The artists, ideas and foundations behind one of bass music's defining labels
You don't have to compromise musically to build something big.
It's a simple idea, but in an industry where success often comes with pressure to follow trends, reach bigger audiences and make music that fits an existing formula, putting it into practice is another matter. Since launching 1985 Music in 2016, Alix Perez has built a label that makes a convincing case for doing things differently.
From its early releases to London's Roundhouse, 1985 has grown into one of bass music's most recognisable independent labels, with an identity that extends well beyond the records themselves. Its catalogue moves between drum and bass, dubstep, garage, jungle and halftime, while its artwork, clothing and events share the same attention to detail.
For the label's landmark Roundhouse show, Conduct commissioned an exclusive collection of backstage photographs, capturing the artists, personalities and moments surrounding the event. These previously unseen images offer a glimpse behind the scenes of a label whose influence extends well beyond the dancefloor.
Alongside the photography, we spoke to six artists connected to 1985 about their experiences, its creative independence and what has made the label such a distinctive presence in underground music. A selection of the photographs accompanies their stories, with the wider backstage collection presented in an exclusive gallery at the end of this feature.
SP:MC
SP has been there from the start. He played alongside Alix at the first 1985 event at Ten87 Studios in Tottenham and has watched what began there develop over the decade that followed.
“I think Alix is really focused on an overall aesthetic, from the music he signs, to the artwork and obviously the extensive clothing ranges he's designed for 1985 Studios. I can't think of many other labels where it all ties together so seamlessly.”
Having been around since the beginning, SP has also seen the people behind the label change as it has grown.
“Al has had a few different people helping him run the label behind the scenes. Shouts to Matt and Prav in the early days, then Amy who did an amazing job, more recently Nik. Obviously Alix has been the constant. He's well organised and always driving it forward. Pretty inspiring to see what can be built in a decade if you put your mind to it.”
If Ten87 represents one end of that journey, the first 1985 show at the Roundhouse in 2024 sits somewhere near the other.
“3000 people in London. It felt like a real moment. The curation was amazing and everything seemed to run perfectly. The icing on the cake was Alix bringing out his mum at the end of our set and getting to big her up and thank her for her guidance over the years.”
For SP, reaching that point without changing course is part of what the last ten years has proven.
“One thing it's undoubtedly proven is that you don't have to compromise or sell out musically to build something big. Hopefully that inspires other artists and labels to stay true to their vision.”
Monty
Monty came into the 1985 orbit before he ever released on the label. He was making noise elsewhere and Alix was one of the first people paying attention. At the time, Monty's tastes were rooted in harder drum and bass, with Noisia, Mefjus and Phace among the names that shaped him early on. That began to change when he went deeper into Alix's catalogue.
“I didn't really know his music at the time, so I went through everything. 1984, Chroma Chords, all of it. It felt very forward-thinking and fresh straight away. That's the thing about music, it can actually make you feel something. It heals. His music helped me through some dark times.”
The stripped back visual language surrounding the early label made an impression too. Monty started sending music to Alix, including an early track called The Savage Chase. It never came out, but it started a conversation. They met in Toulouse, more music changed hands and eventually Hold Me Back became his first official release on 1985.
As the roster developed, so did the exchange between the artists around it.
“There are little bits of everyone in each other's productions. We all inspire each other, but at the same time we've all got our own techniques and identity. It's a really nice thing to hear and see, growing together like that.”
That relationship with Alix has always left room for disagreement.
“It's always been good, but also a learning curve. We don't always agree on everything, but we find a solution. I trust Alix's ear. He either likes the music or he doesn't, it's that simple. It's very rare he'll ask to change something.”
Hypnotized changed things practically for Monty, bringing consistent bookings and helping him move into music full time. His album Hit The Lights, written during the pandemic, became another milestone as the first full length album released on 1985.
“We've all become good friends through the label. That makes it extra special.”
“I feel like it's one of the biggest underground bass music labels in the world right now. It's always focused on quality and artist expression, and it's helped develop artists in a natural way. It's also pushed different sounds, 140, garage, drum and bass, halftime, jungle, all of it.”
Dub Athlete
Dub Athlete first came across 1985 through Alix Perez's Ravana EP in 2020, a record she remembers for its direct peak-time energy and the wonkier edges of the Headland collaboration. What followed was a relationship with the label built largely through its events.
Her first 1985 booking was at Volks in her hometown of Brighton.
“The vibes were really high and the dancefloor was locked in. Breakage pulled up a track during that set which was a big compliment!”
