Xilent

Growing up in Poland, Xilent aka Eryk Kowalczyk was exposed to the classics of 80s pop, funk and soul by his parents, both of whom were professional musicians. With his mother being a qualified conductor, violinist and pianist, and his father a drummer and singer in various bands, Xilent was constantly surrounded by music in many different forms. The young, inquisitive youth first cut his teeth trying to produce his own music at the tender age of eight years old. Initially attempting to compose a mix of House and Acid Techno, the aspiring producer began his career by recording his creations through a PC speaker to cassette and later showing them to his friends at primary school.

Xilent found himself immersed in Trance and heavier sounds from artists like The Crystal Method and TheProdigy. The first Drum & Bass CD he ever came across was a compilation album in 1999 entitled 'Future Grooves - Essential Drum & Bass.' This was the first time he had ever heard music with a higher BPM than 150. He immediately fell in love with this new style of music and became influenced by such Drum & Bass pioneers as John B, DJ Rap, Future Cut, Adam F, and Calyx. In the following years Xilent experimented with production in a range of styles ranging from Techno to Breakbeat, but it was in Drum & Bass that he found his forte. His musical influences would not be lost on his production values though, with the Techno and Trance influences of uplifting pads and heart-breaking breakdown melodies, along with the technical and sequencing influences of Breakbeat. Xilent's first release came in 2009 on Ammunition Recordings 'Quality Killer EP' with the track 'Terminal,' "one of the biggest tracks of 2009" according to top electronic music store TrackItDown.net. The tune immediately caught the ear of John B, who subsequently released more of Xilent's music on his Beta Recordings imprint.

2011 was truly a breakthrough year for Xilent, signing exclusively to  AudioPorn Records. Xilent's debut release on the label, the highly anticipated 'Choose Me EP', was nothing short of a smash hit. Featuring a Dubstep mix of the underground sensation 'Choose Me', the tune racked up over 15,000 plays in less than a week on his own personal Soundcloud account, as well as over 1 million views on Youtube. In addition, it was selected as Zane Lowe's "Next Hype" track on BBC Radio1, and went to #1 on Beatport's Dubstep Charts, still maintaining its position in the Top 5 nearly 3 months after release.Earning several industry award nominations including Best Newcomer Producer at the 2011 Drum & Bass Arena Awards and Beatport's Top Dubstep Track of the Year 2011 for 'Choose Me II', it wasn't long until some big names came knocking on Xilent's door with the likes of Ministry Of Sound seeking remixes for artists such as J Majik & Wickaman's 'In Pieces' and Yogi Ft. Ayah Marar with 'Follow U', along with Fuzzy Logik Ft. Jada Pearl's 'All My Love'. Xilent built upon his reputation as one of the scene's most promising producers soon after with his highly anticipated 'Skyward EP' receiving massive attention with the 4 tracks: 'Skyward I', 'Skyward II', 'For Once' and 'Gravity', which combined his unique production technique with an effortless scope and flexibility.