Arietta: "I Believe Drum and Bass in America Will Continue to Thrive and Evolve"

Phoenix-based drum and bass artist Arietta swung by to share her insight and thoughts about the current state and future of the scene.

As drum and bass continues to surge in popularity, artists who helped pave the way for its success Stateside deserve plenty of praise. One of those artists is Arietta, a DJ and producer based out of Phoenix who has continued to prove her love for the genre over the past two decades.

Arietta developed a passion for drum and bass early in her career and quickly gained momentum, hosting a club residency by 18 and picking up plenty of accolades through her various projects soon after. While she’s spent time focusing on other ventures, such as electroacoustic art installation, ethnomusicology, and a breakbeat duo project, drum and bass has remained a true constant.

“Drum and bass, and its community, are a huge part of my life,” Arietta shared. “DnB’s unique sound and energy have always resonated with me, and being a part of this passionate community has given me a sense of belonging and purpose. I found the music when my parents were going through a divorce when I was 15, and it became such a place of safety for me.”

In her early to mid-20s, Arietta found herself at the helm of the BASS Movement radio show, where she was able to feature guest mixes from a global group of artists. “Now some of those same artists are headlining tours and festivals,” she exclaimed. “Giving our community a platform was one of the ways I felt I could give back to the genre that has always been there for me.” Arietta’s involvement helped foster the genre’s growth over the years, and she gladly shared some thoughts about its resurgence in the scene.

The resurgence of drum and bass in the US can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the genre’s ongoing evolution, the rise of social media integration in music, and a growing appreciation for its diverse influences. So many US artists have pushed the boundaries of DnB, infusing it with fresh ideas and new perspectives that are landing their sound on the global stage.
Arietta

Arietta continued, telling us that she felt that the genre would “thrive and evolve in the future,” but it would happen in waves. “In my two decades of being involved, I’ve seen several waves happen,” she said. “It’s here to stay and always pushes into a larger imprint each time. As more artists experiment with the genre, I think we will see DnB continue to blend with other musical styles (happening a lot with trance/house right now), creating exciting new subgenres and attracting even more fans.”

The growing popularity of electronic music festivals with the Western mainstream audience will help expose DnB to people who wouldn’t have heard it otherwise. I think we’ll see the scene becoming more diverse, innovative, and inclusive as it progresses.
Arietta

As drum and bass evolves, so has Arietta’s vision for the scene itself. She was initially determined to help its community grow and saw the genre as one that had “a lot of untapped potential with some division in the US.” The present era has shown that dream of hers has become a reality.

“These days I’m excited to see that vision becoming a reality with the help of so many artists and larger labels getting involved in the sound and pushing its boundaries,” Arietta shared. “I’m not as active with touring and don’t have my radio show anymore, but I’ve been busy in the studio working on music with meaning.”

I believe this is one area that DnB artists could focus more on—not just try to get release after release out with the same musical formula. There are artists out there who have clear and deep meaning to their music, and they really shine.
Arietta

That time spent in the studio working on “music with meaning” has come to fruition lately, as Arietta recently dropped off her latest EP, Coded Dreams, Pt. 2. Released at the end of March, this release delves into the depths of our interconnected digital world, with tracks that challenge the listener to question political complexities and more.

That’s not all that Arietta has in store, as she also shared that her full-length album is currently being mastered, and it will be a bit of a shift from her current dancefloor sound. “It’s deeper jungle with lots of live instruments/collaborators, including Jason Lindner (David Bowie’s last keyboard player), Currency Audio (live drummer signed to Exit Records), Panagiotis Andreou (grammy-nominated bassist/vocalist), Rainforest out of Mexico, and Lavander from the US DnB scene,” she said. “There’s a story behind each track that I am going to share with my listeners that follows my evolution as a person over the last five years.”

Aside from her own music, Arietta mentioned that K Motionz, Sub Focus, Hybrid Minds, Currency Audio, Dacamera, Rainforest, Machinedrum, and Total Science were some of the artists she’s had on repeat lately. But that wasn’t all, as she spun up a mix for our Drum & Bass Devotions series that showcases her skills behind the decks.

Listen to this exclusive guest mix from Arietta, stream Coded Dreams, Pt. 2 on your preferred platform, and follow Arietta for more to come!