Swindle

Swindle x Grime collabs over the years, which one did you clock first?

Honouring Jazz over the years! When did you join? Also what did you miss? Jazz music quickly became my go to source for inspiration as a kid and when I discovered fusion i realised no mater what “genre” I was working on I could apply all that I had learned from all the incredible jazz records that shaped my taste in music.

Making beats over the years. When did you join?

Jazz-grime pioneer @swindleuk is one of the UK’s most esteemed producers, one who has spent the last 20 years building one of the most distinctive and forward-thinking catalogues in British music 🎹🎷🥁 Across grime, dubstep, jazz-fusion, UK rap and electronica, his work has consistently blended live instrumentation with the raw energy of London’s underground scene. Jazz, funk and soul have always been central to his sound, whether subtly woven into early instrumental releases or fully explored via the ambitious, collaborative efforts that followed. While artists like Childish Gambino and The Internet helped bring alternative funk and soul into the global mainstream, Swindle’s interpretation has always felt uniquely British, shaped by pirate radio culture, soundsystem traditions and the restless experimentation of UK club music. A defining moment in his career arrived with 2015’s ‘Peace, Love & Music’, a project that pushed far beyond the foundations of grime and dubstep. Inspired in part by time spent out in Los Angeles, the album embraced live musicianship, expansive arrangements and emotionally-driven songwriting. The album marked a turning point not just sonically, but creatively, establishing Swindle as a producer capable of building fully realised albums rather than simply club-focused tracks. Like many of his grime contemporaries, he started by creating dubplates and instrumentals for DJ sets and pirate radio before gradually expanding his feel-good sound through collaboration and experimentation—which has continued in projects like 2019’s ‘No More Normal’, 2021’s ‘The New World’, and his work scoring Candice Carty-Williams’ hit TV show, ‘Queenie’ (2024). In 2026, Swindle’s music continues to evolve through jazz improvisation, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and contemporary electronic production, reflecting a sonic artist whose career has been defined by curiosity, collaboration and a constant search for new musical possibilities 💫 Swipe through to revisit some of our favourite Swindle gems, and hit the 🔗 in our bio to revisit his TRENCH cover story. 📝: @jamesmbkeith

Be honest

2007: THE 140 MIXTAPE Not my first effort but I count my career from here because this is when things became official. Features in these slides alone are @remerthefirst @nolayofficial @bignarstie @bruzaonline @nikki_s_nyke and there’s so much more In a time where music was moving from physical to download to streaming this got lost in translation and for years hasn’t been on streaming sites… well not any more! A catalyst to the next 19 years in music I have to big some people up. This started local! An estate round my way called Roundshaw. Never underestimate the power of starting local! @nikki_s_nyke introduced me to Danny C where I learnt studio techniques I still use today @nolayofficial introduced me to @bbc1xtra and our song became my first ever radio playlisted song. @terrordanjah caught on and instantly supported me, he recorded a track for my ft aftershock and introduced me to east London. I could write a book on all the positive things terror did for us. RIP brother 2027 we celebrate 20 years of swindle and this mixtape is why.

What happens when a genre gets ‘dead’ branded? I’d be interested to hear from you if you ever been in a scene that ‘died’ I survived 3 btw

I think he gets it 😝

What it takes to make it look easy

I’d recommend NOT missing out on this @kojeyradical at @royalalberthall

Swindle encourages all the producers to make an album 🟨 Swindles first ever podcast is a conversation where we talk about releasing music independently for 20 years, the skills needed for producing for film and tv and his new missions as a father and teacher. Listen to Deep Feedback in the places you get podcasts and on YouTube + 🟨stack!

A Grime Supreme! 🫡 for my warriors