Tian Karl

London-based DJ and producer Tian Karl emerged in the city’s electronic scene in 2015, with releases on labels including Defected, Black Butter Records, Nervous and AVOTRE. His musical language draws on house, garage and neo-soul, while his productions have also explored more experimental territory. After a period away from releasing music, he returned in 2024 with the launch of TRUST ISSUES, an imprint designed to give him room for independent creative decisions. The label’s opening release, “Flint,” introduced this new chapter.

Karl’s time away from production followed health challenges, and he has described the hiatus as a period that changed his perspective and informed more introspective themes. Before it, releases helped bring him to London venues such as XOYO and Ministry of Sound. His later studio approach has emphasized capturing performances and details with analog gear, reflecting his background as a recording engineer. An album project, Things to Say About Words, extended the TRUST ISSUES concept into a longer form, with track titles serving as a kind of wordless narrative.