# TFword in Conversation With Tengu: TF Word 1. [TF Word](https://www.ticketfairy.com/de/word.md) 2. [Interviews](https://www.ticketfairy.com/de/word/category/interviews.md) 3. TFword in Conversation With Tengu - [Interviews](https://www.ticketfairy.com/de/word/category/interviews.md) - [Music](https://www.ticketfairy.com/de/word/category/music.md) # TFword in Conversation With Tengu We had a chat with the Brighton-based drum & bass DJ and producer about his latest banger of a release, how it all began for him, his sound, and lots more. [Sagar Deshmukh](https://www.ticketfairy.com/de/word/author/sagar0204.md) 5 September 2023 · 6 Min. Lesezeit ***We had a chat with the Brighton-based drum & bass DJ and producer about his latest banger of a release, how it all began for him, his sound, and lots more.*** Want to take an adventure through the best of everything in drum & bass funneled through a single artist? Tengu is the man for you. Having created several dancefloor, deep, and amphetamine-attack led productions, Tengu’s drum & bass gauntlet has everything you look for in a beatsmith. With incredible releases on labels such as UKF, Viper, DeVice, Korsakov, Nightbass, Crucast, YANA Music, YosH and more, there is no slowing down what’s coming from the Brighton-based phenomenon. While gaining support from radio stations such as BBC Radio 1, Kiss Fm, SWU.FM, Tengu’s DJ sets that consist of constant surprises with a hint of nostalgia are steadily making his name a staple in the bass music fraternity as a whole. Continuing a thrilling run of releases, Tengu has now teamed up with Whiskey Pete for an unforgiving take on dancefloor-orientated drum & bass with ‘Heavyweight Material.’ We wanted to explore Tengu’s creative mind further and know his thoughts on the release. Here is what he had to say: **TFword: ‘Heavyweight Material’ totally lives up to its promise of melting our faces. What are your thoughts on how the tune has shaped up?** **Tengu:** So Heavyweight Material started as a very basic idea I made quickly on my laptop that I wrote around Whiskey Petes vocals he sent. I then took it to my main studio computer and the vibe changed so much! The tune has shaped up to be one of my favorite tunes I have made to date and it seriously goes off love too! I don’t think people know what to expect during the build ups haha! [Spotify Embed: Heavyweight Material](https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/1CVd6Gd9iHltWAogqmskKk?si=e935ee3a29714220&utm_source=oembed) **TF: ‘Heavyweight Material’ marks your second collaboration with Whiskey Pete. How has it been like working with him in the studio? Tengu:** It’s been great, I love working with him. I was a big fan of his in the early Play Me record days. His voice just sounded so cool and unique over dubstep and DnB! We both live on the other side of the world together so to be able to link up remotely is a dream. We thrive off each other really well and listen to each others ideas. “Out The Way” on Korsakov was the first of our collaborations and we wanted to work on more since. ****TF:**For people who may not know yet, how did the Tengu journey begin? Tengu:**So my journey began making UK Bass and Bassline music. I was making a lot of synth patches and learning stuff in college and university which quickly became my staple sound. I then got my breakthrough with a tune called “Panther” which I released on YosH before working for them. Then came my biggest bucket list achievement which was not only an upload, but a full release with UKF! Things just went uphill from there. However, if I am being very honest I started to fall out of love with that genre and I wanted to challenge myself a lot more so I started making some Drum & Bass, which is the Tengu people know today. I am having a lot more fun and my career has become more “Serious” since release DNB. This doesn’t rule out me ever releasing any UK bass and Bassline ever again though 😉 ****TF:**You’ve been on a great run of releases this year. Talk us through how 2023 has been for you with your music.** **Tengu:**This year has been the best for music so far! I’ve had some great remix opportunities for the likes of Georgie Riot and FooR! Working closely with a lot of my friends in the DNB Scene such as Ben Rolo, Sola, Montiix, AL/SO and more! This year I have been working quite closely with High Tea as I do feel they are pushing the sound I really love not only with my own music but with DNB as a whole. The music has taken me all over the world too with live shows. So that is a massive Bonus! ****TF:**Your name has quickly become a staple one, thanks to your trademark sound. How do you think your sound has evolved ever since you started making music?