Born from three corners of the UK’s electronic underground, Denham Audio, piri, and Tommy Villiers join forces on “Heavy Handed,” a spellbinding drum and bass single set to drop on August 22 via HARD Recs.
Blending delicate emotion with dancefloor intensity, “Heavy Handed” showcases piri’s airy vocals floating over jungle-inspired breaks, pulsating basslines, and glistening atmospherics. Tommy Villiers adds warmth with luminous guitar riffs and crisp instrumentation, while Denham Audio locks the track into rave-tested motion. The result is an intimate yet high-energy cut that’s equal parts euphoria and emotional release.
Speaking candidly about the song’s deeper meaning, piri explains how “Heavy Handed” addresses a real but often unspoken issue:
“There’s no way to be coy about this—the song is about partners being a little too rough in the bedroom! It’s a real problem I’ve picked up on from my own experiences and countless stories from friends. It was really nice to vent these feelings into a track. It’s almost educational! The beat moves from being soft and sweet in the verses to really hard in the chorus to match the theme, which I think is really cool. It reflects the contrast between what I’m desiring in the song versus the frustrating reality. I know this topic isn’t always easy to bring up face-to-face, so maybe people can use this track to drop a subtle hint to their sneaky link!”
Each collaborator brings serious credentials to the table. Denham Audio first made waves globally with “Make Me,” a breakout hit with more than 45 million streams, championed by BBC Radio 1, Capital Dance, Rinse FM, and Triple J. His upcoming sets at Club Glow at Hootananny Brixton and The Warehouse Project’s Halloween blowout further cement his tastemaker status.
Meanwhile, piri & tommy have seen an explosive rise, breaking through with their viral hit “Soft Spot,” which reached No. 20 on the UK Independent Singles Breakers Chart and has now surpassed 225 million streams. Recognized as BBC and MTV “Ones To Watch,” a TikTok No. 1, and a BBC Radio 1 “Hottest Record in the World,” the duo’s knack for crafting infectious hooks is undeniable.
Tommy Villiers has also been tapped for remixes by Disclosure and LF System, worked with icons like MJ Cole and General Levy, while piri has collaborated with talents such as salute and rising star Omar+. Together, they blur the lines between drum and bass, UK garage, and indie pop, shaping a distinct sound that resonates across genres.
With “Heavy Handed,” the trio deliver both a nod to drum and bass tradition and a forward-thinking vision of where the genre is headed. Combining raw emotion, magnetic grooves, and razor-sharp production, this single solidifies Denham Audio, piri, and Tommy Villiers as some of the brightest innovators in the UK electronic scene.