Bristol-based electronic music producer and DJ Jim Coles – aka Om Unit – has enjoys a busy schedule of live performances and DJ gigs worldwide but saw his audiences grow following the launch of his ongoing Acid Dub Studies series of albums, beginning 2020. To keep the music flowing, he has brought a Solid State Logic SSL 12 audio interface into his live set-up.
His music, described in one publication as ‘fluid and experimental, often incorporating ambient textures, dub-influenced atmospheres, and a focus on advanced sound design,’ prominently features the familiar sound of the Roland TB-303 Bass Line.
‘It’s based around the idea of taking the acid sound of the 303 and injecting that into a dub reggae framework,’ he confirms. ‘The music itself is largely based around the sound of the 1980s digital reggae era and some ’90s influences from dub with some early dance music flavours.’
The foundation of Om Unit’s current show is the third volume of his Acid Dub Studies series and comprises a set of live improvised interpretations of music from all three albums in the series, together with newer sketches and remixes.
The SSL 12 operates as a four-channel mixer for a selection of hardware sources. ‘It’s a very sturdy interface and it’s proved to be a rock-solid piece of kit for the live show,’ he says. ‘ I was looking for something that was USB powered, that had four ins and outs and had better converters than the previous interface I was using. I tend to play in larger spaces at times, and little details are literally amplified.
‘I noticed straight away a much clearer depth of resolution compared to what I had used before. The preamps for the analogue inputs were clearly superior as well.’
The principal element of Om Unit’s show is Ableton Live software running on a laptop, and a pair of Faderfox Midi controllers. ‘There is also a Korg nanoPad on which I can play various extra sounds on the fly,’ he offers. ‘On the analogue side of things, I use a 303 clone, which runs through a Jomox overdrive pedal. There is also a Bugbrand PT delay that runs as a non-tempo-synced delay option, which I can manually manipulate. I use a Benidub siren for dub siren effects as well.’
The 303 clone, dub siren and Bugbrand PT appear as the first three inputs of the SSL 12 with 4K Mode adding analogue enhancement inspired by SSL’s 4000 series console. The SSL 12’s outputs are routed into Ableton Live.
‘I just plug stuff in and go, basically,’ he says. ‘I set the levels visually with the gain and output knobs. These are well coloured, so I can see where they are in a dimly lit club or stage where there’s a lot of lighting FX. When you are busy performing, that is a bigger plus than you may think.
‘For a relatively low price, I can get a big sound for this live show, which so far seems stable as a set-up,’ he adds. ‘I bought the unit based on the trusted name that SSL has, and it hasn’t let me down yet! I’ve been using it for about a year now without any issue at all.’
The Acid Dub Studies trilogy of full-length releases together with their companion remixes represent Om Unit’s best-selling work to date. He has maintained a heavy schedule of shows in the US and Europe throughout 2025, playing to consistently sold-out crowds and garnering overwhelmingly positive responses from both long-time fans and newcomers.
He recently released Acid Dub Versions III, the third set of remixes of material taken from the trilogy, featuring Daniel Avery, Satoshi Tomiie, Richard Fearless, Azu Tiwaline, Beatrice M and others, and will shortly also be releasing new club tracks. Om Unit is scheduled to close out 2025 with shows in Germany, Norway and the UK.