Ray Keith

Born in Colchester, Essex, Ray Keith trained as a DJ in the 1980s between Essex and Suffolk before joining the London acid house and rave scene. A British producer associated with the early days of jungle and later drum and bass, Ray Keith developed a sound built around breakbeats, heavy bass and a strong connection to soul, funk and hip-hop. Among his early discographical landmarks is a reworking of Orbital's "Chime", first issued as a bootleg in 1990 and officially released in 1992. In 1994 Ray Keith founded Dread Recordings, a label closely linked to his career, which released, among other records, Classified (1999), Vintage Dread (2000) and I Am Renegade (2012); he also released Contact (1999) and The Golden Years: Back to ’94 (2021). His activity extends to clubs, raves and festivals tied to drum and bass, alongside remixes for artists such as Moby and Shades of Rhythm. Tracks like "Terrorist" and "Chopper" remain associated with the period when Ray Keith helped shape the British jungle aesthetic of the 1990s.