Get to know Bruce, the producer making techno with hints of hardcore

Larry McCarthy was in his final year at university when he came to a realisation: if he wanted to pursue music and release on the labels he dreamed about, he needed to start making “bangers”. Hessle Audio was one outlet he’d set his sights on, and now the 26-year-old is stepping out as the first non-founding member to release an LP on the revered imprint. “It’s a dream come true,” he says.

His entry-point into dance music came via attending underage dubstep nights headlined by Caspa and Rusko in big London clubs like Matter. He admits to being a “little bit bitter” about missing out on the height of “proper dubstep”, but this sense of loss inspired him to forge his own path through music without relying on the reference points of the FWD>> generation. “I like to think that means I’ve been able to make a singular sound,” he says.

University was key. Studying creative music technology at Bath Spa (Addison Groove, Vessel and Asusu are among its alumni) taught him production skills, while moving to Bristol after graduating and soaking up the city’s rich dub and bass scenes also led him to realise the importance of UK hardcore heritage. “All my production qualities have come from refractions of that original hardcore style,” he says.