Ed Keeley, known professionally as Friction, was born in 1977 in Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom. As a teenager, he began playing and promoting events locally while collaborating with producers Stakka & K-Tee. In 1998, under the stage name Kinnetix, he released his debut single "Critical Mass", which garnered attention from major labels. Friction went on to release tracks on notable labels such as Valve Recordings, True Playaz, and Renegade Hardware, alongside his own imprint Shogun Audio. His breakthrough came with the 2007 remix of "Back to Your Roots" on Shogun Audio. In 2016, he launched Elevate Records, releasing his EP Dare. Friction's collaborations include working with Example and Skream on the song "Kingpin". He presented a regular overnight show on BBC Radio 1 from April 2012 to November 2017. Notable accolades include Best Newcomer at Drum&BassArena Awards (2002) and Best DJ at MTV Romania Awards (2007). He recorded the albums Connections (2018) and After Dark (2022), including the charted single "Remember" and appearances from Poppy Baskomb, A Little Sound, Emily Makis, Pola & Bryson & Shells, K Motionz, and Kanine. In 2025, he collaborated with Circadian (Christopher Felix Garvey) on "Interstellar".
