No doubt the drum and bass scene is overflowing with talent and fresh music at the ready no matter which way you turn there’s always something new to explore. Best Drum and Bass decided it’s time to showcase the artists who have really been making an impact in the evolution of drum and bass, moving up in the ranks and becoming more predominant names in the scene. Let’s take a look at the first volume of the artists we think are making serious moves!
AKTIVE
With prior releases on Play Me, Abducted LTD, and Yana Music a big year on DeVice really brought Aktive into the spotlight letting this star shine through with his beautifully composed ballads that are overflowing with fun and funky rhythms, savage drops and an upbeat danceable groove. Aktive is typically pairing eloquent vocals with hard hitting, floor bouncing energy and his latest single “Collide” with BlvckCrowz just dropped on Viper supporting his prolific style with jumpy aggression and attitude. Keep a close eye on Aktive; we can’t wait to see what else he can do!
AL/SO
We’ve been keeping tabs on AL/SO closely for some time now and there’s quite a buzz about this artist bringing big things in 2022! AL/SO continues to groom his style evolving his sound into the modern dance floor groove, always orchestrating the anticipation as we await his next move. AL/SO has the knack for pulling out all the stops when it comes to creating his masterpieces such as intertwining symphonic melodies with heavy metal influenced vibes; he’s constantly breaking all the rules and composes music for artistic expression above all else. AL/SO utilizes top tier vocalists, intriguing instrumentalists, and pulls sic collaborations into the mix he is constantly growing as an artist and making the dance floor move with his unparalleled tunes. His ‘Insanity EP’ is only a fraction of what this intelligent artist can do. AL/SO just released a killer dancefloor tune, “Blame”, with R3dx that boasts a serious groove. Coming up quick we’ll see something extra sic from AL/SO and Impex on Boomslang Recordings, too! It’s going to be EPIC, trust me.
ALTER EGO
Aggressive, adrenaline pumping, heart stopping drum and bass Alter Ego is breaking the mold with his catchy compositions that whip and snap with furious force keeping these tunes coming back into the mix time and time again. With major time on Formation Records Alter Ego brings a modern flare to his writing technique pulling sounds from various influences across the board that spins his production to the next level! Alter Ego consistently provides vitality, stamina and a hefty groove flowing through all his tunes. We are hoping to hear more from this emerging artist very soon! Check out the ‘End of Time EP’ on Formation Records for a taste of what Alter Ego can do.
DROPSET
Dropset is a drum and bass machine destructively dominating as he smashes the scene with his aggressive style and brutal compositions that continue to make their way into sets across the globe from some of the biggest names in the game. As Dropset continues to refine his style we see more diversity blooming in his sound design as well as continuing to partner with other artists in drum and bass meaning Dropset is always ready with something fresh to smash the floor to bits. An impressive resume including tracks on Boomslang Recordings, Shell Shock, Abducted LTD., Kill Tomorrow, C4C, Korsakov, Protocode and many more leads us to believe Dropset is pushing for the next step up and we predict another major neurofunk label release very soon!! Keep it locked to Best Drum and Bass we’ll definitely keep you in the loop! Check out Dropset’s latest “Baltic” with Volatile Cycle out now on EKOU Recordings for a darker, moodier groove.
FREEZE UK
Reigniting the passion for Jungle in the mix Freeze UK has been steadily pumping tracks into the scene with releases on Lion Dub, Program, and his latest ‘Freeze UK EP’ on Nicky Blackmarket’s Kartoons label. Freeze UK’s thick compositions flow through the bins emphasizing the deepest basslines, clean and snappy rhythms and big Jungle flavor that instigates full dance floors and calls of reloads galore. Consistency in quality and content Freeze UK provides the vibes pulling old school vibes into modern aged techniques his tracks are always fresh and clean.
GEORGIA PHOENIX
A bright light bursting with energy and attitude Georgia Phoenix has perseverance and passion flowing through her tunes. Heavy influences of the old school Jungle sound emits from her style yet she comes with a new aged twist of upbeat aggressive fury smashing her compositions into the modern world of drum and bass. With several slapping singles on DeVice in the past year this artist is on a major upswing and we are eagerly awaiting her next big thing. Be sure to check out Georgia Phoenix, 2Shy MC & Akas “Old Skool New Skool” that spills raw energy all over the dance floor to spin it into a absolute frenzy!
