Since graduating from dBs Plymouth, alumni Dan Kelly & Benny Crispin (aka Two Tribes) have been seriously busy making their mark on the dance music industry. Having simultaneously conquered the DJ circuit in Ibiza while tearing up the UK drum & bass scene, Two Tribes have since united and are currently embarking on their biggest project to date...
Dan and Benny both met as students at dBs Institute in Plymouth where they studied Music Technology and Sound Engineering. With a shared affection for drum and bass, hard dance and house music they hit it off instantly, becoming life-long friends and collaborators. Although their careers initially followed different trajectories it was inevitable that their paths would cross again.
We caught up with the duo to hear about their journey through the music industry and get the low down on their latest projects now they are working as official business partners.
.jpg?width=300&name=Alumni%20Focus%20-%20Two%20Tribes%20(Dan%20Kelly%20%26%20Benny%20Crispin).jpg)
How did your time at dBs help you progress in your career?
The course taught us production and recording techniques which we then went on to use in our various roles within the industry. We both feel like we left dBs with a much better understanding of music in general and the ability to analyse it in depth.
We learnt a lot from our tutors including synthesis, music production, record label management, how the industry works and how the technology can help you progress. We also learnt a lot from our fellow students. The one kid in your class who is an absolute wizard, make sure you watch them intensely and learn as much as you can!
What have you been up to since leaving dBs?
We have both had various different roles within the industry since leaving dBs. Dan worked in recording studios in London for a year before turning to music full time where he went on to become a resident DJ in Ibiza, nominated for best resident DJ at the Ibiza Clubbing Guide awards and playing at many of the islands best known venues and parties. 
Dan also held a residency at BBC Radio 1’s Academy and has produced over 200 tracks which have been played and supported by some of the world’s biggest DJ’s. He also ran one of the U.K’s biggest Hard Dance record labels 'Electrik Shandy' for many years. Shandy achieved multiple Radio 1 plays, Mixmag reviews and DJ support. His success running his own platform lead to a job as Record Labels Manager for Europe's largest download store at the time Trackitdown.net.
Benny formulated a successful career under the alias Panda, touring worldwide and releasing on labels such as Anjuna, Toolroom, Eton Messy, Kitsuna, Black Butter, Love & Other, Just Us and more. Panda's output gained support from some of the worlds biggest DJ’s and airtime on BBC Radio 1. Benny was also infamous in the UK drum & bass scene as an MC where he gained awards for Best Southwest drum and bass MC. Gifted in many areas, other career endeavours include time spent with some of the U.K’s biggest festivals in Artist Liaison roles.
What projects have you been working on recently?
As Two Tribes we have been releasing music for 2 years and our work has gained glowing reviews in Mixmag and picked up support by one of our idols Laurent Garnier. We are currently working on an album which is being released in late spring 2020 which is a culmination of the last 3 years in the studio together.
Touring highlights as Two Tribes include Boardmasters and Leopalooza festivals alongside multiple events across the Southwest. Early this year we set upon our biggest project to date which is The Granary Studio near Callington in Cornwall. The studio is aimed at providing the perfect space for artists, producers and DJ’s to create and build a career in the music industry.
The idea behind it is to offer a full package to learn, create, promote and distribute music for up and coming and established artists. We have been very busy designing the studio so it is a mixture of analogue hardware and the latest plug in’s with easy to use patching and access for anyone to come and use.
We also run a music promotion and tastemaker services distributing music to the biggest DJ’s in a given genre. The service collects feedback and support information that can be used in promotional activities and most importantly it helps aspiring artists get heard by the best in the business.
Not forgetting our record label Milk Box Music which we run together releasing House and Techno. We plan to launch The Granary Studio with all the services available from DJ tuition and live streaming to studio hire and mixdown / mastering in the next couple of months. Keep your eyes peeled! If you are an aspiring artist in the South West we will have something to offer you!
%20The%20Granary%20Studio-4.jpg?width=600&name=Alumni%20Focus%20-%20Two%20Tribes%20(Dan%20Kelly%20%26%20Benny%20Crispin)%20The%20Granary%20Studio-4.jpg)
What tip would you give to people aspiring to have a career in the music industry?
Our tip would be, persistence. You get out what you put in. The more time you spend learning and creating the more you will achieve. We have both sacrificed years of sunshine and socialising to get to where we wanted to be, however have made countless friends, played some of the best parties and made the most incredible memories through music.
We have dBs, it’s amazing facilities and tutors to thank for a lot of our achievements. It really is the best place to go to get equipped for a career in music!