Radicals (often referred to as free radicals) are atoms, molecules, or ions with unpaired electrons or an open shell configuration. Free radicals may have positive, negative, or zero charge. With some exceptions, these unpaired electrons cause radicals to be highly chemically reactive.

Free radicals play an important role in combustion, atmospheric chemistry, polymerization, plasma chemistry, biochemistry, and many other chemical processes. In living organisms, superoxide and nitric oxide and their reaction products regulate many processes, such as control of vascular tone and thus blood pressure. They also play a key role in the intermediary metabolism of various biological compounds. Such radicals can even be messengers in a phenomenon dubbed redox signaling. A radical may be trapped within a solvent cage or be otherwise bound.

The first organic free radical identified was triphenylmethyl radical. This species was discovered by Moses Gomberg in 1900 at the University of Michigan USA.

Historically, the term radical was also used for bound parts of the molecule, especially when they remain unchanged in reactions. These are now called functional groups. For example, methyl alcohol was described as consisting of a methyl "radical" and a hydroxyl "radical". Neither are radicals in the modern chemical sense, as they are permanently bound to each other, and have no unpaired, reactive electrons. However, they can be observed as radicals in mass spectrometry when broken apart by irradiation with energetic electrons.

“ Free Radical delivers honest beats—although there are diverse influences, including hip-hop and electro, the result is sufficiently distinctive and edgy to evoke a sense of being unique, avoiding tired genre labels. Theirs is a contemporary African sound with universal appeal, and the muscle to unite divergent tastes. It’s revolutionary music geared to ignite dance-floors while exploding our thinking ”. Keith Bain

With his feet firmly planted in African soil, Trenton Birch has a global musical sensibility. Having done his time in London developing the distinct sound and conscious lyrics of his reggae-infused Afro-beat band, Trenton and Free Radical, his return to Cape Town is a major score for the South African live music scene.

Birch believes there’s a revolution afoot. A tidal wave of changing attitudes; around the way people think about their world, their responsibility towards each other, the planet, and the type of music that’s being churned out.

Maxwell Alexander Fraser (born 14 June 1957 in Brixton, London), better known as Maxi Jazz, is an English rapper. He is best known as the lead vocalist of British band Faithless.

Maxi founded The Soul Food Cafe System as a DJ in 1984, having discovered hip hop a year earlier. He transferred this sound to pirate radio station LWR in 1987.

In 1989, The Soul Food Cafe Band was picked up by Tam Tam Records, which is the dance wing of Savage Records), and the album Original Groovejuice, Vol. 1 was recorded. Maxi founded Namu Records in 1992 in order to release the band's material in the form of three EP's and the band toured as a support act to various artists, including Jamiroquai in Amsterdam; Soul II Soul in Barcelona; Galliano in Switzerland; and Jason Rebello in Brazil. After the band dissolved, Maxi worked throughout Europe, and took time out to collaborate with Jah Wobble on the Invaders Of The Heart album, followed by live dates with the Wobble Collective.

Maxi met Rollo Armstrong in a studio and went on to form Faithless, together with Jamie Catto and Sister Bliss. As a Soka Gakkai Buddhist, Maxi's strong beliefs and the band's own strong individual beliefs, contrast with the name 'Faithless', which was chosen during the writing of the song "Salva Mea". Rollo had asked Maxi to write a song about frustration, which was something to which Maxi could relate from his own experiences. The subject matter of Maxi's lyrics range from upbeat to melancholic. His work covers a range of personal and social issues, including current affairs and social commentary.