THE JOURNEY, SOUNDS, AND INFLUENCE, OF AN EXCEPTIONAL ELECTRONIC RECORD LABEL

DILAN PATEL (FOUNDER & CHIEF EDITOR @ DIL)

NANO RAVES

“It’s just noise!”

That’s a classic comment from my immediate family, as I crank up the volume for an electronic music release. By the age of 14, my ears had experienced more bass than Mandrill Sound’s (mentioned later on) heaviest speaker (and that’s saying something). My bedroom hosted imaginary raves, involving maximum sound on an iPod Nano, and delusions of being old enough for clubbing.

For me, nothing trumped checking the channel of a one electronic record label, of three letters. UKF.

This editorial is a literary tribute to UKF dropping bass, raising roofs, and defining the adolescence of hyperactive bass-heads like myself. And, I know for certain that there are plenty! I will explore the record label’s inception, history, featured artists, standout releases, and marked influence on bass culture.

UKF MUSIC: FROM CHANNEL TO LABEL

Established by Luke Hood in 2009, UKF began by promoting underground drum and bass. Recognising the popularity of dubstep, Hood launched another channel dedicated to the genre, which gained rapid traction and loyal subscriber base. With a username titled ‘DPP Dubstep’, I became a subscriber.

Between 2012 and 2014, UKF incorporated new genres, such as house and trap. Live events and festival takeovers followed, leading to ‘noise’ complaints, and mountains of water bottles. Ongoing partnerships (with similar outlets) generated continued hype for exclusive music. By 2015, the brand became global, with a strong social media presence, a podcast, and a series of live-streamed DJ sets titled ‘UKF On Air’.

Appreciate UKF’s hall of fame. Flux Pavilion; the co-founder of Circus Records, and a master remixer. Sub Focus; a leading figure for UKF Drum & Bass. The futuristic London-based trio, Nero, that blended a plethora of genres for dystopian and cinematic effect. Zeds Dead; an act that somehow sparked introspection, amidst basslines most definitely not for the faint ear-ed. Netsky; a pioneer of liquid drum and bass, that solidified UKF’s gassed audience. DJ Fresh; perhaps the most popular. Delta Heavy; a deafening duo, with a cult following, since promoting their first single, ‘Get By’, with an iconic stop-motion video published on UKF’s channels. Koven; a perfect balance of Katie Boyle’s emotive vocals, and Max Rowat’s intricate production. Modestep; rock plus bass. And so many more.

In 2019, UKF celebrated a 10-year anniversary, releasing a 2-hour and 40-minute album called ‘UKF10’. Since then, UKF have continued to embrace new electronic styles, create digital content, support upcoming artists, and engage with bass fans across the globe. What an amazing journey.

UKF MUSIC: ICONIC RELEASES

Let’s explore some of the releases that defined UKF’s rise and reputation. Each of the seven tracks below will include one anonymised comment from the respective UKF YouTube video.

‘Cracks’ by Freestylers (Flux Pavilion Remix)
“Leave the past behind. Just walk away!” Flux Pavilion’s remix of Freestylers’ track, featuring Belle Humble, is seminal. The remix boosted Flux Pavilion’s status as a leading British producer, and displayed UKF’s ingenuity in discovering hidden gems. “God, I swear 2010 and 2011 were the golden years of dubstep,” a laudatory bass-head expresses.

‘Eyes on Fire’ by Blue Foundation (Zeds Dead Remix)
Zeds Dead’s remix of Blue Foundation’s ‘Eyes on Fire’ is deep as f*ck. Play it when you’re heartbroken. Or when you realise that your crush fancies someone else. It hits differently. Consisting of an eerie atmosphere and haunting melodies, the remix cemented Zeds Dead’s reputation during the early years of UKF. A reminiscent subscriber states that “hearing this again is like visiting an old friend.”

‘Innocence’ by Nero
“Innocence… will never… be mine.” Nero’s discography is insane, and ‘Innocence’ is right up there. The track depicts the confusion of growing up. It’s got layers, emotional intensity, diverse drops, and a supplementary music video, involving snippets of an anime called ‘Cyber City Oedo 808’. “All these years later, there’s still something so special about this song,” reflects a Nero bro.

‘Rock It’ by Sub Focus
If I had to pick a track to introduce someone to Sub Focus, it’d probably be ‘Rock It’. I’m pretty sure a lot of biceps have been built with it. By 2016, it still remained a dancefloor favourite for many rave attendees. ‘Rock It’ is probably the release that propelled Sub Focus to fame, and the UKF Drum & Bass brand to new heights. “12 years later, and my cat still goes bonkers on this song,” says a cat owner.

‘Spaceship’ by Kano (Trolley Snatcha Remix)
This remix’s drop is ridiculous, and used to keep me up, night after night. Here, Trolley Snatcha nails the hybrid between grime and dubstep. I reckon the remix could be the theme song for an X-rated Sci-Fi movie, involving space conquest and alien invasions. “TROLLEY SNATCHA COME BACK!!!!!!!” To this animated fan, I reply by saying that he’s possibly busy snatching trolleys… or mixing.

‘Wake You Up’ by Koven
“Before I know… I’m falling down.” ‘Wake You Up’ is electronic elegance, consisting of meaningful lyrics and high-energy instrumentation. Backed by UKF’s promotional machine, the track typifies Koven’s innovative slant on dubstep, where it furthered female representation in bass culture. “This is perfection!” I’ve looped ‘Wake You Up’ over 500 times, and so, I agree with this comment.

‘Memory Lane’ by Netsky
‘Memory Lane’ was Netsky’s debut track, released under Hospital Records. It’s soulful and smooth, crafted for continual x-stepping. It’s freedom, inspiration, and radiance, all packed into 5 minutes and 33 seconds, for lifelong UKF subscribers to return to and admire. Perplexed, a YouTube user comments that “Netsky was just 21 when he made this masterpiece.” To be fair, the tune is quite unbelievable.

UKF MUSIC: LEGACY AND INFLUENCE

Vintage UKF videos began with a ‘flaming speaker’ animation, coloured blue for dubstep, or yellow for drum and bass. Eventually, Luke Hood’s team designed a clean text logo, featuring the three letters in bold sans-serif typography.

Ever since, the UKF brand has become a pivotal force in the electronic music industry, providing platforms for artists to share their creations, expand their audiences, and advance their careers. UKF’s commitment to high production standards, featuring state-of-the-art sound systems, innovative lighting, and immersive visuals, is a major reason behind the label’s success and legacy.

To understand UKF’s influence in the electronic music industry, I spoke to Archie MacGillivray, a member of Mandrill Sound, an autonomous sound system, with a collective of electronic music DJs.

In Archie’s words, UKF “was a catalyst which made dubstep accessible to a wide audience.” UKF’s branding also caught Archie’s creative eye. “Seeing the UKF logo meant that you were about to hear a new sound that would broaden your horizons.”

Additionally, UKF have paved the way for sound systems to grow in stature, and share electronic music in real-time. “A big part of the activities at Mandrill Sound are fundamentally the same; to showcase cutting-edge music, to people who would have never have heard it otherwise,” Archie vocalises.

UKF15: EAR WE GO!

UKF’s slogan, ‘The Home of Bass Music’, is indisputable and well-earnt. This year, the label is celebrating their 15-year anniversary. In July, UKF co-host the Life Stage at Tomorrowland. Later on in the year, OrchestRAVE will celebrate UKF’s 15th anniversary, with a remarkable rendition of bass music, performed by over 40 artists and alumni from Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Here’s to the loud summer(s) ahead!

A TRIBUTE TO UKF DROPPING BASS AND RAISING ROOFS