Continuing to reign supreme as one of the Stateside’s most recognizable names in drum and bass, label boss, DJ, producer and all-around rave legend Reid Speed never fails to impress and her latest collaboration with underground streetwear brand Uncommon Being is no exception.
While she has long supported the homegrown clothing brand based in Los Angeles, the latest collab with Uncommon Being takes the form of an exclusive line of merch centered on Reid’s signature style. Featuring the tag line, “Music is the Answer, Love is the Message” the resulting collection is an instant purchase for the bassheads in your life, if only for the fresh cat-influenced design alone!
Of course, beyond the new merch, we’re equally excited about the stunning hour-long Love is the Message guest mix Reid just released to celebrate the drop. Featuring 39 tracks of drum and bass bliss from the likes of artists ranging from Chase & Status, Shy FX, S.P.Y, Hyroglifics, and Skantia all the way through to Des McMahon, DJ Hybrid, Conrad Subs, Monty, and Workforce, the mix is a testament to the ever-impressive breadth and power Reid has on the decks.
To get a glimpse into the collaboration on both fronts as well as touch base with the legend herself, we sat down for a quick chat with Reid so cop your exclusive Unbeing x Reid Speed gear here and check the mix and Q&A below:
Talk to us about this mix and what fans should expect. Is there any special significance to it or the way in which you visualize it representing your collab with Uncommon Being?
The theme of this mix is LOVE. I’ve been feeling like there is a lot of suffering right now here on earth, and feeling fairly powerless to affect real change. One tool I do have is music and musical storytelling, so I weaved themes of platonic, romantic, and universal love into this set. The Uncommon team are deep and liquid lovers, so I also used a lot of those vibes in the mix to reflect their tastes as well.
Speaking of which, talk about your work with the brand. You’ve been a longtime ambassador but just recently had an actual merch collab drop. What was your involvement in the design, etc. and what are your thoughts in general about the ethos of Uncommon Being and what it represents?
I’ve wanted to do a collab with Uncommon for a long time. Their vibe, which to me blends 90s rave vibes with a more modern aesthetic, really resonated with me since I first discovered them on the scene a few years back. They do a lot of culture-nod designs that I especially love. For our collab, we did kind of a remix of my cat-logo, infusing it with love. The text comes from the title of one of my all time favorite songs, “Music is the Key” by Foul Play, and the simple statement “love is the message”. As the song goes, “together we are strong, and nothing is impossible…music mends and heals our broken hearts”.
Before we let you go, we have to ask you about the state of drum and bass as you’ve always got your finger on the pulse of things. It seems to have been an epic year for dnb with lots of new artists and fresh energy coming through. What’s the view like from your vantage point and are there any specific names we should be looking out for in the coming year.
The state of drum & bass seems really healthy and overwhelmingly positive right now; many longtime artists are continuing to make even bigger moves and be recognized, and for the first time it feels like many new (especially North American) artists are breaking through in ways we have never seen before. Some new(er) artists I’m loving right now include Skellytn, Sweetpea, Pyxis, CLB, Rebel Scum, Omen, Wavhart, Enkei, Kyroshie, Intercept… look out for these names coming soon to a rave near you!