Zero T

Zero T

Zero T, also known as Zero Tolerance, is the drum and bass producer Cian McCann, based in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He works under the Searchlight name as well. His sound is rooted in drum and bass, and his wider influences include liquid funk, jungle, dubstep and UK garage.

Background and development

McCann comes out of the Dublin drum and bass scene. He starts producing in 2000, and by 1995 he is listening to jungle through Bassbin night in Dublin. In 1998 he plays his first gig as a DJ, supporting Ed Rush, and then becomes a resident at Bassbin, where he continues to develop his style.

Releases and labels

His music appears on a wide range of drum and bass labels, including C.I.A., Signature, Subtitles, Liquid V, Hospital, Commercial Suicide, Reinforced, Innerground and Bassbin. His earliest releases come through Bassbin, including the Bassbin volumes 1, 2 and 3, and through Reinforced on the 2nd Wave project. That release also introduces other artists including Breakage.

In 2007, two tracks bring wider attention: Refusal, featuring Steo, on Integral, and Waterfall, featuring Calibre, on Signature. After moving to London in 2006, he releases a debut artist LP for C.I.A. Recordings, featuring Bailey, Break, Steo, Alix Perez and MC Conrad. He also releases a remix of Dillinja’s 1994 track Sky for V Recordings, and his second album, Cheap Shots, appears on C.I.A. Recordings in 2008.

Influences and support

His musical influences include early 1990s conscious hip-hop by Pete Rock, DJ Premier and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as UK trip hop through Mo’ Wax, Ninja Tune and Massive Attack. He also draws on 1970s soul and funk, Blue Note jazz and early hardcore rave. His work receives support from Fabio, Calibre, Marcus Intalex, Klute, Total Science, Flight, Storm, Bailey and Randall, among others.