Renegade Riddims: Ekwols

Mix together some dark energy, raw emotion, and a touch of studio magic, and what do you get? Ekwols: a Scottish Drum & Bass artist who’s making waves with a sound that’s urgent, a message that’s meaningful, and a love for electronic music that runs deep.

You might not have heard of Ekwols before, especially if you’re not knee-deep in the heavier, technical side of D&B. But Kenny Dargans, the brain behind Ekwols, is no stranger to the music scene. He’s part of the Evolution Chamber crew, a bunch of folks who are all about pushing boundaries and supporting each other.

Kenny’s been around the block when it comes to music. From fronting punk and ska bands to organizing music nights across Scotland, he’s done it all. He’s a master of fusion, blending dancehall, reggae, grime, and jungle with that pure soundsystem vibe.

By day, Kenny’s an electrical engineer, cooking up tech and coding solutions for the future. And his music reflects that same forward-thinking attitude. It’s complex, it’s curious, but most importantly, it’s got soul.

When Kenny puts out a new track, it’s not just about the music. It’s about the whole experience—the artwork, the vibe, the message. He’s all about gothic and horror aesthetics, with a healthy dose of mortality and melancholy thrown in for good measure.

But it’s not all doom and gloom with Ekwols. Kenny’s also a vocal advocate for equality and inclusion. He’s not afraid to speak out against racism, fascism, homophobia, and sexism. After all, rave culture was built on unity, and Kenny’s here to make sure that spirit lives on!

Trust me, you’ll be hearing a lot more from Ekwols. His voice is only getting louder.

Today Ekwols joins our Renegade riddims series with an absolutely banging mix! It’s dark and heavy from start to finish and features music from the likes of himself, Magnetudae, Task Horizon, Burr Oak, Joe Ford, Scout 2, Volatile Cycle, Dropset, Mizo, TNTKLZ, Killbox, Ed Rush, Pythius and loads more!

Check out the mix below and download it for free here! Ekowls also recorded a video for this mix which is below the SoundCloud player!

Q&A:

Sum up this mix in 10 words…

60 minutes of raw energy to soothe the disturbed.

What’s your personal favourite track on it?

Oh that’s a tough one as I really tried to push as many of my favourite tracks into this one as possible! I think Finalfix’s new bit “Forsaken” is my current obsession though!

What’s the special ingredient in this mix?

This mix is 66% neuro, 30% funk, 2% emotional rollers and the special ingredient is 1% triple blends

Tell us about your next EP…

Well, I’m just wrapping up my next release at the moment for Evolution Chamber. I started the track back last year when I was away from home and contemplating some major life changes so it’s quite a personal one and I’ve recorded vocals for it already. I’m no singer but I find it extremely cathartic adding my voice and lyrics to a track, channelling some of that dancefloor energy into something even deeper for me personally and hopefully it resonates with other people too. There may be a little teaser of this particular one in the mix…

What have you got coming up? 

2024 is shaping up to be really busy for me, I have a bag of unfinished releases to wrap up, some massive collaborations underway, and a remix (or 3) on the schedule so there’s plenty of studio time on the horizon. I’m also starting to take bookings farther afield which is exciting, getting to meet and share music with lots of passionate ravers! See you folks out there!

When was the last time you actually raved?

Aside from playing gigs, my wife and I went to Sheffield about 3 weeks back to see Zardonic smash it… it was so good!

And finally, do you have a special message for our readers?

My message is short but powerful enough that I remind myself of it each day and think it’s worth sharing with you guys… “Life is short, so remember to be kind to others, kind to yourself and most importantly… Live Deliciously.”