Something’s happening in drum & bass. Something that hasn’t happened in years… A groundswell of collaboration, cross-pollination, and boundary-breaking. For the first time in a long time, the walls between the genre’s famous extensive list of subgenres have crumbled and artists have been felt free to fuse, experiment and mix-up any style they see fit.
From dynamic, eclectic line-ups at the genre’s leading festivals such as Let It Roll to DJ Fresh and Simon Bassline Smith’s recent I Love D&B initiative via the myriad of new artist-based labels launching, there’s a singular sense of unity and energy in the scene right now both from the artists and the fans alike as record crowds are attending drum & bass focused festivals. DJ Hazard even stated on UKF.com that he’s never witnessed parties as exciting and as they’ve been in 2017.
Naturally, that energy is reflected throughout ‘UKF Drum & Bass 2017’. Available in stores and on streaming services today, the 23-track shellshock session runs the entire 170 gamuts taking in some of the genre’s most exciting sonic scenery from crisp soulful feels to turbine bass drama via pristine elasticated bassline funk.
‘UKF Drum & Bass 2017’ also features four cuts that can’t be found anywhere else: Soul soldiers Hybrid Minds continue their deep dominance with the beautiful ‘Solitude’. Featuring the disarming dulcets of ‘Phoenix’ collaborator Alex Harley, it’s the first new original from the London duo since their acclaimed album ‘Elements’ earlier this year. Dig deeper to hit ‘Progression’, an evocative orchestral amen showdown from Flite, one of the most exciting new drum & bass artists to emerge from the burgeoning American scene; hugely respected young writer Memtrix delivers the perfect balance of gnarly bass, wily drama and sudden sharp shock of delicate vocals in the form of ‘Numb Eye’ while the slippery bluesy funk and sublime sunset feel of ‘Second Nature’ come from the hotly tipped newcomers Hillsdom, an exciting new act who made their debut in the genre earlier this year on the new talent championing imprint Pilot.
Elsewhere Keynote cuts come from across the spectrum as the truest titans and most innovative newcomers share this unique, year-defining space. From Andy C to 1991, Noisia to GLXY, Friction to T & Sugah via Wilkinson, Delta Heavy, Camo & Krooked, Dimension and this year’s runaway house-to-D&B conversion success story My Nu Leng, ‘UKF Drum & Bass 2017’ is supercharged with some of the most influential and provocative names who have soundtracked our year… Be it direct on the UKF channels, through our headphones, on our car stereos and, most importantly, at some of the best parties the genre has enjoyed in years.
From heavyweight halftime to dizzying disco to shoe-throwing toxic basslines via delicate soul; something is happening in drum & bass right now, the walls between the genre’s famous extensive list of subgenres have crumbled and the future’s looking even more exciting… ‘UKF Drum & Bass 2017’ is a snapshot of this exciting transition point.
UKF Drum & Bass 2017
01 Wilkinson & Dimension – Rush
02 1991 – Mayk Yu Myne?
03 Loadstar – I Need The Night
04 Friction feat. Doctor – Mad In The Jungle
05 Memro – Altitude (Maduk Remix)
06 Delta Heavy – Kaleidoscope
07 Pegboard Nerds – Speed of Light (Andy C Remix)
08 Koven – Figure
09 T & Sugah feat. MVE – Sleepless
10 Aero Chord & Anuka – Incomplete (Muzzy Remix)
11 Dimension – Black Church
12 Flite – Progression
13 Hillsdom feat. Sally Watts – Second Nature
14 GLXY feat. James Robb – Proposition
15 Hybrid Minds feat. Alexa Harley – Solitude
16 Camo & Krooked & Mefjus – Mandala
17 1991 – Kabuki
18 Joe Ford & Document One – Care For Me
19 Memtrix – Numb Eye
20 InsideInfo feat. Fable – Glimpse
21 My Nu Leng & Friction – Jigsaw
22 What So Not – Divide & Conquer (Noisia Remix)
23 The Prototypes feat. Mad Hed City – Levelz
