The Phase 2 announcement brings even more heavyweight talent into the mix. Drum & Bass powerhouses Netsky, Friction, K Motionz, Turno, Clipz and Serum join the bill, alongside rising stars A Little Sound, Sota, Kleu, Katalyst and Kalia. Flava D brings the bassline energy, while the electrifying DRS Live adds a special touch to an already stacked lineup. With over 30 more acts locked in, the vibes are guaranteed to be next level.

They join an already monumental lineup featuring Andy C, Hedex, Bou & Wilkinson, and Knife Party, Pendulum’s legendary side project. Expect hard-hitting sets from Joey Valence & , Caspa & Rusko, and jungle favourites 4am Kru, while the one and only Flowdan delivers his unmistakable lyrical fire.

Renowned stage hosts UKF, Fantazia, Fabric Live, and Breakin Science are curating immersive experiences that bring together the biggest names in bass music with the freshest breakthrough talent. From drum & bass and jungle to dubstep and hip hop, each stage will have its own distinct energy, ensuring an unforgettable journey through underground sounds.

After last year’s sold-out debut, Tribes Unite 2025 is levelling up with more stages, more artists, and an even bigger fusion of live and DJ performances. This isn’t just a festival—it’s a movement, uniting music lovers from all corners of the scene in one epic celebration.

PRICE INCREASE INCOMING!

Final £52.50 Second Release tickets are selling fast—once they’re gone, prices rise to £57.00 Third Release at 6:00 pm GMT on Wednesday, 19th February (unless they sell out sooner).

With Early Bird and First Release tickets already snapped up in record time, don’t wait—secure yours NOW before the next price jump! www.tribes-unite.com

The post Tribes Unite 2025 Unleashes Huge Phase 2 Lineup – Final Tickets Selling Fast! appeared first on Data Transmission.

With the festival marking the end of the 2024 season, this year promises to be an unforgettable celebration of electronic music, complete with cutting-edge sound systems, immersive stage designs, and an eclectic mix of genres.

Just added to the already stacked lineup is the rising drum & bass sensation Hedex, who steps in after Shy FX had to pull out due to personal reasons.

Known for his explosive basslines and infectious rhythms, Hedex has been tearing up the drum & bass scene with releases on EMI, DnB Allstars, and Atlantic Records, and has gained support from global stars like Tiesto. Expect high-energy vibes as Hedex takes the Boundary Main Stage by storm.

The rest of the lineup is equally huge, featuring some of the hottest names in electronic music.

Wilkinson, Songer, K Motionz, Flowdan, Harriet Jaxxon, Denis Sulta, Joy (Anonymous), Ewan McVicar, Eliza Rose, Friction, Serum, Sota, and Badger will all be delivering hard-hitting sets across four different stages, with MC hosts and special guests keeping the energy going.

But that’s not all!

For those who want to keep the party going, Boundary has revealed three after-parties at top Brighton venues.

You can catch headliners Denis Sulta at The Arch, Ewan McVicar at Patterns, and Basstripper going back-to-back with Crossy at Volks.

With its reputation for first-class production, high-spec sound, and an unbeatable lineup, Boundary Brighton 2024 is the ultimate way to say goodbye to summer. Don’t miss out on what promises to be the biggest and bassiest Boundary yet!

Boundary Brighton is the ultimate finale of the UK festival season and is the last chance to party outdoors this summer.

Full festival tickets are still available from £52.50 + bf which can be secured now with just a £10 deposit, with the balance due by 18th September. Or grab a crew and buy four for the price of three. Available from www.boundarybrighton.com.

Afterparty tickets are now available from www.boundarybrighton.com starting at £7+bf or for £11+bf, grab a multi-venue ticket and bounce across all three venues throughout the night. 

The post Boundary Brighton 2024 Adds Hedex to Lineup and Confirms 3 Afterparty Events appeared first on Data Transmission.

Until recently, if you’d heard of Drum & Bass being played overseas, it would be relatively safe to assume that it would be in one of two regions: Central Europe or Australasia. These two parts of the world have longstanding reputations when it comes to Drum & Bass. The Czech Republic, for example, hosts arguably the biggest DnB-specific festival in the world in Let It Roll, whose star-studded line-up has lived up to expectations every year for nearly a decade. Belgium and the Netherlands also have a history with Drum & Bass, with the former playing host to the highly respected Rampage festival, and the latter the home to the Liquicity label and festival. Australia, home of legendary group Pendulum, is a recognised Southern Hemisphere hub for the genre, but Aotearoa (New Zealand) is probably a more established stronghold. Here, it’s so popular it’s virtually mainstream. Turn on George FM at any time of the day and you can find Drum & Bass on the radio almost 24/7.

