Describe the Tell ‘Em EP in 3 words.
Diverse, Fun, Timeless
This EP has been in the works for years. What finally made it feel ready to release?
The songs were all in their final form about 9 months ago. We wanted a large enough window in our release schedule to be able to give the EP the attention it deserved as well as giving the A Listers a chance to play them out for a while as dubs.
Which collaboration surprised you most in the studio?
The General Levy one for sure. We gave him free rein so we weren’t sure what kind of vibe he was going to go for. We were made up with the fact it was a deeper political narrative that resonates so closely with our own politics rather than just a party tune with fun lyrics.
What does working with icons like General Levy and Skittles mean to you as artists?
We’re big fans of both of them and having tracks with them in our catalogue means the world to us. Both artists have such distinctive styles and flows that it’s immediately obvious to the crowd who they’re listening to.
Which track pushed your production limits the most and why?
Definitely Smash Up. There is a lot of processing that goes into getting a track that is so busy to sound so loud without sounding squashed and losing its vibe. On dancefloors, it never fails to go off so it was definitely worth the hours of tweaking haha.
Favourite moment while making this EP?
Hearing the iconic General Levy screech before the drop on Tell ‘Em for the first time was definitely a cool experience.
How do these tracks reflect the evolution of SOLA’s sound?
Sola continues to push the envelope in terms of mashing up disperate vibes into something that’s hopefully unique, authentic and fun. We make, play and sign to our label (Grand Theft Audio) every kind of subgenre and this EP is like a microcosm of our Full Spectrum DnB policy.
What does this release say about where Drum & Bass is heading in 2025?
I think in 2025, people are starting to care more about what they want to make and less about what they feel like they *should* be making. Hopefully Drum & Bass is continuing to head down a path of the innovation that made it the best type of music in the world.
What’s the message behind the lead track, Tell ‘Em?
In these tough times we face, it’s important to stick together and stand up to tyranny. We need to educate ourselves and those around us to weather the storm.
What’s next after this EP drop? More collabs, live shows, or a new direction?
We have tracks this summer forthcoming on Phase, Virus Syndicate’s label Bad Medic, Trigger Fingaz, and Grand Theft Audio, all of them collabs with a mix of vocalists and other producers. We have some great live shows in Thailand, Vietnam, Belgium, Spain and the UK to announce too.
SOLA UNLEASHES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EP ON RIOT DUBS FEATURING GENERAL LEVY, SKITTLES, CONRAD SUBS, JASMINE KNIGHT & SAMMIE HALL
Riot Dubs is set to ignite the scene once again with a powerhouse release from UK bass music heavyweight Sola. Featuring an all-star lineup of vocalists and producers, this explosive EP delivers a fusion of deep basslines, razor-sharp beats, and high-energy collaborations that push the boundaries of underground music.
Sola is a Drum & Bass trio composed of James, Robbie, and Paul. They have releases on Eatbrain, Jungle Cakes, Viper, RAM Records sister label Program, as well as their own imprint Grand Theft Audio. Their ‘Tell ‘Em’ EP has been several years in the making, with Sola forging and reforging the tunes that would end up on this four-track release. Across these tracks, they lay out their bold vision of drum & bass, collaborating with top-tier artists General Levy, Skittles, Conrad Subs, Jasmine Knight, and Sammie Hall. The result is an EP that refuses to stay within any paradigm, instead opting for a timeless and unique sound.
The A-side and titular track ‘Tell ‘Em’, a collaboration with the king of Jungle MCs, General Levy, sees Levy spitting deep bars over a reggae-influenced halftime intro about making a stand in troubled times—an increasingly relevant message. Following this, ‘Owed An Apology’, a collaboration with Skittles, embodies a real Manchester sound, making it the most minimal and industrial track on the EP. Skittles’ powerful flow erupts over a bouncy beat and edgy basslines, while atmospheric FX keep the vibes sky high.
For any fans of modern jungle, Conrad Subs needs no introduction. A follow-up to their previous collaboration, ‘Squeeze’ on Nuusic, ‘Smash Up’ has been destroying dancefloors worldwide for years. A true crowd pleaser, the funky hip-hop intro transitions into a roof-melting bassline with hard syncopated beats, which then shifts to straight percussion sections with bouncy bass riffs, creating a captivating call-and-response pattern. Lastly, Sola showcases their deeper side with ‘Free’, highlighting both their musicality and the insane vocal talent of two of the most sought-after singers in the game right now, Jasmine Knight and Sammie Hall. Deep, powerful sub-basses and robust percussion anchor the melodic content and drive the track forward. Structurally, it’s unhurried, taking the listener on a meandering journey through lush soundscapes.
With deep roots in UK bass culture and a relentless drive for innovation, Sola continues to make waves, and this EP is no exception. Expect full-throttle energy, cutting-edge production, and tracks that will dominate clubs and airwaves alike.
ABOUT SOLA :
SOLA is a Drum & Bass trio comprised of James, Robbie and Paul. They have releases on Eatbrain, Jungle Cakes, Viper, Ram’s sister label ProgRam, Formation, Suburban Base, Korsakov Music, Play Me, High Tea, Nuusic, Dance Concept, Gorilla Warfare, YANA, Dub Damage, Deep In The Jungle, 24 Karat, Soul Deep, Dirtbox, Boomslang, Brainrave, Riot Dubs, Headsbass and their own imprint Grand Theft Audio.
After many singles and EPs, their debut album Stars Align was released on Grand Theft Audio in September 2022 to widespread critical acclaim. The promo journey for the LP landed them an upload on UKF Drum & Bass as well as an interview for UKF with Dave Columbo Jenkins and a guestmix for Mollie Collins on Kiss FM.
They hit 2023 running with high profile EP and Single releases on Korsakov Music, Play Me, Boomslang & Formation, which have seen them receiving support from as far afield as Pendulum, Sub Focus & Ray Keith. In April, they won the DJ Rap remix competition against 658 other entries and in May they released the remix album Stars Realigned on GTA, including the anthemic Cliques remix of Pico De Gallo. In August and September 2023, they did their first tour outside of Europe with performances in Canada, USA, Vietnam & Australia. They rounded off the year with an official remix of Splat by Virus Syndicate, Dope DOD, Harry Shotta & OneDa.
2024 was a similarly good year for the trio, their collab with Akov dropped in March on Neurofunk powerhouse Eatbrain. In April, their track with K Jah named Gulf Stream premiered on UKF Drum & Bass and was very well received. Several high profile singles released on legendary label Suburban Base and then a trio of tracks dropped on Jungle Cakes, the largest of which (We No Care w/ Exile & Dread MC) went on to accumulate 100’s of thousands of streams across all platforms after massive support scene-wide.
2025 looks set to be their biggest yet with forthcoming tracks on bucket list labels like Viper Recordings and collabs with artists like General Levy, Skittles, Genesis Elijah and many more.
As DJs, their sets are a fast-paced and unpredictable with an emphasis on crowd reaction and stacked to the brim with tracks that won’t be heard anywhere else for months, sometimes years as well as fan favourites from their back catalogue and stone cold classics from every era of DnB.