HALFLIGHT
Halflight has a handful of releases on Viper, RAM and DeVice to name a few boasting a unique style that flows through the sub genres of drum and bass and beyond blending the influences into an art all his own. Halflight has the sort of style where you never know what you’re going to get but you can expect it will be a superior, banging tune. Thick compositions balanced with precision are guaranteed to move floors and blast the bins. Coming soon from Halflight is “The Upside Down” on DeVice and a remix of “I Need Your Loving” by Benny Page Dope Ammo and Cat Mctigue on Dope Ammo, both overflowing with intensity not to be missed.
HYPERLYNX
Breaking the mold and bending the genre of drum and bass entirely Hyperlynx provides mind boggling arrangements which are brutally delicate by design. Balancing masterful melodies with daring drum patterns and floor shaking basslines Hyperlynx brings a refreshing, intelligent vibe to his music that is one of a kind. Check out this mix Hyperlynx recently threw down for CG Radio Sessions; all original tracks in this one it’s extreme heat from beginning to end! You can get your copy of Hyperlynx’s ‘Love Yourself First EP’ on 170+ Recordings.
JENSKE
Stealthily stalking through the scene with releases coming through on GTA and ProtoCode 2022 is looking to be a big year for Jenske. Sophisticated production techniques coupled with a dance floor friendly vibe Jenske’s tracks heighten the energy in the mix to really whip the floor into a full dance. His latest track, “Sequence”, is a prime display of the next generation of drum and bass so many have been searching for leaving us eagerly waiting for more!
S9
This dnb duo has been rising in the ranks with riveting releases on labels such as Titan and Bassrush but have really seem to matured in their style in the past year joining forces with DeVice with releases like “Turn It Up” and “Get It Right”. Clever compositions flow from this production pair spanning the spectrum of drum and bass, oozing talent and style as they meld vibes to formulate their own sophisticated sound. S9’s tracks penetrate the mix with their forceful style yet remain crisp and clean to really make an impact on the scene. Check out their latest single “Future Shock” out now on DeVice a masterpiece of melodic bliss amplified with a monsterous bassline and radiating rhythms to ravage the mix.
SKELLYTN
Skellytn is putting in serious work annihilating the sound waves with her new album ‘Neurocomputer’ on Play Me that is quickly skyrocketing through the charts with its beastly brutality turning heads and snapping necks as Skellytn brings a no holds barred approach to her production of drum and bass. Cleverly crafted Skellytn conjures up dark, dirty, evil beats in a neurofunk fashion all her own with hard hitting tracks like “Dystopia” and “Voodoo” that are sure to leave faces melted to the floor! We’ll be keeping a close follow on Skellytn to see what else she has in store!
SPEKSKI
Spekski first caught my ear with the insane intensity of the track “Need You” on ‘Korsakov Future Stars Volume 2’. Instantly addicted I couldn’t get enough of the colorful, creative and unique elements Spekski brings to his production technique with a limitless approach to his sound design Spekski delivers cutting edge, spine tingling tracks that are ridiculously cinematic through the entirety of their duration. Fluid and technical his tunes bring a welcome twist to the dnb mix with an unmatched essence. Wrapping up 2021 Spekski dropped the ‘Focus EP’ on Bad Taste Recordings and we’ve already seen his first single of 2022 on ProtoCode with the mind bending, euphoric masterpiece “Higher”. Keep a close eye on this one, Spekski is reinventing the face of drum and bass in the most epic way!
TRANSFORMA
Musically inclined from all angles Transforma continues to grace our ears with the most intelligently designed music, immense in detail resulting in a complete masterpiece melding mind bending conceptual styles with his passion and dedication for consistently evolving as an artist. Transforma becomes fiercer with each release spanning the likes of Korsakov, ProtoCode, Boomslang, Abducted, Blackout, C4C and more. His ‘Quantum Leap EP’ saw great success on Code Smell Music and after a short break to refresh we know he’ll be back pumping out bangers once more! Transforma is a face that’s a crucial element to the future of drum and bass and he’s got his heart set on Eatbrain, a goal we are sure will be obtained!
No doubt this is only a fraction of the emerging talent in drum and bass, shout out to ALL the producers throughout the years working hard to crank out these tunes to help us make people groove! Some other notable artists on our radar include Esym, Konquest, Finalfix, Notequal, Evolved and ESKR.
Keep it locked to Best Drum and Bass we’ll be adding to this list throughout the year keeping you in tune with the hardest working artists and freshest banging tunes!
