Ken Downie Passes Away
RIP to The Black Dog's founder and Sheffield's Finest
The founder of The Black Dog and co-founder of Dust Science Recordings has left us (December 20, 2025). He was known for his strict but transcendent approach to producing albums and EPs under the TBD moniker over the years, helping lead a flagship sound of influential British techno from the 1990s into the present day.
Originally, The Black Dog consisted of Downie and the Plaid duo—Andy Turner and Ed Handley—who released Spanners in 1995. Downie went solo following the departure of Turner and Handley, but after a hiatus, he returned as TBD in the mid-2000s with the Dust Brothers (not The Chemical Brothers), Martin and Richard Dust.
Since then, Downie continued releasing several fine works of music and art with the The Black Dog project. He was an artist, designer, and photographer, which helped shape and package TBD releases. The industry will feel hollow without his presence, as he carried a delicate balance between intelligent dance music, techno, and ambient without fully leaning into any one direction. This was the sound of The Black Dog and how Downie will be remembered. TBD’s last release, Loud Ambient, is currently available on Apple Music.