Image via Complex Original
In the early 2000s, there was a creative boom within the drum & bass scene that lead to a boom in the creation of drum & bass labels. For a while, it felt like new imprints were being started every week. Some were passion projects or vanity labels, but eventually the cream rose to the top, and today, many of the labels started during that time have either folded or been long forgotten.
While we live in a time where a) vinyl sales are steadily declining in dance music and b) the overall appreciation of drum & bass is lower than it has been, you know for a fact that the drum & bass producers, DJs, and label heads still have a real love for it. The way that they still continue to push the music, they have to. And while other genres have producers that will take charge and forge ahead on their own (via starting up their own labels or just Bandcamping their releases), the feeling within the drum & bass scene seems to be that you need to align with a proper level to get your music the respect and push that it deserves.
Found here are the imprints that, on a consistent basis, are providing the best music for the drum & bass scene in the best possible way. Many are focusing on the future and showcasing not only the best of the dnb batch right now, but giving the producers of the future their time in the spotlight.
Ingredients
Founded: 2009
Notable Releases: dRamatic & dbAudio - "Life Console" / Dub Phizix - "Out There"
While Ingredients is the youngest label on this list, they definitely hold their own when it comes to consistency, putting out some of the most forward-thinking artists and tracks since their debut. They have put out tracks bigger names like Marcus Intalex, Spirit, Genotype, and Jubei, but they have truly excelled at introducing new(er) artists like Skeptical, Dub Phizix, Krakota, and others to the scene at large. Their focus is on the deeper side of the drum & bass scene, and with a full digital album already released this year, Ingredients is continuing to excite us with their vision of what's in store for the scene.
Commercial Suicide
Founded: 2001
Notable Releases: Amit - "MK Ultra" / Break - "Positive/Negative"
As a producer, Klute has always charted his own path, providing an excellent example of how he envisions the dance music scene which is what he applied to his Commercial Suicide label. Commercial Suicide is turning 12 this year, and Klute's ear has picked up some of the best producers on the verge, specializing in captivating, forward-thinking material. Nymfo's Characters album from 2012 was excellent, as was Mindscape's return with Martian Chronicles. The fact that Commercial Suicide has such a well-rounded roster, yet everyone still occupies their own spaces, is key.
Viper Recordings
Founded: 2003
Notable Releases: Metrik ft. Reija Lee - "Freefall" / Matrix & Futurebound ft. Baby Blue - "Magnetic Eyes"
Futurebound's imprint has always come strong, really playing a part in the cultivation of the drum & bass scene's next superstars. Artists like Nero, Camo & Krooked, Sigma, Metrik, Seven Lions, DC Breaks, ShockOne, and others got their shine while coming up through Viper's ranks. With artists like InsideInfo, Smooth, and Matrix on their current roster, they have a pretty solid lock on the scene. Viper is also turning 10 years old this year, so we're expecting a blow-out compilation from them... we hope, anyways.
V Recordings
Founded: 1994
Notable Releases: DJ Marky & XRS - "LK" / Dr. Meaker - "Fighter"
V is one of the most important labels to the drum & bass scene, having helped nurture the careers of Roni Size, DJ Die, Krust, and Suv (aka the Reprazent crew), as well as many of other pioneers within the scene, from DJ Marky to Dillinja. Word is Roni Size is back, and his new album will drop on V, as well as an EP (The Funkster) from Peshay.
All of this success isn't even taking into account their sister imprints (Liquid V, Chronic, and Big, Bad & Heavy), which specialize in different subgenres of drum & bass. Bryan Gee and company truly have their finger on the pulse.
