Sleek, soulful drum and bass that balances deep-sub pressure with dusty jazz samples. Perfect for late-night urban commutes or focused, high-energy solitude.
Alix Perez creates a sound that feels like the intersection of a high-end art gallery and a dark, sweat-soaked basement. It is music defined by its contradictions: it is incredibly polished and high-fidelity, yet it feels deeply organic and human, often leaning on the warmth of old soul and jazz records. The rhythms are crisp and surgical, but they carry a swing that feels more like hip-hop than traditional electronic dance music.
What truly sets him apart is his mastery of space. He isn't afraid to let a track breathe, using silence and minimal percussion to heighten the impact of his signature sub-bass. Whether he is working in the high-speed realms of liquid funk or the slower, more menacing territory of halftime, there is an underlying melancholy and sophistication that makes his work immediately recognizable. It is the sound of late-night introspection filtered through a massive sound system.
For those new to his catalog, starting with 1984 is essential; it redefined what soulful drum and bass could be. From there, move into his more recent EPs on 1985 Music to hear how he has pushed the genre into darker, more experimental territories while maintaining that core emotional resonance.
Alix Depauw, better known by the stage name Alix Perez, is a drum and bass DJ and producer, originally from Charleroi, Belgium. Based in New Zealand, his music is sometimes characterised as liquid funk amongst other labels. He founded the record label and clothing imprint 1985 Music in 2016.
Shares drum and bass, downtempo (subgenres); minimalist, sample based, hi fi (production style)
Shares downtempo, drum and bass (subgenres); minimalist, sample based, analog warmth (production style)
Shares downtempo, soul, drum and bass (subgenres); breathy, processed, absent (vocal style)
Shares drum and bass, downtempo (subgenres); breathy, processed, absent (vocal style)
Shares downtempo, soul, drum and bass (subgenres); urban night, late night, rainy day (atmosphere)
Shares downtempo, soul, drum and bass (subgenres); minimalist, sample based, hi fi (production style)
Shares downtempo, drum and bass (subgenres); minimalist, sample based, analog warmth (production style)
Shares drum and bass, downtempo (subgenres); urban night, late night, solitude (atmosphere)
Shares downtempo, soul, drum and bass (subgenres); processed, breathy (vocal style)

Shares downtempo, soul, drum and bass (subgenres); sample based, hi fi, analog warmth (production style)
Shares liquid funk, drum and bass, soul, tense (signature)
Shares liquid funk, dusty, drum and bass, soul (signature)
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