In what might be one of the most exciting collaborations we’ve seen this year, powerhouse producer and DJ Flava D has linked up with Bristol’s own Emz on their latest single “Fluent,” which dropped November 15th, 2024. The punchy three-minute track feels like a perfect marriage of talent, blending Flava D’s razor-sharp production with Emz’s hard-hitting vocal prowess.
Flava D (born Danielle Anne Louise Gooding) has long been turning heads in the British dance music scene, effortlessly sliding between genres like UK garage, grime, bassline, and drum and bass. Her musical journey kicked off in her teens, heavily influenced by the raw energy of pirate radio stations and those legendary UK garage compilations – particularly DJ EZ’s Pure Garage mix CDs that many of us grew up with.
Growing up between Birmingham and Bournemouth couldn’t have been easy, but it was a stint at a local record shop between ages 14 and 16 that would change everything. Her boss, a DJ who spotted her potential, introduced her to Ableton – and the rest, as they say, is history. This early exposure to music production would later become the foundation of her genre-defying sound that we know today.

Looking at the numbers, Flava D’s impact on the electronic music scene is undeniable. With over 258,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, she’s built quite the following. Her track “Soul Shake” has become something of an anthem, racking up an impressive 8 million streams, while “All We Ever Do (feat. Paige Eliza & DRS)” isn’t far behind with 3.2 million plays.
Enter Emz, the self-described “London raised, Bristol made” artist who’s been making serious waves of his own. With more than 662,000 monthly Spotify listeners, he’s proven himself as a force to be reckoned with. His track “Free” has become a genuine phenomenon, smashing through the 20.5 million stream mark, while “READY4DEM” stands strong at 3.5 million plays.
The timing of “Fluent” couldn’t be better, dropping just as Flava D continues to expand her global reach. Take her recent set at the first-ever CRUCAST Japan event at Circus Tokyo – a 360-degree performance that had the crowd absolutely losing it. When she dropped “Fluent” during her set, the combination of those weighty basslines and rapid-fire vocals seemed to hit different, sending the Tokyo crowd into a frenzy.
What makes “Fluent” special is how it captures both artists at their peak. Already sitting pretty at 349,000 streams on Spotify, the track showcases Flava D’s production mastery while giving Emz the perfect platform to do what he does best. The energy never dips throughout its runtime, and there’s this brilliant wonky element that weaves through the track, complementing Emz’s distinctive flow perfectly.
You can catch both artists on their socials – Flava D on Instagram and X, and Emz on Instagram and X. The collaboration is now streaming everywhere, and it’s a proper reminder of why these two are leading lights in the UK bass music scene.
As we head into 2025, “Fluent” feels like more than just another release – it’s a statement of intent from two artists who keep pushing the boundaries of what bass music can be. Whether you’re catching it in a club or through your headphones, this is the kind of track that reminds you why electronic music remains such an exciting space.
The track’s already becoming a staple in clubs across the UK, and if the reaction from Tokyo is anything to go by, it’s set to become a global club anthem. With both artists continuing to evolve and push their respective sounds forward, “Fluent” might just be the beginning of what could be an incredible creative partnership.