Jonny L

Jon Lisners (born November 1970), known professionally as Jonny L, is a British producer and DJ from London. He is primarily associated with drum and bass and jungle, and his recorded work and aliases also reach into bassline, breakbeat, Chicago house, UK garage, liquid funk and various strands of house and techno.

Jonny L first came to attention in 1992 with the rave single "Hurt You So". That early single led to a deal with XL Recordings and to a string of releases through the 1990s. He released the album Sawtooth in 1997, which included the single "Piper". He followed Sawtooth with Magnetic (1998) and later the album 27 Hours a Day (2003). In 1999 he founded Piranha Records to release his own material and related projects. In 2015 he launched the digital drum & bass label 23:22.

As a producer, Jonny L’s sound is defined by precise break editing and a focus on clear low-end. His productions commonly use tight, chopped drum breaks rather than long, raw amen loops; edits are often locked to give the drums forward punch. The title Sawtooth echoes a production habit across his work: hard-edged synth timbres and sawtooth-wave leads appear alongside sustained pads and atmospherics, creating tracks that balance melodic hooks with weight in the sub-bass.

On individual tracks the techniques are concrete. "Hurt You So" foregrounds rave-era break programming and stabs; "Piper" pairs a distinct melodic lead with a controlled, sub-heavy low end. Across his albums Jonny L employs layered bass — a tight sub sine beneath mid-range filtered bass — and uses transient shaping and compression to keep kick and break elements aggressive and defined in the mix. He has also shown a taste for cleaner, more melodic arrangements on liquid-tinged pieces while keeping drum work clipped and rhythmically precise.

Jonny L has released under other names and worked in several production roles. He has put out music as Mr. L and worked as one half of the UK garage duo True Steppers, co-writing and producing tracks such as "Out of Your Mind" (2000). He has contributed tracks to Hospital Records compilations and has placed releases on labels including XL Recordings and his own Piranha Records. The three studio albums—Sawtooth (1997), Magnetic (1998) and 27 Hours a Day (2003)—mark distinct phases: the late‑90s crossover into melodic and techno-tinged DnB, the running of his own label from 1999, and continued studio work into the 2000s.

Beyond production credits, Jonny L has operated as a DJ, bringing his producer’s ear to set selection and programming. His DJing reflects the same precision as his studio work: rhythmic clarity, careful pacing between rollers and more melodic cuts, and a preference for tracks that preserve low-end definition when played on club systems.

Public statements listing specific personal influences are limited, but Jonny L’s career shows clear connections: the early rave/breakbeat era, Chicago house and UK garage through his Mr. L and True Steppers work, and contemporary drum and bass labels such as Hospital Records via compilation contributions. His label activity (Piranha Records from 1999 and the 2015 digital imprint 23:22) also positions him as a curator and outlet for his production outlook.

Fact summary: Jon Lisners (Jonny L), born November 1970, London; breakout single "Hurt You So" (1992); signed to XL Recordings; albums Sawtooth (1997, includes "Piper"), Magnetic (1998), 27 Hours a Day (2003); founded Piranha Records (1999); released as Mr. L; worked as one half of True Steppers (co‑writing/producing "Out of Your Mind" in 2000); contributed to Hospital Records compilations; started the digital drum & bass label 23:22 in 2015.