Hybrid beat born in the city
Text: mmr｜Theme: Thoughts on Drum & Bass/Jungle/UK sound
Drum & Bass (D&B) is a music genre born in London’s underground club scene in the early 1990s, and at the same time is the very rhythm of multicultural city life.Combining fast breakbeats, roaring bass lines, and reggae/dub/hip-hop/techno, they revolutionized UK music history.
Its evolution has been incredible, with many branches ranging from jungle, liquid funk, and techstep to neurofunk, jump-up, and drumstep.
From Jungle to D&B
● 1990-1993: Jungle movement
D&B’s roots lie in the jungle genre.This was a chaotic beat music that was a mix of acid house, rave, hip-hop, and reggae, and centered around a sampling of Amen Break.
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Main characters:
Rebel MC / Congo Natty: Remains strongly influenced by reggae roots.
Shut Up and Dance: A bridge between jungle and hip-hop.
LTJ Bukem: Leads to later Intelligent D&B.
1994-1997:
Establishment period of Drum & Bass
From this time on, the name “jungle” gradually changed to “D&B”.This means a more refined sound, improved sub-bass and production techniques.Its functionality as club music increases and the scene matures.
Representative artists:
Goldie (Metalheadz): Sublimated D&B to art with the masterpiece “Timeless”.
Roni Size / Reprazent: Won the Mercury Prize for ``New Forms’’, which was a fusion of live performance and jazz.
DJ Hype / Ganja Kru: Representative of jump-up sound.
Aesthetics of speed, deep bass, and decomposition
| element | Contents |
|---|---|
| Tempo (BPM) | About 160-180.The fastest in club music. |
| Breakbeat | Uses a lot of sampling of Amen, Funky Drummer, Apache, etc. |
| Subbase | Super bass that resonates with your body is the core of music |
| Rhythm structure | Characterized by syncopation, irregularity, and fragmentation |
| Sound Design | Effect processing such as filters, reverb, and distortion is very important |
Subgenre: The world of D&B with its many faces
● Jungle
The origin of D&B.Features ragga vocals, reggae bass, and rough breaks.
● Techstep
Dark, industrial, inorganic sound.Representatives include Ed Rush & Optical and Dom & Roland.
● Neurofunk
Evolution of Tech Step.Mainly nervous and distorted bass lines.Noisia, Phace, Mefjus, etc.
● Liquid Funk
A mellow style that incorporates elements of jazz, soul, and R&B.Caliber, High Contrast, Netsky.
● Jump-Up
With a catchy bass and simple structure, it connects directly to the dance floor.DJ Hazard, Sub Zero, etc.
● Drumstep
A subgenre influenced by halftime and dubstep.Excision, Downlink etc.
The base that supported D&B
Metalheadz (Goldie): Combines depth and intelligence.
Hospital Records (Tony Colman aka London Elektricity): The home of liquid funk.
Ram Records (Andy C): Leading the mainstream.
Shogun Audio (Friction): Supports a wide range of styles.
Exit Records (dBridge): Developing experimental and sophisticated sounds.
In addition, unofficial media such as Pirate Radio and Rinse FM played a large role in popularizing D&B.
Music from UK multicultural cities
Born in multi-ethnic cities like London and Bristol, D&B grew up at the intersection of immigrant, street and rave culture.
Black British influence: sound system culture, reggae/dub techniques.
The DIY spirit of the white working class: Pirate radio, independent labels.
Intersection with techno/IDM: Squarepusher, Autechre, etc. develop D&B rhythms.
Fashion/Lifestyle
Clubwear: Sportswear, nylon, caps, jerseys.
Street Culture: Graffiti, skating, and junglist ideology.
Visual: Futuristic and cyberpunk.Artwork is also important.
Global expansion and branching
Currently, D&B reigns as the foundation of bass music around the world.Scenes are particularly established in Europe (Austria, the Netherlands), North America, Japan, and Australia.
● Featured contemporary artists
Noisia (disbanded): God-level production technology.
Alix Perez: A sonic alchemist who can do everything from dub to half step.
Sub Focus / Wilkinson: A link between the mainstream and the underground.
Drum & Bass is the “heartbeat of the city”
Drum & Bass is more than just club music.It is the beat of anxiety, hope, speed, tension, and resistance of people living in the city.
This music connects, moves, and makes people think in a divided society.Once you fall in love with the rhythm, D&B will begin to flow within you.
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Aaron Spectre – Amen, Punk
Aaron Specter is an American producer, DJ, and artist known for his work that blends drum and bass and jungle-based sounds with unique punk and hardcore elements.
