Across 15 tracks, Here & Now captures the breadth of Flava D’s musicality, offering a bass-charged, genre-spanning statement that’s rooted in experience but tuned into the present moment.
A self-proclaimed fan of Hospital Records from the age of 14 – the first drum & bass CD she ever bought being ‘Hospital Mix Vol. 1’ – Here & Now marks a particularly paramount milestone for the Bournemouth-born beatmaker. With a star-studded bank of collaborators, including MPH, Anaïs, Unglued, SOLAH and more, the album highlights Flava D’s curatorial ear and the strength of her network across the scene. It moves fluidly through soulful rollers, gritty steppers, and rave-indebted bangers – each track stamped with her unmistakable touch.
Born in the stillness of lockdown and forged in the fire of the club revival, this is Flava D in full command – delivering a bass-fuelled snapshot of her current sound: warm, weighty and ready for the rave.
“Three years ago, my idea of what an album would've been was different from what it is now, because I was starting it in lockdown essentially – and I didn’t have the club testing ground. I could’ve made a liquid album so easily, but it wouldn’t translate into the sets I do today. I don’t think I really have a specific style, but I have characteristics in my tunes – UKG influence is still in there in little ways, definitely with the chords and certain basslines as well.” -Flava D‘Can’t Get It Back’ sees powerhouses SOLAH and Flava D link up for the first time, a soulful and expansive tune built around warm keys, crisp percussion and that signature Flava D bounce. The track feels like golden hour in audio form – sun-drenched nostalgia and effortlessly executed.
Flava D and labelmate Anaïs join forces with Dread MC for ‘Entertainer’ – a razor-sharp drum & bass cut that flips the switch from smooth to savage in seconds. Opening with deceptively delicate notes, the track quickly flips into peak-time territory – a heavyweight stepper infused with a piercing synth hook and Dread MC’s signature firepower. It's a showcase of Flava D’s instinctive versatility, building on her reputation for genre-blending with surgical precision.
Flava’s versatile catalogue has always carried with it an indisputable swagger – and ‘Reesey Thing’ is no exception. Originally dubbed ‘Reesey Bass,’ it is one of the few solo tracks on the album and Flava’s self-proclaimed favourite. Euphoric, rave-inspired piano stabs and an unforgettable build and release boast her superb production genius while remaining masterfully playful at its core. Driven by moreish vocal chops and gliding basslines, this one exudes high-energy groove with a BPM to match.
Flava D and MPH deliver a rush of blood to the head on ‘Blush’ – add invigorating vocals from Paige Eliza into the mix, and the result is a seething weapon with both club sensibility and stereo playability. Blending a hammering bassline with exceptionally silky vocals, ‘Blush’ lends itself to both late-night joyrides and top-shelf sound systems. After citing Flava D as “by far the biggest influence on my sound to date,” UKG mercenary MPH crosses an item off the bucket list.After a decade of ascent, including standout Hospital releases like ‘Do U Want Me,’ Fluent (ft. Emz), and ‘All We Ever Do’ (ft. DRS & Paige Eliza) – Flava D’s signature sound is now deeply embedded in the DNA of UK dance music. Her technical finesse and instinctive selection have cemented her status as one of the scene’s most trusted and forward-facing tastemakers.
At its core, Here & Now is a meditation on presence — a fresh, fearless chapter from one of the UK’s most consistently innovative producers. The album is equal parts masterful and functional, giving fans what they came for while revealing new layers of Flava D’s ever-evolving sound. Through its stacked line-up of collaborators, Here & Now also connects voices who are helping shape the future of dance music, from the underground up.
Here & Now lands September 5 – and yes, it’s on vinyl.
Tracklist:
1. Blush (feat. Paige Eliza & MPH)
2. Blackwall Tunnel
3. Entertainer (feat. Ana∩s & Dread MC)
4. Fluent (feat. EMz)
5. Can't Get It Back (feat. SOLAH)
6. Frequency (feat. Nu:Tone, Slay & Eva Lazarus)
7. All We Ever Do (feat. Paige Eliza & DRS)
8. The Function (feat. Logan_olm)
9. This Is A Roller M8 (feat. Unglued & Doktor)
10. Reesey Thing
11. Antidote (feat. Charlotte X)
12. Circles (feat. Slay & DRIIA)
13. The Cycle (feat. Lauren Archer)
14. Do U Want Me
15. Keeping Me Up (feat. Mandidextrous)
