5 Songs I Love w/ KOOLAID

Every artist has a handful of songs that stay with them, whether they sparked an idea, shaped their taste or simply became part of the soundtrack to everyday life. For KOOLAID, those influences stretch across the sounds, scenes and artists that have shaped his creative journey, from his early days immersed in South Florida’s drum & bass underground to the genre-defying work he makes today.

For this edition of 5 Songs I Love, KOOLAID catches up with Flex to talk through five tracks that hold a special place for him. Along the way, he explores the music that first drew him towards electronic sounds, the artists who have influenced his approach, and the tracks that have continued to inspire him throughout his evolution as a producer, DJ and recording artist.

1. High Contrast - Racing Green

One of my favourite producers, High Contrast took drum & bass to the next level with this track. Filled with lush strings, a melancholic piano intro and that iconic vocal sample, this song is almost perfect. He was a master of contrast and tension, respecting the soul and jazz influences from before his time. While at the same time experimenting heavily with rolling breaks, warm basslines and cinematic atmosphere. The guy literally made me feel like the sun was coming up after the longest night. Really someone who knows what he's doing, and then chooses to make you feel it. For me, that's a great artist.

2. Bad Company - Planet Dust

I love Bad Company, one of the most influential acts in drum & bass history. I like the weight, the precision and the raw menace of this track, but most of all, I like the drums. A true benchmark, "Planet Dust" is deeply physical yet strangely hypnotic, brutal yet groovy. It sounds like a warning shot, but is almost always grounded in pure function—made for the dancefloor and nothing else. They also really beautifully utilize what I call "negative space", where the drop, the silence and the bass can have a dramatic impact. Something I'm used to in techno and early jungle, but a little less in modern liquid. Bad Company is a master of this craft. Their influence on the sound of drum & bass is something that inspires me and keeps me going.

3. Spor - Aztec

This song famously takes you on a journey through dark, twisting sound design, so it literally takes you somewhere else in a little over five minutes by using textures more familiar to film scores than dance music. But it doesn't sound like that at all, it's very visceral and pretty easy to get lost in. In my book, that's a great electronic song: instantly recognizable but full of hidden gems for the curious listener. The production style is very detailed, with razor-sharp drums, monstrous bass and a beautiful sense of restraint. And of course topped off with those amazing atmospheric builds and drops.

4. Nu:Logic - Everlasting Days (Ft. Lifford)

Nu:Logic really did an impressive job on this song. The soul and vibe are so spot on, it's just right. You really feel it when the groove kicks in and the bass starts rolling. The production style is very warm. They used Lifford's vocals as an instrument, floating over the beat and on occasion, even carrying the whole emotional weight of the track. Nu:Logic is not shy about using space and patience! Something I really love doing myself too. If you would listen to the album in its entirety, which you should always do, you hear the duo's range as producers, emphasizing the skill of making music as a whole, and not only singles.

5. Congo Natty - Get Ready

I love Congo Natty, one of the most important figures in jungle music. I like the energy, the message and the raw power of this track, but most of all, I like the roots. A true pioneer, Congo Natty's sound is deeply personal yet universal, rebellious yet joyful. It sounds like a rallying cry, but is almost always grounded in real struggle and real community. He also really beautifully utilizes what I call "musical tension", where the breakbeat, the bass and the vocals can have a dramatic push and pull. Something I'm used to in reggae and soundsystem culture, but a little less in modern electronic music. Congo Natty is a master of this craft. His longevity as an independent artist is something that inspires me and keeps me going.

Listen to KOOLAID's latest release