Adam F: The Story Behind 'Colours Revisited'

When the famous Gilles Peterson endorses a tune and calls it “one of the greatest tracks to ever come out of England,” the cultural impact of that song simply does not come into question. Released in 1995, “Circles” by UK artist Adam F was a boundary-breaking slice of drum & bass that conquered the airwaves at the time of its release — reaching #20 in the overall UK Singles charts — and quickly put this young artist’s name on the map.

“Circles” was the precursor to Adam F’s debut album, Colours — a masterful, meticulously crafted, and seamlessly blended 12-track LP that is heavily soaked in jazz and funk elements while still keeping its foot firmly planted in the underground. Released in 1997, the album astounded drum & bass fanatics and took the scene by storm, earning the album a MOBO award and solidifying his status as one of the burgeoning genre’s greatest innovators.

Fast forward to the present, 27 years after the release of Colours, this massively influential album is back and available online for the first time ever, but rather than simply remastering the tracks, Adam F has recreated it in its entirety to Colours Revisited.

Crafted over a two-year period, Adam F exhumed all of his vintage gear and instruments from storage, restored it, and enlisted the help of his wife Kirsty Hawkshaw (of OpusIII), the late MC Conrad, jazz legend Julian Joseph, and other world-class musicians to rework the original music and breath fresh life into each track.

We caught up with Adam F to learn more about the process behind Colours Revisited, his collaboration with Pink Pantheress to create “Break It Off” (which was inspired by “Circles”), his 181 Recordings imprint, his goal to share his beloved work with a new generation, and more.

Hey Adam, thanks so much for joining us! How has 2025 been treating you so far?

It's been one of the most exciting years in a long time. We've been preparing for the release of Colours Revisited, which is finally available for streaming, digital download, and physical formats like vinyl and CD. It’s the first time people can own a physical copy again in its original format, the way it was intended to be released. It’s really exciting to be able to share this album as a full listening experience.

The idea behind Colours was always to take listeners on a journey — where the tracks merge, flow, and intertwine seamlessly. The arrangement is everything. So, this year has been about making sure the release stays true to that vision. We’ve had amazing support from key people, especially James Joseph, who was integral in the re-recording of the album and who’s been managing both my wife Kirsty Hawkshaw and me, along with our label, 181 Recordings. This will be our first album release on the label, which makes it even more special.

You assembled an incredible team of Jungle and Drum & Bass legends, as well as next-gen artists, for the Colours reboots. DJ Marky, Makoto, Tim Reaper, Nookie, Outrage, and more were involved. Your friend and collaborator, the late MC Conrad, played a significant role in this. Can you tell us more about his involvement?

Everyone involved in the Colours reboots was either a fan of the original album or someone I deeply respected. It wasn’t about chasing what was trending — it was about working with people who genuinely cared about the project.

MC Conrad and I finally got the chance to perform “F-Jam” together a couple of years ago at Definition Events in London, which was an incredible moment. We had plans to bring him on tour, but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. However, he played a key role in helping select remixers and connecting me with people like Makoto and DJ Marky. In a very emotional moment, Nookie actually sent me his remix on the day of Conrad’s passing, which made the whole process incredibly emotional.

We also worked with Paul T & Edward Oberon on another version of “Aromatherapy”. Paul T was someone who used to come to my studio in the early ‘90s, paying £25 a day just to have me engineer his music. Many of the remixers have been part of my journey for years, and that’s why they were chosen for this project.

In 2021, Pink Pantheress sang alongside a version of “Circles” for her track “Break It Off.” She even urged listeners to check out the original, calling it “all types of good.” How did that collaboration come about?

Kirsty reached out to Pink Pantheress on Instagram, asking her to “check check check her messages,” and before we knew it, we were chatting back and forth. The collaboration was completely organic.

We ended up remaking the entire backing track, producing everything from scratch, and then sent it over to her. Seeing how far she’s come and being part of that journey has been amazing. She absolutely smashed it, and I love how she’s helped introduce new audiences to drum & bass.

Revisiting and remaking Colours required dusting off vintage equipment to “remake it… without ruining it.” What was that two-year process like?

It was an intense but rewarding journey. James, Kirsty, and I worked closely together, bringing in some of the original musicians from the first Colours album.

