Amber is fossilized tree resin (not sap), which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents. Because it originates as a soft, sticky tree resin, amber sometimes contains animal and plant material as inclusions. Amber occurring in coal seams is also called resinite, and the term ambrite is applied to that found specifically within New Zealand coal seams.

History and etymology

The English word ''amber'' derives from the Arabic ''anbar'', via Medieval Latin ''ambar'' and Old French ''ambre''. The word originally referred to a precious oil derived from the Sperm whale (now called ambergris). The sense was extended to fossil resin circa 1400, and this became the main sense as the use of ambergris waned. The two substances were confused because they both were found washed up on beaches. Ambergris is less dense than water and floats; whereas amber is less dense than stone, but too dense to float. The word "ambar" was brought to Europe by the Crusaders. In French "ambre gris" was then distinguished from "ambre jaune": ambre gris (gray amber) was ambergris; ambre jaune (yellow amber) was the fossil resin we now call amber.

Amber is discussed by Theophrastus, possibly the first historical mention of the material, in the 4th century BC. The Greek name for amber was '' ηλεκτρον '' (''electron'') and was connected to the Sun God, one of whose titles was ''Elector'' or the ''Awakener''. The modern terms "electricity" and "electron" derive from the Greek word for amber and come from William Gilbert's research showing that amber could attract other substances. The word "electron" was coined in 1891 by the Irish physicist George Stoney whilst analyzing elementary charges for the first time.

The presence of insects in amber was noticed by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, and led him to theorize correctly that, at some point, amber had to be in a liquid state to cover the bodies of insects. Hence he gave it the expressive name of ''succinum'' or ''gum-stone'', a name that is still in use today to describe succinic acid as well as ''succinite'', a term given to a particular type of amber by James Dwight Dana (see below under Baltic Amber).

Heating amber will soften it and eventually it will burn, which is why in Germanic languages the word for amber is a literal translation of ''burn-Stone'' (nl. ''barnsteen'', de. ''Bernstein'', the latter of which the Polish word ''bursztyn'' derives from). Heated above 200°C, amber suffers decomposition, yielding an "oil of amber", and leaving a black residue which is known as "amber colophony", or "amber pitch"; when dissolved in oil of turpentine or in linseed oil this forms "amber varnish" or "amber lac".

Amber from the Baltic Sea has been extensively traded since antiquity and in the main land, from where amber was traded 2000 years ago, the natives called it ''glaes'' (referring to its see-through similarity to glass).

The Baltic Lithuanian term for amber is ''Gintaras'' and Latvian ''Dzintars''. They and the Slavic ''jantar'' are thought to originate from Phoenician ''jainitar'' (sea-resin). However, while most Slavic languages, such as Russian and Czech, retain the old Slavic word, in the Polish language, despite still being correct, ''jantar'' is used very rarely (even considered archaic) and was replaced by the word ''bursztyn'' deriving from the German analogue.

Composition and formation

Amber is heterogeneous in composition, but consists of several resinous bodies more or less soluble in alcohol, ether and chloroform, associated with an insoluble bituminous substance. Amber is a macromolecule by free radical polymerization of several precursors in the labdane family, e.g. communic acid, cummunol, and biformene. These labdanes are diterpenes (C₂₀H₃₂) and trienes, equipping the organic skeleton with three alkene groups for polymerization. As amber matures over the years, more polymerization takes place as well as isomerization reactions, crosslinking and cyclization.

The average composition of amber leads to the general formula C₁₀H₁₆O.

Formation

Molecular polymerization, resulting from high pressures and temperatures produced by overlying sediment, transforms the resin first into copal. Sustained heat and pressure drives off terpenes and results in the formation of amber.

Botanical origin

Fossil resins from Europe fall into two categories, the famous Baltic ambers and another that resembles the Agathis group. Fossil resins from the Americas and Africa are closely related to the modern genus Hymenaea. While Baltic ambers are thought to be fossil resins from ''Sciadopityaceae'' family plants used to live in north Europe.

Inclusions

The abnormal development of resin has been called ''succinosis''. Impurities are quite often present, especially when the resin dropped on to the ground, so that the material may be useless except for varnish-making, whence the impure amber is called ''firniss''. Enclosures of pyrites may give a bluish color to amber. The so-called ''black amber'' is only a kind of jet. ''Bony amber'' owes its cloudy opacity to minute bubbles in the interior of the resin.

In darkly clouded and even opaque amber, inclusions can be imaged using high-energy, high-contrast, high-resolution X-rays.

Extraction and processing

Distribution and mining

Amber is globally distributed, mainly in rocks of Cretaceous age or younger. Historically, the coast around Königsberg in Prussia was the world's leading source of amber. About 90% of the world's extractable amber is still located in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia on the Baltic Sea (which was previously Königsberg in Prussia, before World War II).

Pieces of amber torn from the seafloor are cast up by the waves, and collected by hand, dredging, or diving. Elsewhere, amber is mined, both in open works and underground galleries. Then nodules of ''blue earth'' have to be removed and an opaque crust must be cleaned off, which can be done in revolving barrels containing sand and water. Erosion removes this crust from sea-worn amber.

Dominican amber, especially Dominican blue amber, is mined through bell pitting, which is dangerous due to the risk of tunnel collapse.

Treatment

The Vienna amber factories, which use pale amber to manufacture pipes and other smoking tools, turn it on a lathe and polish it with whitening and water or with rotten stone and oil. The final lustre is given by friction with flannel.

When gradually heated in an oil-bath, amber becomes soft and flexible. Two pieces of amber may be united by smearing the surfaces with linseed oil, heating them, and then pressing them together while hot. Cloudy amber may be clarified in an oil-bath, as the oil fills the numerous pores to which the turbidity is due. Small fragments, formerly thrown away or used only for varnish, are now used on a large scale in the formation of "amberoid" or "pressed amber". The pieces are carefully heated with exclusion of air and then compressed into a uniform mass by intense hydraulic pressure; the softened amber being forced through holes in a metal plate. The product is extensively used for the production of cheap jewelry and articles for smoking. This pressed amber yields brilliant interference colors in polarized light. Amber has often been imitated by other resins like copal and kauri, as well as by celluloid and even glass. Baltic amber is sometimes colored artificially, but also called "true amber".

Appearance

Amber occurs in a range of different colors. As well as the usual yellow-orange-brown that is associated with the color "amber", amber itself can range from a whitish color through a pale lemon yellow, to brown and almost black. Other more uncommon colors include red amber (sometimes known as "cherry amber"), green amber, and even blue amber, which is rare and highly sought after.

Much of the most highly-prized amber is transparent, in contrast to the very common cloudy amber and opaque amber. Opaque amber contains numerous minute bubbles. This kind of amber is known as "bony amber".

Although all Dominican amber is fluorescent, the rarest Dominican amber is blue amber. It turns blue in natural sunlight and any other partially or wholly ultraviolet light source. In long-wave UV light it has a very strong reflection, almost white. Only about 100 kg is found per year, which makes it valuable and expensive.

Sometimes amber retains the form of drops and stalactites, just as it exuded from the ducts and receptacles of the injured trees. It is thought that, in addition to exuding onto the surface of the tree, amber resin also originally flowed into hollow cavities or cracks within trees, thereby leading to the development of large lumps of amber of irregular form.

Classification

Amber can be classified into several forms. Most fundamentally, there are two types of plant resin with the potential for fossilization. Terpenoids, produced by conifers and angiosperms, consist of ring structures formed of isoprene (C₅H₈) units. Phenolic resins are today only produced by angiosperms, and tend to serve functional uses. The extinct medullosans produced a third type of resin, which is often found as amber within their veins. The composition of resins is highly variable; each species produces a unique blend of chemicals which can be identified by the use of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. The overall chemical and structural composition is used to divide ambers into five classes. There is also a separate classifications of amber gemstones, according to the way of production.

Class I

This class is by far the most abundant. It comprises labdatriene carboxylic acids such as communic or ozic acids. It is further split into three sub-classes. Classes Ia and Ib utilise regular labdanoid diterpenes (e.g. communic acid, communol, biformenes), whilst Ic uses ''enantio'' labdanoids (ozic acid, ozol, ''enantio'' biformenes).

Ia

Includes ''Succinite'' (= 'normal' Baltic amber) and ''Glessite''. Have a communic acid base. They also include much succinic acid.

Baltic amber yields on dry distillation succinic acid, the proportion varying from about 3% to 8%, and being greatest in the pale opaque or ''bony'' varieties. The aromatic and irritating fumes emitted by burning amber are mainly due to this acid. Baltic amber is distinguished by its yield of succinic acid, hence the name ''succinite''. Succinite has a hardness between 2 and 3, which is rather greater than that of many other fossil resins. Its specific gravity varies from 1.05 to 1.10. It can be distinguished from other ambers via IR spectroscopy due to a specific carbonyl absorption peak. IR spectroscopy can detect the relative age of an amber sample. Succinic acid may not be an original component of amber, but rather a degradation product of abietic acid.

Ib

Like class Ia ambers, these are based on communic acid; however, they lack succinic acid.

Ic

This class is mainly based on ''enantio''-labdatrienonic acids, such as ozic and zanzibaric acids. Its most familiar representative is Dominican amber.

Dominican amber differentiates itself from Baltic amber by being mostly transparent and often containing a higher number of fossil inclusions. This has enabled the detailed reconstruction of the ecosystem of a long-vanished tropical forest. Resin from the extinct species ''Hymenaea protera'' is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics. It is not "succinite" but "retinite".

Class II

These ambers are formed from resins with a sesquiterpenoid base, such as cadinene.

Class III

These ambers are polystyrenes.

Class IV

This class is something of a wastebasket; its ambers are not polymerized, but mainly consist of cedrane-based sesquiterpenoids.

Class V

Class V resins are considered to be produced by a pine or pine relative. They comprise a mixture of diterpinoid resins and ''n''-alkyl compounds. Their type mineral is ''highgate copalite''.

Classification of Baltic amber (succinite) gemstones by the International Amber Association

''Natural Baltic amber'' – gemstone which has undergone mechanical treatment only (for instance: grinding, cutting, turning or polishing) without any change to its natural properties

''Modified Baltic amber'' – gemstone subjected only to thermal or high-pressure treatment, which changed its physical properties, including the degree of transparency and color, or shaped under similar conditions out of one nugget, previously cut to the required size.

''Reconstructed (pressed) Baltic amber'' – gemstone made of Baltic amber pieces pressed in high temperature and under high pressure without additional components.

''Bonded Baltic amber'' – gemstone consisting of two or more parts of natural, modified or reconstructed Baltic amber bonded together with the use of the smallest possible amount of a colorless binding agent necessary to join the pieces.

Geological record

The oldest amber recovered dates to the Upper Carboniferous period (). Its chemical composition makes it difficult to match the amber to its producers – it is most similar to the resins produced by flowering plants. Amber becomes abundant long afterwards, in the Early Cretaceous, , when it is found in association with insects. The oldest amber with arthropod inclusions comes from the Middle East from Lebanon and Jordan (Kaddumi, 2007; Azar, 2000). This amber is roughly 133 million years old and is considered of high scientific value. Many remarkable insects and spiders were recently discovered in the amber of Jordan (Kaddumi, 2007) including the oldest zorapterans, clerid beetles, umenocoleid roaches, and achiliid planthoppers.

Baltic amber or succinite (historically documented as Prussian amber) is found as irregular nodules in marine glauconitic sand, known as ''blue earth,'' occurring in the Lower Oligocene strata of Samland in Prussia (Latin: Sambia), in historical sources also referred to as ''Glaesaria''. After 1945 this territory around Königsberg was turned into Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, where it is now systematically mined. It appears, however, to have been partly derived from yet earlier Tertiary deposits (Eocene); and it occurs also as a derivative phase in later formations, such as glacial drift. Relics of an abundant flora occur as inclusions trapped within the amber while the resin was yet fresh, suggesting relations with the flora of Eastern Asia and the southern part of North America. Heinrich Göppert named the common amber-yielding pine of the Baltic forests ''Pinites succiniter'', but as the wood does not seem to differ from that of the existing genus it has been also called ''Pinus succinifera''. It is improbable, however, that the production of amber was limited to a single species; and indeed a large number of conifers belonging to different genera are represented in the amber-flora.

Paleontological significance

Amber is a unique preservational mode, preserving otherwise unfossilizable parts of organisms; as such it is helpful in the reconstruction of ecosystems and organisms.

The chemical composition of the resin is, unfortunately, of limited utility in reconstructing the phylogenetic affinity of the resin producer.

Amber sometimes contains animals or plant matter that became caught in the resin as it was secreted. Insects, spiders and their webs, annelids, frogs, crustaceans, bacteria and amoebae, marine microfossils, wood, flowers and fruit, hair, feathers and other small organisms have been recovered in ambers dating to .

Use

Amber has been used since antiquity in the manufacture of jewelry and ornaments, and also in folk medicine. Amber also forms the flavoring for akvavit liquor. Amber has been used as an ingredient in perfumes.

Jewelry

Amber has been used since the stone age, from 13,000 years ago. Amber ornaments have been found in Mycenaean tombs and elsewhere across Europe. To this day it is used in the manufacture of smoking and glassblowing mouthpieces. Amber's place in culture and tradition lends it a tourism value; Palanga Amber Museum is dedicated to the mineral.

Historic medicinal uses

Amber has long been used in folk medicine for its purported healing properties. Amber and extracts were used from the time of Hippocrates in ancient Greece for a wide variety of treatments through the Middle Ages and up until the early twentieth century.

Scent of amber and amber perfumery

In ancient China it was customary to burn amber during large festivities. If amber is heated under the right conditions, oil of amber is produced, and in past times this was combined carefully with nitric acid to create "artificial musk" – a resin with a peculiar musky odor. Although when burned, amber does give off a characteristic "pinewood" fragrance, modern products, such as perfume, do not normally use actual amber. This is due to the fact that fossilized amber produces very little scent. In perfumery, scents referred to as “amber” are often created and patented to emulate the opulent golden warmth of the fossil. The modern name for amber is thought to come from the Arabic word, ambar, meaning ambergris. Ambergris is the waxy aromatic substance created in the intestines of sperm whales and was used in making perfumes both in ancient times as well as modern. The scent of amber was originally derived from emulating the scent of ambergris and/or labdanum but due to the endangered status of the sperm whale the scent of amber is now largely derived from labdanum. The term “amber” is loosely used to describe a scent that is warm, musky, rich and honey-like, and also somewhat oriental and earthy. It can be synthetically created or derived from natural resins. When derived from natural resins it is most often created out of labdanum. Benzoin is usually part of the recipe. Vanilla and cloves are sometimes used to enhance the aroma.

"Amber" perfumes may be created using combinations of labdanum, benzoin resin, copal (itself a type of tree resin used in incense manufacture), vanilla, Dammara resin and/or synthetic materials.

See also

List of types of amber

Ammolite

Copal

Oil of amber

Amber Road

Amber Room

Pearl

Precious coral

References

;Attribution

External links

Farlang many full text historical references on Amber Theophrastus, George Frederick Kunz, and special on Baltic amber.

IPS Publications on amber inclusions International Paleoentomological Society: Scientific Articles on amber and its inclusions

Webmineral on Amber Physical properties and mineralogical information

Mindat Amber Image and locality information on amber

NY Times 40 million year old extinct bee in Dominican amber

Category:Arabic words and phrases Category:Fossil resins Category:Gemstones Category:Amorphous solids

af:Barnsteen ar:كهرمان an:Ambre ast:Ámbar az:Kəhrəba be:Бурштын bs:Ćilibar bg:Кехлибар ca:Ambre cs:Jantar cy:Ambr da:Rav de:Bernstein et:Merevaik el:Κεχριμπάρι es:Ámbar eo:Sukceno eu:Anbar fa:کهربا fr:Ambre gl:Ámbar ko:호박 (화석) hr:Jantar io:Sucino id:Ambar is:Raf it:Ambra (resina) he:ענבר csb:Jantôr kk:Янтарь ku:Karîban la:Sucinum lv:Dzintars lt:Gintaras li:Barnsjtèè lmo:Ambra (raza) hu:Borostyán (ásvány) my:ပယင်း nah:Āpozonalli nl:Barnsteen ja:コハク no:Rav nn:Rav nds:Barnsteen pl:Bursztyn pt:Âmbar ro:Chihlimbar ru:Янтарь simple:Amber sk:Jantár sl:Jantar sr:Ћилибар sh:Jantar fi:Meripihka sv:Bärnsten tl:Amber ta:அம்பர் th:อำพัน tr:Kehribar uk:Бурштин vi:Hổ phách yi:בורשטין zh:琥珀

name	Stick to Your Guns
background	group_or_band
origin	Orange County, California, USA
genre	Melodic hardcore, metalcore, hardcore punk
years active	2003-present
label	Century Media, Sumerian
current members	Jesse BarnettGeorge SchmitzChris RawsonAndrew RoseReid Haymond
past members	Casey LagosNoah CalvinJustin RutherfordCurtis PlesheRyan NelsonDarel McFaydenAlex BarnettElliot Sellers }}

Stick to Your Guns is an American hardcore band from Orange County, California, formed in 2003. They are currently signed to Sumerian records, and have released three full-length albums to date. "The Hope Division" was released June 1, 2010 through Sumerian Records.

Biography

Stick to Your Guns is a five-piece hardcore band from Orange County, CA. The group began in the summer of 2003 when vocalist Jesse Barnett was inspired to form a band that would provide him with a medium to express his points of view and reflect his musical influences. STYG blends melody, heaviness, and sincerity into one solid sound that will cater to fans of Comeback Kid, Throwdown, Ignite, and Rise Against.

Ash Avildsen of Sumerian Records first noticed the band, he put them on as the opener for Ignite's Anaheim House of Blues show that drew over 850 people. After the incredible response and passionate performance, he immediately signed the band on as their agent and the hype began to spread. STYG then completed a Westcoast tour with Caliban and The Acacia Strain in October, as well as a 7 week co-headline tour in November and December with Too Pure to Die and As Blood Runs Black. STYG headlined all of the Texas and California shows with all of the turnouts being between 300 and 500 people. STYG also holds the record for the highest attendance ever at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, Orange County's premier all ages venue. Even before signing to Sumerian Records, the amount of momentum behind the band was so powerful that they were chosen to open a Terror tour in January and February 2007 that also featured, The Warriors and All Shall Perish.

Stick to Your Guns caught the attention of many independent labels in the music community. Rather than jump into a deal, the band continued their relentless touring schedule and headlined a 6 week US tour that firmly planted their stake in the US touring business by drawing on average 423.5 people a night. The tour ended in San Diego at an New Year's Eve show where over 1,200 people were in attendance.

STYG's diehard touring work ethic combined with their passionate and infectious live show undoubtedly brought the band success and many exciting opportunities in 2008 including a massive US tour with good friends As Blood Runs Black as well as a large portion of the 2008 Warped Tour.

On January 20, 2010, Stick To Your Guns announced that they will enter the studio within the next week to begin recording their new album “The Hope Division” for a June 1, 2010 release date through Sumerian Records. The album hit #172 on the billboard top 200 chart, and #5 on the billboard heatseeker albums chart.

Band members

;Current members

Jesse Barnett – Lead Vocals, Programming, Guitars (2003–present)

Chris Rawson – Guitars, Backing Vocals (2009–present)

George Schmitz – Drums, Percussion (2008–present)

Ronnie Friesen – Guitars, Backing Vocals (2010–present)

Andrew Rose – Bass, Backing Vocals (2008–present)

;Former members

Casey Lagos – Drums, Guitars, Bass, Backing Vocals (2003–2008)

Alex Dahl – Bass, Backing Vocals (2003–2006)

Justin Rutherford – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2003–2007)

Curtis Pleshe – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2003–2006)

Jesse Nelson – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2006–2008)

Darel McFayden – Bass, Back Vocals (2007–2008)

Antonio Cordova is a liar – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2006–2009)

Elliot Sellers – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals (2006–2006)

Reid Haymond – Guitar, Backing Vocals (2007–2010)

Discography

! Year	! Title
2003	Compassion Without Compromise EP			*No label
2005	For What It's Worth			*Label: This City Is Burning Records
2007	For What It's Worth (Re-Issue)			*Label: Century Media
2008	Comes From The Heart			Century Media Records>Century Media
2010	The Hope Division			*Label: Sumerian Records

References

External links

Stick To Your Guns Myspace Page

Stick To Your Guns Blog

Category:American metalcore musical groups Category:Musical groups from California Category:Century Media Records artists Category:Sumerian Records artists Category:Straight edge groups

de:Stick to Your Guns ru:Stick to Your Guns

name	Amber Lancaster
birth name	Amber Leigh Lancaster
birth place	Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
birth date	October 19, 1980
occupation	Actress/Model
years active	2003–present
website	}}

Amber Leigh Lancaster (born September 19, 1980) is an American model and actress.

Personal life

Lancaster was born in Tacoma, Washington. She attended Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma. In 1998, she won the title of Miss Washington Teen USA. She went on to join the Sea Gals, the cheerleading squad of the Seattle Seahawks football team. Lancaster was a member of the Sea Gals for five seasons before moving to Los Angeles to pursue her acting and modeling career. Lancaster dated Zach Gilford in June 2009. She is best known for playing Jenny Swanson on MTVs The Hard Times Of RJ Berger.

Career

In 2003, Lancaster was a contestant on the short-lived reality show ''Are You Hot?: The Search for America's Sexiest People''. Lancaster appeared in the music video for Bo Bice's song "The Real Thing".

In 2007, she made an appearance at the 2007 Scream Awards.

In 2008, Lancaster joined the cast of ''The Price Is Right'' as one of the show’s models.

In 2009, she was a trophy holder at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards. Lancaster now appears in the MTV comedy series ''The Hard Times of RJ Berger'' airing in 2010 as Jenny Swanson.

Filmography

Title

Year	|	Role	Notes
	''Redline''	Hot Girl
''Days of Our Lives''	Mia	1 Episode
2008	''My Own Worst Enemy''	Spy Girl	Episode: "Breakdown"
2009		Tara	Episode 11 Season 6: "Scared Straight"
2010		Christine	Season 2 Episode 3: "The Psychology of Letting Go"
2010 - 2011	''The Hard Times of RJ Berger''	Jenny Swanson

References

External links

The Cast: Amber Lancaster - Official Price Is Right Website

Category:1980 births Category:American cheerleaders Category:American television actors Category:Game show models Category:Living people Category:National Football League cheerleaders Category:People from Tacoma, Washington

de:Amber Lancaster it:Amber Lancaster

name	Amber Rose
sex	female
origin	ghana, california
birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
height	5'8''
haircolor	Natural brunette (dyed blonde with buzzcut)
eyecolor	Brown
weight	149 pounds
shoesize	7
agency	Creative Artists Agency }}

Amber Rose (born October 21, 1982) is an American model. She is best known for her high-profile relationships with rappers Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa. Rose posed for a Louis Vuitton print advertisement featuring Lamon Coleman's new line of sneakers.

In September 2009, Rose announced plans to launch her own line of eyewear. She walked the runway at New York Fashion Week for "Celestino", and she was unveiled as the new face of "Boadicea the Victorious" perfume. She has said that being with Wiz Khalifa was the best decision she made after going through a rough relationship with ex-boyfriend Kanye West.

Rose has also made cameos in music videos such as Ludacris' "What Them Girls Like", Young Jeezy's "Vacation", Mary Mary's "God in Me", Nicki Minaj's "Massive Attack", and Fabolous "You Be Killin' Em."

In 2010 she appeared in Russell Simmons' reality show about his two assistants, Running Russell Simmons. She also starred in a PSA by NOH8 Campaign. In 2011, Amber Rose was a guest judge on Season 3 of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''.

References

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:American female models

ja:アンバー・ローズ ru:Роуз, Эмбер

name	Sub Focus
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Nick Douwma
origin	Guildford, England
genre	Drum and bass, dubstep, house, electro
occupation	Songwriter, musician, audio mixing, record producer, DJ
years active	2003–present
label	Ram Records
associated acts	Pendulum, TC, Danny Wheeler, Coco Sumner, The Prodigy, Chase & Status
website	}}

Nick Douwma, better known by his stage name Sub Focus, is an English Electronic Music record producer. He has been releasing records since 2003. On 12 October 2009, he released his self-titled debut album. He plans to release a second album in 2012.

Chart success

In March 2005 he had a number one single on the UK Dance Chart with "X-Ray / Scarecrow". The single reached number 60 on the UK Singles Chart. In June 2008, he hit number one on the UK Dance Chart again with "Timewarp / Join the Dots" In August 2009, he cracked the UK Top 40 for the first time with "Rock It / Follow the Light", which reached number 38. "Rock It / Follow the Light" also got him a third UK Dance Chart #1, as well as reaching the B-List of BBC Radio 1's playlist.

Sub Focus has also remixed selected works of The Prodigy, Deadmau5, Rusko, Dr. Octagon, Empire of the Sun and Dizzee Rascal.

On 6 October 2009, Sub Focus released "Smooth" which was free to download.

In 2010, Sub Focus was a support act for Australian drum & bass band Pendulum on their UK tour to promote their third album ''Immersion''. Later that year, he produced the Example track "Kickstarts" for his second album, ''Won't Go Quietly''. The track was successful in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #3. This makes it Sub Focus' most commercially successful production to date.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	!rowspan="1"
		* Released: 12 October 2009	Ram Records (UK)>Ram Records (RAMMLP13CD/RAMMLP13)	LP album>LP, [[Compact Disc

Singles

{|class="wikitable" !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Single !colspan="2"| Peak chart positions !rowspan="2"| Album |- style=font-size:smaller !width=45| UK !width=45| UKDAN |- |2003 |"Down The Drain / Hot Line" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan="8" align="center"|''Non-Album Singles'' |- |rowspan="3"|2004 |"Acid Test / Get On Up" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |"Ghost / Lost Highway" (with Danny Wheeler) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |"Soundguy / Bluenote" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |rowspan="2"|2005 |"Frozen Solid / Juno" |align="center"|— |align="center"|29 |- |"X-Ray / Scarecrow" |align="center"|60 |align="center"|1 |- |2006 |"Airplane / Flamenco" |align="center"|— |align="center"|30 |- |2007 |"Special Place / Druggy" |align="center"|— |align="center"|32 |- |2008 |"Timewarp / Join The Dots" |align="center"|92 |align="center"|7 |rowspan="4" align="center"|''Sub Focus'' |- |rowspan="2"|2009 |"Rock It / Follow the Light" |align="center"|38 |align="center"|7 |- |"Could This Be Real / Triple X" |align="center"|41 |align="center"|4 |- |2010 |"Splash" (featuring Coco) |align="center"|41 |align="center"|7 |- |2011 |"Falling Down" (featuring Kenzie May) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|''TBA'' |- |align="center" colspan="8" style="font-size: 8pt"| "—" denotes a release that did not chart or has not been released |}

Remixes

Year	Song	Original Artist/s	Released?
2004	"Cold Killa"		No
	"Squelch"
"Smack My Bitch Up"	The Prodigy
	"Aliens"	Dr. Octagon
"Nervous"
"A Bit Patchy"	Switch	No
2008
		deadmau5 ft. Rob Swire
"Take Me To The Hospital"	The Prodigy
"Dirtee Cash"	Dizzee Rascal
"Twerk"
	"Hold On"
"Self Machine"

Guest appearances and collaborations

Year	Song	Artist/s	Album/EP/Single
	"Ghost"
"Lost Highway"
2005	"Silicon Chop"	Tim Exile (featuring Sub Focus)	''Pro Agonist''
2006	"Verano"	Sub Focus & Howtek (featuring Brookes Brothers)	''Verano / Arachnophobia''
2007	"Borrowed Time"	rowspan="2"	''Evolution''
	"Borrowed Time" (VIP mix)	''Borrowed Time VIP / Pornstar''
"Distress Signal"		''Bootleg''
2010			''Won't Go Quietly
		Chase & Status (with Sub Focus and featuring Takura)	''No More Idols''
"Stomp"	Sub Focus	RAMM 100

VIP mixes

Year	Song	Release
2007	"Verano" (VIP mix)	Free download
	"Could This Be Real" (Sub Focus Drum and Bass Remix/VIP mix)	Yes; ''Could This Be Real Remixes (EP)''
"Timewarp" (VIP mix)	''Splash (EP)''
"Coming Closer" (VIP mix)

References

External links

Category:British record producers Category:Drum and bass musicians Category:People from Surrey Category:People from Guildford Category:Living people Category:English drum and bass musicians

de:Sub Focus it:Sub Focus pt:Sub Focus ru:Sub Focus sk:Sub Focus