Insomniac ignites its most uncompromising imprint yet with Speaker Freaker, a label born from the strobe-lit chaos of warehouse raves and built to channel the raw energy of breakbeat, hardcore, and underground bass. Rooted in ’90s rave culture but wired for the future, Speaker Freaker salutes the underground while sending a signal toward what’s next.
Opening the imprint is “Nighthawk,” the high-octane debut from King of the Beats—a powerhouse trio uniting breakbeat icons Krafty Kuts, Plump DJs, and Freestylers. The track is a collision of chopped drum patterns, warped synths, and hypnotic vocal stabs, all driven by a sub-rattling low end. It’s a precision-built masterclass in rave construction from producers who helped shape the sound itself.
Each member brings decades of pedigree. Hailing from Brighton, Krafty Kuts—often dubbed the King of Breaks—earned his stripes with releases on OWSLA, Fabric, Southern Fried, and DMC, while sharing stages with The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim. Known for razor-sharp turntable skills and a signature fusion of hip-hop, funk, and breakbeat, his influence stretches across generations.
From London, Plump DJs have spent more than 20 years at the forefront of club culture. As founders of Finger Lickin’ Records and Punks Music, their genre-defying sound has electrified crowds at Fabric, Glastonbury, and Coachella, weaving funk, house, and breakbeat into an unmistakable groove that has left a global imprint.
Rounding out the collective, Freestylers bring a rugged, battle-tested edge. With chart success in the UK and cult-classic albums on Freskanova and Against The Grain, their music has landed in feature films like Dude, Where’s My Car? and Zoolander. From Top of the Pops appearances to tours with Lenny Kravitz, their bass-heavy, genre-hopping live shows have solidified their status as underground staples.
With “Nighthawk,” King of the Beats distills decades of rave lineage into one explosive vision. As the inaugural release on Speaker Freaker, the track makes a bold statement: this is a label for the innovators who didn’t just follow the rave blueprint—they wrote it.
King of the Beats, Plump DJs, Krafty Kuts, and Freestylers’ debut single “Nighthawk” is available now on all platforms via Speaker Freaker.