James has been around since the original recording, and his brother the great pianist and composer Julian Joseph was one of the musicians who played on it. We sat down and asked ourselves, How do we recreate this while keeping its authenticity? That led us to pull out old Fender Rhodes keyboards, clavinets, and other instruments that had been sitting in storage for years. Some of them were in terrible condition — we had to get them reconditioned because they were covered in mold! I even had plastic bags full of old zip discs and floppy disks, and we had to find ways to extract the files from corroding samplers.

It took a year just to restore everything. Then we spent another year re-recording, bringing in live musicians—trumpet players, saxophonists, percussionists, guitarists, bass players, drummers. We recorded everything using an SSL desk, making sure to capture the warm, vintage ‘70s funk vibe.

One special track, “The Tree Knows Everything,” was originally sung by Tracey Thorn. It’s a song I wrote when I was 15, and it happens to be one of Kirsty’s favorites. She wanted to sing it, so we re-recorded it with her vocals, ensuring it stayed true to the original while giving it new life.

You said that your goal with Colours Revisited was to “share my beloved work with a new generation.” Can you expand on that?

Absolutely. For me, it's about authenticity. I’ve put in my time as a producer — working with orchestras, composing film scores like Ali G Indahouse, and collaborating with hip-hop artists — so I’ve gained a strong understanding of different sounds and production styles. But what’s been really exciting is sending dubplates to legends like Jumpin Jack Frost, Bryan Gee, Goldie, and Grooverider, who have all been responding with the same sentiment of, “Man, we’ve missed you” and telling me, “It's so important we have your style back in our scene.” That kind of response means a lot because it validates the decision to stay true to my sound rather than chasing trends.

I could’ve easily just looked at what’s popular now and adapted, but that’s not my approach. I’m quoting Rick Ruben here, but I truly do believe that “the audience comes last” — not in a dismissive way, but in the sense that great music happens when you create for yourself first. If you love what you’re making, there’s a better chance it will resonate with others in an authentic way. That’s why artists like Nirvana or The Prodigy connected so deeply with people; they weren’t making music to please an audience, they were fully immersed in their own creative process.

When playing out DJ sets these days, I want to do it in a way that feels real to me. I recently played a gig in Estonia with Harry Shotta, and he’s someone who’s constantly in tune with the latest sounds and styles. I was curious how our set — blending classic and contemporary elements — would land. Afterward, he told me how much he enjoyed it, saying it felt like a true musical journey rather than just a series of back-to-back drops. That’s the kind of response that reassures me that I’m on the right path, and it's been lovely to see Colours Revisited being received so well.

After 30 years in the industry, what are your thoughts on the current state of the drum & bass and jungle scene?

Drum & bass, like hip-hop, has always stayed rooted in the underground, no matter how much it's grown through festivals. Back in the day, you first heard tracks in intimate spots — places like Respect in LA or Blue Note in London. The pioneers of major festivals like EDC and Ultra? They started by bringing us over to play in parking lots in LA, taking financial risks because they believed in the music.

Things have changed, obviously — the internet, the closure of clubs, the shifting environment. But one thing remains: the connection through music. When I see new artists coming up, and they send me their tracks, it’s humbling. They’ll say, "If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten into drum & bass." That means everything to me. And the truth is, I’m just as touched by them reaching out as they are by me acknowledging their work.

Dance music is like a train journey—each carriage represents a different style, from jazzy to neurofunk to the heavier sounds. The train keeps moving, and people get on and off at different points. If you ever find yourself saying, "It’s not like it used to be," maybe it’s time to hang up your hat. Because for the new generation, this is their golden era. And if you don’t like where things are heading? Make the music you love and put it out there. If it resonates, great. If not, at least you stayed true to yourself.

One positive shift that bears mentioning is the increasing recognition of female artists in the scene. Drum & bass has been male-dominated for a long time, but now more female producers and vocalists are getting the credit they deserve. I think it's important to highlight and support that evolution.

Overall, the scene is still thriving. There’s a massive pond out there, but ultimately, success comes from enjoying what you do. When you make music for yourself first, it resonates more with others. That’s what keeps the culture alive.

Adam F's album Colours Revisited is out now via 181 Recordings. Listen below and check it out on Beatport.