Fred V & Grafix

Formed in Exeter, Devon, in 2009, Fred V & Grafix joined producers Fred Vahrman and Josh Jackson, who met through a mutual friend and began making music together. The pair initially concentrated on live music, then turned towards drum and bass after hearing Pendulum’s Hold Your Colour and High Contrast’s High Society. Their early releases appeared on smaller labels, while radio play helped them gain attention. They signed to Hospital Records in 2011. Their 2011 single Long Distance came out on Allsorts, followed by Just a Thought on Viper Recordings in 2012.

The duo’s Hospital Records albums began with Recognise in 2014, followed by Oxygen in 2016 and Cinematic Party Music in 2017. Fred V & Grafix also worked with Metrik on Tension, which appeared on We Are 21. Their collaboration with Kate Westall, Catch My Breath, first appeared on Hospital Records’ We Are 18 compilation. Forest Fires, featuring Etherwood on vocals, was released as a single from Recognise and reached number 77 on the UK Singles Chart.

Their cited influences included Coldplay, Arcade Fire, Flying Lotus, Bonobo, High Contrast and Logistics. Fred V & Grafix made regular appearances on BBC Radio 1Xtra and performed mini mixes on Annie Mac’s show. The duo played frequently in London, South + East England, Bristol, Belgium and Amsterdam.

In December 2018, Fred V & Grafix announced their split and continued with solo careers. That year, they released Auckland Sunrise on Hospital Records and a Keeno remix of Hurricanes (Wild Love). The pair later reunited to finish “Rain Is Falling,” a track they had begun before the split, for Hospital Records’ 30th-anniversary celebrations; the track was released on the label in 2026.