Gateway to Drum and Bass

Today, we meet DJ Trirat Homchantra AKA F1rstpers0n to discuss his gateway to drum and bass.
A Communication Design Student based in the Big Mango (Bangkok, for you newcomers). Khun Trirat is a big music enthusiast, starting off with listening and eventually mixing. In the beginning, he made mixes for his rather hectic commutes in the big city. Opening a channel on YouTube in 2014 and a profile on Mixcloud, he quickly gained plenty of followers.

A young man prominent in Thailand’s underground scene, especially in Drum and Bass, one would notice that Khun Trirat’s style shies away from dancefloor vibes. In other words, his sets tend to tell a story (which is absolutely perfect for a commute).

With Drum and Bass contributing to the growth of Thailand’s underground scene, F1rstpers0n is definitely is one to watch. His primary focus is on said genre, BUT not a stranger to some dub, industrial style Techno.

While we have the pleasure of having Khun Trirat join UMT for regular shows, we also had the pleasure of having a quick chat with the young man.

Q & A

How did you start DJing?
Before I learned how to DJ, I’d sort music into playlists in a way that sounded most coherent together in order. I started a youtube channel in 2014 sharing the mixes I made, just for fun. Over time it gained traction and got a decent sum of regular listeners.

I approach DJing in a bedroom, home-listening setting. I’d mix sets to make my daily commute a bit more forgiving. My selections tend to shy away from energetic dancefloor vibes, focusing mainly on the narrative of a set.

What genres do you play?
Primary but not limited to drum & bass and its subgenres, also occasionally a bit of techno, mainly dub, ambient and industrial style. Other genres I’ve played include UK dubstep, future garage, and a bit of trance.

When asked, who were his major influences in music, Khun Trirat replied,

“My favourites that I keep coming back to are ASC, Alaska, Synkro, Burial, Bucky, Warmth, Martin Nonstatic”.

We also had the opportunity to ask him what he thought of the UMT project:

“It’s a great community project that brings local DJs together, it definitely will bolster the scene”.

So, there you have it. A young man pushing the underground music boundaries from the gateway to drum and bass to the next level.

Don’t take our word for it. Have a listen to ‘Torment’ below, as he takes you on a journey of dark autonomic, experimental halftime DnB and jungle.

here.
This exploration reveals the cold and distant corners of drum & bass subgenres. Starting off calm and steady, gradually plunging into series of ominous autonomic tribal selections. Occasional bits of amen breaks in between, all while getting progressively unhinged and erratic as the set approaches the end.

The mix features releases from Rlyeh1, Eusebeia, Dreadmaul, Bereneces, Shiken Hanzo, Rarity and Aikana, Overlook and Clarity, Offish, Shinbu, Doom Poets, Quartz, and more.

You can also see his broad take on DnB and the labels he has explored through his visual design:

See more at his Facebook Artist page