Neue Grafik: Dalston Tapes Vol. 1

For well over a decade, Fred—known to his friends and to the world as Neue Grafik—has carved out a space of his own, transitioning from a Parisian newcomer to a staple of London's thriving music scene. Starting solo as a producer and DJ, Fred truly found his voice when he landed in South London. First came the "Neue Grafik Ensemble", a potent fusion of live energy and jazz-laced grooves. But it was the iconic "Orii Jam"—his twice-weekly sonic ritual—that reshaped the local scene, nurturing a generation of artists and giving birth to a sound that pulses through the veins of London today.

Dalston Tape Volume 1 is Fred’s love letter to the art of beatmaking—except it’s impossible to call it "just" a beat tape. It’s Fred taking us back to where it all started, but also pulling us forward, through all the doors he’s unlocked since his early days on the MPC with Parisian label Beat X Changers. Since then, he's picked up concert-hall-level skills on the keys, mastered the double bass, and built a dense network of collaborators, creating in studios like Dalston’s legendary Total Refreshment Centre.

This isn't a simple DIY tape. It’s bigger. It’s richer. It’s that inevitable expansion of the craft that happens when you've learned too much, met too many people, and done too many jams to stay small. Sure, we hear the DNA of legends like Pete Rock, Madlib, J Dilla, and Al Dobson Jr. in the tracks, but there's also the depth and musicality of D’Angelo, the emotional landscapes of James Blake, and the unmistakable energy of the young creatives Fred has mentored and jammed with at Orii.

Dalston Tape Vol. 1 is Fred’s “attempt” to go back to basics, but he’s created something far greater—a miniature magnum opus shaped by experience, collaboration, and the unapologetic spirit of South London.

Welcome to Dalston Tape Vol. 1. Welcome to the next chapter of Neue Grafik.