MESSIE Channels Breakbeat, Jungle and Global Club Energy on New EP ZONE THREE

Moving between Aotearoa New Zealand and the UK, the rising DJ and producer turns a whirlwind two years into a rhythm-driven new release on HARD Recs.

MESSIE doesn’t sit still — and neither does her sound. Moving between breakbeat, jungle, UK grime and heavyweight bass, the Aotearoa-born artist is carving out a space where underground club culture meets a restless, genre-hopping energy. New EP ZONE THREE, released on 2 October via HARD Recs, captures that momentum in full.

A drummer long before she stepped behind the decks, MESSIE grew up in Gisborne, New Zealand, where rhythm became the foundation of her musical identity. Those early instincts now run through a sound shaped by UK Funky, Jersey Club, Ghetto Tech and Footwork, alongside the breakbeat and jungle influences that first pulled her towards electronic music. The result is music built for movement: unpredictable, bass-heavy and always pushing forward.

ZONE THREE documents the past two years of a life split between the UK and Aotearoa. After an urgent passport, secured with help from Fred again.., helped propel her onto the international circuit, MESSIE found herself moving rapidly between continents, stages and sounds. Rather than settling into one lane, she has used that momentum to develop a style that reflects the diversity of the dancefloors she inhabits.

The EP features B2B, alongside Juni and sbk, and SICKER THAN SICK, bringing together grime, rap, heavy breaks and bass in a sound that feels as comfortable in underground club spaces as it does on festival stages. Explaining her approach, MESSIE describes it as “pocketed rhythm and syncopation that catches your attention and keeps you stimulated and stankin’” — a fitting snapshot of an artist who thrives on keeping the energy in motion.

Her rise has been equally restless. Recent appearances include fabric, Lollapalooza Berlin, All Points East and Glastonbury, alongside opening slots for Fred again.., Interplanetary Criminal and Sammy Virji. From intimate club settings to major festival crowds, MESSIE is building a reputation for sets that move freely across genres without losing their rhythmic core.

With ZONE THREE, she turns that forward momentum into a statement of intent. Rooted in Aotearoa but shaped by the UK underground and a wider global club vocabulary, MESSIE is making music that refuses to stand still — and establishing herself as one to watch in the next wave of boundary-pushing electronic artists.

MESSIE – ZONE THREE is out now via HARD Recs.