In the UK jungle scene, Sully’s name is synonymous with quality. Since surfacing in the late 2000s post-dubstep scene, he’s not put a foot wrong, shifting from his early leftfield garage excursions to blistering jungle. On releases like 2019’s single ‘Porcelain/Run’ on Uncertain Hour and last year’s excellent ‘Swandive’ on Astrophonica, Sully balances meticulous craft and bruck-out ferocity with glee.
His latest single, ‘5IVES/Sliding’, is out now on Over/Shadow, the spiritual successor to the 1990s powerhouse Moving Shadow, reinvigorated in 2020 by rave figureheads 2 Bad Mice. Alongside Metalheadz, Moving Shadow was arguably the most iconic imprint for these strains of UK breakbeat science. After launching with a 12-inch from Blame, they’ve released singles and EPs from Dom & Roland, ASC, DJ Trax and, now, Sully.
“To be honest, the older generation often weren’t really aware of the newer wave of artists,” says Sully, of past divides. “Musically, they’re usually in two completely different places. But I became aware of Over/Shadow through talking to [Brighton-based producer] Etch; that’s when I realised that these guys are actually aware of what’s going on. They’ve found a new generation of people and are making contact with them, which is exciting to see.”
As jungle resurfaces as a dominant influence on a wide range of contemporary club producers and DJs, this kind of cross-generational collaboration is vital for both historical context and evolution of the sound — and the genuine enthusiasm between the two generations bodes well for the future. “Si has always been so enthusiastic about my stuff,” says Sully. “Every release I’ve put out has felt like it has had an impact on him. You can’t ask for more than that from a label. When someone’s got that emotional connection to stuff that you’ve done, that’s when it makes sense for me.”
‘5IVES/Sliding’ continues Sully’s descent into junglist bedlam. His sound has long been noted for its visceral nature, but across his past few releases, he’s developed a knowing sense of scale; an embracing of dancefloor maximalism that gives the subsonic heft a cinematic quality. “It’s something I’ve always been drawn to,” he says, of this new mood. “I’m into stuff like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Kate Bush and The Cure. It didn’t occur to me before, but these influences must be coming through.”
The new tracks were produced over lockdown so, understandably, they’ve only clicked for Sully since the recent reopening of UK clubs. “It’s been causing some mayhem already! ‘5IVES’ is one of those tunes where I pushed myself a bit; and that’s always uncomfortable, you just don’t know if it’s going to translate. When I made it, I had no idea if it was any good, I had to wrestle with it. I sent it to a few people and it became clear that it worked — especially now, having spent some time with it, and having played it in its intended environment.”