Konflict was the Glasgow drum and bass partnership of Kemal Okan and Rob Rodgers, better known as Rob Data. Their recordings combined intricate drum programming with the textures and tension of techno, placing the duo within the formative years of neurofunk. The artists’ own catalogue identifies Konflict as the earlier name for their joint work.
Their best-known recording, Messiah, originally appeared on Renegade Hardware in 2000 as part of Essential Rewindz. The duo wrote and produced it at Negative Studios in Glasgow. Its enduring reputation sits alongside a wider body of music released together and under their individual names, which should be distinguished from the Konflict project.
Speaking to UKF in 2019, Kemal traced his approach to the Detroit techno he heard growing up in Glasgow. Applying those ideas to an emerging drum and bass sound, he explained, had happened naturally rather than as an attempt to invent a new category. The emphasis was on musical invention, dynamics, and arrangement.
The pair subsequently made their catalogue available directly through Bandcamp. Their 2020 edition of Messiah was remastered from the original DAT recording, reconnecting the digital release with the Glasgow studio session that produced it. The catalogue brings historical Konflict recordings together with work credited separately to Kemal and Rob Data.
