The natural soundtrack of the brain

Another name for Neuro D&B is neurofunk (also known as neuro) - a dark subgenre of drum & bass that emerged between 1997 and 1998 in London as a progression of techstep. It was further developed by juxtaposed elements of darker, heavier, and harder forms of funk with multiple influences ranging from techno, house, and jazz, distinguished by consecutive stabs over the bassline; razor-sharp backbeats; scarce or nonexistent traditional melodies; a hyper-focus on sub sound design; the use of modulated, distorted and filtered synthesizers and audio capture from samplers such as the Akai S1000 and Emu E6400.

Neurofunk is differentiated from techstep by more emphasis on flowing complex rhythms using processed and enhanced sampled breakbeats or percussion and expressive, distorted, filtered, and modulated bass sounds overlaid with rich layered soundscapes and percussive stab sounds. Neurofunk, as described by Musicmap creator Kwinten Crauwels, "sounds like the natural soundtrack of the brain: neurological chemicals flowing and rushing, creating both deeply obscure and delicate emotions."