With a career spanning two decades, Serum has built a reputation based around hard work and constant reinvention that has kept him at the forefront of drum & bass.
Since bursting onto the scene with a string of jungle anthems in the noughties he became the remix artist of choice when it came to modernising classics in a way that stayed true to the vibe of the original. This saw him put his spin on foundation tracks from Ray Keith, Dillinja and Roni Size. His sound was a stark contrast to the clinical synth based tracks that dominated at the time and this desire to go against the grain would characterise his career.
Serum spent the following years modernising his sound, retaining classic elements while bringing in his own new influences to create a range of styles that would leave his mark on drum & bass. Tracks like "Fly Paper" and "Lumberjack" combined the funky rolling beats of jungle with catchy melodic basslines, whereas "Black Metal" and "Quarterpounder Bass" used long drawn out foghorn like bass sounds. Both provided an alternative to the robotic stripped back style of jump up and would become a dominant sound at raves and festivals, inspiring a new generation of artists. This would see Serum playing at events like Rampage, Glastonbury and Boomtown and receiving a string of awards for his production.
In 2017 Serum founded Souped Up Records which would become the home for his new sounds and a platform to bring through up and coming artists like Bou, Dutta and Mozey. Its success soon led to it being sought out by more established names like Rusko, Current Value and Original Sin. Souped Up won best newcomer label at the Drum & Bass Arena awards in 2018 and best label at the national Drum & Bass awards in 2021. 2021 also saw the label score two Beatport number 1 singles with Serum's Chop House and Bou & Trigga's Veteran VIP which has to date only occurred a handful of times for a drum & bass track. Its distinctive branding has seen the label win Best Artwork at the Drum & Bass Arena awards in 2022 and 2023.
While setting up his label, Serum teamed up with longtime collaborators Voltage, Bladerunner and Inja to form Kings of the Rollers. This began as a DJ focused group but evolved into a production powerhouse after signing to Hospital Records. They quickly became a regular fixture on the festival circuit with their fast paced mixing and eclectic selection. Their debut album won best album at the Drum & Bass Awards in 2020 and best performance in 2021.
2024 marks his 20th year in the game which will see him release his debut solo album as well as a visual stage show to accompany his DJ sets. He continues to attract new fans thanks to his social media presence and fan interaction.
