’16 for 2016: Ones To Watch’ – Shift K3Y

Still in his early-20s, Shift K3Y has to-date led a career that many would (and probably should) be envious of.

From 2014’s impeccable Top 5 with Touch, alongside the equally-as-good follow-up I Know, the producer (aka Lewis Jankel) certainly sowed the seeds of a promising career. Receiving props from the blogs, plus the likes of Annie Mac and MistaJam, Jankel’s success last year paved the way for a hectic tour schedule across 2015, hitting the likes of Creamfields, V Festival and more.

The year also saw Shift K3Y share his surprise Off The Record EP, a project which impressed further thanks to the glorious inclusion of the tender, dancefloor, 2-step-led Crying In My Sleep. That didn’t stop the collaborations, mind – closing the year, Lewis most recently hooked up with BB Diamond for Gone Missing, further giving us cues as to the formation of his anticipated debut album.

There’s a swathe of producers currently grabbing opportunities with UKG’s somewhat-unexpected resurgence – some really shit, some brilliant (and obviously a few in-between). Fortunately for us, Shift K3Y’s kept the essence of the genre at his core – wholly understanding what made garage so exciting in the late-90s and giving it a positive, modern-day shine.

Roll on 2016! Gone Missing is out now: