Music
A guide to the many sub-genres of drum 'n' bass, from jump up to neurofunk
D'n'b comes in many stripes. Dance music scholar Ben Murphy spells out the difference between darkcore and breakcore in this extensive A-Z glossary.
Since its birth in the UK rave scene, drum'n'bass has fractured into a myriad of sub genres and offshoots. To the untrained ear, it’s hard to separate techstep from halftime, or sort jump up from liquid. We’re here to be your guide and help unravel the differences and distinctive musical features of each one…
Autonomic sound
A brief chapter in d'n'b, the Autonomic sound was the product of dBridge and Instra:mental’s short-lived podcasts (which also spawned the FABRICLIVE50 mix). Mixing in lush synths, electro influences and minimalist beats, it took d'n'b to new horizons.
Hear it best in: dBridge & Instra:mental ft Skream – Acacia Avenue
Brazilian sound (aka "Sambass")
When drum'n'bass was stuck in a screwface moody vacuum at the start of the 2000s, the Brazilian mob reintroduced sunshine and funk to the genre. DJ Marky, Patife, Bungle, L-Side, S.P.Y and XRS laced their version of d'n'b with Brazilian samba and soul influences, without sacrificing the essential beats and low-end, resulting in an addictive compound. DJ Marky & XRS’s LK even dented the pop charts.
Hear it best in: Fernanda Porto – Sambassim (DJ Patife remix)
Breakcore
On the fringes of d&b lurks breakcore, an outsider’s take on the sound typified by its over-the-top drum edits and abstract electronics. Initially forged by Squarepusher, Jega and Aphex Twin, artists such as Shitmat, Kid606, Venetian Snares and DJ Scotch Egg took breakcore to its outlandish conclusion.
Hear it best in: Kid606 – Who Wah Kill Sound?
Darkcore
Chronologically in between the euphoric rushes of hardcore rave and the heavy soundsystem pressure of jungle, darkcore was an early blueprint with a moodier, tougher edge than what came before. Goldie, 4Hero and DJ Crystl helped introduce the beat chopping and brooding textures associated with d'n'b proper.
Hear it best in: Rufige Crew – Terminator
Halftime
Also known as drumstep, halftime literally halves the tempo to a hip-hop lope, but keeps the bass and electronics rolling at full speed, to disorientating, club-wrecking effect. Deployed by artists such as Om Unit, Dub Phizix, Fracture, Moresounds, Kromestar and Ivy Lab, halftime owes a debt to dubstep and trap, but with the breakbeats and classic d&b signifiers (FX, basslines) intact.
Hear it best in: Dub Phizix and Skeptical ft Strategy – Marka
Intelligent
A dreamy, ambient alternative to harder forms of drum'n'bass, the intelligent sound initially sprang from the mind of LTJ Bukem and artists on his Good Looking Records label. Influenced by the drifty elements of Detroit techno and UK house, the intelligent sound (also christened “artcore”) mixed splintered breakbeats with warm bass and celestial atmospheres. Derided by some for being lightweight, its accessibility and sense of melody brought many into the drum'n'bass scene.
Hear it best in: LTJ Bukem – Horizons
Jump Up
Jump up d'n'b is stripped to the bone, raw and purely for the dancefloor. It combines a stepping beat with ferocious splurges of hooky electronic bass riffs, is spring-loaded, fast and fun, and is looked down upon by purists for its simplicity. Still, its champions, such as DJ Hype or Twisted Individual, have been contributing to the scene from its early days. Just recently, a new wave of artists including Turno and Voltage has revivified the genre, pumping fresh sounds into jump up.
Hear it best in: Turno – The Invaderz
Jungle
A constant influence in many forms of dance music, jungle combines the earth-shattering bass and dub FX of reggae soundsystems, rapid-fire surgically sliced breakbeats and samples of gruff dancehall MCs, plus a residual influence from hardcore, with occasional ambient pads and sweet vocals. Just recently artists such as Special Request have harnessed jungle’s potency.
Hear it best in: Leviticus – Burial
Liquid
A smoother drum'n'bass sound, liquid is characterised by its crisp beats, funk riffs, house influences, Rhodes keyboards and jazz samples. First created by artists Alex Reece and Wax Doctor, it found a home on Fabio’s Creative Source imprint and later made it big thanks to High Contrast’s True Colours album on Hospital Records, Manchester’s late Marcus Intalex and the rise of prolific Irish producer Calibre. Hospital has since become synonymous with liquid d'n'b, and has helped to crystallise a glossy, though highly credible, form of the genre.
Hear it best in: Marcus Intelex & ST Files – Universe
Neurofunk
Neurofunk is immaculately produced android dance with a distinct mechanistic quality. Often populated by experimental rhythms with an oppressive dystopian vibe, labels including Critical and Eatbrain, and huge artists such as Noisia, Phace and Current Value, have pushed this most modern form of d'n'b.
Hear it best in: Phace & Current Value – Wild Thing
Techstep
In the latter half of the 1990s, drum & bass became more commercially viable. Its biggest artists (Goldie, Roni Size, Photek) became popular, despite never watering down their music. Techstep was an armour-plated, staunchly underground reaction that eschewed melody and brought in nightmarish cyborg sounds and techno influences. With its regimented beat and dark template, it took d'n'b in a novel direction exemplified by the tracks produced by Ed Rush & Optical, Bad Company and Doc Scott. It’s recently seen a revival of sorts, and a new micro genre, skullstep: harder, heavier, and more repetitive for the heads.
Hear it best in: Bad Company – The Nine
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