Not Waving, But Drowning
30s preview
- Key
- 9A · E minor
- BPM
- 145
- Half-time
- 73
- Open Key
- 2m
- Energy
- 89/100
- Pop
- 0/100
- Length
- 4:42
- Released
- 2012
- Album
- The Agony & The Ecstasy
- Genre
- Drum N Bass
- Loudness
- -3.0 dB
- Dynamics
- 9.4 dB
- ISRC
- GBCJY1200025
Key, BPM and audio features: model-based audio analysis · how we measure · catalogue updated July 2026
Not Waving, But Drowning runs 145 BPM in E minor (9A), a driving up-tempo drum n bass record. The feel is dark and driving. It is vocal-led. Its spectrum is weighted to the sub and kick, with a heavy low end. The master is loud and heavily compressed. A 2012 production that still circulates in sets. More underground than 99% of High Contrast's catalogue. In a set it works best as a high-intensity peak cut.
- Groove:
- groovier than 81% of High Contrast's catalogue
Sonic profile
Frequency spectrum
amplitude · bass → treble
- 34%
- Low
- 30-130 Hz
- 29%
- Low-mid
- 130-570 Hz
- 21%
- Upper-mid
- 570 Hz-2.5 kHz
- 16%
- High
- 2.5-11 kHz
FAQ
What key is Not Waving, But Drowning in?
Not Waving, But Drowning by High Contrast is in E minor, or 9A on the Camelot wheel.
What BPM is Not Waving, But Drowning?
Not Waving, But Drowning runs at 145 BPM, a driving up-tempo track.
What mixes well with Not Waving, But Drowning?
From 9A it blends harmonically with 10A, 9B, 8A. Moving to 10A lifts the energy a step.
Is Not Waving, But Drowning good for peak time?
With energy 89 out of 100 at 145 BPM, it works best as a high-intensity peak cut.
Mixes harmonically
9A → 8A · 10A · 9BFrom 9A, 10A (B minor) lifts the energy a step; 9B (G major) brightens to the relative major; 8A (A minor) cools the energy down a step.
How to mix it
In 9A at 145 BPM: 10A (B minor) — move to 10A to push the floor harder; 9B (G major) — switch to 9B for a mood change without losing the groove; 8A (A minor) — drop to 8A to bring the room down gently.
Pitch range at ±6%: 136-154 BPM — anything in that window beatmatches without sounding stretched.
Key on the fader: without key lock (Master Tempo on CDJs), above roughly +5% it plays a semitone higher, so treat it as 4A rather than 9A; below -5% it reads as 2A. With key lock on, it stays 9A across the whole range.
Programming: a high-intensity peak cut.
Similar tempo
Within ±3 BPM of 145 — beatmatch without a big tempo pull.
More drum n bass
More from High Contrast
Full profile
Other recommendations
Beyond strict key and genre matches: tracks that still sit in beatmatch range of 145 BPM with a compatible energy and groove — candidates for a key jump or a genre crossover.
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