Inside Billain’s ‘Mirror’: The Album Redefining Drum & Bass Storytelling
- Undrtone Blog
- Sep 11
- 3 min read
On 29th August 2025, Bosnian sound designer and producer Billain released his long-awaited LP ‘Mirror’ via Evolution Chamber. Seventeen tracks deep, it’s an odyssey that reflects both his uncompromising approach to sound design and his enduring fascination with dystopian storytelling.
From the opening notes, ‘Mirror’ refuses to settle into a single genre. Drum & Bass, neuro-hop, ambient and experimental textures fold into one another, forming what Billain himself describes as a reflection of his inner life. “Creativity is deeply intertwined with emotion,” he explains. “My work reflects many aspects of my life, whether I intended it to or not. That is where the honesty lies.”
This honesty comes through in the raw intricacy of the record. At once brutal and cinematic, every track feels part of a larger world. “The album functions as a palindrome,” Billain says, noting that the sequencing itself was carefully built to mirror the title. “Whichever side you start from works narratively. The intro begins from the back, and the numbers on the track correspond in perfect symmetry.”
Two standout collaborations underline the album’s scope. ‘Dystopia’, written with German duo Rawtekk, came from what Billain describes as a cinematic daydream. “I wanted to write a film about two melancholic vampire lovers in a Cyberpunk future,” he recalls. “Christine’s voice unlocked the mood, and the rest became future history.” In contrast, ‘Glass Fortress’ with Magnetude plays like a high-energy battle scene. “Stories can sometimes serve as a good sample and synth optimiser,” he explains. “That track came together in just two days.”
Yet it’s solo tracks like ‘Afterburner’ that reveal the sheer depth of his craft. The production demanded months of work to realise its filmic vision. “People underestimate the power of track intros,” he says. “We can admire basslines all day, but we’ll remember the scenery they set up for the rest of our lives. That’s what I try to capture.”
Billain’s ability to blur the line between sound design and narrative stems from years working across multiple mediums. He’s scored Hollywood films like Pacific Rim Uprising and designed the sonic horror of the game Scorn. His previous LP ‘Nomad’s Revenge’ earned a British DnB Awards nomination and spawned short films that toured over 60 international festivals. While ‘Mirror’ isn’t tied to a traditional film piece, it slots into a broader multi-album arc that Billain has been building since 2010. “The albums are like nodes, spanning thousands of years of legacy,” he explains. “This is a long story that will span decades of my career.”
That ambition is reflected in the live unveiling. At Let It Roll Festival this summer, Billain headlined the Evolution Chamber stage with a set that played like a premiere. Fans also took part in an ‘Eyetifacts’ treasure hunt, piecing together cryptic clues and uncovering physical artefacts linked to the album’s concept. “Premiering an album fresh at festival sets is always exciting,” he says. “It brings that film premiere feel, where the atmosphere is palpable.”
Much of this conceptual freedom comes from his home label. “Evolution Chamber stood firmly, confirming that bravery is the label,” Billain says. “It allows DnB and neighbouring sounds to be free and experimentally open. That’s what cyberneuro stands for—cinematic high-energy rave mania at multiple tempos and distortions.”
It’s this fusion of fearless sound design and narrative ambition that sets ‘Mirror’ apart. The record thrives on contrasts—hyper-digital grit alongside organic textures, chaotic energy balanced with moments of fragile introspection. “It’s about striking a contrast, like kitsch props in a film scene,” he says, comparing it to the flickering neon of Blade Runner.
For Billain, dystopian themes remain a constant. “The imagined dystopia sometimes feels more utopian to our present selves,” he reflects. It’s this paradox that powers the core of ‘Mirror’: an album that holds up a distorted reflection of both artist and listener, challenging them to see themselves in its surface.
‘Mirror’ is more than a follow-up to Nomad’s Revenge. It’s a statement of intent from one of electronic music’s most restless innovators: seventeen tracks, one reflection, no compromise.
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