Playaz Recordings
Founded: 2007
Notable Releases: Original Sin - "Therapy" / DJ Hazard & D Minds - "Mr. Happy"
Playaz was the brainchild of DJ Hype and Pascal, two of the members of the legendary Tru Playaz camp. They felt the new sound within drum & bass needed a new vision, and Playaz set out to showcase an undeniably raw vibe within the scene. Their roster, which includes DJ Hazard, Original Sin, Taxman, and Sub Zero, have helped shape the way upfront drum & bass is being created. 2012 saw releases from Gridlok, Placid, Prolix, and Need for Mirrors work surprisingly well with their vision, and 2013 has already seen the release of the awesome Drop The Funk EP from Optiv & BTK.
realplayaz.co.uk
Critical Music
Founded: 2002
Notable Releases: Total Science ft. Riya - "Redlines" / Dub Phizix - "Never Been"
Critical celbrated 10 years of quality drum & bass last year, and when you see how far they've come, they definitely have another decade in them to help mold the scene. Kasra has a unique vision, and the label's output shows how awesome he is at picking talent. He was big on Breakage, Break, and Silent Witness early on, but the last few years have seen him usher in some solid talents, like Enei, Foreign Concept, and Ivy Lab. With his drive and foresight, Critical will to continue to be one of the key figures within drum & bass for years to come.
Metalheadz
Founded: 1994
Notable Releases: Dillinja - "The Angels Fell" / Goldie ft. Natalie Williams - "Freedom"
Many labels have a certain sound or vibe they try to create with their releases, but none can compete with the Metalheadz sound. It's a mixture of intergalactic atmospheres wrapped in breakbeats with a touch of soul, the true sound of the ghost in the machine. Goldie's imprint has lasted 100 releases, and over that period he's had the cream of the crop release something on the label, everyone from Ed Rush & Optical to Doc Scott to Noisia. It's always been about quality, about pushing the boundaries, and showing just how far this music can reach.
The best thing about 'Headz? Goldie's constantly discovering new talent. Artists like Jubei, Mikal, Lenzman, and Rido have the skills to push Headz into the next 100 releases... and beyond.
Shogun Audio
Founded: 2004
Notable Releases: Spor - "Aztec" / The Prototypes - "Pandora"
The house that Friction built has, through hard work and dedication, turned into one of the premiere dnb labels out there. Any roster that includes The Prototypes, Rockwell, Alix Perez, Spectrasoul, and Friction himself is bound to win; it's just surprising that they do it without catering to anyone but those who look for quality music. Friction's gone from the best up-and-coming DJ out there, studying under Stakka & Skynet, to heading the BBC Radio 1 D&B program. He was known for dropping the fiercest dubplates during his DJ sets, but he made sure that Shogun Audio had no boundaries to the scope of their releases, following up dancefloor-damaging releases with more thought-provoking, deeper material.
Hospital Records
Founded: 1996
Notable Releases: High Contrast - "Return of Forever" / Nu:Tone ft. Natalie Williams - "Shine In"
Hospital started out as an imprint that provided "fast soul music," catering to the growing liquid funk scene, but has blossomed into so much more. Boasting a roster that includes High Contrast (who wrote music for the 2012 Summer Olympics), Netsky (who scored a remix for Disney's Epic Mickey 2 video game), Logistics, Nu:Tone, S.P.Y, and Danny Byrd, Hospital is a true force to be reckoned with. They're definitely about their business, and their professionalism shines through the quality of the music, and the way it's delivered.
Ram Records
Founded: 1992
Notable Releases: Ram Trilogy - "Titan" / DJ Fresh - "Signal"
Ram is simply the pinnacle of the drum & bass scene. Andy C's imprint celebrated 20 years of wrecking dancefloors in 2012, and they will continue to do so. Their roster is stacked with the likes of Sub Focus, Loadstar, Wilkinson, Calyx & Teebee, Delta Heavy, Rene LaVice, and others, and they seem to not only push the scene forward, but encourage their artists to push themselves into new areas of creativity.
2013 has already seen the release of Rene LaVice's brilliant Insidious album, and the next projects from Loadstar, Wilkinson, and (hopefully) Sub Focus should be coming our way in this year. Add that to the string of releases on Ram, as well as the talent being nurtured on ProgRam?! Another few decades of dominance, at LEAST!
