FEATURES - MUSIC - GET TO KNOW
GET TO KNOW:
SMOKEY BUBBLIN' B
THURSDAY 18TH DECEMBER 2025
WORDS BY GUY NEGUS
Booked and busy, Smokey Bubblin’ B is as focused as ever.
It's an understatement to say Smokey Bubblin’ B has had a busy year.
From jumping on remixes for Peggy Gou and filling venues worldwide, to having superstars like Dua Lipa grooving to ‘Temptation’, the latest release from Smokey at Chris Stussy’s Circoloco set. This follows 2024, which was one of his biggest years yet, with many tracks reaching millions of streams, and the numbers continue to grow.
Having been deeply involved in the UK Garage scene for over 10 years, he has incorporated various styles and sub-genres into his sets, as well as a natural transition into the house genre, further highlighting his technical skill and sharpness during performances. The tracks and ideas he shares on his Instagram also reflect this, demonstrating his dedication and respect for the
craft. Smokey is an undeniable powerhouse in the scene and seizes every opportunity to prove it.
We had the chance to pick the producer’s brain about the making of ‘Temptation’, what makes a good sample work, and his plans for the year ahead. Given his current output, it's set to be a very full-throttle year.
With such a deep love and dedication towards the UKG sound, what was the track and/or mix that started it all off for you? What was the moment that made garage click for you?
For me it was Roy Davis Jr & Peven Everett - Gabriel, I’d never heard anything like it before.I instantly fell in love with the soulful chords, deep bass, jazzy horns & that unreal vocal! It’s a track I could never get bored of.
Groove armada, Peggy Gou, Maverick sabre and Todd Terry are just a few of the powerhouse artists you’ve jumped on a remix for, what inspires you to put your own spin on a certain track?
It can be quite daunting remixing huge artists, you of course want them to like it. I try not to take too much away from the original track, but I obviously want to put my own twist on it. I approach most remixes as if I’m bootlegging them, it keeps the process a lot more fun for me and means I’m not overthinking it.
%20(1).jpg)
Within your DJ sets, you seamlessly flow from bass, garage and house alongside various other sub-genres as well. Is there any other genres or sounds you would want to explore more in your sets?
I’ve always had a great love of Jungle. I’m often sampling old Jungle records and incorporating them into my House and Garage productions. I’ve made a few Jungle bits over the last few years and I’ll be doing more extended sets in 2026, so I’ll definitely be adding them and my favourites to my sets.
With your new track ‘Temptation’ that you’re releasing with fellow producers Guy Burns and James Poole, the track itself has already taken on a life of its own, erupting crowds at various sets, including a Paradise set by Joseph Caprati and more recently, Chris Stussy’s Circoloco set. Did you expect such an infectious response to the track?
Honestly no... We knew it was a good track and we had an absolute blast making it, but the life it’s taking on was so unexpected. It’s been amazing to see the reaction! The viral videos of Dua Lipa dancing to it at Circoloco was definitely a surprise! We’re buzzing that it’s resonating the way it is.
With tracks like ‘Poison’ being a huge hit, you’ve brought the forgotten classic by the group Bell Biv DeVoe into a new generation of sound. Do you look to dig into deep cuts for your samples,or did this one in particular come naturally?
It was actually one of the quickest tracks I ever made, the original came on my Spotify shuffle and the idea just clicked. Everyone loves the breakdown and it always gets the crowd singing. I think it’s the definition of simple and effective, and I’m very grateful for the places that track has taken me.
I try to find obscure records to sample from whether it be, Hardcore, UKG or Jungle. White labels are always a great source for that.
%20(1).jpg)
%20(1).jpg)
Following on from my last question, what makes a good sample click for you?
That’s a great question! For me it’s if I can envisage it working on the dance floor, if I can see that then it normally clicks into place.
You’ve been in the UK Garage scene for over a decade, with your new releases over time evolving more into the house route. Was this a natural progression for you?
There’s no Garage without House right? Seeing some of my favourite producers like Armand Van Helden, Todd Edwards and Grant Nelson do both was always inspiring, so I feel it was a very natural progression for me. I’ve always incorporated both sounds into my sets and I’d always play some Garage at House Rave and vice versa...Everyone loves a bit of Garage don’t they.
With such a strong career under your belt, what was the moment for you that made it sink in that you’ve “made it”?
The moment I was able to quit my 9-5 do music as my full time occupation. That for me was the ultimate feeling, but I can’t call it a job, I love it too much.
.jpg)
You have a large and varied list of collaborators over the years, ranging from Sammy Virji to Todd Terry, have any artists caught your eye recently that you’d like to add to the list?
I do have to pinch myself sometimes when I look at the people I’ve been lucky enough to work with! I would like to collab with my favourite artists that I mentioned earlier, Armand Van Helden, Todd Edwards and Grant Nelson, but on a newer tip I’d say Silva Bumpa and bullet tooth.
You’ve been dominating various festival stages around the world, and when it comes to tours, you’ve been nonstop. Is the new year going to keep up the momentum, or do you want to dive deeper into more recording sessions next year?
Definitely both! We’re working on more studio sessions as well tours on some in new territories which I can’t wait to share. It’s the same with releases that are already confirmed on some goal labels. So, 2026 is shaping up to be the greatest year yet!
LATEST POSTS
