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Dom & Roland

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Dom & Roland
Born1974[1] (age 50)
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Occupations
Years active1996–present
Labels

Dominic Angas, better known by his stage name Dom & Roland, is a British drum and bass DJ and record producer. He is known for his work in the harder, darker styles of the genre. The addition of "Roland" in the his stage name refers to his Roland sampler.

Since the mid-1990s, he has released music through labels such as Moving Shadow, Suburban Base, and 31 Records. His debut album, Industry (1998), was described as influential within the drum and bass genre and marked a shift towards more technical production.[2] Angas later founded his own label, Dom & Roland Productions, and has collaborated with many producers. In the 2010s, he began releasing music on the Metalheadz label.

Biography

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Early life

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Dominic Angas grew up in Shepherd's Bush, London.[3] He spent five years in Germany during his childhood before returning to England, where he developed an interest in hip-hop during his teenage years.[1] Angas transitioned to breakbeat music in his twenties and began exploring drum and bass production,[1] following friendship with Ed Rush.[3]

Early career (1995–1996)

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His entry into the scene started with No U-Turn's Nico Sykes, whom Angas repeatedly approached for studio time.[1] After Sykes agreed, Angas collaborated with Brian Ferrier under the name Current Affairs, releasing their debut single, "East/Solstice" (1995), on Sykes' Saigon imprint.[1] Their next release, "Cutting Edge/Turbulence" (1996), appeared on the drum and bass label Moving Shadow and featured heavy drum breaks and bass lines characteristic of the emerging techstep style.[1] He later took classes in studio engineering and production while working as a restaurant manager to support himself.[3]

Dom & Roland (1996–1997)

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Adopting the alias Dom & Roland, a reference to himself and his Roland sampler, Angas released "Dynamics/The Planets" in early 1996.[3][1] That same year, he signed a non-exclusive contract with Moving Shadow.[3] This was followed by releases such as "The Storm/Sonic Shock" (1996).[1]

Angas gained further recognition when Moving Shadow founder Rob Playford enlisted him for the label's 100th release, resulting in the track "Distorted Dreams" (1997), a collaboration with Playford and Goldie.[3][1] Additional releases from this period include "Resistance/Hydrolics" (1997) and "The Drones" under Current Affairs.[1]

Throughout 1997, Angas collaborated with other producers, including Ed Rush, under the alias Neotech for the track "Valves/Terminal", and Optical for "Quadrant 6/Concrete Shoes".[1] While these tracks continued his exploration of techstep, critics noted a growing reliance on familiar production techniques within the subgenre.[1]

Debut (1998–2004)

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Dom & Roland released his debut album, Industry, in 1998 on Moving Shadow.[3][1] The album incorporated collaborations with Optical and reflected the darker, technical sound of the late 1990s drum and bass scene.[3] Critics offered mixed reviews, with some praising its innovation and others critiquing its alignment with established techstep elements.[3][1]

His second album, Back for the Future (2002), and his third, Chronology (2004), were also released on Moving Shadow, with the latter featuring collaborations with Konflict, Skynet, and Hive.[3] Chronology marked the end of his association with the label.[3]

2004–present: Dom & Roland Productions and later work

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After leaving Moving Shadow, Angas established his own label, Dom & Roland Productions (DRP).[3] His fourth album, Through the Looking Glass (2008), featured both new material and previously released tracks from DRP.[3] He followed this with No Strings Attached (2009), which included collaborations with artists such as Noisia, Amon Tobin, and Rob Playford. A further album, The Big Bang, was released in 2011.[3]

In the mid-2010s, Angas joined Metalheadz, a label founded by Goldie, and continues releasing music under the Metalheadz imprint.[3]

Discography

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Studio Albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK Dance[4] UK Physical[4] UK Vinyl[4]
Industry
Back for the Future
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Moving Shadow
Chronology
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Moving Shadow
Through the Looking Glass
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Dom & Roland Productions
No Strings Attached
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Dom & Roland Productions
The Big Bang
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Dom & Roland Productions
Last Refuge of a Scoundrel 11 53[a] 37[b]
Lost in the Moment
  • Released: 2020
  • Label: Metalheadz
Against a Dark Background
  • Released: 2023
  • Label: Metalheadz
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Albums
UK[4] UK Dance[4] UK Indie[4] UK Physical[4]
"Dynamics" 1996 26 Non-album single
"You're Something Else" 29
"The Storm" 19
"Resistance" 1997 17
"Distorted Dreams" (with Rob Playford and Goldie)"
"Trauma"

"Transmissions"

1998 6
"Timeframe" 99 2 24 99 Industry
"Parasite" 1999 4 42 Back for the Future
"Killa Bullet" 9 34
"Can't Punish Me" 2000 26 30
"Imagination" 2001 29 35 Non-album single
"Dynamo"

"Adrenaline"

2003 96 31 96
"Dance All Night" 2004 23 39 Chronology
"Unofficial Ja" 2013 44 Non-album single
"Search for Meaning"

"Abbott & Co"

2024 93
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

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  1. ^ Charted as a single
  2. ^ Charted as a single

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Shapiro, Peter (1999). Drum 'n' Bass: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. pp. 48–50. ISBN 9781858284330. Archived from the original on 5 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Classic album: Dom & Roland on Industry". Future Music. 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cooper, Sean. "AllMusic – Dom & Roland". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Official Charts – Dom & Roland". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
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