Undercover Agent was Daren Ellis, known as Daz, whose records and pirate-radio work helped shape Essex jungle. His best-known tune, Babylon, appeared under the name Splash, while his involvement in Cyndicut FM and the Juice and Splash labels gave other local DJs and producers a way to get their music heard.
His early studio work came through Darren Hickey, with whom he later ran Juice Records. Daz brought samples into Hickey’s studio and learned how to turn them into records. Rougher began as a hardcore track before he added the breakbeats that took it towards the emerging jungle sound.
There was a practical reason for the Splash name on Babylon. When DeeJay Recordings signed the track, the name helped promote his own label at the same time. The wider catalogue includes Oh Gosh!, Five Tones, and Dub Plate Circles, with music released under several aliases.
The 2022 Juice / Splash Foundation Collection recovered originals and alternative versions from his old studio tapes. Daz died on 20 March 2024, leaving those recordings and the opportunities he created for artists including Andy C and Majistrate as lasting parts of his contribution to the scene.
