High Contrast — Drum & Bass DJ & ProducerHigh Contrast
High Contrast is Welsh drum-and-bass DJ and producer Lincoln Barrett, born in Penarth near Cardiff. After studying filmmaking in Newport, he discovered drum and bass through J Majik's Arabian Nights at 17 and worked at Cardiff record shop Catapult. Those beginnings led to a residency at Cardiff's Silent Running night alongside Grooverider and London Elektricity, and later resident roles at Aperture in Cardiff and Roxy in Prague. He has also been in regular rotation at Fabric in London.
Barrett's music is strongly associated with liquid funk, combining fast rhythmic drive with a cinematic sensibility informed by soundtrack composers Wendy Carlos and Vangelis. His debut album, True Colours, arrived on Hospital Records in 2002. He later founded The Contrast, released through 3Beat and launched Highly Contrasting. His BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix in 2003 was followed by a 2007 edition named Essential Mix of the Year by Pete Tong.
High Contrast appeared at Coachella in 2011 and helped select and produce music for the Athletes Parade at the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony; six of his tracks appeared on the official Isles of Wonder soundtrack. Confidential received BPI Gold certification, and he received a Grammy nomination for a remix of Jorja Smith's The One. His sets and productions retain a clear connection between Cardiff roots, club-focused drum and bass and widescreen musical storytelling.