Dark energy plus raw emotion multiplied by head-bending studio alchemy equals Ekwols: a Scottish drum & bass artist emerging with an urgent sound, meaningful message and a deep, deep passion for evocative electronic music.
A relatively new name on the heavier, technical side of D&B, and a member of the forward-facing, community-spirited Evolution Chamber collective, Kenny Dargans’ Ekwols project is the sum of a life spent swimming neck-deep in many musical forms and flavours, contributing to the culture in every artistic way he can. In previous equations this Edinburgh engineer has explored myriad styles and sounds from fronting punk and ska bands to running a music and arts night throughout the 2000s across three Scottish cities. A rootsical-minded turntablist with a love for fusion, in another alias he boils down dancehall, reggae, grime and jungle with pure soundsystem spirit, while in his day job as an electrical engineer he conjures up the future, developing tech and coding new solutions.
Forever driven by the rapid progression of technology, Ekwols’ music matches his mindset: complex and curious but never compromising soul for science. Every release needs to convey a message or feeling that’s experienced through both the music and the artwork, which he plays a lead role in. Applying his signature love for gothic and horror aesthetics, and that strong sense of mortality and melancholy that’s tangible in all his music, cohesion and consistency is felt throughout everything Ekwols puts out into the world… This includes his message of total and uncompromising equality and inclusion in every aspect of life. Standing up against racism, fascism, homophobia and sexism; Ekwols speaks for the original unifying spirit rave culture was founded on. And his voice is getting louder and louder.
