It was just over a decade ago that I decided to, for the most part, throw in the towel with alternative rock, indie rock, etc for the life of blazing breakbeats and raw baselines of Drum'n'Bass.From that moment on I have never looked back and observed an emerging music genre that now spans the globe while staying true to its initial sound. Drum'n'Bass is a style of music that you just cannot hold down no matter what. It is a genre which is able to incorporate many other styles of music into a sonic barage of fiery intensity. From old-school rave to reggae to hip hop to soul to rock nothing is out of bounds for Drum'n'Bass.
I remember at the end of the 90s in the UK many said Drum'n'Bass was dead and hailed in a new era of UK Garage. How wrong they were! The UK Garage scene has all but disappeared and Drum'n'Bass only continues to get stronger.
For me certainly it has been (and still is) the soundtrack to my life and I have evolved and grown with the scene over the last decade or so. The new producers along with house-hold names such as Grooverider, Fabio, Bukem, Blu Mar Ten and others never fail to surprise with wealth of new tunes that always push the boundaries. I still remember firm favourites like Goldie's 'Inner City Life' and Bukem's 'Music' but also embrace the continued quick evolution into the future. Artists like High Contrast, Sub Focus, Pendulum and Shy Fx have given the mainstream a taste of what Drum'n'Bass producers are capable of. DJs like Andy C continue to smash the clubs like they did ten years ago and how could I forget MCs like Skibadee, Stamina and DRS who always rock crowds with their lyrics.
People who wanted to label Drum'n'Bass as soley electronic music found it increasingly difficult with Roni Size and Reprazent's escapade into live Drum'n'Bass in 1997. It won them a Mercury music prize and inspired others to follow suit. Now we have live acts by Pendulum who again push things to the next level.
BBC's Radio 1 and 1Xtra host several Drum'n'Bass show including the Fabio and Grooverider show which has been an indispensible resource for latest tunes for over 10 years. With the growth of podcasting Drum'n'Bass has also turned its attention there. London Electricity's Hospital podcast has won awards and is consistent with its output of all styles of Drum'n'Bass. There also others such as the Lifted Music Podcast and the Drum'n'Bass Arena Podcast. There seems nothing that Drum'n'Bass people cannot do when they put their mind to it.
There are so many artists, DJs and MCs in scene right now that I rate I could even begin to list them here. They all share a passion for the scene and provide consistent good music whatever else is happening in other music scenes. I hope this will continue into the future. Also while Drum'n'Bass draws from many wordwide influences it is the only style of music that originates entirely from the UK (if you can think of any others let me know!). People in the UK should celebrate and value this more.
For my there seems to be a tune that suits every mood. I have stuck with Drum'n'Bass this far and look forward to another decade of smashing breakz, basslinez and rhythmz...
BIG UP D&B MASSIVE!
Brazil's DJ Marky feat. Stamina MC - LK
