Decoder is the stage name of drum and bass and jungle producer Darren Beale and Mark Caro.
Beale started his career in 1991 using various aliases creating oldschool hardcore tracks. He continued fine tuning the deep jungle sound under the Orca and Koda aliases on Lucky Spin Records and its sister label, Deejay Recordings, releasing "Tranquility to Earth" in 1994. In 1995 he first used the Decoder pseudonym, pioneering the dark or 'tech step' style of drum & bass, often on Mark Caro's label Tech Itch Recordings.
Beale later went on to form a new band called Kosheen with Markee Ledge.
Links to Peel[]
Peel first started playing Decoder's material in 1995 when he was known as Orca and would continue play material from the DJ well into the early 00's. Beale also was a member of Kosheen, who had some hits in the UK singles chart, but Peel never played any material from that group on his programmes.
Shows Played[]
- 26 January 1997: ‘Fog (Various Artists CD – Suspect Package)’ Hardleaders
- 08 February 1997: Elements (12" - Elements / Sub Osc) Second Movement
- 24 April 1997: Elements (Technical Itch Remix) (12") Second Movement
- 30 September 1997: PGM 5 (single - Decoded EP) Tech Itch
- 09 October 1997 (BFBS): 'PGM5 (2x12"-Decoded EP)' (Tech Itch Recordings)
- 04 February 1998: Vapour Dub (12") Hardleaders
- 07 February 1998 (BBC World Service): Vapour Dub (12" single) Hardleaders
- 17 March 1998: Vapour Dub (12") Hard Leaders
- 23 November 1998 (BFBS): 'Downtime (4x12"-Dissection)' (Hardleaders)
- November 1998 (FSK): Stash (CD - Dissection) Hardleaders
- 03 December 1998: 'Hacker (4x12" LP-Dissection)' (Hardleaders)
- 15 April 1999: Defect (2x12")
- 20 April 1999: PGM 5 (EP - Decoded) Tech Itch
- April 1999 (FSK): D-fect (2x12" - Decoded EP) Tech Itch
- 06 May 1999: Circuit Breaker (Peshay Remix) (2x12" - Decoded EP) Tech Itch
- 26 May 1999 (BFBS): 'D-fect (2x12"-Decoded EP)' (Tech Itch Recordings)
- 06 July 1999: 'Headlock (12 inch)' (Tech Itch)
- 12 August 1999 (Radio Eins): Headlock (12”) Tech Itch
- 26 August 1999 (Radio Eins): 'Nemesis (2x12"-Encounters LP Sampler)' (Breakbeat Culture)
- 15 March 2000: Turnover (12” single) Hardleaders
- 28 March 2000: 'Turnover (12 inch)' (Hardleaders)
- March 2000 (FSK): Turnover (12" - Tag / Turnover) Hardleaders
- 19 April 2000: 02.40 (5x12": Concussion) Tech Itch
- 27 April 2000: Hord 39 (LP - Concussion) Tech Itch
- April 2000 (FSK): Dumb (CD - Concussion) Tech Itch
- 03 May 2000 (Radio Eins): Hord 39 (CD - Concussion) Tech Itch
- 17 May 2000: Cobra (12" - Hord 39/Cobra Tech Itch
- 18 May 2000: Road Rage (LP - Concussion) Tech Itch
- 01 June 2000: Bountyhunter (LP – Concussion) Tech Itch
- 29 June 2000 (Radio Eins): 'Nemesis (2x12"-Encounters LP Sampler)' (Breakbeat Culture)
- June 2000 (FSK): Dumb (CD - Concussion) Tech Itch
- 25 July 2001: P O D (Hard Leaders)
- 23 August 2001 (Radio Eins): Pod
- 28 August 2001: Crisis (12") BS1
- 17 April 2002: Dead Fall (2x12” EP – Two-Nine) Tech Itch
- 13 June 2002: Dead Fall (EP - Two Nine) Tech Itch
- 14 August 2002: 'Dead Fall (EP - Two-Nine)' (Tech Itch)
- 4 Front (Decoder & Substance)
- 31 August 2004: 'Freeze (12")' (Breakbeat Culture)
- Orca (Darren Beale & Kristian Townsend)
- 05 December 1992: 'Sonar (Compilation CD-Fantazia - The First Taste...)' (Fantazia)
- 01 July 1995: Liar (12 inch - My Eyes) Lucky Spin
- 01 July 1995 (BFBS): 'Liar (12"-My Eyes)' (Lucky Spin Recordings)
- 08 July 1995 (BFBS): 'Liar (12"-My Eyes)' (Lucky Spin Recordings)
- 02 March 1996: Discovery (album - L.T.J. Bukem & MC Conrad Present - Promised Land Volume One) Higher Limits
- Psykis (Darren Beale & Kristian Townsend)
- 02 February 1996: ‘Pretend (12 inch )’ Lucky Spin Recordings
- 10 February 1996 (BFBS): 'Pretend (12")' (Dee Jay Recordings)