Friction

In 1998, Friction released the single Critical Mass under the name Kinnetix. Friction is Ed Keeley, a Brighton-born drum-and-bass DJ and producer who has also worked as FineArt. As a teenager in Brighton, Keeley played and promoted events, and began working with local producers Stakka & K-Tee. Early releases appeared on Metalheadz and Hospital; in 2004, Friction released the single Robocop / Slipstream with Nu Balance on True Playaz. Friction was inducted into the Drum & Bass Arena Awards Hall of Fame in 2011.

Keeley founded Shogun Audio and runs Elevate Records, which he launched as Elevate Audio in 2016. His work has included collaborations with K-Tee and Skream, as well as tracks and remixes with singer-songwriter Example. In 2013, Friction and Skream made the track Kingpin, featuring Scrufizzer, P Money and Riko Dan. With Example, Friction remixed Changed the Way You Kiss Me and co-wrote Led Astray and Long Gone Memory. His remix credits also include work for Wretch 32, Childish Gambino, Maverick Sabre and Feed Me.

In 2012, Friction began presenting a drum-and-bass show on BBC Radio 1, a role he held until announcing his departure in 2017. Under the FineArt name, Keeley released the EP In Too Deep, with collaborations involving My Nu Leng and Taiki Nulight. Friction’s EP Dare was the first release on Elevate Records. His work as a label founder has also extended to Maraki Records, which he has identified himself as founding.

Friction released the single I NEED A RHYTHM (feat. ROZZZQWEEN) [Friction Remix] with IN PARALLEL and ROZZZQWEEN on Room Two Recordings in 2025. In 2026, he released the single Lead Dem with IRAH on Elevate Records, and the single The Block on Gossip. That year also brought the singles Teardrop (Friction & Subsonic Remix), with Subsonic, on Xploded Music Limited, and Closure (Friction Remix), with D.O.D and Hayley May, on Armada Music. Friction played Lakota in September 2026.