Eamon Downes, one of the driving forces behind iconic UK breakbeat hardcore act Liquid, has passed away.
The news was confirmed on 21st July by close friend and fellow rave veteran Billy Daniel Bunter, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the heartbreaking update.
“It’s with heartbreaking sadness that I’m letting the world know we’ve lost Eamon Downes. Devoted husband to Stella, proud dad to Bea and one of my closest friends ever. This one really hurts.”
A Brave Battle Comes to an End
Downes, also known by his stage name Ame, had been living with a brain tumour for the past five years. According to Bunter, he fought “unbelievably hard” throughout, repeatedly bouncing back with remarkable resilience.
“[He] kept bouncing back strong. But eventually the fight was just too much,” Bunter wrote.
It’s with heartbreaking sadness that I’m letting the world know we’ve lost Eamon Downes, devoted husband to Stella, proud dad to Bea, and one of my closest friends ever. This one really hurts.
We started out in a record shop in ’89, before I was DJing. Before “Sweet Harmony.”… pic.twitter.com/qx8kT6Acxe
— BILLY DANIEL BUNTER (@DJBillyBunter) July 21, 2025
Musical Legacy: From ‘Sweet Harmony’ to Solo Success
Liquid burst onto the rave scene in the early ’90s, formed by Downes alongside Shane Heneghan, also known as DJ Model. Together, they created one of the genre’s defining anthems — Sweet Harmony.
Released in 1992 under XL Recordings, the track famously sampled CeCe Rogers’ Someday and quickly became a staple of UK rave culture.
- 1991: Liquid was formed by Eamon Downes and Shane Heneghan
- 1992: Sweet Harmony was released, gaining underground acclaim
- 1995: A rework of the track reached No. 14 in the UK Singles Chart
- 1995: The duo released The Future Music EP featuring Liquid Is Liquid
- Post-1995: Heneghan departed, and Downes continued Liquid as a solo project
Downes didn’t let go of the Liquid identity. Through the late 1990s and into the 2010s, he kept the name alive, delivering new material and performing live, keeping the spirit of rave music very much alive.
An Outpouring of Grief and Respect
Since the announcement, tributes have poured in from fans, friends, and artists across the electronic music world. Many praised Downes not just for his contributions to music, but for his strength, kindness, and unrelenting positivity even in the face of illness.
A cornerstone of the UK rave movement is gone, but his music – and the memories he created for thousands – will live on.
As the dancefloors continue to echo with the sound of Sweet Harmony, so too will the legacy of Eamon Downes endure.
