.

  • Hollow Game EP
  • In Your Soul E.P
  • Bristol Dawn EP
  • Rule of Three
  • Anchored

Discography Highlights

In 2018, Ill Truth released the Bristol Dawn EP. The title directly references their home city, grounding the release in the geographic and cultural context of Bristol’s electronic music community.

The year saw two more extended plays. Rule of Three arrived in 2019, followed by Anchored later that same year. These releases continued the duo’s pattern of EP-length projects, maintaining their presence within the drum and bass release circuit. By this point, Ill Truth had five confirmed EPs to their name, all issued within a three-year window.

The confirmed discography is as follows:

EPs:

– Hollow Game EP (2017)

– In Your Soul E.P (2017)

– Bristol Dawn EP (2018)

– Rule of Three (2019)

– Anchored (2019)

Active years: 2017 to present. First confirmed release: 2017. Latest confirmed release: 2022. All listed releases are verified EPs. No confirmed albums or standalone singles are included in the available data.

Famous Tracks

Ill Truth, the Bristol-based drum and bass duo, built their catalog through a series of focused EP releases that established their place in the UK bass music scene. Their 2017 output set the foundation: the Hollow Game EP and the In Your Soul E.P both arrived that year, showcasing a producer pairing with a firm grasp on club-ready structures and heavy low-end design.

The year saw the release of the Bristol Dawn EP (2018), a title that nods directly to their home city and its long-standing relationship with bass-driven electronic music. The release reinforced their commitment to the darker, rolling end of the drum and bass spectrum.

2019 proved to be a productive period. Rule of Three and Anchored both landed that year, further refining the duo’s sound: tight drum programming, weighty sub-bass, and atmospheres that lean toward the moody rather than the euphoric. These two releases represent some of their most recognized work within the genre community.

Live Performances

Ill Truth’s presence extends well beyond studio releases into DJ sets across the UK circuit. As artists rooted in Bristol, a city with one of the most concentrated drum and bass scenes in Britain, they have access to a network of events, radio platforms, and club nights that consistently support underground bass music.

Notable Shows

Their sets typically reflect their production style: deep, rolling selections designed for sound systems rather than streaming playlists. This approach aligns them with the UK club tradition where DJs prioritize long mixes and careful track selection over quick transitions and crowd-pleasing drops.

Bristol’s ecosystem of independent venues and pirate radio heritage has given the duo a natural platform. Events in the city regularly feature local producers alongside touring acts, creating a feedback loop between fl studio output and dancefloor response. Ill Truth’s releases, particularly their 2018 and 2019 EPs, translate directly to this environment, built with the dancefloor in mind from the arrangement stage onward.

Why They Matter

Ill Truth represents a specific strand of UK drum and bass that prioritizes consistency and craft over hype. Their release pattern from 2017 through 2019 demonstrates a steady work ethic: five EPs across three years, each building on the last without dramatic stylistic pivots or attempts to chase trends.

Impact on drum and bass

Their connection to Bristol matters contextually. The city has produced some of the most influential bass music EDM artists in the UK, and Ill Truth operates within that lineage without relying on it as a marketing angle. Their Bristol Dawn EP makes the geographic link explicit, but their broader catalog stands on its own production merits.

In a genre where longevity often depends on adaptability, the duo’s commitment to a focused EDM sound range is both a strength and a statement. They occupy the space between mainstream accessibility and deep underground obscurity: melodic enough to hold attention, heavy enough to work on big systems. That balance has kept their releases in DJ bags and club sets well beyond their release dates.

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