Master craftsman: Remembering Marcus Intalex and his exploratory d'n'b

Inspirational, humble, irreplaceable – these are the sentiments that appear again and again in the emotional swell of tributes that have emerged from the global drum ‘n’ bass underground to salute Marcus Kaye, Manchester’s quiet low-end godfather.

The artist’s sudden passing has been met with a deep, nostalgic realisation at just how far his influence as a DJ, producer and mentor extends. And that’s not to mention everyone’s love of his dry Northern wit and no-nonsense wisdom.

From releasing timeless proto-jungle classics in the early 90s as a Manchester scene original to writing and curating some of drum ‘n’ bass’s greatest ever dancefloor triumphs in the noughties via his seminal Soul:r label to his all-time legendary partnerships with ST Files as M.I.S.T. and Calibre as Mist:i:cal to effortlessly transitioning to house/techno ace Trevino in 2011, all the while continuing to bring through today’s scene-leading artists such as MC DRS and LSB right up to the present – Marcus Intalex was the very essence of a drum ‘n’ bass lynchpin.