When people think of Bristol, they think of the cradle of drum & bass. But when they talk about Rua Tui, they’re talking about a force that just shook that cradle hard. Aidan and Angus, the explosive duo behind the name, have built a reputation for sets synonymous with “shoe-throwing” and pure dancefloor destruction. With a Māori name and a catalogue of bangers that have rocked festivals from Boomtown to Balter, Rua Tui are now officially joining the DNBTV family.
This Bristol pair are no strangers to the scene. Their journey began with self-releases on their own imprint, Swinging Jaw Records, before gaining traction on international labels like US-based 19K and the UK’s legendary Grid Recordings. 2025 marked a breakout year, with a rework of “Lighters Up” on Jungle Cakes and a release on Gorilla Warfare. Now, under the wing of the DNBTV booking agency, they’re ready to conquer European clubs alongside names like Zombie Cats and Meen Tea, Hallucinator and more.
To introduce this powerhouse duo in style, we caught up with them in the heart of the Bristol jungle.
A lot of what we make is with the purpose of imposing a smile on people’s faces in these dark times. We know a new tune has had the right impact when we see the crowd bouncing on the drop and getting silly with us. It can get pretty wild
Angus: I thought it was more that the Tui bird makes some ridiculous noises.
When we started Aidan had just come back from a trip to NZ where he’d collected recordings of tui’s, we used them for the percussion on ‘Attack of the Tui’ and it spiralled from there.
Aidan: Even though we are both country bumpkins from the south west, it was thoroughly enjoyable keeping those ties to our heritage and keeps us from being boxed in to just one sound.
Aidan playing in the pond for Cocaine Fuelled Sharks or R2D2 as a riser are up there but we think it’s probably our use of an alligator’s mating call as the main drop bass for our Steve Irwin inspired track Danger that takes the trophy! It was quite the surprise testing it for the first time at Shindig Festival and seeing everyone, from the crowd to our peers losing it and receiving videos of it from all angles.
Getting that track on Soulvent is definitely a pretty big step in the right direction, we’re really pleased with how that track was received. It’s only going to get bigger from here. The next big goal is to start getting on the international gig circuit, Canada, US and NZ, Lock up yer chips!
The original concept started 3 years ago when Kathika was mad because she’d been interviewed and was asked a question about being a ‘female’ mc or rapper. That irked her somewhat, she’s a singer, MC, rapper and everything else in between, her gender should have nothing to do with it. So Banshee was born and Kathika took point getting the other amazing vocalists into the studio. Then we collectively decided to put the proceeds towards Refuge, the women’s shelter charity.
It’s been a long road for that track but we’re really excited for the world to finally hear it.
We can’t wait to see how the europeans send it at the raves. Its always fun meeting new friends and seeing how our music connects with different people, but mainly we’re going for the food. So where’s the best place to eat?
I guess the message to anyone coming to see us would be to expect the unexpected and bring spare shoes (throwable ones)
Rua Tui are heading into 2026 with the same force as “Mozey double-dropping into Come Dine With Me.” February kicks off with their remix of “Bassline Drop” on Nemesis Recordings, followed by two massive free download remixes (Stanton Warriors and Dirt Monkey).
Beyond their March release on Soulvent Records, they’ve lined up collaborations with Zimma, Father Funk, and Mr. Fitz. With a sound so distinct that fans are constantly begging for more, it’s clear the European scene is in for something special.
As Rua Tui put it: “Europe doesn’t know what’s about to hit them!”
For European Bookings contact: iwona@dnbtv.com For UK Bookings contact: rua.tui.dnb@gmail.com
