The Rise Of Drum And Bass Music In The UK

Drum and bass is a major music genre which came out of the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. Today, drum and bass music is enjoying a huge mainstream success. It’s a distinctly British genre with unique rhythms and technical precision.

The genre is already replicated in many countries, including the United States, Australia, The Netherlands, Belgium and Brazil. There’s something special and enjoyable about the deep, rolling bassline. 

The drum patterns used in drum and bass appeal to a wide audience both young and old. For new listeners, DnB sounds very different than other types of music. Drum and bass songs have their own distinct sound, and it’s easy for DnB musicians to be creative and introduce fresh sounding music to the audience.

For people who love energetic and futuristic music, drum and bass could be for them.

Drum And Bass Music In The 90’s

In the United Kingdom, drum and bass music combines elements of electro, hip hop, dancehall, funk, jazz, house and techno.

The direct origin was from the acid house rave music community in the UK. The rise of DnB music in the UK started when hardcore DJs playing fast tempo records in early 1990s.

Songs by The Prodigy, Top Buzz, A Guy Called Gerald, Shut Up and Dance, The Ragga Twins and Rebel MC were among the first recognisable sounds of drum and bass music. At the time, hardcore tracks were upbeat and light with dominant kick drum and less emphasis on breakbeats.

As a response to these lighter tracks, some musicians, like Goldie and Doc Scott focused on more aggressive, darker sounds usually known as darkside hardcore. The popularity of drum and bass music declined as the 90’s drew to a close. Fans preferred more ominous sounds in clubs.

The 2000s

 In 2000s, the drum and bass genre already became very diverse and it started to enjoy a revival in popularity.

Liquid funk grew significantly in popularity in 2004 and considered as a sub-genre of DnB. The decade also saw the reappearance of another sub-genre called jump-up, with bouncing, simplistic basslines.

Notable artists of this sub-genre were Taxman, DJ Clipz and DJ Hazard. Even more new sub-genres continue to emerge in the United Kingdom, including the microfunk or autonomic with its minimal drum and bass sounds.

In recent years, there’s an increasingly complex use of sample funk breakbeats. The drum and bass music has a long and fruitful history and we will continue to see more development of this music genre.

Contact Horizons Music

To learn more about the rise of drum and bass music in the UK, contact Horizons Music today and shop a wide selection of new and vintage vinyl.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to share it on your favourite social media sites.