After a year-long hiatus, Metrik breaks the silence with his new album – the Awake LP – a 12-track odyssey crafted over five years, marking his most powerful yet vulnerable project of his career to date. Where some would call this a comeback, others might argue this is a bold rebirth, one born from adversity and the pursuit of finding light in the dark. Despite his seemingly quiet year in the drum and bass public eye, Metrik’s journey into the making of this album has been far from it.
Metrik’s recent release ‘Hole’ with Filthy Pig, featuring Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds, has recently been hailed as BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record in the World. Providing a glimpse into Awake LP, this track embodies the raw sentiment and fortitude that this album sets to reflect, bridging the gap between human emotion and musical perception.
For Metrik, music production isn’t just about deciding on the right chord structure or drum pattern (though, this is an arduous task in itself), but it’s about creating art which “people can connect with on a deeper level”. And this album does just that.
From lyrical writing and performing his own vocals to creating sounds that resonate with his vision, Metrik has truly reconnected with what it means to be, well… Metrik. But this album has not been without barriers. It comes from a place where hurt, loss, and challenging times meet hope, future, and reconciliation. While testing the waters with new sounds and pushing himself vocally, he’s proved himself as a multi-talented asset in the drum and bass community.
Metrik hasn’t just awoken; he is evolving. We asked Metrik back into the studio for a chat about the story behind his Awake LP, and to find out more about the experiences that shaped this album since the launch of Ex Machina.
How are you feeling about your upcoming Awake LP release?
I’ve got a lot of feelings tied to this project, but mainly I’m proud. Stepping away, and my reasons for that, shaped this album in a big way. Coming back meant rebuilding my relationship with music and with myself, which wasn’t easy. But now it feels like I’m returning with something honest and lived-in. It feels good to reconnect with the drum and bass community, with my fans, and to get back to doing what I love the most.
During your time away, was there anything you learnt about yourself either as a music producer or on a personal level?
Yeah, the break definitely helped me gain perspective. Trying to balance family, making music, touring and ADHD eventually led to intense burnout. I’ve learned to manage my time a bit better and ask for help rather than silently carrying on. Musically, I’ve grown too. Ex Machina was the first time I used my own voice, but it was masked in layers of grandiose, sci-fi aesthetic. With Awake, I wanted to be more direct and write from real personal experiences.
Absolutely! It’s always good to stay true to yourself as an artist.
Yep. To take the experiences in my life, convert them into songs and then sing them with conviction felt daunting initially. But I’ve learned that when it comes to art, the ideas that feel a bit scary are usually the ones worth exploring. I’ve tapped into so much creative potential this way and it’s never felt better.
It must be difficult managing family life with your career in music. Do these challenges reflect the meaning behind Awake?
Definitely. A lot of these songs started out as real conversations. I was juggling a lot in my life at the time and I was trying to make sense of it all, so the writing sessions often turned into these honest, sometimes heavy discussions about who I was, who I’d been, and who I was trying to become. Those conversations naturally shaped the lyrics and the sound. That’s really where the title comes from. Awake represents that moment of recognising what actually matters and learning to speak from my own voice again. For years, I think I was chasing something quite surface-level, like trying to live up to an idea of what I thought I should be. This album comes from a more grounded place. It feels like me.
This album really feels like a journey of self-discovery. How has this resonated with your fan base so far?
It’s been really moving. When I started opening up about what I’d been going through, I got messages from people dealing with similar things. Even though some themes are heavy, the album isn’t bleak. There’s release and clarity in it. Seeing people find their own meaning in these songs has been incredibly rewarding.
You’ve publicly mentioned your personal challenges while writing this album. Was there something in particular that helped you overcome these challenges in order to finalise this project?
Stepping back was huge. I needed space to look after my mental health and get perspective. It reminded me that if I disappear from socials for a month, the world won’t end. I realised how much pressure I was putting on myself. Being an artist isn’t just making music, it’s constantly presenting yourself too, and with attention deficit, time blindness, and overwhelm in the mix, staying consistent can be tough. I had to stop fighting that and accept my limitations. The album came from a darker period, so I couldn’t finish it until I was in a better place. Once I got there, the music flowed with much more clarity and energy, which is also why we ended up with more singles than originally planned.
‘Hole’ has received a lot of attention recently. How did this collaboration with Filthy Pig and Rou Reynolds come about?