A first appearance at fabric with 1985 followed.
“Having the opportunity to play at Fabric for the first time with 1985 was also very special. Very grateful for the opportunities to contribute and honour what the label has created.”
From that position, the appeal of 1985 is in the connection between its different sides.
“The quality of production is very high and the label has created a unique aesthetic from its sound to the visuals that accompany releases, traversing dark and experimental dubstep and hard-hitting drum and bass that is paired with minimalist and contemporary artwork.”
Ten years of that approach has had an impact far beyond the artists releasing directly through the label.
“It's inspired many artists all over the world to start producing and pushed the quality and boundaries of bass music. Big respect to Alix and his team for the dedication and love that they have poured into the project.”
Drone
For Drone, it started with hearing something he hadn't heard elsewhere.
“I remember hearing Elephant Dreams and Room 667. Those tracks caught my attention instantly. They were super fresh and really different to anything I had heard at the time.”
A direct connection with Alix followed in 2020. They exchanged music and Drone was invited onto the Edition 3 compilation, making his first appearance on the label with Blood Orange.
“It's always been a really positive experience for me since I began working with them. They've definitely helped me to develop as an artist and given me some amazing opportunities.”
When the time came to write his debut album, that relationship gave him room to move beyond what people might already have expected from him.
“When I was writing my debut album, there was a lot of creative freedom to experiment and push my sound into some less familiar territory.”
The relationships surrounding the music have become part of it too.
“When you see everyone at label shows, it's always a wicked vibe.”
Cesco
Cesco's route into 1985 started with a trip to Swansea. While at university, he and some friends travelled there to see Foreign Beggars. After the show he found Pavan in the crowd and asked for an email address so he could send over some beats. He sent something, heard nothing back and assumed that was probably the end of it.
What he didn't know was that Pavan's brother Prav was managing 1985 at the time. Prav heard what had been forwarded and asked for more. Among the next batch was an early version of Drones.
For Cesco, the freedom offered by the label comes from a very simple philosophy.
“The overarching philosophy of 'just do what you think is good' breeds an environment where people are comfortable experimenting rather than clinging to existing trends and gimmicks. The result is originality and variety from one epicentre.”
That extends to the A&R process. There are no lengthy lists of changes or attempts to steer a record towards something safer. If Alix connects with an idea, Cesco says the instruction is generally to finish it in whatever way feels right.
“Many labels homogenise their artists. Alix encourages us all to be as unique as we want. More fulfilment for the artists, better output for the label.”
One night at Thekla in Bristol made that relationship feel real in a different way. This was before the Up The Place EP had been released. Cesco wasn't playing that night and was watching from the wings while Alix was behind the decks with SP on the mic. Alix played one of his tracks. Then another. Then a third.
By the time Superstealth came in as the fourth Cesco track in a row, he had lost his head. SP pulled him out of the wings and onto the stage.
“I think I dapped someone in the front row. It felt like the moment I joined the family properly.”
Ila Brugal
For Ila Brugal, 1985's growth matters because of the way it has happened.
“To me, 1985 has always represented a forward-thinking approach to music and culture. Sonically and visually, they've consistently pushed boundaries and explored new territory without losing sight of the foundations the music is built on.”
That was particularly visible at the Roundhouse, where Ila played back to back with Drone for the first time.
“The Roundhouse show was genuinely special and something I'll never forget. It was incredibly powerful seeing our sound and community being celebrated in such an iconic venue.”
“If you'd asked me a few years ago whether I'd ever get to play my own tunes there, it probably wouldn't have been on my bingo card.”
For Ila, that growth is tied to a willingness to keep looking forward.
“In a landscape where a lot of electronic music can be driven by nostalgia, 1985 has stayed committed to developing its own identity and pushing things forward. I think that comes through not only in the music they release but also in the artists they choose to work with and champion.”
“What has always stood out to me is the clarity and consistency of Alix's creative output. Whether it's through music, visual design or curation, everything just feels intentional and authentic.”
Ten years in, that commitment to a clear idea has taken 1985 from Ten87 Studios to the Roundhouse, built a catalogue that moves comfortably across different corners of bass music and brought a group of artists together without asking them to sound the same.
The rooms are bigger now, the catalogue is deeper and the family around it has grown. What started as Alix Perez's vision for a label has become something with its own place in the culture, built carefully over ten years and still moving on its own terms.
BACKSTAGE AT THE ROUNDHOUSE
An exclusive photographic look behind the scenes of 1985 Music at London's Roundhouse.
Photography: Moon Immisch