But more recently, we’re starting to see a wider variety of venues play host to Drum & Bass. Certainly, in Europe, you can find regular events in France, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia and Germany organised by Get in Step, Hospitality and Liquicity. DnB Allstars recently hosted a festival in Portugal, having staged a similar event in Spain in 2022, while Croatia’s week-long Hospitality on the Beach has become a bucket-list event for ravers since launching in 2018. While both impressive and encouraging, expansion within Europe is far from surprising. Most recently, DJs have been breaking new ground outside the continent, performing in fascinating venues in Asia and large-scale events in the United States.

Take the middle weekend in June, for example. Drum & Bass was being played simultaneously across three separate continents, by some of the most recognisable names in the genre. On Saturday 15^th June 2024, while Chase & Status were performing on the shores of Lake Como (Italy) at Nameless Festival, the Hospitality trio of Whiney, Degs and Anaïs were playing the final date of their Australia, New Zealand and Asia tour in Bangkok (Thailand); Grafix was headlining a club night in Pheonix, Arizona (USA); and S.P.Y, Fred V and London Elektricity were in Bali (Indonesia) for Locus Festival. You might dismiss this as a coincidence, but it’s really an insightful illustration of the global expansion of Drum & Bass over the last few years. And it’s by no means a one-off. This year, Asia has been well catered for by the Hospitality tour, with dates in Singapore and Seoul in the middle of May and four consecutive dates for India in June, with Whiney, Degs and Anaïs stopping off at New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

But the region that has attracted the most attention in terms of its growing interest in Drum & Bass is the USA. Until recently, received wisdom was that Drum & Bass was a British phenomenon, unsuited to American culture. British and American definitions of raves were seen to be incompatible. But those attempting to export the genre across the Atlantic refused to be obstructed. The most well-known example is the Worship group, made up of genre leaders Dimension, Sub Focus, Culture Shock and 1991. These four have spoken publicly about the frustrations of “half-empty clubs” in America and, in 2020, set out to conquer the American market once and for all. Since then, they have completed three North American tours, which have made an undeniable impact. Just this year, festivals across the States have featured these and other well-known Drum & Bass DJs, attracting healthy crowds. Chase & Status, Hedex, Bou and Andy C were booked for Ultra Miami in March, Kenya Grace represented the scene at Coachella in April and Delta Heavy, K Motionz and Mefjus played at Orlando’s Forbidden Kingdom at the start of June. The pinnacle of US growth, however, undeniably came as the Worship quartet played a closing hour-and-a-half set to 30,000 American ravers at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas in May of this year.

The majority of the artists cited in these international events are British. Perhaps that’s not a surprise given that the UK is the birthplace of the genre. It’s undeniable that Drum & Bass has been a resounding success as a cultural export. But for this popularity to be more than a flash in the pan, it’s necessary for local DJs to perpetuate interest in their various regions. Fortunately, there are numerous examples of DJs from around the world who are carrying the torch internationally. Again, Europe provides a plethora of recognisable names: Austria’s Camo & Krooked, the Netherlands’ Andromedik, Belgium’s Netsky, Russia’s Synergy and France’s The Caracal Project. Aotearoa (New Zealand) has produced top artists like Lee Mvtthews and Elipsa, as well as young talents like Rova; while Australia boast Pendulum, Ekko & Sidetrack, ShockOne and Luude among their products. Excitingly, recognised producers can now also be found in Asia, like Sri Lanka’s IYRE or Japan’s Makoto. And perhaps most encouraging of all, American artists, some of whom began producing long before the boom in the US, can now reap the rewards of their hard work. Justin Hawkes, Bensley and Kumarion serve as good examples, having formed a group under the notably apt name ‘Carry the Fire‘. On the very same night in June that Drum & Bass events took place in Bangkok, Lake Como and Bali, this trio played in Denver for their seventh event of their 21-date North America tour.

The global spread of Drum & Bass is clear for all to see. In 2024, the genre has touched all corners of the world and it ought to be no surprise. Even within the UK, we’ve seen the genre explode in popularity, bringing it into contact with mainstream culture. While it is impossible to predict such a volatile thing as popularity, particularly in the case of dance music, where trends come and go before anyone has time to notice, all the signs over the last few years are very encouraging. While Drum & Bass has emerged as a force capable of contending with the established favourites of House and Techno at home, the same can now, very much be said, around the world.

The post The State of the Scene: Drum & Bass Goes Global appeared first on Data Transmission.

You go to the gym, DnB.

You go to the supermarket, DnB.

You go to the football, DnB.

It’s becoming more and more obvious that Drum & Bass is starting to breach the limits of sub-culture and is moving dangerously close to the mainstream. For better or for worse? It’s hard to say.

Certainly, for the DnB community, it’s a nice surprise to finally see the genre we love get some recognition, particularly given that, historically, DnB has always been the younger sibling within the bass music family, seemingly bound to reside in the shadow of House and Techno. But with the current trajectory of DnB, all might be set to change.

It’s been hard to keep track of the growing popularity of Drum & Bass over the last few years – it’s always difficult to quantify such a subjective thing as ‘popularity’. But one undeniable measure has been the number of tracks reaching the heights of the UK Charts. Over the last 24 months alone, we’ve seen the genre strongly represented by tunes like Luude’s ‘Down Under’ (5) and ‘Big City Life’ (8), Chase & Status’ ‘Disconnect’ (6) and ‘Baddadan’ (5), goddard. & venbee‘s ‘Messy in Heaven’ (3), without forgetting the most popular of them all, Kenya Grace’s ‘Strangers’, which spent three weeks at number one last October thanks to its widespread usage on TikTok.

This rising trajectory of the genre in recent years has not gone unnoticed. Artists from a variety of different scenes have identified its potential and have taken the opportunity to invest in the rising stock that is DnB with rappers being perhaps the best example.

While Drum & Bass has relied on the vocal talents of MCs from its very beginnings, we’re now seeing a trend of lyricists with few previous links to the genre jumping on the bandwagon, convinced either by its lucrative potential, or by a genuine musical passion driven by the quality of the genre itself.

Who can say which is the more powerful motivator.

Last summer, for instance, K Motionz teamed up with Reading rapper Songer to produce ‘Vino Bandit’ – a hugely popular song within the community which itself reached number 47 on the UK charts. Higher profile examples include ArrDee, who collaborated with Hedex and DnB legends Chase & Status to create ‘Liquor & Cigarettes’, and Tion Wayne who recently released ‘Lowkey’, also with Hedex. ArrDee was also seen performing with K Motionz at Drumsheds in London teasing a tune reportedly called ‘Heavyweight’, which the DJ later posted on his Instagram.

For context, these two rappers currently total 11 million monthly listeners between them on Spotify. Even triple Brit-winner Stormzy is rumoured to have a collab with Chase & Status in the works, with clips circling on social media.

But rappers are not the only high-profile individuals aligning themselves with the growing genre. DJs, singers and celebrities are also seeing the opportunity that Drum & Bass now presents, some taking it less subtly than others.

Indeed, just this week, Martin Garrix, perhaps the definitive example of a mainstream DJ, played Arcando’s DnB remix of The Chainsmokers’ ‘Jungle’ at Miami’s EDM festival, Ultra.

One more baffling example was the appearance of Vikram Singh Barn (who you’ll more likely know as Vikkstar123 from the extremely popular YouTube group, The Sidemen) on stage with Bou at Studio338 last month. What’s more, the most famous individual of the same group, KSI, released ‘Not Over Yet’, a DnB track produced by Digital Farm Animals, in August 2022.

And, believe it or not, in October of last year, Jess Glynne of ‘Rather Be’ fame released ‘Friend of Mine’, a poppy, 174-bpm track produced by none other than DnB icon Sub Focus, right as ‘Strangers’ sat at the top of the UK charts. Appealing as the song is, you have to question how well Jess Glynne and her track really fit into the world of Drum & Bass. It’s rather a challenge to imagine ‘Friend of Mine’ being played to a crowd of dedicated ravers at a well-respected venue like Manchester’s Warehouse Project, for instance.

The same goes for KSI and ‘Not Over Yet’. Which really begs the question: who are songs like these for? Realistically they belong at the gym, the supermarket and public events.

With this in mind, you have to consider the implications of such a trend on the future of the Drum & Bass scene.

To what extent is the mainstream affecting the scene in a positive fashion?

Without throwing around accusations of cultural appropriation, it is certainly clear that such individuals are gaining more from associating themselves with the genre than they are giving back. By now, it is clear that the size of the audience to be captured is significant.

With Drum & Bass becoming the trending genre in mainstream music, releasing poppy, palatable tunes at 174bpm is becoming a reliable way to get your song heard on the radio and in public, making it a lucrative option.

This opportunistic approach to the genre presents quite the dilemma for those already within the scene. For many years, the Drum & Bass community has prided itself on its inclusivity, welcoming people from all sorts of backgrounds. Indeed, this is one of the factors that has contributed to the strikingly special, communal feeling almost all ravers experience, as well as the growing variety of subgenres developing within the scene.

