One of American Drum & Bass’s Leading Voices, Justin Hawkes Returns with His Second Album “Now Or Never” For immediate release
Justin Hawkes has spent nearly fifteen years carving out a distinctly American presence in Drum & Bass, evolving from his early days as Flite into an artist known for pushing beyond the genre’s traditional boundaries. Since adopting his own name in 2020, the Southwest Virginia native has blended cinematic melodies, heavy club production, rock, and even country influences, most notably on his 2022 debut album Existential and its standout single “Better Than Gold.” His versatility has earned support from Sub Focus, Andy C, Wilkinson, Pendulum, Porter Robinson, RL Grime, and others, while his catalogue has surpassed 100 million streams.
Hawkes has since brought his improvisation-heavy live sets to more than 14 countries, appearing at Alexandra Palace, EDC, and Tomorrowland, while his music has reached gaming audiences through Rocket League and Fortnite. In 2026, he continues to strengthen the bridge between American bass music and the global Drum & Bass scene with North American touring and festival appearances including Shambhala, Bass Canyon, Electric Love, and Friendzy Fest.
“‘Now or Never‘ captures a complete cycle of time and transcendence; it narrates a continuous path of transformation within my life, and asks deep questions about the nature of core passions and their place in the soul. While I was writing this album, I explored the feelings which brought me the core values I have always held – whether it was the mind’s strife against authoritarianism, our nature as humans to seek affection, or to explore and innovate, or to gather together and dance… All the way through the soul’s path of existential questions: Why Am I? The 12 chapters of this story walk a journey of discovery within myself, with each song as a lifetime leading into the next pivotal realization. Consciousness is an infinitely complex, yet infinitely interconnected experience, and I wanted this album to love and hold that wonderful mystery. In this turning point aeon of artificial intelligence, I chose explicitly to use human-only creative, and intentionally directed and created all audio, text, photo and video artwork with the help and eyes of Chase Yaws and Sadler Milbrath. I’m hopeful that anyone who listens can find a part of themselves within this album, and help them realize and love the beautiful dichotomy of light and darkness which exists within us all.” – Justin Hawkes
Justin Hawkes brings his concept of “Experiential Drum & Bass” to life on Now Or Never, his second album and the follow-up to 2022’s Existential. Built as a continuous twelve-track journey, the record moves seamlessly through tech-driven Drum & Bass, future jungle, halftime, modern jump-up, progressive sounds, and anthemic release. Hawkes wrote and produced every track, contributed many of his own lyrics and vocals, and helped shape the album’s visual world, creating a project designed to be experienced as one complete narrative rather than a collection of standalone singles.
At its core, Now Or Never asks what happens when we choose to follow the passions that define us. Each chapter explores a different expression of that idea, from resistance, attraction, and discovery to dance, healing, love, and self-realization, ultimately tracing a larger journey through identity and transformation. Hawkes also made the deliberate choice to keep the project entirely human-created, developing its audio and visual elements without generative AI alongside Chase Yaws and Sadler Milbrath. The result further establishes Hawkes as a distinctive voice in North American Drum & Bass, pushing the genre forward through immersive storytelling, experimentation, and a deeply personal creative vision.
Forthcoming shows:
Aug 15 – Bass Canyon Festival – George, WA
Aug 21 – Sunbar – Tempe. AZ
Sep 05 – 2026 Fiber Open Air – Nijmegen, NL
Sep 11 – Helios – Cologne, DE
Oct 10 – Tribal Roots – Wichita, KS
Oct 24 – Get Freaky – Salt Lake City, U
Make sure you check out Now or Never on Spotify below!
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Justin Hawkes
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Who am I? Just some guy who decided to start writing on the Internet years ago and now operates his own brand and site. Owner/Operator of Modern Neon Media, I make all kinds of niche content to suit my interests at the time. DIY Enthusiast, Brewmaster extraordinaire, and avid freak for geek culture. Follow on my socials for a more “on” version of me.
