The American Dream: A Drum and Bass Revolution

EDM Identity explores the deep-rooted history of drum and bass, as well as all the driving forces that have contributed to the genre’s massive resurgence.

For decades, drum and bass has been at the heart of the UK music scene. While the US has always had a dedicated DnB following, the genre has often been overlooked and underappreciated by the masses. The lack of stateside popularity became especially evident when juxtaposed with the palpable hype of those breakneck tempos across the pond.

We’ve been slow to catch up with the rest of the world — but the tides are changing, and it’s about damn time. There has been a remarkable surge in popularity with the last couple of years — it’s even been dubbed the drum and bass revolution. From the junglists of the ’90s to the new DnB trailblazers, as we dive into the inner workings of American DnB culture, we must first take a trip back to where it all began.

Planting The Seed

The early ’90s was a revolutionary time for electronic music, and the UK was the epicenter. It was a time of radical experimentation and excitement. Influences like acid house, hardcore, Detroit techno, funk, and reggae were thrown into one big melting pot, morphing every sound into its own sub-genre until one day, jungle was born.

UK pioneers like Goldie, Fabio & Grooverider, and DJ Hype were at the forefront of the jungle movement, putting drum and bass on the map and inspiring some of our very own to follow in their footsteps. Artists like AK1200, Dieselboy, and Fury became the jungle pioneers of the US, bringing sounds of the underground to the States and paving the way for the bass community to become what it is today. Hats off to all these absolute legends.

Outlets like UKF have brought substantial stateside recognition to DnB dating back to 2009, introducing artists like Camo & Krooked, Chase & Status, and Netsky to the mainstream during a pivotal era in dance music. The genre found itself overshadowed by the big room EDM popular at the time. Still, those fiery, blue speakers played a massive role in inspiring the artists who would become pioneers in the current drum and bass resurgence.

Fresh American Trailblazers

Artists like Bensley and Justin Hawkes have become symbols of the revolution, bringing drum and bass to the forefront of the American rave scene. When we spoke with Justin Hawkes at EDC Las Vegas last year, he reflected on his collaborations with Bensley, noting that they both felt like “the two odd ones out in North America.” Their continuous collaborations and fresh take on DnB have enabled the two to break through some of the barriers seemingly imposed on the culture.

Kumarion, REAPER, AIRGLO, Dr. Apollo, and many other drum and bass trailblazers have made big waves in recent years. While our hometown heroes play a massive role in this movement, Kumarion wants to get one thing clear: this is a collaborative effort that goes beyond our artists and our borders.

“There is no one person or group solely responsible for the resurgence of drum and bass in North America. The truth is that it’s a combined effort, as it always needed to be. It involves the artists from both here and abroad, the promoters and tastemakers who took financial risks, and the fans who helped spread the culture among their local communities.”
Kumarion

Photo Credit: @mikeb_s550

When DnB Legends Come Together

Dimension, Sub Focus, Culture Shock, and 1991 are longstanding drum and bass kingpins who saw firsthand the drastic contrast between the genre’s popularity in the US and the UK. Coming together as WORSHIP, the supergroup brought their expertise stateside.

Despite facing backlash from some of the more longstanding junglists of the community, the group deserve to be recognized for achieving exactly what they set out to do. The WORSHIP tour went on to sell out venues all across North America, even packing out the entire Hollywood Stadium on their final stop.

Photo Credit: Sam Neill / @samneill.photo

Brownies, Lemonade, and a Side of Deadbeats

There is no denying the power and influence music labels have on how music spreads and grows. Imprints like Zed’s Dead’s Deadbeats are doing the lord’s work for the drum and bass community, actively signing drum and bass acts to help amplify the genre’s newfound presence in the country.

Brands like Brownies & Lemonade are following suit. The Los Angeles event company launched DNBNL, an event series dedicated to hosting DnB renegades that have become sold-out sensations. These parties have teamed up with labels like Deadbeats and UKF and have become a staple for the community to thrive.

A New Dawn for Drum and Bass

The re-emergence of drum and bass in the US has sent ripple effects throughout the dance music industry. Artists like Blanke have made aliases devoted to the genre, deadmau5 is doing DnB sets, and John Summit is giving recognition by playing DnB artists’ tracks on mainstages.

Festival lineups have more DnB acts than ever before, and we love to see it. and while DnB has always been a beloved part of the culture, it seems that the rest of America is finally catching up.