The Qemists

The Qemists

The Qemists are a drum and bass group from Brighton, United Kingdom, active since 2004. The line-up consists of Dan Arnold, Leon Harris and Liam Black. They are signed to Ninja Tune, the London-based independent label. Their music sits at the intersection of drum and bass and rock, reflecting the group’s roots in both styles.

Origins and sound

The Qemists begin as the drummer, bassist and guitarist in a rock band, where they tour widely in the UK and Europe and spend time in the studio. In the late 1990s, they develop an interest in drum and bass, and some early material begins to receive radio airplay. For a period, they continue working in the rock band by day while producing and DJing drum and bass at night. That split leads to the blend of rock and drum and bass that becomes their main sound.

Before forming the group, they also work as live sound engineers for Basement Jaxx, Kano and Lady Sovereign.

Recordings and releases

Their debut release on Ninja Tune is a remix of Coldcut’s “Everything Is Under Control”. This release is supported by Zane Lowe, Coldcut and Pendulum. Their first single, “Stompbox”, appears on the film soundtrack for Jumper. Other singles also reach video games: “Stompbox” appears in MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, Need for Speed: Undercover and Midnight Club: Los Angeles, while “Lost Weekend” appears in Colin McRae: Dirt 2, Forza Motorsport 3, MotorStorm: Arctic Edge and Need for Speed: Shift.

Their debut album, Join The Q, is released in 2009 on Ninja Tune.

Touring and comparisons

In 2009, the band supports Enter Shikari on their world tour and also undertakes its own UK headline tour. Because of their heavy rock background and their fusion of rock with drum and bass, they are often compared with Pendulum, whose musical history and style are similar.