It’s thanks to the variety of influences being brought to the genre that new and exciting sonic palates are being pushed forward. Diversity is undoubtedly a positive influence.

As a result, it’s particularly difficult to say who should and who shouldn’t be making Drum & Bass or publicly associating themselves with the scene. But when it comes to online celebrities, something certainly doesn’t sit right.

Many ravers would argue that DnB’s rising popularity will finally bring it the recognition it deserves. For many years and within certain circles, revealing your love for Drum & Bass felt like confessing a sin. Even now, a large proportion of people misunderstand the genre, focussing on its largely negative stereotypes.

Certainly, it’s refreshing to have an increasing number of positive reactions now that awareness of the genre and its complexities is growing. But the problem with this is that the Drum & Bass that hits the mainstream is generally of a certain type. Perhaps with the exception of ‘Baddadan’, the Top 10 tracks listed earlier lean generally more towards the influence of pop music. A great example of this was Becky Hill’s performance of ‘Disconnect’ at the Brits last month. I can’t have been the only one who found the X-Factor-style staging with the groups of ‘raving’ back-up dancers slightly off-putting.

Despite the genuinely significant achievement for Chase & Status of winning the award for Best Producer, and their sincerity in their pride to “represent Drum & Bass music”, the staged production of the song felt distinctly disingenuous. Instinctively, Drum & Bass simply does not belong in this world. It belongs in clubs, festivals and warehouses.

The greatest fear going forward, then, is the dilution of our culture. While there are undeniably a great number of benefits to the rapid growth of DnB, if things continue in this way, it’s a worrying possibility that the music that we love will be wrested from our grip by popular culture and repurposed to fit the mould that already exists.

Fortunately, the underground community is unlikely to be affected: intimate events will undeniably continue. But large-scale events are realistically the most at-risk. It’s not impossible to imagine an influx of unknowing ‘fans’ to the festival scene as it meets popular culture.

If Drum & Bass does indeed continue to grow at its current pace, the coming years will be particularly interesting as to how the scene develops and, while there is no one right way of doing things, no way of controlling the movement, there are undoubtedly elements of pop culture to be avoided. While it’s by no means time to panic, it’s certainly cause for concern: the celebration of the genre’s growth must be balanced with caution for its effect on the culture that is special to so many.

The post The State of the Scene: Drum & Bass Meets the Mainstream appeared first on Data Transmission.

Headlining this extraordinary gathering of music enthusiasts is none other than the legendary Andy C, accompanied by the dynamic Tonn Piper, promising an unparalleled performance that will leave fans craving for more. The incomparable duo of Hedex and Eksman are set to take the stage, ensuring an adrenaline-pumping experience that will get the revellers bouncing.

The enchanting sounds of Hybrid Minds, coupled with the mesmerizing vocals of Tempza, will create an unforgettable musical journey, while Sub Focus will play a DJ set, accompanied by the lyrical mastery of MC ID, which is set to have ravers skanking all night long.

Adding more sonic brilliance to the lineup, Mozey, Pola & Bryson, and Lens will take the stage with their unique and captivating performances. They will be joined by the unparalleled energy and skill of MCs Duskee, Dread MC, and Phantom, who will undoubtedly elevate the atmosphere to new heights.

The Marshall Arena, with its state-of-the-art facilities and spacious layout, is the perfect venue to host this extraordinary event. The show will commence at 2:00 PM and will continue until 11:00 PM, ensuring a day filled with non-stop energy and music.

Pre-sale tickets for this event go on sale 10am on Tuesday 15th August and General sale at 10am on Wednesday 16th August, sign up here. Early booking is highly recommended, as this event is expected to sell out quickly due to the popularity of the lineup and the phenomenal experience it promises to deliver.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of an incredible day filled with exceptional talent, electrifying performances, and an atmosphere like no other. Join Worried About Henry at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes on October 28th, 2023, for an unforgettable celebration of Drum & Bass.

Don’t sleep on this and sign up now!

The post Worried About Henry Presents an Unforgettable Day of D&B at Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes appeared first on Data Transmission.

With more announcements to come, Rise is looking like the ultimate way to round off the year with an action-packed festival of snow, music, and parties, taking place at Les 2 Alpes in France from 9th to 16th December.

Now in its 9th edition, Rise Festival opens the Winter Ski Season every year, bringing together the best electronic music and like-minded people from all over the world (over 35 countries in 2022). Rise welcomes everyone to a beautiful snow-covered village and some of the best mountain skiing, from skiing beginners to seasoned snowboarders. Set across three outdoor stages and six indoor venues, guests can rave at 3000m, paraglide through the Alps, party around the fire pits, relax in the spa, and more.

The Rise lineup is looking strong with some serious talent heading up the mountainside to spin some big tunes, including a mix of established names and some up-and-coming artists who look set to blow up this year. Rise Festival 2023 is shaping up to be an unmissable mix of hi-octane fun, backed by a cutting-edge soundtrack from incredible artists, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Alps.

Tickets seem certain to fly out so grab your friends and book now at www.rise-festival.com. Tickets start at just £359 per person including a 6-day lift pass.

The post Rise Festival announces Phase 2 lineup for ‘Party on Top of the World’ appeared first on Data Transmission.

Today, chart-topping pop sensation with some of the catchiest summer tracks Anne-Marie joins the NASS festival line-up. Having seen a meteoric rise to stardom, she will be headed direct to NASS’ main stage armed with some of her biggest hits including 2002, and last year’s viral hit PSYCHO. Bru-C is back by high demand, with the MC returning to deliver a welcome injection of the very best in D&B and bassline to NASS 2023, alongside British Ghanaian rapper and artist, and 2023 BRIT Awards Best New Artist nominee, Kojey Radical. One of the UK’s most acclaimed producers, rappers and songwriters, Example will be at NASS 2023, with the ‘Kickstarts’ and ‘Changed The Way You Kiss Me’ hitmaker gearing up for a high-octane main stage set this July, as well as neo-soul star Greentea Peng – hot on the heels of her latest single release ‘Top Steppa V2’.

The big names keep rolling in, including the unapologetic and exuberant D&B star Venbee whose rapidly racking up streams with tracks including ‘Messy In Heaven’, Trinidad-born rapper, producer, and songwriter BERWYN famed for his recent collaboration with Fred again…, Irish singer and rapper Biig Piig, best loved for her English/Spanish rap tinged with infectious groove, BBC Sound of 2022 shortlisted and hotly-tipped breakthrough singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri, and Cassia who’ll bring self-proclaimed tropical vibes with their infectious, sun-drenched summer sound.

NASS also announces 22 year old rapper and one of the most exciting UK lyricists right now – Songer, Leeds’ own Charlotte Haining taking bass music by storm, South London producer-rapper ayrtn who released his must-listen vibey EP ‘Too Awesome’ in 2022, Tik Tok star A Little Sound with the dreamy vocals, as well as Abbie Piper, with 5x platinum UK records to his name, Joel Corry is one of the most revered DJs of the moment, plus a giant in UK dance music, chart-topper Nathan Dawe. Rasputin hitmaker, DJ and producer Majestic will be at NASS, too, plus the all-female DJ collective bringing inclusivity to dancefloors everywhere – Girls Don’t Sync.

The Southbank warehouse is a festival favourite, open until the early hours of the morning with the liveliest line-up comprising the best in bassline and D&B. Today, the line-up for Southbank heats up even more, with two of the biggest names in D&B Hedex & Eksman joining the bill taking to the decks together, alongside pioneering bass music duo Koven and the DJ, producer and songwriter who has amassed a huge following for her boundary breaking sound – Georgie Riot. London-based drum & bass producer Gray will be going b2b with Bladerunner who put out his latest anthemic offering, ‘Love Me’, in 2022. Coveted as one of the D&B scene’s most ground-breaking talents, Culture Shock will be at NASS’ Southbank this July and is not to be missed, along with Brighton’s finest Lens and MC Degs and bringing drum & bass of the highest energy, SIREN.

For over 15 years, SIKA Studios has been the pillar of UK underground music. They bring the best in underground talent to the surface and they’ll be back at NASS 2023 to deliver the freshest breakthrough acts at the SIKA Stage. A firm NASS favourite, Fatty’s Yard provides the best of summer vibes. With a bar serving up insanely good cocktails, an unrivalled chill out area and tons of acts to be announced to perform, there’s nowhere better for reggae, funk, disco, hip-hop, dancehall, bass, UKG, house, and jungle tunes pumping out through the day.

Plus, in July NASS will welcome the biggest names in skate and BMX, who’ll battle it out with international competitions taking place across the four days of the festival. What’s more, the most talented UK street artists will be creating and displaying their work throughout the NASS festival site for fans to enjoy. Stay tuned for more info.

Thursday entry camping, Friday entry camping, VIP camping, Friday Day, Saturday Day, Sunday Day,  Coach packages available from Big Green Coach, Campervan tickets, Charge Candy, Club Class, and parking are on sale now.

Tickets for NASS Festival 2023 are on sale NOW with £30 Deposits & Monthly Payment Plans available to help spread the cost. Visit www.nassfestival.com for more information.

The post NASS Festival 2023 announces 2nd wave of acts appeared first on Data Transmission.