Sub Focus, real name Nick Douwma, is a British drum and bass producer and DJ from Guildford, UK. He began releasing music in 2003 and gained early attention with tracks including "Acid Test" and "X-Ray". Originally interested in rock music, Douwma cited bands such as Nirvana as early influences. He briefly played in a school band with friends, although he later described himself as not being very skilled at playing instruments, stating he “wasn’t very good”. At around age 13, he began using computer software to produce electronic music and developed a self-taught approach to production. His early influences included acts such as The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers, both of which are known for blending electronic music with rock elements. He was introduced to jungle and drum and bass after hearing "Incredible" by M-Beat featuring General Levy. Douwma did not initially pursue music production professionally, but after leaving school he decided to focus on a career in music. He later studied sound engineering at college to develop his technical skills. Between 2001 and 2002, he began sending out demo recordings, encouraged by friends. His breakthrough came in 2003 when a demo CD was passed to Andy C, founder of RAM Records, who was reportedly impressed and quickly facilitated a signing. Douwma was subsequently associated with RAM Records and its sister label Frequency, marking the beginning of his professional career in the drum and bass scene. On 12 October 2009, he released his self-titled debut studio album "Sub Focus", which peaked at number 51 on the UK Albums Chart. The album included a range of styles within electronic music, though it was primarily focused on drum and bass. On 15 September 2020, Douwma announced a collaborative album with fellow UK electronic artist Wilkinson. The project, titled "Portals", was made available for pre-order on CD and vinyl, with its track listing revealed shortly afterwards.