Mutiny UK

Active since 1996, Mutiny UK are a British house duo consisting of Dylan Barnes and Rob Davy. Together, they've released a handful of albums and mix compilations in addition to countless singles, and they've remixed artists ranging from Shanks & Bigfoot to Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Their bright, club-friendly tracks are driving and upbeat, with a laid-back, carefree attitude, occasionally containing playful sexual overtones. The duo sometimes sing on their own songs, but their albums have included guest appearances by vocalists ranging from dancehall reggae MC Sweetie Irie to house legend Robert Owens. Mutiny UK have performed DJ sets all over the world, including residencies at clubs including Pacha Ibiza and Womb Tokyo. Dylan Barnes got his start in music after a move to London, where he played in various funk and jazz collectives throughout town. While in the U.K., Barnes started the piano-driven house concept group Helicopter with like-minded funk guitarist Simon Ratcliffe. From Helicopter, the two moved on to write and record an early version of what would become Mutiny UK. After Ratcliffe departed to form Basement Jaxx, Barnes established the Sunflower imprint and released the Mutiny UK EP Give in 1996. That same year, he teamed with producer Rob Davy, who had made a name for himself masterminding various house and hip-hop remixes for labels like Tommy Boy. Playing the globetrotting party circuit that stretches from South Beach to Ibiza, the two began to forge a unique sound that drew from their collective background in jazz and reggae, incorporating significant elements of house and disco into the mix. This new incarnation of Mutiny UK proved to be an infectious combination, garnering numerous accolades throughout the dance community. Several more 12" EPs and singles continued throughout the decade, and in 2000, they remixed Detroit Grand Pubahs' hit "Sandwiches" and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's "Take Me Home (A Girl Like Me)." Mutiny UK achieved their biggest mainstream success with the singles "Secrets" and "The Virus," both of which were issued by Virgin sublabel VC Recordings in 2001 and reached the U.K. pop charts. Both songs appeared on the duo's debut full-length, In the Now. The album was given a belated American issue by New York's System Recordings, which released a slightly altered version of the album in January of 2003, upon which the release drew comparisons to the party-ready grooves of Daft Punk and Basement Jaxx. Also that year, Mutiny UK shared the double mix CD Underwater, Episode 2 with ex-Underworld DJ Darren Emerson, released by Underwater Records. The following year, the label issued the duo's second full-length of original material, Yada Yada. After 2004, the duo seemed to go on hiatus, with no new releases appearing until 2011's "Swimming with Sharks" on Josh Wink and King Britt's Ovum Recordings. A few digital singles appeared during the next few years, and the duo's third full-length, Hot Sake, finally arrived at the end of 2014, featuring guest vocals by members of Blancmange, GusGus, and Dirty Vegas. In 2016, Mutiny UK released Mutations, an album of remixes and edits of tracks from their back catalog, in addition to new material. ~ Johnny Loftus