About The Northern Groove D&B Show

Broadcasting live from Old Trafford in Manchester, UK every Wednesday, the Northern Groove D&B Show is a two hour joyride to a soundtrack of deep-rolling Drum and Bass. Dan’s mission is to transport listeners to far-flung destinations… Conjuring the sights and sounds of smoky jazz clubs, to the thumping vibes of party basements… drift deep across ocean floors… escape to the higher climes of foreign lands… journey into space with cosmic atmospherics, and orbit other worlds before floating back down to earth, returning to street-level life and soulful reality.

Dan’s excursions are always unplanned. He mixes on-the-fly, to share in the anticipation of this unknown journey, in the moment, with his listeners. Energetic or chilled, organic and synthetic, rough with smooth, light and dark, … painting musical landscapes within a single tempo.

The Northern Groove Show Every Wednesday – Global Time Zones:

• 15.00h > 17.00 UTC
• 16.00h > 18.00h CET
• 22.00h > 24.00h HKT
• 01.00h > 03.00h AEDT
• 09.00h > 11.00h CST

Download Northern Groove Shows from the BassDrive archives

Dan Soulsmith’s D&B Biog: Dan’s musical life is split straight down the middle; 50% of his ‘music time’ is dedicated to collecting Drum & Bass, whereas the other half is spent following and researching everything else that interests his ear. Born near Liverpool, Dan works as a ‘jobbing’ DJ, playing most of his other musical interests (House, Disco, Boogie, Electro-Funk & Soul) around his adopted hometown of Manchester. Whatever the genre, Dan feels that the music he plays must have soul. This ethos, and his broad musical tastes are reflected in the Drum & Bass he plays on his weekly radio show.

In 1996 Dan discovered LTJ Bukem’s seminal compilation ‘Logical Progression’. This was his turning point! Hooked on that vibe, from then on he would endeavour to unravel the inspirations behind the work of such atmospheric D&B producers.

In 2003 Dan set up his own promotion company Northern Groove Promotions and went about trying to promote his own interests in music. In 2006, out of frustration at not being able to obtain the music he was hearing LTJ Bukem play every month in London, Dan wrote to Good Looking Records. Between 2007 and 2012 Dan worked for his favourite record label and DJ, fulfilling many positions such as GLO Community Officer, Event Promoter, Press Officer and GLR Label Coordinator. From 2009 to 2011, through Northern Groove Promotions, Dan was also involved with re-establishing one of Manchester’s leading live music venues, Band on the Wall, where he worked as Assistant Club Night Promoter & Consultant, promoting nights such as Manchester’s finest D&B night ‘Soul:ution’, the spiritual home and club residency of the late, great Marcus Intalex & his Soul:r record label.

Now taking a break from promoting, Dan is currently focusing on presenting his Northern Groove radio shows on BassDrive.

In his own words…

I am not a D&B producer and I don’t run a record label, however I am a huge fan of deep, soulful Drum & Bass, above all I love to DJ! I therefore feel privileged to have a platform to present my own tastes in D&B, through a weekly radio show live on BassDrive, & I am very proud to be part of the BassDrive family. Thanks to all the talented producers and tenacious record labels that make this music accessible to all! I am simply a fan with a radio show… I hope that I can do all these hard working producers and labels justice by promoting and presenting their music in a considered fashion. Producers & labels, please feel free to send me your new material and info by emailing northernroove(at)hotmail(dot)com Promoters, if you would like me to play your town then please contact me.

Not forgetting… eternal thanks to the Usual Suspects! x

Dan Soulsmith 2024