Adam Freeland (born August 7, 1973) is an English DJ, record producer, remixer, label owner, and electronic musician. He is closely associated with the breakbeat movement of the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly the style often described as nu-skool breaks, which combined the rhythmic force of breakbeat and drum and bass with elements of techno, house, hip hop, rock, and experimental electronics.
Born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, Freeland began DJing in 1991. He initially worked with deep house before moving toward drum and bass and breakbeat-oriented sounds. His early reputation was built through inventive DJ sets and carefully constructed mix albums. In 1996, he released *Coastal Breaks, Vol. 1*, followed by *Coastal Breaks, Vol. 2* in 1998. The records helped establish him as an important figure in the British breaks scene, not only as a selector but also as a producer with a distinct sense of atmosphere and pacing.
Freeland also worked with Kevin Beber as the production duo Tsunami One. Their releases included "Number 43 With Steamed Rice Please" and "Hip Hop Phenomenon," the latter made with American producer BT. In 1998, Freeland founded Marine Parade, a label named after the Brighton seafront road. Marine Parade became an influential outlet for breakbeat and electronic music, releasing work by artists including Evil Nine, ILS, Alex Metric, and Jape.
His mix album *Tectonics* followed in 2000 and became one of his best-known early releases. It presented breakbeat as a broad and flexible form rather than a narrowly defined club genre. Freeland subsequently issued *On Tour*, *FabricLive.16*, *Back to Mine: Adam Freeland*, and *Global Underground 032: Mexico City*. His work as a remixer was equally wide-ranging, with credits involving artists such as The Orb, Orbital, Deee-Lite, and Sarah Vaughan. His remix of Vaughan's "Fever" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical in 2006.
As a recording artist, Freeland released *Now & Them* in 2003, often credited simply to Freeland. The album expanded his sound beyond instrumental club music, bringing together punk, hip hop, electro, dub, reggae, and rock influences. Its single "We Want Your Soul" became his signature track and reached the UK Top 40. The song's confrontational spoken-word approach and anti-consumerist theme gave Freeland a crossover profile while retaining the directness of a club record.
His second major artist album, *Cope*, appeared in 2009. Credited to Freeland, it moved further toward song-based electronic rock and featured contributions from musicians including Joey Santiago of the Pixies, Jerry Casale of Devo, and Tommy Lee of Motley Crue. A remix album, *Cope Remixed*, followed in 2010.
Freeland later became a member of The Acid, a project formed with Steve Nalepa and singer and songwriter RY X. The group explored a darker, more spacious form of electronic music on its self-titled debut EP and the album *Liminal*, released in 2014. Through his solo work, label activities, and collaborations, Freeland has remained known for treating electronic music as an open system, connecting dance-floor technique with rock, pop, sound design, and visual culture.