DJ Storm

DJ Storm is one of the most respected figures in British Jungle and Drum & Bass, a DJ whose career stretches back to the early days of the rave scene and the formation of one of the genre’s most influential record labels. Best known as one half of the pioneering duo Kemistry & Storm, Jayne Conneely helped establish Metalheadz alongside Goldie and her close friend Kemistry, playing a crucial role in developing the label’s reputation during the 1990s. Following Kemistry’s tragic death in 1999, Storm continued her career as a solo DJ, earning recognition for her technical ability, uncompromising selection and contribution to a scene that was still largely dominated by men.

Storm’s introduction to electronic music came through the late-1980s rave movement. Originally from Northamptonshire, she was training as a therapeutic radiographer in Oxford when her friend Valerie Olukemi Olusanya, known as Kemistry, introduced her to the emerging hardcore sound. The pair had been friends for years, but their shared interest in electronic music would eventually become the foundation of a partnership that helped shape British Drum & Bass.

Their early experiences centred on London’s underground club scene, particularly Rage at Heaven, where DJs Fabio and Grooverider were pushing a distinctive blend of breakbeats, techno and hardcore. The music made an immediate impression. Storm and Kemistry became regular visitors, building a collection of records and developing an understanding of the sounds that would eventually evolve into Jungle.

By 1990, both were determined to become DJs themselves. They began saving for equipment and bought their first decks together in October 1991. Their commitment to learning the craft was considerable, with the pair spending long periods practising and studying the techniques of the DJs they admired. At a time when mixing skills were central to a DJ’s reputation, they developed a style that combined precise beatmatching with an instinct for building tension and moving between records.

Their early progress was helped by their connection with Goldie, who was becoming increasingly involved in the British underground music scene through graffiti art and his interest in electronic production. After hearing the music at Rage, he became determined to make records of his own. Storm and Kemistry would play those records, forming a partnership that developed into one of the most important relationships in the early Drum & Bass scene.

The pair gained experience through pirate radio, including a regular show on London station Touchdown FM, where Goldie joined them on the microphone. Their reputation grew through promotional mixes, early bookings and performances at clubs across the UK. Working as Kemistry & Storm, they established themselves as capable selectors in an environment where the quality of a DJ’s mixing mattered more than image or celebrity.

Creating Metalheadz

In 1994, Goldie, Kemistry and Storm established Metalheadz. The label would become a major force in the development of Jungle and Drum & Bass, releasing music that pushed the boundaries of production and helped define the darker, more experimental side of the genre. While Goldie became its most recognisable public figure, Storm and Kemistry were integral to its operation, handling responsibilities including artist relations, promotion, bookings and distribution.

Metalheadz became synonymous with the celebrated Sunday sessions at the Blue Note club in Hoxton, London. The events brought together some of the most important DJs and producers in the emerging Drum & Bass movement, including Fabio, Grooverider, Doc Scott, Randall and LTJ Bukem. They provided a platform for forward-thinking music that was often more experimental than the sounds reaching commercial radio, helping establish Metalheadz as an influential institution rather than simply another record label.

As DJs, Kemistry & Storm developed a reputation for tough, technically accomplished sets and carefully selected records. Their performances took them across Europe and further afield, while their relationship with the label gave them access to music that was often unavailable elsewhere. Their work helped connect producers, record buyers and audiences, strengthening the international network that allowed British Drum & Bass to grow.

Their international breakthrough came in January 1999 with the release of DJ-Kicks: Kemistry & Storm through the German label !K7. The compilation brought their mixing and selection to a wider audience and remains one of the best-known recordings associated with the duo. Its tracklist brought together music from artists including Dom & Roland, DJ Die, Goldie, John B and Dillinja, reflecting the depth and diversity of the contemporary Drum & Bass scene.

The release marked a major achievement for two DJs who had worked their way up from the underground. However, tragedy followed just a few months later. In April 1999, Kemistry was killed in a road accident while returning from a DJ booking. Her death devastated Storm and the wider Metalheadz community, ending one of the most important partnerships in the history of Drum & Bass.

Storm eventually returned to performing as a solo DJ, continuing the musical journey they had begun together. Re-establishing her career was difficult, but she remained committed to the music and the audience that had supported her. Rather than abandoning Metalheadz, she continued representing the label at club nights, international bookings and festivals, preserving the connection between its early years and its ongoing development.

Her solo career established her as one of the scene’s most enduring selectors. Known affectionately as the First Lady of Drum & Bass, Storm built a reputation through consistency, experience and an ability to mix across different periods of the genre. Her sets have drawn on the music that shaped the early rave scene while embracing newer productions, allowing her to move between classic Jungle, atmospheric Drum & Bass and harder contemporary sounds.

In 2004, Storm helped establish Feline, a collective and club night created to showcase female talent within Drum & Bass. Based around a monthly event at London’s Herbal club, Feline brought together women DJs and performers from across the scene. The project offered opportunities to artists who were often underrepresented on line-ups and reinforced Storm’s commitment to supporting the next generation.

Drum and Bass Awards Winner

Her standing was recognised when she won Best Female DJ at the National Drum & Bass Awards four years running, from 2009 to 2012. She also contributed to music education through Red Bull Music Academy workshops and appearances, sharing her experience of DJing, the development of Jungle and the realities of building a lasting career in electronic music.

Between 2010 and 2013, Storm hosted the monthly Metalheadz show on Ministry of Sound Radio, continuing the label’s tradition of showcasing important new music. In September 2015, she recorded the FABRICLIVE x Metalheadz Mix, a set featuring music from artists including Seba, Total Science, Calibre, Digital and Spirit. The mix demonstrated her continued commitment to strong selection and her ability to connect different generations of Drum & Bass.

Storm has also continued to revisit the music of the early 1990s without restricting herself to nostalgia. Her sets frequently draw connections between the formative years of Jungle and later developments in Drum & Bass, reflecting a career built around curiosity, technical precision and a deep knowledge of the music.

More than three decades after she first stepped behind the decks, DJ Storm remains an important figure in British dance music. Her contribution extends beyond her work as a DJ: alongside Kemistry, she helped build Metalheadz into a label that shaped the direction of the genre, while her solo career and work with Feline have supported the wider community. Her continued presence on international line-ups is testament to a career defined by dedication to the music rather than passing trends.

Essential Tracks & Releases:

🎧 Kemistry & Storm – DJ-Kicks (1999)

🎧 Dom & Roland – Trauma

🎧 DJ Die – Clear Skyz

🎧 Sci-Clone – Everywhere I Go (Remix)

🎧 Goldie – Hyaena

🎧 Jonny L – Uneasy

🎧 J Majik – Space Jam

🎧 DJ Storm – FABRICLIVE x Metalheadz Mix (2015)

Breakbeats. Precision mixing. Metalheadz history. DJ Storm helped shape the foundations of British Drum & Bass, and through decades of performances, mentorship and dedication, she has remained one of the genre’s most influential and respected selectors.