Danny Byrd

A well-respected figure on the noughties drum’n’bass scene, producer Danny Byrd finally broke through to the mainstream ten years after signing his first record deal. Born in Bath, South West England, Byrd started making music on a cheap sampler keyboard after developing a love of the early-’90s rave sound. After upgrading to a professional sampler at the age of 17, one of his tracks, “Manhattan,” received support from influential DJs Fabio & Grooverider, and in 2000 he became one of the first artists to sign to Hospital Records. In 2008 he released his debut album, Supersized, but it wasn’t until two years later that he received his first chart hit. “Sweet Harmony,” a reworking of the Liquid dance classic, reached number 64, while “Ill Behaviour,” which sampled Wildchild’s “Renegade Master,” reached number 36, both of which were featured on his second album, Rave Digger. ~ Jon O’Brien