Pig&Dan Dig Into 10 Downtempo Records That Shaped Their Sound

Cameron Holbrook

Jul 10, 2026

To mark the release of ‘Destination Unknown III’ on Bedrock Records, the duo share ten downtempo records that have stayed with them through the years.

Pig&Dan have spent more than 20 years making club records, and few duos have a dance floor CV that runs as deep. Their muscular and emotive techno sound has moved through Cocoon, Drumcode, Soma, Plus 8, Bedrock and their own ELEVATE imprint, with tracks like “Clouds,” “On Edge,” "Lost Another Angel" and “Growler” becoming staples in sets around the world.

But the Destination Unknown series opens another door. Launched in 2014 and continued with a second volume in 2022, it gives Pig&Dan room to move beyond the main room and into the hazy downtempo music that shaped them just as deeply: trip-hop, dub, ambient, reggae and slow-burning electronics.

Released on John Digweed’s Bedrock Records, Destination Unknown III is the series at its most expansive. Across ten tracks, the duo trade brute force for smoke, space and detail, building an album that drifts without ever losing its pull.

To celebrate, Pig&Dan have selected ten of their all-time favorite downtempo records, tracing the sounds that fed this side of their music long before the series had a name.

Pig&Dan's album Destination Unknown III is out now via Bedrock Records. Get it on Beatport.

Pig&Dan: 20 Years of Dance Floor Domination and Brotherhood

Funki Porcini - Long Road

This record set the standard for the whole future of the downtempo movement back in 1995 and still holds its own due to its underlying groove and depth, which are essential to this style of music.

Pig&Dan - OneTwoSeven

For us, this was a major turning point in pushing the limits of our own creativity. It still has the stamp of an upbeat trip-hop sound, but with a serious lyrical journey.

Quantic - Time Is the Enemy

The extensive use of gritty drums and cut-up, eclectic piano riffs takes you deep into a hypnotic flow that has always represented the spirit and epitome of what trip-hop should be, as far as we are concerned.

Thievery Corporation - A Gentle Dissolve

As one of the leaders in this scene, especially as a live band that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in the flesh, Thievery Corporation’s records have always been a huge inspiration because of their shared belief that genre has no place in music. There’s the good and the bad, and that’s about it.

Air - Modular Mix

When this whole movement started being taken more seriously, these records took a huge leap in production and innovation. Air absolutely took it to the next level with their ability to take dirt and add beauty to it.

Kruder & Dorfmeister - High Noon

Inviting beyond belief, like so many of their creations, it was smooth yet had an unmistakable edge.

Poets of Thought - The Rhymes Go On

I was deeply involved with this posse during my earlier drum & bass days as part of Intense. We were all devoted to working on the slower-tempo side of the scene, and this record summed it up: funky and groovy, but with some grit.

dEEb - Theme From the Endless Sunset

A new master on the block, dEEb took this whole vibe and added a wonderfully unique sense of groove. We’re such big fans of all his work.

Pig&Dan - The Weight of Expectations

A really deep look into our dub side, which stems from working in Camden Market back in the day next to Horace, who was the king of seeking out 7-inch dub vinyl in the late ’80s. That rubbed off hard and started a lifelong craze for collecting dub.

St Germain - Sure Thing

The French have always been ahead of the game in everything artistic, and this album set the standard for unconventional sound delivered with such a determined style. The beauty of imperfection and those soulful feelings were always something we strived to recreate. Not by copying, but through the desire to push things further, inspired by this incredible artist.