Originally from London and now based on Australia’s Gold Coast, producer, DJ and label head Speaks is gearing up for the release of his new album That Soul I Knowthis summer. Ahead of the release, he drops Kick The Door Down with Uncle Mic Nitro.
With deep roots across both hip hop and drum and bass, Speaks has spent the past 15 years as one half of Tactical Aspect, releasing music through respected imprints including Reinforced Records, 117, AKO Beatz, Skeleton Records and Criterion Records. His extensive production and remix credits also include work with Manix, Ricky Force, DJ Trace, Acid Lab, Uncle Mic Nitro and Tim Reaper.
In 2023, Speaks launched his own imprint Empty Hand Records, making an immediate impact with his sold out Highrize Jamz album. The project earned widespread DJ and radio support and was named among Hip Hop Golden Age’s Albums of the Year.
Now Speaks is ready to build on that momentum with That Soul I Know, his latest full length offering arriving in summer 2026.
Speaks sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
Initially it stemmed from my Dad. He was very musically inclined and a talented musician. He was an accomplished trumpet player in many blues and soul bands when I was growing up. He had a vinyl collection many would have been envious of….that was off limits to my grubby little paws…..but I remember even from a very young age the joy AND the risk of flicking through his collection and dropping the needle on the record whilst he was out of the house. So I was heavily influenced by my Dad’s tastes at a young age… soul, funk, blues etc. When I left school it was 1990…the rave scene was just at the early foundations of the revolution it would become… pirate radio, warehouse parties etc were also a huge influence on me as 16 year old and definitely shifted the musical journey I would eventually end up taking.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
I’d say it’s as eclectic and varied as my tastes and production style tbh. There’s some amazing soul singers I’m really feeling atm that have been some of my favs for a while now like Jane Handcock, October London, PJ Morton, Anderson Paak etc…..rapper wise- the list is also long but Masta Ace is right up there as someone I’d love to work with and fingers crossed that may happen in the not too distant future. Love Little Simz and Enny repping the London ladies and on a completely different tip would love to do something with Window Kid outta Notts if the right opportunity presented itself. Production wise, I love what guys like The Allergies are doing, Pitch 92, Pete Cannon, Dirty Dike etc.
3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?
On my label Empty Hand Records we have a busy and packed release schedule for the next 12 months lined up, so that obviously consumes a lot of my time. Some of these releases have tracks I’ve produced for the artists, such as the new Dan Brown EP and Uncle Mic Nitro’s new album. I’m always busy with remix projects also, none that I can really discuss atm tho unfortunately and my next major project which is currently underway and will be out on the label next year is a collaborative effort, featuring some well known artists under the name of “SUPERYACHT”. I’m massively hyped to get that one out there, it’s a little different to what people would be used to from myself.
4. How would you describe your sound?
I would say it’s rooted in traditional musicality with a modern production feel. It’s definitely soul and funk based hip hop, primarily uptempo, feel good vibes with a definitive focus on funky basslines and raw crisp and crunchy drums. Melody, layering and progression is also prominent in a lot of my music which isn’t always the case with a lot of classic hip hop production. Because I was a successful drum and bass producer for many years, I think some of my habits from producing a different genre cross over and vice versa…. and translate into my own particular sound.
5. What’s your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
As a drum and bass producer- releasing on many of my fav labels from around the globe that I grew up listening to, particularly on the exclusive Enforcers picture disc series on the legendary Reinforced Records. Performing alongside and collaborating with many of my heroes, too many to mention. Likewise with my hip hop stuff, getting to work with with some of my fav vocalists and rappers that I’m genuinely a fan of, not only on this new album but also my last album “Highrize Jamz” has been a genuine buzz and a honour. Also starting up Empty Hand a couple of years ago. What we’ve been able to achieve and the calibre of artists we’ve worked with on the roster so far is incredible, the music we’ve released and have planned to release moving forward, the rate the label is growing at…. is something I’m very proud of.