Friction

Friction is Brighton DJ and producer Ed Keeley. His work spans DJ sets, production, and the running of Shogun Audio and Elevate Records, giving him several ways to bring drum and bass to an audience.

DJing came first in his career. Making a debut album meant finding time for production alongside touring, label responsibilities, and his BBC Radio 1 drum and bass show. After six years presenting the programme, he left to concentrate on finishing Connections, released in 2018.

That album was the result of four years of work. Speaking after its launch, Keeley described the difficulty of developing as a producer while already having a full career behind the decks. Completing it marked a change in the balance between those parts of his work, with his own records taking on a larger role.

His second album, After Dark, followed in 2022. The title reflects its focus on club culture, bringing that setting into a full-length record rather than treating the album simply as a collection of singles.

More recently, Friction has developed SYNERGY, a project bringing new music together with a visual presentation for his DJ shows. Real Life, featuring Blythe, introduced the project, and Stay followed among its singles in 2026. The project's 2026 tour took that combination of music and visuals to shows in the UK, Europe, and North America.