The First Kuts The Deepest

Breakbeat has always been a hybrid party genre, and today dance music as a whole is one giant mash-up. No wonder, then, that British breaks don Krafty Kuts (aka Martin Reeves) should so effortlessly reinvent himself. This year the Brighton native released a bold 'artist' album, Let's Ride, on his fledgling imprint, Instant Vibes. “The response has been amazing,” Reeves enthuses. He explored “a new fresh direction” – bass music. The DJ has toured solidly behind Let's Ride, visiting such exotic destinations as Macau. (“I do love my travelling.”) Meanwhile, he's hosting nights in London.

Digging hip hop, Reeves was DJing as a teen in the '80s. He'd later run record stores. By the mid-'90s Reeves was producing, blending hip hop, electro and breaks, but keeping it funky – well before EDM's urban takeover. Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) picked up his Gimme The Funk for Southern Fried. Reeves conceived the long-running Brighton night Supercharged with Skool Of Thought (Lloyd Seymour) and they launched a spin-off label. Against The Grain (ATG) was born and Reeves' career exploded.

He spent three years making Let's Ride, but along the way he found himself without a label. Reeves had largely handled ATG's A&R, Seymour overseeing its day-to-day operations. The latter eventually assumed ownership, taking the label with him to Australia. Then he “just kinda like moved away from the scene”, Reeves says, with ATG currently on hiatus. Regardless, Reeves devised Instant Vibes, using the name for his first record shop in the seaside town of Worthing. He's happy to be “in control now.”

Reeves has left behind nu-skool breaks, though not the “hooks”. His sound in 2012? “Sometimes I think that people like to have something that they can pigeonhole, but now I think that things have changed. I don't know – it's just bass music. It's just good dance music with lots of bass, lots of funk, soul... It's music with soul. It's got something that can remind you about something that's good. It's not serious music... or it's [not] too deep. It's fun, it makes you smile... But it's not too commercial – it's just good music. That's what I'm all about – good times.” And Reeves is working with new collaborators. The biggest 'name' on Let's Ride is long-time ally Dynamite MC of Reprazent fame, yet Reeves also recruited Sydney's Stellar MC. Lately, he's teamed with Bristol dubstepper Calvertron, previewing their Drop at Dubai's Sandance. 

Ultimately, Reeves is still a populist, like Cook. The DJ may strive to “keep moving”, but he also loves playing to a cross-generational audience, not being inclined to alienate old fans. He's approached to DJ at weddings. Nonetheless, while his music has been used in a Coca Cola campaign, he holds no desire to produce cheesy dance pop. Reeves is possibly accessibly cred. “I'm really challenging myself to put out really good music, dance music, rather than suddenly write loads of hit records or pop music that might see my career just go down the pan straight away. And all the hard work of 15 years – I might as well stick to what I'm best at doing.”

Reeves, himself engaged (and a dad), is a cheerful guy. His biggest 'worry' is trying to set aside time to bunker down in the studio when DJing constantly. The old Aussie fave, who toured in April, is back this summer with A Skillz (born Adam Mills), whom he praises. The two have returned to the studio after a few years, a James Bond mini-mix for Annie Mac's Radio 1 show a huge hit. “[A Skillz has] been working with other people and he's been working on his new stuff and then we've been doing DJ sets together – and now to get back into the studio, it's really good. It's really good for both of us because we're both feeling inspired at the moment.”

Krafty Kuts will be playing the following dates:

Wednesday 26 December - Breakfest, Belvoir Ampitheatre, Upper Swan WA
Saturday 29 December to Tuesday 1 January - Peats Ridge Festival, Glenworth Valley NSW
Tuesday 1 - Field Day, The Domain, Sydney NSW
Tuesday 1 January - Tribe, Brown Alley, Melbourne VIC
Thursday 3 January - Apple Bar, Adelaide SA
Saturday 5 January - Summafieldayze, Doug Jennings Park, Gold Coast QLD