Influences: Rob Pearson shares the tracks that shaped his sound
- Undrtone Blog
- Oct 20
- 3 min read
Every artist has a story built from the sounds that moved them most. For Rob Pearson, it’s a journey that stretches from early electro and hip hop through acid house, jungle and the rise of UK tech house, all stitched into a career that has defined the underground for over two decades.
Rob Pearson’s latest release, ‘Turnin’ Things Up’, lands on his long-running label Evasive Records on 14th November. The four-track EP shows the full range of his sound, from rolling tech house energy to deeper, groove-led cuts that nod to his roots while keeping things razor-sharp.
Fresh from new releases on Fabric, Wiggle, Toolroom and his own Evasive imprint, Rob looks back on five records that shaped him and how they still echo through his music today.
Mantronix – ‘Who Is It?’
“This record was, and still is, a huge influence on me. After growing up on all things electro, I got my real education from Mike Allen’s legendary rap show on Capital Radio between 1984 and 1987. I was obsessed with the Street Sounds Electro series, and this track from Mantronix’s Music Madness album blew my mind.
At 12 years old, it sounded like the future. The rap was great, the hook was catchy, but it was Mantronik’s production that really got me. The drum edits and the structure were next level. That track helped shape my early path as a DJ and inspired me to start producing. Then, 30 years later, I ended up backstage with Mantronik in 2017 and got him to sign all my old records. A proper full circle moment.”
Baby Ford – ‘Oochy Koochy (F.U. Baby Yeh Yeh)’
“Oochy Koochy pulled me right into acid house and the UK underground as it was taking shape. It was minimal, mechanical, off-kilter and nothing like what I’d heard before. The bassline was infamous. It actually blew the cutting lathe during mastering, which only added to its legend.
Everything about that tune felt underground and mysterious, like you were part of something secret. It made me realise you didn’t have to follow the rules, and that’s something I’ve carried with me into my own productions ever since.”
Exocet – ‘Sweet Talk’
“By the time this came around, things in South London were moving fast. Early rave and breakbeat were taking over. But this track stood out because it slowed things down. It was deep, heavy, and stripped right back.
It taught me about dynamics and space, that less can actually do more. No big drops, no tricks, just pressure and movement. That sense of restraint and groove really stuck with me when I started building my own sound.”
LTJ Bukem – ‘Music’
“When LTJ Bukem released Music, I was deep into drum and bass, releasing on Basement Records, getting support from Bukem, Fabio and Grooverider, and hosting my own pirate radio show as Rob Scratch on Energy 87.9FM.
When I first heard this tune, it felt like it opened another dimension. It wasn’t just about aggression or tempo anymore. It had soul, emotion and balance. It gave me a new understanding of what drum and bass could be, and definitely shifted how I approached production.”
Get Fucked – ‘Frequency Building’ (Dot to Dot)
“After a few years producing for others at my studio in Croydon, I found myself drawn back into my own music around 1997. I was following DJs like Colin Dale and Mr. C, and that early South London tech house sound felt like a natural evolution.
I picked up the Dot to Dot album at Eukatech in Covent Garden, not realising at the time that Get Fucked was Nathan Coles and Nils Hess. The track Frequency Building blew me away. It showed how much you could do with groove alone, no gimmicks, just movement and weight.
That record pulled me fully into tech house. Around then, I was spending loads of time at Swag Records in West Croydon, the same building where I used to buy my first electro and hip hop records. It was like everything had come full circle. The same walls, the same energy, but a new sound that tied it all together.”
Five records. Five eras. Each one carving out a layer of Rob Pearson’s journey, from crate-digging school days in Croydon to becoming one of the UK’s most respected underground producers.
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