Renegade Riddims: Pete Cannon

Pete Cannon, also known as Peter Buchanan, is a highly acclaimed DJ, producer, and vocalist recognized for his expertise in crafting jungle, hardcore, and hip-hop music using an array of vintage synthesizers, software, and hardware. Originally hailing from Blackpool, Pete Cannon is now based in London, where he not only runs N4 Records but also hosts production workshops on his YouTube channel. His creative talent extends to crafting distinctive sonic branding for a diverse range of brands, including Apple, Kathmandu, ITV, and more.

Pete Cannon has made a significant impact on the music scene, particularly within the jungle genre, by reviving old-school production techniques. His instructional demos, frequently featured on YouTube, have become essential resources for DJs, producers, and music enthusiasts seeking insight into his studio equipment and methods.

In addition to his educational efforts, Pete Cannon has an impressive discography that includes releases on renowned labels like Hospital, High Focus, Swamp 81, and Melonskin. He has collaborated with a roster of cutting-edge electronic artists from the worlds of jungle and hip-hop, and beyond. Notable partnerships include projects with Inja, Kid Genius, and Rizzle Kicks, as well as remixes for acclaimed acts such as The Prodigy, Rat Pack, Nookie, and more.

Pete Cannon’s diverse body of work has earned him accolades, including a British Independent Film Award for Best Music. His music has garnered recognition on prominent platforms such as BBC Radio 1, DJ Mag, and Rinse FM, with support from electronic luminary Aphex Twin.

Inspired by a dream and crafted amidst the cosmic confines of a spaceship, Pete Cannon has teamed up with Mixtress, to deliver a momentous reinterpretation of The Streets‘ legendary single, ‘Blinded By The Lights’.

As massive in its synthesizer artistry as it is in its infusion of jungle breaks, earth-shaking basslines, and unrestrained drops, ‘Blinded By The Lights 23’ stands strong as a unique creation. It embraces the ethereal essence of Mike Skinner’s emotive sonic landscape and elevates it to new heights. The track effortlessly weaves in warped samples of Skinner’s iconic lyrical prose, skillfully intermingling them with the luminous, granular synths. In doing so, it fulfils its promise to shine and dazzle as an electrifying dancefloor anthem.

The track has already left a significant mark on the TikTok and YouTube airwaves, amassing well over 200,000 plays and saves. It has also generated a surplus of enthusiastic track ID requests, all of this happening well before its official release.

To celebrate the release of ‘Blinded By The Lights 23’ Pete has curated a wicked brand new mix for our Renegade Riddims series. There is no tracklist available for this one as Pete says “I don’t have a tracklist for this one. Loads of them are dubs so I’m not even allowed to say the names of some of them and some that I’ve made which aren’t released and don’t even have names”.

Check out the mix below! No free download because of the amount of dubs, but you can grab a copy of ‘Blinded By The Lights 23’ here!

Q&A:

Sum up this mix in 10 words…

It’s a mix that contains lots of unreleased jungle

What’s your personal favourite track on it?

The Altern8 remix. I just finished producing it very recently. It was an absolute honour to do and shout to the leg-end Mark Archer

What’s the special ingredient in this mix?

All the incredible jungle producers around at the moment. 

Tell us about your next EP?

It’s a 4 track EP with myself and DJ Sofa on N4 Records.

What have you got coming up?

10 releases on N4, a gig at the Warehouse Project and loads of bike rides with Gillerz.

When was the last time you actually raved?

Boomtown. Was up at 7, sped to Winchester on the ped with Dike. Watched the 50 years of hip hop show, then did my set with Mixtress on The Locked On Stage. After that, raved me legs right off

And finally, do you have a special message for our readers?

Go stream Blinded By The Lights by myself and Mixtress, soz had to. Okay bye now…