Prolific, renowned, genre-defining. These lofty terms only do so much justice to describe an artist like N-Type. Mark Newton’s career not only spans back beyond the very conception of dubstep, his ongoing global contributions to it truly shaped the essence of the genre.
Simply put: N-Type’s involvement as DJ, producer and Wheel & Deal Records kingpin encompasses an ambassador’s role only a very few can match. And yet his versatility as an artist goes further than helping to nurture a genre into an international phenomenon.
Three decades of graft, distilled in nineteen tenaciously crafted tracks. Typography is his debut album arriving on November 21, 2025. A singular homage to his formative genres and evolved taste, providing a hint of how his vision shifted. And, perhaps most importantly, a testament to triumph amidst heartfelt personal loss as well.
So without further ado, here’s the gist from the great N-Type himself.
Congratulations on this milestone. What was the first thing you did when the album was finally done?
Went down the local for a pint… to be honest, I could have kept tweaking it forever, but I had to put a full stop on it and neck a Stella.
Proper... What is the story behind the album title Typography?
It’s a name I have had in mind for a long time. I waited for the right time to use it and wanted it to be a story, almost a biography of my music and collaborations with friends I have worked with over the years.
I wanted to pay homage to my older productions, but also introduce newer, more current genre-merging sounds. Typography is also a play on my artist name (obviously), and a nod to my other line of work as graphic designer.
The album is described as an ‘amalgamation of the UK underground’. How did you approach the challenge of blending so many diverse genres, from reggae and dub to jungle and dubstep, into one cohesive project?
This kind of comes easy for me, I think, because of the impact that jungle had on me as a young DJ in the 90’s. Jungle and drum and bass tracks had samples from reggae, soul, rare groove, to hip-hop and more. It was a real melting pot of influences for me.
When I first started producing, I basically wanted to make some dark, ‘jungley’ 2-step garage, so I was already merging my favourite sounds and this kind of style fitted into the FWD>> Dubstep sound.
My first regular pirate radio show on Delight FM 103 with my brother Walsh (RIP) was actually one hour of garage and another hour with jungle & drum & bass, I wasn’t strictly about one sound.
The opening tracks are noted for their ‘bass and space ethic’ but with ‘sounds leaning towards hip-hop’. What specific elements from hip-hop were you consciously drawing from?
For me, the first track “Bubble” has elements and vibes of old skool, laid back East-Coast hip-hop, like Wu-Tang, Nas, Notorious B.I.G, with brass instrument samples and swanky, slightly loose drums. “Desert” has a big 808 bass and Missy Ellion style-samples, with a trappy style that sits closer to newer hip-hop sounds.
I actually made these tracks back in 2019 and they were lost dubplates. I have a habit of keeping tracks to play in my sets. But I thought they suited the vibe and set the scene for the album. “More Time”, featuring Eklipse, is a minimal dubstep track, but his vocal style is very close to the current UK rap.
After being synonymous with early dubstep, what was the personal goal or statement you wanted to make by releasing a full-length album at this stage in your career?
I always wanted to make a production album; it’s an idea I had years ago, but I didn’t want to rush it. I was actually approached to do an album by a label back in 2005, but I didn’t think it was the right time. Then I went on to make the mix compilation Dubstep Allstars Vol. 5 in 2007, which was a high point in my career. This might not have happened if I went the production route. Being renowned for my DJing meant a lot to me; it is what I did first.
After 12 years and hundreds of gigs, 2019 came and off the back of a successful tour of Australia & New Zealand with Youngsta, I decided to focus on my own album. I had been releasing other artists on Wheel & Deal Records and helping their careers for years, but I wanted to focus on me for a change.
I decided I wanted to make Typography a celebration of where I had been and where I wanted to go. So rounding some of my choice artists to work with was essential in the story of the album.
The funny thing is… someone said to me: ‘the majors don’t care about albums any more’, well, I don’t care what the majors are doing, and the fact that no one is really doing albums in 2025 sits well with me. I’m doing this from the heart and am glad I released it on my own label in 2025, we have come a long way. And I’m about longevity and legacy, not some one-hit wonder.
Can you go more into the artists you chose for the album?
These are key people I have worked with, or wanted to work with over the years. Super talented artists that made an impact on me and my productions. There were still other people I wanted to feature on the album, but due to timing and the number of tracks I had already compiled, I decided to leave for future projects.
You’ve blended dubstep with MC’s from garage, funky, grime, and UK rap… what is it about combining these different vocal styles with 140bpm-centric beats that you enjoy so much?
I always thought a lot of dubstep tracks would suit a vocal, and I actually used to record vocalists for dubplate versions of my favourite tracks. I love all the genres you just mentioned and their tempos work well around the 140bpm speed.
I have always been a fan of the 140 bpm speed as it’s in between drum and bass and rap / garage; you can either dance or chill to it. I also think the MC’s I work with all have their own vibe and it’s nice to bring that to dubstep and to work outside of the norm. This to me is all about evolution and trying out new things.
