The Russian drum & bass don’s debut release on RAM Records got us chatting with him about his latest release, and his inspirations, among other things!
Coming from one of the most prolific lands for exporting drum & bass talents, Prestige is a drum & bass DJ and producer from Russia who has been consistently belting exciting music for over a decade. Although he’s widely known for his prowess with Jump-up, Prestige can adapt to different styles of DnB at the flick of a switch – a trait that attests to the immeasurable depth in quality of the Kaliningrad-based beatsmith.
Heavily influenced by the high-octane drum rolls of The Prodigy’s music, Prestige’s output focuses on the heavier side of drum & bass. His unique approach to productions has earned him releases on some of the most revered imprints of the genre, with a significant share dropping on RAM Records’ sub label ProgRAM Records.
Prestige’s supreme command over his music has now led to the Russian producer a well-earned debut on RAM Records with ‘Strange Creatures’ EP, which is an exhibition of chest-rattling drum & bass music. After such a successful run of releases before finally landing the big one, we were keen to know from Prestige how it all came about; and here is what he had to say.
TFword: A belter of a release on RAM Records after a series of tunes on ProgRAM. What is the feeling like?
PRESTIGE: A sense of pride I must admit. It’s a pleasant feeling. But in principle, it would be very disappointing not to do this after 3 EPs with ProgRAM. So everything is logical.
TF: How long was the Strange Creatures EP in the works?
PRESTIGE: If we take the gap between the oldest and the newest tracks, then it will be 8 months. But I can’t call any of them old, they were all made in 2022.
TF: The EP is also a confluence of so many styles. What was the creative process like while working on the EP?
PRESTIGE: In general, I try different options, I don’t like to get hung up on one method. So variety turned out naturally.
TF: For people who are new to your music, how did the Prestige journey begin?
PRESTIGE: I’ve been writing dnb for a long time, but haven’t been called a newcomer for some time (finally). There have been releases on Playaz, Grid, Viper, Serial Killaz, Radius and many other labels. If you have a desire, you can watch my discography, many will probably even be surprised how you can make dnb for so long and not slide into house or techno.
TF: You come from a place that is home to some incredible drum & bass talents. Who were your inspirations when you started making DnB?
PRESTIGE: I would not associate my formed style with the place where I live. Always looked from behind the cordon at Pendulum, DJ Fresh, Hazard, and other talented musicians who were watched by thousands of other aspiring producers. So there is probably nothing surprising connected with my homeland. Although there is certainly some special mentality in the tracks that can be traced, it’s hard for me to say what it is.
TF: What would you regard as your best rave memory?
PRESTIGE: Well, discos in children’s school camps are the best raves in my life 100%. I danced breakdance to Bomfunk MC’s in front of a crowd of people and they applauded me. And yes, i have never done breakdance before.
TF: What are the other styles Prestige likes exploring other than his formative one?
PRESTIGE: Recently I’ve been quite practical about exploring tracks and running through everything that is there now and noticing for myself just individual elements that I like. So a little bit of everything.
TF: What’s coming up next for Prestige?
PRESTIGE: I would like to continue working with RAM. I’ve probably never felt so comfortable as with RAM team. And maybe something is already ready for the next project.
Listen to Prestige’s latest EP on RAM Records here:
