The evolution of UK bass music is synonymous with Bristol. It’s inextricably linked to the geographical, social, and technological landscape of the South West of England. As a historical port city defined by multi-generational migration and counter-cultural resistance, Bristol developed a highly distinct soundsystem culture. This cultural environment fostered a unique sonic identity that prioritized deep sub-bass pressure, organic instrumentation, and a defiant rejection of London-centric and commercial musical trends. During the early ’90s, this environment birthed a revolutionary musical movement of rave music when breakbeat hardcore transitioned into jungle, and eventually, drum & bass. One of the pioneers of the sound during this transition was Roni Size, an artist whose foundational work with his label, Full Cycle Records.
In 2026, the legacy of Full Cycle Records is entering a highly significant renaissance. Managed by Kit Warwick alongside CEO Roni Size, the label is actively reclaiming its position in the contemporary landscape. Rather than operating as a nostalgic retrospective, this modern phase represents an uncompromised return to the label’s original, vibe-led philosophy. Central to this is the signing of Social Security, the recording alias of the veteran producer Moses or more commonly known to his mates, Zoobz. Through his upcoming four-track EP, NEW ERA, Social Security bridges the historical weight of early ’90s soundsystem culture with the contemporary energy of the modern dancefloor.
The identity of Full Cycle Records was forged in the socio-economic reality of Bristol during the late ’80s and early ’90s. Born Ryan Owen Granville Williams to Jamaican immigrant parents, Roni Size grew up in the suburb of St Andrews where he began his production career, experimenting with dissecting the heavy dub baselines and vocal arrangements that would later define his production aesthetic.
In 1992, aided by Chris Lewis, Roni Size founded Where’s The Party Records as an offshoot of the Circus Warp free party soundsystem. The third release on the label, catalogued as ‘WTP 003’, was ‘Wicked Ones’ by 3 Way Split. Comprising Roni Size, Alvin, and Winston, the project sampled the vocal from Martin Campbell’s reggae anthem ‘Wicked Rule’ and featured the seminal ‘Wicked Ones (Easygroove Mix)’.
By 1993, Roni Size and Dave Cridge, the owner of Replay Records in Bristol, began visiting The Record Basement in Reading. It was through these trips and a shared desire for complete creative independence that Full Cycle Records and its sibling imprint, Dope Dragon, were established. Bryan Gee, then working in A&R at RCA Records, became an early champion of the collective’s innovative demo tapes. When Bryan Gee co-founded V Recordings in 1994, the label’s first two releases were Krust‘s ‘Deceivers EP’ (V001) and Roni Size and DJ Die‘s ‘Agility’ (V002), cementing the global ascent of the Bristol sound.
In 2026, the cultural footprint of Full Cycle Records extends far beyond the digital streaming algorithms. Under the strategic direction of Kit Warwick, the label has established a highly successful monthly residency at The Star & Garter, a historic, culturally significant pub located in the heart of St Paul’s, Bristol. Launched in October, these free-entry events have become a vital focal point for the local community, attracting a diverse audience of veteran ravers and a new wave teenage enthusiasts who gather to experience the raw, uncompromised energy of authentic soundsystem music.
By maintaining these grassroots platforms, Full Cycle effectively preserves the social fabric of the Bristol scene, ensuring that the music remains directly connected to its community origins rather than being subsumed by corporate commodification. UKF sat down with Roni, Kit and Social Security to discuss all things drum & bass.
Let’s go back to the beginning. What was it like being a raver when drum & bass began?
Roni Size: Drum & bass was not even a term when I started making music. It was the early, wild frontier of rave culture, making bedroom music with very limited tools. Atari 1040 ST computers, Akai S1000 and S950 samplers, E-MU samplers, mixing boards made of wood, and a set of NS10’s. To find our sounds, we went through our parents’ record collections or through secondhand record shops. Then we ended up going to raves hearing these unedited, pitch shifted chipmunk vocals. It was unashamed, you would end up in a field dancing like no one was in the room. I was lucky enough to go to Castle Morton, which pretty much changed my like. It was a massive, week-long rave in a field with over 40 soundsystems. Standing in the middle of that field changed my life. You could hear 300 different songs playing all at once, heavy reggae basslines, MCs spitting over rapid tempos, hard-floor techno, and house. When we went home, that’s what we wanted to capture in our tracks. That clash of sounds. It was just an exciting time in the early 90’s.
That transition from the early rave and jungle techno days into jungle, and eventually drum & bass, was highly contested. What were the cultural forces driving those shifts in terminology?
Roni Size: The scene moved fast, and people were constantly trying to put names on it. It went from acid house and techno to jungle techno, then jungle, and finally drum & bass. But behind the scenes, there was a lot of division. There was a significant dispute about the word jungle because of its racial connotations, and there were gatekeepers who were not happy with how the music was evolving. There is actually a radio broadcast tape from that exact era that has never been released, which would explain so much of that history and help people understand the struggle. Ultimately, drum & bass was the term decided upon because it acted as a unifying force, bringing people of all backgrounds together in the dance. I always say that I am a second-generation junglist but a first-generation drum & bass producer. It is funny because the jungle revival we are seeing now is probably the 14th time it has come back around. Drum & bass itself has never once disappeared; it has just shifted through various guises like neurofunk, liquid, and intelligent drum & bass. But the fact that 17 and 18-year-old kids in 2026 prefer the term jungle, embracing the culture exactly the way I did in 1991, is something I never saw coming.
Zoobz, your own entry point into the culture occurred during that crucial transition in 1993. What was the exact moment that locked you in?
Social Security: The journey started even earlier, skanking out in my living room as a little nipper to The Prodigy when they performed on Top of the Pops. My older brother then bought me a rave tape from the Music Exchange in the late ’80s, which was filled with early rave anthems, and that crossed over into my world. But the definitive moment occurred in 1993. I was 13 years old, riding the London Underground with my crew from Tottenham. One of my friends handed me his Walkman, and I listened to Deep Blue‘s ‘Helicopter’ on Moving Shadow. The moment that sub-bass dropped, that deep, rolling pressure, I was completely and utterly hooked. I stood on the tube platform thinking, what is this music? From that day on, my life was entirely about finding that sound.
You originally entered the scene as an MC. What got you into producing and DJing?
Social Security: I came into it from an M.C. point of view because, I wanted to make music back then, but obviously you had to buy samplers and computers. And like I said, I was about 13, 14 years old, so that definitely wasn’t happening because it was a lot of money. But MCing was completely free. All I needed was my mind, my heart, my soul, a pen, and a pad. That was how I could conjure up my own version of the music, writing bars in my bedroom and spitting them over tape packs. That MC background gave me a deep understanding of rhythm, vocal flow, and crowd interaction, which became invaluable when I eventually got into the studio to produce.
Roni, the early Bristol scene famously possessed a distinct hip-hop and reggae-influenced swagger that set it apart from London. How did the London-centric D&B establishment receive you in those early days?
Roni Size: It took a lot of swagger for London to take Bristol seriously. London was the epicentre, with pirate stations like Kool FM and legal clubs driving the narrative. When we first started coming up, Grooverider famously joked that Londoners would be like “What do these farmers know about drum & bass?”. But we did not care; we stayed entirely in our lane. In Bristol, we did not have many pirate radio stations early on, so we were still heavily influenced by reggae, hip-hop, and the local blues parties. Dennis Murray, who deejayed as DJ Easygroove, was a massive influence on us. He was a local legend who played hip-hop and R&B and then switched to playing straight-up techno and hardcore. My very first record was ‘Wicked Ones’ released in 1992 under the alias 3 Way Split on Where’s The Party Records, which was founded by Chris Lewis as part of Circus Warp. It was a collaboration between me, Alvin, and Winston, and we called it the “Easygroove mix” just to get him to play it out. Once London got a taste of that deep, rolling Bristol pressure and that heavy soundsystem swagger, they could not ignore us.
How did the collaboration with Simon Matthews, also known as DJ Gwandge, influence the label’s early trajectory?
Roni Size: Simon Matthews was an absolute visionary, and his work on Legend Records was legendary. He co-founded the label in 1993 with Jason Greenhalgh, who is Q Project, and Paul Smith, who is Spinback. The label was financed by an anonymous friend we called DJ Hood, and Simon Matthews and Graham Mew, who is The Invisible Man, ran around in their cars to cutting houses and distributors. Simon’s releases like ‘New Creation’ and ‘Motionless’ on Legend Records were incredible examples of atmospheric jungle. Simon’s work had a deep, haunting quality that really resonated with us. Unfortunately, due to health problems, Simon quit the label in 1995, and the financial pressure forced them to shut Legend Records down, which is when they went on to found C.I.A. Records. But Simon Matthews’ production style remains a massive influence on the entire atmospheric drum & bass sound.
Full Cycle has always been regarded as a foundational pillar of the genre, but it has gone through periods of dormancy. Why do you reject the idea of this era being a “resurrection”?
Roni Size: I dislike the word resurrection because Full Cycle has never actually gone away. We have never gone under or entered administration; the label has always been my baby. But when a label goes quiet, people in this industry assume it is over. In reality, staying prolific is not always the goal. We live in a saturated market where plagiarism is rampant, people are constantly splitting stems, remixing tracks without permission, and using AI tools to mimic classic sounds. It is like waking up for breakfast; the first thing people do is copy someone else. We attempted to re-engage as a label around 2013 or 2014 with Krust, but due to circumstances, we had different ideas of where we wanted to take it. I decided to take on the role of CEO and hired Kit as our label manager, and we have spent the last three years building the backend properly. We wanted to ensure we had the right distribution, publishing, and, most importantly, the right artists who understand the rich, uncompromised legacy of the label.
Kit, as the label manager, you have spent the last three years working in the shadows to restructure Full Cycle. What is your philosophy when it comes to A&R and signing new music?
Kit: My philosophy is extremely simple: I want to work with easy, experienced artists who fully grasp the vision of the label. We want to stay entirely in our lane and focus on quality over quantity. When I first connected with Moses, it was an incredible moment because I already had Social Security records in my personal collection. I remembered buying his classic ‘Green Cross Code’ EP on vinyl and his early remix of Peter Bouncer’s ‘Junglist’ on Congo Natty. To go from being a fan of his catalogue to working with him to launch his new EP is a beautiful, full-circle moment. The same goes for legends like Drumsound & Bassline Smith. Working with high-profile artists can be nerve-wracking because you want to deliver a flawless campaign, but Simon (Bassline Smith) just told me, “Bro, do your thing, don’t worry about us.” That ease and trust are what make a release successful.
You have spoken before about how synesthesia directly impacts your A&R process. How does that neurological phenomenon shape your perspective on the Full Cycle sound?
Kit: There’s a thing called synesthesia, where you can see colours when you hear a sound. It’s kind of like that. When I hear a song and I’m like, “Wow, that’s Full Cycle,” it clicks something off in my mind. It will pitch me back to a record shop in the early 90s, and I actually visualize the Full Cycle logo or the artwork and encapsulate the music into those visions. I’m interested in vibes; all the technicals can be worked out later. I literally visualize the classic Full Cycle artwork and logo wrapping around the sound. If that mental connection snaps, I will pursue that record immediately because it has the true vibe.
That focus on “vibe” stands in stark contrast to the modern obsession with sterile, mathematically perfect mixdowns. Why do you think so many contemporary tracks feel devoid of soul?
Kit: The problem is that many artists have become too formulaic, feeding the algorithm rather than expressing genuine emotion. They spend months obsessing over technicalities and pristine mixdowns because they are terrified of rejection by their peers. But that clinical, cold approach sucks the life out of the music. When I send tracks to Roni or Simon (Bassline Smith), they do not care about a perfect mixdown. They can fix the technical elements in the studio later. They want to know: where is the vibe? I would much rather listen to a tune that is rough around the edges but possesses a massive bag of vibes and energy. Moses understands that implicitly. His music is made with feeling, not clinical mathematics.
Moses, your upcoming four-track EP, NEW ERA, is a masterclass in that vibe-led, analog aesthetic. How did you approach this project?
Social Security: Versatility is everything to me as an artist. I cannot go into the studio and make the same track over and over again; it would drive me mad. Our music is so beautiful because it can encompass elements of jazz, funk, soul, reggae, and hip-hop. That was why jungle became a global phenomenon in the first place, it was a rich melting pot of cultures. When I went in to write this EP, I did not focus on technicalities. I focused on creating honest, vibe-driven music that comes from a place of deep respect for the history of the label.
Let us break down the EP track-by-track. ‘Thunderclap’ and ‘New Era’ were the first two tracks Roni signed. What was the inspiration behind them?
Social Security: ‘Thunderclap’ was written with a very specific, aggressive energy in mind. I wanted to make something grimy, dirty, and heavily inspired by the raw, bruising basslines of Dillinja. It is a track built for the system, with zero compromises. ‘New Era’, on the other hand, was a conscious nod to the classic, rolling Full Cycle sound. It has those deep, organic sub-bass movements and rolling drum programming that Roni and Krust pioneered in the ’90s. When Roni heard those two, he immediately wanted to sign them as a single, which gave me the confidence to expand the project into a full EP.
The remaining two tracks, ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Time Capsule’, feel like they were written with a deep understanding of the label’s legacy. How did they come together?
Social Security: ‘Wild Thing’ was written after Roni signed the first two. I went into the studio with the explicit goal of creating a track tailored specifically for Full Cycle, while still maintaining my unique identity as Social Security. I wanted to make something simple, hooky, and highly infectious, so that the ravers on the dancefloor could instantly connect with it. I do not mind if it is a little rough around the edges; I actually prefer that raw, human feel. ‘Time Capsule’ was heavily inspired by Full Cycle’s landmark Through the Eyes compilation from 2000. I wanted to capture that deeper, atmospheric, and highly musical vibe while bringing my own contemporary style to the table. For me, it is all about the feeling. If a track can make you feel something, then it has achieved its purpose.
Full Cycle has also put out a massive new remix of your 1999 anthem ‘Snapshot’. Roni, how did Drumsound & Bassline Smith approach reworking such a pivotal track from the Full Cycle vault?
Roni Size: Reworking a track like ‘Snapshot’ is incredibly difficult because the original is so deeply woven into the fabric of the genre’s history. But Simon (Bassline Smith) and Drumsound are absolute legends, and they delivered an exceptional remix. They kept the absolute soul and vibe of the original intact, but they introduced a brilliant four-to-the-floor build-up that works incredibly well on modern dancefloors. It pays a beautiful homage to the 1999 original while injecting a massive dose of contemporary energy. When you hear that classic baseline drop on a modern system, the reaction is instant.
Full Cycle has also returned to its grassroots in Bristol with your monthly residency at The Star & Garter. Why is that local, free-entry connection so vital to the label’s identity?
Kit: The residency at The Star & Garter in St Paul’s has been an incredible success since we launched it last October. We wanted to create a space that was completely free of financial commitments for the punters. The Star & Garter is a legendary, historic pub with a deep connection to Bristol’s music culture, and running a free monthly night there allows us to give back to our community. We do not go there with an ego; we just invite DJs we trust to play great music, and we encourage people to come as they are. Every single month has been completely rammed. We have people running up to us, sweating, saying they came specifically to hear the authentic Full Cycle vibe. It has become a vital testing ground for new music, and it keeps us completely grounded in the grassroots energy that birthed this soundsystem culture.
Roni, you play to massive, sold-out festival crowds across the globe every weekend, but you recently witnessed the grassroots Bristol scene during the 420 celebrations in Castle Park. How does that raw energy compare to the international stage?
Roni Size: What is happening in Bristol right now is beautiful, and it is completely out of control. During the Castle Park celebrations, the energy was identical to the lawless, rebellious free party days of the early ’90s. You had soundsystems popping up on every corner, people getting chased through the park by the police, and ravers asking people to wear high-visibility jackets so they could pretend to be security. It was pure, unadulterated rave culture. While cities like London can feel a bit sterile or corporate at times, Bristol refuses to take a day off. The creative space, the arts, and the defiant attitude here are completely unique. Having that energy on our doorstep is a constant reminder of why we started making this music. It keeps our ears to the ground and ensures we never rest on our reputation.
The contemporary landscape of drum & bass in 2026 is often characterized by a dichotomy between commercial accessibility and underground purism. In an era dominated by rapid consumption patterns and digital saturation, the uncompromised renaissance of Full Cycle Records demonstrates the enduring viability of a vibe-led, grassroots approach to music production and label management. Rather than attempting to adapt to the clinical demands of digital algorithms, Roni Size, Kit Warwick, and Social Security show that the ultimate strength of the Bristol sound lies in its uncompromised sonic heritage and commitment to raw human emotion.
As Social Security’s NEW ERA EP prepares for release on the 19th of June, it is clear that the label’s historical legacy is not merely a static monument to the past, but an active, evolving blueprint for the future. By choosing to focus on honest, physical music that prioritizes raw feeling over clinical perfection, Full Cycle Records ensures that the authentic spirit of ’90s soundsystem culture remains a vital, driving force in contemporary UK bass music for generations to come.