How do you decide which vocalist is the right fit for a specific beat? For example, how did you match Grim Sickers or Shantie to their respective tracks?
I listen to these vocalists and know their sound, so I normally write something I feel might suit them. Or I will just get them in the studio and play them some beats and see what they are feeling.
The collaboration track we made for Grim Sickers is an interesting one, as it was an international collaboration. Lazy K sent me the beat idea and I added the melody and developed the track to then play to Sickers.
He sent the vocal recording, then we went in and we mixed and mastered it at LOST’s studio in Croydon. That track did some mileage, from Austin, Texas, to Croydon then to Birmingham… and back to Croydon.
The track I wrote for Shantie was a quick idea I made to play him. I had a few samples I wanted to pitch and make a Dubstep track that I thought would be similar, or a follow-up to ‘Nu Era Dub’ the track I made with Kromestar, which was originally a quick dubplate for Outlook Festival.
I knocked up a quick idea, as I was recording Shantie for ColtCuts at the time. The track is very simple, but Shanties uplifting UK garage style brought it to life and I thought: now I need some live trumpet to set it off, so I recorded the amazing Hannah Tucker and ‘Tun Up’ was made.
Please take us back to your early days. You started DJ’ing in your early teens, can you remember what (or who) pulled you in initially?
I started buying records in 1994. Before that, I was buying and swapping rave tape packs and pirate radio recordings. Rave music, jungle was what made me want to start DJ’ing and mixing. Several of my mates in secondary school were also DJ’ing and we used to jam at my mate’s house and play parties and go record shopping together.
On my fourteenth birthday I got some second-hand belt drive decks and I thought I was the bollox lol. Once I linked up with Walsh, we constantly swapped music, he really got me into underground garage.
I started buying both jungle / drum and bass, and garage records with money I made from cleaning cars. This combination of UK underground music is what made me want to produce.
Losing Walsh in 2022 was a massive hit to me and my family, a part of me went with him that day, he was my brother. The grief I felt from his loss made me more determined to finish my album.
One regret I will always have is from the week before he died. We made a song on his work computer for the album. It was the best track we ever made together. I didn’t make a backup. Once he passed, his work wouldn’t let us retrieve the files from his computer. I was gutted! This is why the album sits at 19 tracks and not 20.
Sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this meaningful detail.
What’s your single most important piece of advice for an upcoming producer who is just starting to find their own unique sound in today’s saturated market?
Do it for the love. Do it because you want to make that song for yourself. Be open to criticism, but know who you are and what you like. It’s always good to get another set of ears on your music. Even if it’s just to get their thoughts… you will hear your song differently as you play it to them and notice things you didn’t before.
Get your music to the right DJ’s and performing artists, one DJ mix can blow a track up worldwide. Work on your brand and identity, out there it’s good to have a recognisable style.
What is the secret to creative longevity?
I love music, I love playing it and making it, it is my life. I think the secret is to keep busy and do it for the right reasons. Do what makes you happy.
Reflecting on the entire process of Typography, what was the biggest lesson you learned?
I’m pleased that I opted to get the majority of the album mixed and mastered by LOST at his Studio in Croydon to get an even finish across the whole album.
I normally just get my premasters mastered by a mastering engineer, but doing the mixing and mastering process this way has given the album a consistent sound. It has also influenced how I will be mixing my music in future.
This album is a masterclass in collaboration. What is the key to a successful collaboration where both artists’ sounds can merge and shine?
I think a successful collaboration is a track that gives elements of each artist all in one package. You have to both be open to each other’s opinion. But when you’re working on a good collaboration, things just flow and the vibe writes the track itself.
As a producer so closely linked to the early dubstep sound, how do you stay inspired and still keep your music fresh?
I keep my ear to the ground; I encourage new producers and I’m not afraid to try out new possibilities. I like pushing the boundaries, I like evolution, but I also like to reminisce. I have the utmost respect for all the talent that has made the sound what it is over the years, but I also thrive on new takes. I’m currently really feeling the techno / dubstep stuff Cimm is doing and the garage / dub stuff Hijinx and LOST are producing.
How has your approach to DJ’ing evolved from the early days to playing modern clubs and festivals?
The modern-day listener has become accepting of different sounds and tempos. I think genres are naturally blurring, and this is exciting to me. As for my sets, I still carry the same ethic as I did from the start: exclusive dubs with anthems and current banging releases, mixed in the way I like to combine records.
Can you give us a hint about where your sound is headed next?
I think the last track ‘Meters’ featuring Fatty Bassman on bass guitar is the route I’m going down. More live instruments, more jungle / garage crossovers, this is why I dropped this track last as this is where I’m looking to go.
Is there still anything specific that you’d like to mention to conclude?
Check out my record label Wheel & Deal Records and also watch out for my new streaming show from the W&D Studios starting soon. Big up!