Filthy Pig – Nick – is an incredible songwriter and producer. He’s a master of alternative pop and rock, and he brings that into drum and bass in such a natural way. The early version of ‘Hole’ had this introspective verse from me, a metaphor for what I was going through at the time, but we knew it needed another voice for the vision to fully come together. Rou was the obvious choice. He has this rare ability to be powerful, direct and articulate all at once. I’ve been a huge Enter Shikari fan for years, and I’ve always been inspired by how fearless and expressive they are. We’d spoken a bit online and I’d done a remix for them, so there was already a mutual respect there.
It sounds like your existing relationship helped your collaboration to flow naturally…
Yeah, completely. It clicked straight away. I was on holiday, sitting on a sun lounger with my headphones on, and Rou sent me his first vocal idea as a WhatsApp voice note. I remember swearing out loud in front of a group of kids because it was that good. Working on this with Rou and Nick has been a real pleasure. ‘Hole’ is a very personal track for me, so to see it resonate like this has meant a lot.
In your eyes, which track from the album has been getting the biggest reaction from crowds at shows?
‘Synchronize’. I’ve had people singing the lead melody back to me even though it’s not released yet, which hasn’t happened before. It also ties together the core themes of Awake, which is why it’s the album’s focus track. It’s specifically about ADHD – the chaos, the overload, and the yearning to feel “normal” (whatever that means). But the lyrics are open enough that people can bring their own meaning to it, and hopefully enjoy it as a big, uplifting moment… even if you take me and my existential dread out of the equation.
How did you decide which tracks made the cut for the album?
The pool was smaller this time, which actually helped. I had a clear instinct with what belonged in the Awake universe and put all my energy into those tracks. The selection process had a pretty strict criteria: did it belong in the Awake universe? Sonically, that meant it needed a heavy, industrial core with moments of euphoria. That was the benchmark for consistency. The only odd one out is ‘Waves’, which is much more uplifting, but that track is special for me and Josh (Grafix). We wrote it overlooking the south coast in the middle of winter, completely immersed in the landscape and atmosphere, so it felt essential to include. And then there’s a track called ‘Burnout’ which didn’t make the final cut because, fittingly, I ran out of time.
Are there different inspirations behind both your lyrical writing and music production?
Yeah, definitely. The lyrics are where I’m processing real things from my life – ADHD, identity, grief, trying to reconnect with myself. It’s very personal and internal. The production is where the world around those feelings gets built. That’s where the cyberpunk and industrial influences come in. It’s the atmosphere, the architecture, the sense of scale. I’ve always been drawn to creating music that feels like it lives inside its own universe rather than just being a track. So the lyrics are the human core, and the production is the environment those emotions live in.
It’s really interesting to see how you’re merging your storytelling with creating an immersive world within your music…
Thank you. The immersive side comes from the fact I think visually when I write. It’s almost like scoring a film scene that doesn’t exist yet. That’s how the Awake Industries universe took shape. The AV show, the artwork and the design language all stem from the idea of a post-human, cyberpunk tech cult. Visually, I build it the same way I produce: start with a loose concept, then develop it through animation, 3D, typography, and AI workflows. So when you’re at the show, holding the vinyl or seeing a clip online, you’re entering the world it belongs to.
You’ve explained a lot about the sound of the album. How do you reckon this sound will develop in your future music?
This album came from a very specific headspace. Someone said to me recently, “the vibe is darker than your older stuff – are we going to hear something more uplifting soon?” and I totally get where that comes from. When I started writing Awake, a lot of music around me felt very safe and comforting, which made sense after Covid, but I just wasn’t in that place at all. I couldn’t force myself to make something bright or “nice” even if I tried. But I don’t hear the album as bleak. It’s heavy, yeah – but there’s release and energy in there too, the same way rock and metal can hit hard emotionally but still lift you up. Vocally and lyrically, this is the most open I’ve ever been, and the way people have responded has
given me a lot of confidence to keep pushing that side of what I do. I’m already writing again and it feels exciting – same honesty and intensity, but with more space and new colours.
So, what does this mean for your shows?
The AV show is where the world-building really expands. I’m always experimenting with new tech, and I’m looking at bringing more live elements into the performance too, possibly even live vocals. A bit scary? Perhaps… probably means I’ll do it anyway though!
That sounds really exciting! Let’s now open up the table…is there anything else you want to share about the album?
Just a big thank you, honestly. I really appreciate everyone’s patience and support throughout this period. It’s taken a lot to get here, but I’m in a good place creatively again and genuinely excited for what’s coming next.
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