While drum and bass’ roots can be traced back to the underground rave culture of the 1990s, its influence has extended far beyond its origins, finding its way into a multitude of musical styles and genres.
In this article, we explore how artists who aren’t primarily known for drum and bass have borrowed the genre’s sonic signatures to develop their own unique stylings. From pop and heavy rock to J-pop and K-pop, join us on a sonic journey as we uncover the enduring impact of drum and bass on today’s vast musical landscape.
Let’s dive in!
Drum and bass’ influence on pop artists
At a glance, these genres might seem worlds apart—however, a symbiotic relationship has emerged beneath the surface, with drum and bass infusing catchy pop hooks with its infectious energy. Let’s take a look at a few examples.
In “Break It Off,” PinkPantheress and producer Adam F make use of a drum break to add a frenetic momentum to the track, which effectively complements her vocals as she repeatedly chimes, “What’s stopping you?”
While she’s certainly not known as a drum and bass artist, it’s clear that PinkPantheress has an affinity for the genre—check out “Way Back,” the result of her collaboration with Skrillex and Trippie Redd, for another example.
Meanwhile, in “Stay Awake,” pop icon Ellie Goulding works alongside Madeon to take influences from some of the more electronic shades of drum and bass to achieve a high-energy, cinematic sound.
And in “all night,” little winters constructs a playful pop track around a more light and bouncy break. The outro is a particular highlight, with the drums taking center stage for some intricate production work and rhythmic stylings.
Drum and bass’ influence on heavy rock bands
In recent years, an increasing number of bands have been meshing drum and bass’ explosive energy with the aggression of heavy rock and modern metal for some truly electrifying results.
I See Stars is a group that has always embraced the blend of rock and post-hardcore with electronic genres, and in the second pre-chorus of “Calm Snow,” they break into a driving drum and bass groove that overflows into the chorus.
Meanwhile, on their exploratory 2019 record amo, Bring Me The Horizon pair drum and bass grooves with haunting pitched vocals on their tugging interlude track, “ouch.”
And on “Self vs Self,” Swedish heavy metal band In Flames join forces with Pendulum to bring an unapologetic blend of chugging guitar riffs and punchy drum and bass grooves. While Pendulum are no strangers to drum and bass, this was presumably quite a sonic experiment for In Flames.
If you enjoy Pendulum’s sounds, the band’s drummer KJ Sawka has multiple collections of royalty-free sounds that music creators can incorporate into their own productions.
Drum and bass’ influence on J-pop artists
Many J-pop and J-rock artists don’t shy away from leaning into faster tempos in their music, which has enabled some great couplings with drum and bass.
Take Reol’s “Q?” for example. Crafted by powerhouse producer Giga, the track features a brisk drum and bass groove that both drives the song’s energy and sets up a powerful contrast when the half-time breakdown hits.
By comparison, WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA’s “Melos” features a series of more acoustic-sounding breaks. Unique fills and accents make the drums a highly memorable element of the track, and like “Q?,” it also features some great juxtapositions between double-time and half-time rhythms.
Hachioji P and Yuyoyuppe seemingly transcend genre altogether on “MINIMALIST”—while they introduce an unmistakably drum and bass-infused groove in the track’s verse, the production navigates influences from all sorts of sonic palettes including rock, metal, EDM, and dubstep.
Drum and bass’ influence on K-pop artists
K-pop has become beloved across the globe, and an ingredient to its international success is its embracing of an incredibly wide array of influences—with drum and bass being no exception.
In “Super Shy,” NewJeans pair floaty vocals against a crisp liquid drum and bass-tinged break that kickstarts the track. As it progresses, nods to Jersey club and UK garage are also made.
Meanwhile, in BTS’ “I’m Fine,” the drum and bass groove is withheld until the chorus, giving it a burst of energy that makes it feel like a true payoff.
“To me, creatively, they’re pushing the boundaries so far,” DJ Swivel—who produced “I’m Fine” in addition to other tracks from BTS like “Euphoria” and “Love Maze”—comments. “There’s a lot of fearlessness in the art that they make and how they create it.” Like KJ Sawka, DJ Swivel also has a sample pack for those who want to incorporate his sonic building blocks into their own music.
Last but not least, rising boy group ZEROBASEONE make use of several drum and bass breaks in their debut single, “In Bloom.” The upbeat grooves effectively synergize with the song’s lyrics, which speak to the members having the courage to take their first step as a group.
What genres would you like to see us explore next?
And there you have it! Which of the tracks that we featured is your favorite? Are there any gems that we missed? What other genres would you like to see us explore in a similar fashion? Start a conversation with us and an ever-growing community of other music creators via the Splice Discord.
Explore drum and bass loops and one-shots crafted by leading producers and sound designers:
October 4, 2024
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