Born from three corners of the UK’s electronic underground, Denham Audio, piri, and Tommy Villiers collide on “Heavy Handed,” a spellbinding drum and bass single arriving August 22 via HARD Recs.
Glowing with intimacy, “Heavy Handed” floats on piri’s airy vocals layered over jungle-rooted breaks, pulsating basslines, and shimmering atmospherics. Tommy Villiers adds warmth through luminous guitar riffs and crisp instrumentation, while Denham Audio locks the track into motion with rave-tested precision. The result is an electrifying yet tender cut, balancing dancefloor euphoria with deep emotional release.
Speaking candidly about the track’s meaning, piri shares:
“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, and it was really nice to vent feeling this onto 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 of the song, which I think is really cool. It reflects the contrast in the sensation I’m desiring in the song versus the frustrating reality of things. I know this topic is not easy to bring up face-to-face, so maybe people can use this track to drop a subtle hint to their sneaky link!”
Each artist brings a powerhouse of influence into the collaboration. Denham Audio first shook the global stage with his breakout single “Make Me,” surpassing 45 million streams and earning support from BBC Radio 1, Capital Dance, Rinse FM, Triple J, and beyond. His upcoming performances at Club Glow at Hootananny Brixton and The Warehouse Project’s Halloween blowout further cement his reputation as one of the UK’s sharpest tastemakers.
Originally hailing from Manchester, piri & tommy experienced a meteoric rise with their viral hit “Soft Spot,” which hit No. 20 on the UK Independent Singles Breakers Chart and has amassed over 225 million streams. The duo’s accolades include recognition as BBC and MTV One To Watch, a TikTok No. 1, and a BBC Radio 1 Hottest Record in the World, all underscoring their knack for hooks that resonate far beyond the club.
Tommy Villiers has delivered remixes for Disclosure and LF System, collaborated with legends like MJ Cole and General Levy, while piri has worked with boundary-pushers such as salute and rising talent Omar+. Their signature sound fuses UK garage, drum and bass, and indie pop into a distinct style that thrives across genres.
Together, the trio deliver “Heavy Handed” as both a nod to drum and bass tradition and a forward-facing vision for the genre’s future. With its raw emotion, magnetic grooves, and razor-sharp production, the single stands as a commanding statement from three of the UK’s most innovative artists.
Denham Audio: Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | Spotify | TikTok
piri: Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | Spotify | TikTok
Tommy Villiers: Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | Spotify | TikTok