High Contrast is the production name of Lincoln Barrett, a drum and bass and electronic artist from Penarth, United Kingdom. Born in 1979, he starts his career in 2000 and signs to Hospital Records on the strength of early mini-disc demos. He also records on his own label, Highly Contrasting.

Career

High Contrast releases his debut album, True Colours, on Hospital Records in 2002. The record brings him critical recognition and helps establish him on the DJ circuit, where he builds a reputation as a prominent drum and bass selector and remixer. He follows it with High Society in 2004, an album that includes the singles “Twilights Last Gleaming” and “Racing Green”. The album is later placed by Knowledge Magazine among its top three jungle albums of the previous decade.

In 2007, he wins BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix of the Year. That year he also releases the single “If We Ever” and the album Tough Guys Don’t Dance, and issues a remix of Axwell’s “I Found You”. His remix work also extends to artists including the White Stripes, Missy Elliott and Blaze, and his remix of “Gold Digger” gains wide club play. He also releases mix albums for Fabric and Mixmag.

Style and output

High Contrast is associated with drum and bass, liquid funk and electronic music, and his work is often described as combining club-focused mixing with a broad, melodic approach. His catalogue includes both original albums and remixes, and his name is closely tied to Hospital Records and the wider drum and bass scene.