** **Tengu:** I think my sound has really evolved and improved since making the major switch to DNB. It’s a challenging and more rewarding genre for me. I try very very hard not to sound like other artists but then it is intriguing how all the sounds are made and used in context. [TENGU - CAD BANE](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ujyi9t4wF7E?feature=oembed) I do feel that people can hear one of my tunes and assume it is one of my productions. Especially my 4×4 inspired stuff! My Drugs from Amsterdam and Chris Eubank tunes recently getting support from Pendulum, Andy C and more proves that sound is really associated with my productions. I’m here for that! ****TF:**What was your gateway moment into drum & bass?** **Tengu:** It took me a lot of time to actually find the courage to release some drum & bass as I was so associated with the Bassline scene I felt it was either going to flop or the Bassline scene would hate me haha. The gateway moment was 100% when I got In contact with DJ Phantasy, a living legend in the scene. I sent him some tunes after he contacted me and he assured me that all the tunes I sent were VERY good. He ended up signing my track “Yeah Boi” to his DNB vibes label on a compilation. As I said, I was scared and worried but the track ended up getting added to an editorial Spotify playlist, got major support from Radio 1’s Charlie Tee (I think she still plays it to this day!) and it gave me the bug to make more! To this day I now work with High Tea, Viper, UKF, Korsakov, YosH and loads more very well respected DnB labels! ****TF:**What are the other styles and genres you like exploring other than your formative one?** **Tengu:** I am such a huge sucker for EDM music still. As Well as 80s and more recently metal music! I love to integrate these inspirations into my music with the drums and sound design. I am still here and there working on some uk bass, I have a few tracks that I feel my Bassline fan base would love for me to release. It’s such an Ode to my old sound but highly improved in the mixdowns haha! ****TF:****How is the rest of the year looking **for Tengu? Tengu:** I have a lot of music on the go. Loads of collabs and some more shows in the Netherlands and in London! I am going to be in the studio working hard on more music. More specifically, I have a remix for my good friend Natty Lou on the way, more collaborations with Sola and Ben Rolo as well as some hefty original music. [Spotify Embed: Tengu](https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/2W15C6WH5xh4r8aPGiiw4o?si=9RLwjZ_YTS6WnbTDAHFcxw&utm_source=oembed) **You May Also Like:** [Ben Rolo’s Spine-Tingling Drum & Bass](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2022/01/21/ben-rolos-spinetingling-drum-bass) [TF Spotlight: Toronto is Broken](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2021/12/21/tf-spotlight-toronto-is-broken) [Prominent DnB YouTube Channel Basilisk Bass to Start New Record Label](https://www.ticketfairy.com/word/2023/08/31/prominent-dnb-youtube-channel-to-start-new-record-label) Teilen [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketfairy.com%2Fde%2Fword%2F2023%2F09%2F05%2Ftfword-in-conversation-with-tengu.md&text=TFword+in+Conversation+With+Tengu) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketfairy.com%2Fde%2Fword%2F2023%2F09%2F05%2Ftfword-in-conversation-with-tengu.md) [WhatsApp](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=TFword+in+Conversation+With+Tengu+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketfairy.com%2Fde%2Fword%2F2023%2F09%2F05%2Ftfword-in-conversation-with-tengu.md) ## Sagar Deshmukh Drum & Bass head with a tinge of hip shake for Disco. A DJ when I am not glued to my screen! [Mehr von Sagar Deshmukh →](https://www.ticketfairy.com/de/word/author/sagar0204.md) TF Word Newsletter ## TF Word in dein Postfach Eine E-Mail pro Woche: die Geschichten, die sich lesen lassen, und die Shows, die sich lohnen. Kein Spam, jederzeit abbestellbar. Deine E-Mail-Adresse Mit dem Abo stimmst du unserer [Datenschutzerklärung](https://www.ticketfairy.com/privacy-policy) zu. 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