Collective Spotlight: Brighter Days Family

In this series, we spotlight up-and-coming collectives who are paving their own way while driving underground culture forward.

If you haven’t heard of Brighter Days Family, you’re about to. They’re a London-based DJ, MC, and producer collective, record label, and club night blending vibrant sounds with an ethos of community and collaboration.

Since their debut release in 2020, the genre-bending collective has gained steady momentum. In 2025, they’ll perform at Glastonbury for the second time, and last summer, they made appearances at We Out Here, Outlook, and Boomtown. Last year, they hosted a sold-out month-long Friday night residency at Night Tales Loft in Hackney, inviting guests like Wookie, Hagan, IG Culture, and Katy B. On 7th March 2025, they released their debut album, Audio Sunrise.

With their ability to curate unique experiences that combine live performances, DJ sets, and unforgettable club nights, Brighter Days Family is reshaping classic genres for a new generation. Their jazz-infused productions blend African and Latin rhythms, accompanied by grime-inspired bars and soulful vocals. The result is a fresh new sound that combines the collective’s roots and their diverse musical minds.

The Birth of Brighter Days Family

The Brighter Days project was born out of a desire to bring together like-minded individuals who shared a passion for forward-thinking music and inclusive, feel-good vibes. This crew aims to create a space for artists to express themselves freely and without boundaries while providing a platform for both established and rising talents to shine.

The name embodies the mission of the collective. They’re all about hope, optimism, and the light that music can bring into people’s lives, uniting people from different walks of life.

Many of the crew met at school or college. Izzy (AKA Izco), Sam (Samtheman), and Dyl grew up together in Hackney. When they hit their mid-teens, they started spending more time together, gathering every Friday at Izzy’s family home. Izzy was making a name for himself as a DJ and producer, riding the new wave of UK garage, while staying connected to jungle and grime. With the backing of MC Capo Lee, Izzy secured a show on Mode FM in 2018, followed by a spot on Rinse FM later that year – where Brighter Days Family still holds a weekly residency.

When they hung out together, they were always playing records, mixing, and experimenting. “So much of it was just about enjoying music together,” Sam told Mixmag in a 2024 interview. “It’s how we like spending time together. Some groups of friends might like playing football, others like playing Monopoly,” he said. “But we wanted to be in the studio, hanging out, and making music. We just liked doing it together and feeling each other's energy.”

The Record Label

The plan was to throw a party and play music inspired by the positivity of ’90s garage raves, called "Brighter Days."

Before the event, Izzy and Sam produced a track and used the same name. “That track was the ting that started the ting,” Izzy said. “I always think forward with stuff like this, and I think about what things could become. I definitely started out knowing it was going to be more than just a track, that it was the start of BDF, and the first of many songs.”

An avalanche of creativity followed, with friends Reek0, FELIXCW, and Gil sm soon joining the collective. BDF began to cultivate a distinct sonic identity that Izzy described as "an internal network," where "people who are close and listening to each other's music, being so inspired for so long, it makes that sound stronger, it compresses into itself.”

They started releasing music regularly, spanning a multitude of genres including jazz, amapiano, house, techno, disco, and more, with a focus on creating music that uplifts and ignites joy and positivity.

The label's distinctive sound blends traditional dance floor vibes with R&B, hip-hop, soul, jazz, percussion, funk, and experimental rhythms. Artists under the Brighter Days Family banner are encouraged to push the boundaries of what’s expected in club music, offering fresh, innovative productions that tap into a wide array of influences. The result is a unique collection of tracks that energize the dance floor and speak to the soul.

Releases included “Firework” (produced by Samtheman, Izco, and Jkarri featuring vocals from Dochi), “Fix Up” (by Dochi and Felix CW), “Kaieteur” (by Izkarri, the collaborative alias of Izco and Jkarri), and “Xplain" (produced by Izkarri and Gil sm, with vocals from Natanya), with a visualizer by Nia Archives.

Afterhours, Audio, and What Lies Ahead

If the record label represents creativity, then the club nights represent community. Their events have become a hallmark of London’s underground, known for their inclusive, feel-good atmosphere and commitment to creating a safe space for all. On March 15th, 2025 they celebrated 5 years of Brighter Days Family at Omeara in London Bridge.

The 2-room takeover was a celebration of all they’ve achieved in their short time on earth and an opportunity to showcase the mad tunes on their new album. Audio Sunrise has been several years in the making and platforms the full spectrum of genres and artists that make up the Brighter Days Family.

20 artists have contributed to the album, which glides between house, jazz, funk, hip-hop, and more, with one constant thread of joy and positivity throughout. The album features 10 tracks and contributions from 20 musicians, encapsulating their journey and evolution as a collective, which Sam describes as an "overview of our foundational years as BDF.”

Nearly every member has contributed, as well as long-time collaborators like Capo Lee. Some tracks are previously released, while others are making their debut.

Izzy says the collective's vision is to make BDF its own entity and operate under one name.

“I could have never even dreamed for BDF to be at this point,” Izzy said. “We’re not looking for much. We would be happy with less than this. We’re at a point now where we’re just grateful for the love shown, so we give it back by working hard to make more music, keep the community thriving, and give opportunities to those who deserve it the most.”

Listen to Brighter Days Family on SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and Instagram