Jump-Up D&B

Since its emergence in the 1990s, drum & bass music has been in a state of constant evolution. From the layered, jazz-inspired liquid sound, to the hyped-up, dancehall energy of ragga jungle, sub-genres have grown like branches from the drum & bass tree. While some styles have grown and waned in popularity over the years, one has grown stronger and stronger: jump-up. 

Jump-up is characterized by its aggressive basslines, uptempo beats and spliced-up breakbeats, taking core elements of drum & bass and giving them a faster, tougher, hi-definition edge. As its name suggests, the producers driving the style were looking to amp-up the layered atmospherics of drum & bass, and make tracks that were highly reactive on the dancefloor; with hands-in-the-air hooks and rapid BPMs to break a sweat to.

In the ‘90s, artists such as DJ Aphrodite, DJ Hazard and DJ Hype pioneered the style, and labels like Phat Trax, Ganja Records and True Playaz (later Playaz Recordings), among others, pushed these productions into DJ’s record bags. Jump-up also translated well to club crowds with the boost of an MC, with its high-energy beats complimenting the ragga-tinged, party-starting vocals. The late Skibadee, Harry Shotta, Eksman and Shabba D all brought their commanding presence to the sound.

Over the years, jump-up has incorporated elements of other genres to evolve — such as EDM, hip-hop, reggae and dubstep — mining these influences with tough basslines and stadium-ready atmospherics to present fresh takes on the classic drum & bass breakbeats. It also spread outwards from its UK roots and across the globe, striking a particular interest in the United States and Belgium. Most prominently, there have been breakthrough singles: British duo Chase and Status have collaborated with MCs like Stormzy, ArrDee, Flowdan and IRAH, and producers Bou and Hedex, on tracks like “Baddadan,” “Backbone” and “Liquor & Cigarettes,” bringing jump-up to the charts.

To discover more about the contemporary jump-up sound, dive into this collection of tracks — from artists such as Kanine, Hybrid Minds, Netsky, Macky Gee, Annix, Dutta and Turno — and turn up the bass.

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LISTEN TO THE JUMP-UP D&B PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD

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Bou, IRAH, Kanine, Trigga, “Wicked & Dark”
Leading producers Bou and Kanine recruit MCs URAH and Trigga for this menacing 2025 track.

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Kanine, “Chemicals”
Londoner Kanine is one of jump-up’s hottest names. He dropped this track in 2024 on UNLEASHED.

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Macky Gee, “Stay With Me”
DJ/producer Macky Gee continues his aggressive-yet-anthemic style with this 2025 track. Listen to Sound Advice with Mackey Gee, where he reflects on his personal journey in drum & bass and shares the stories behind his biggest hits. Plus, throughout this exclusive interview, hear him offer invaluable insights for up-and-coming artists on getting noticed and engaging with fans using both social media and SoundCloud together.

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Pendulum, WARGASM, “Cannibal”
Long-running Australian drum & bass outfit Pendulum bring WARGASM along for this ride on this track from their recent album ‘Inertia.’

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Bou, Hedex, “Do You Like That”
British DJ/producer Hedex jumps on this track for Bou’s 2025 ‘B-Sides Mixtape,’ a collection of unreleased tracks, deep cuts and special collaborations.

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Mozey, “Nerdy Roller” 
Mozey has released music on drum and bass labels like Souped Up, Hospital Records and V Recordings. This 2025 track dropped on Rinse.

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Grafix, ROVA, “Let Me Down” 
On his first collaboration with ROVA, producer Grafix flexes his jump-up muscles.

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Hybrid Minds, Brodie, “Heroin”
Long-running duo Hybrid Minds teams up with vocalist Brodie for this moody 2025 track.

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Netsky, “Remember”
Belgian DJ/producer Netsky dropped this track in 2025 on Helix Records.

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Turno, P Money, “Bossman”
Grime MC P Money rides this jump-up beat by producer Turno with a deft touch.

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Friction, Stylo G, Riko Dan, “Bang Bang”
MCs Riko Dan and Stylo G bridge UK grime and Jamaican dancehall on this track for Friction.

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K Motionz, Emily Makis, “Spell It Out”
Vocalist Emily Makis harmonically elevates this K Motionz track, which dropped on Positiva in 2025.

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Flava D, Anäis, Dread MC, “Entertainer”
UK DJ/producer Flava D collaborates with Invicta Audio affiliate Anäis and Dread MC on this ripping 2025 track.

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Serum, “For The Gal Dem”
Serum dropped this track on his 2025 EP ‘Serum’s Gaff: Part 3,’ which was released on Souped Up Records.

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Annix, “Amphibian”
Drum & bass duo Annix dropped this track on a compilation for Neksus Sound, ‘Neksus Sound Presents: Horizon.’

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Twisted Individual, Damage Report, “Iceberg”
This track by Twisted Individual and Damage Report was released on a 2024 compilation for Zombie Recordings,‘Within The Woods Vol.8.’

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Dutta, “Perfect Pairs”
This is the title track of Manchester-based DJ/producer Dutta’s 2025 EP, which dropped on Alpha Recordings.

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Kanine, “Bloodstream”
Another modern jump-up heater from UK artist Kanine, which dropped in 2025 through UKF.

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Bou, DJ Marky, “Spicy”
This collaborative track with DJ Marky appears on Bou’s 2025 ‘B-Sides Mixtape.’

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A.M.C., “There In 10”
Alex Mark Calvert, a long-standing British drum & bass DJ/producer, dropped this track in 2025 on UKF.

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Original Sin, “Donkey Dust (VIP)”
Souped Up Records continues their run of excellent jump-up tracks with this VIP by Original Sin.

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Sigma, Julia Church, “MAGNETIC”
UK duo Sigma lean into a cinematic style of drum & bass on this 2025 collaborative track with vocalist Julia Church.

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Blooom, Maksim MC, “All You Need”
German DJ/producer Blooom links with London drum & bass vocalist Maksim MC for this 2024 track.

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Blossom, “Stronger”
One of the newest signings to UKF, London-based DJ/producer and vocalist Blossom lends her soft tones to this 2025 track.

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AIRGLO, Mandidextrous, “CONTROL”
LA-based AIRGLO links with Bristolian Mandidextrous for this 2025 track on the former’s own label.

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Diagnostix, “Make It Drop”
A rising name in the UK scene, Londoner Diagnostix fired up this track in summer 2025.

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T & Sugah, CONTROL ALT DΞLΞTΞ ft. Kris Kiss - The Formula
Tech house star Don Diablo’s drum & bass alias, CONTROL ALT DΞLΞTΞ, collaborates with Dutch duo T & Sugah and UK vocalist Kris Kiss.

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Tsuki, “Alone”
Since releasing his debut album ‘Redemption’ during lockdown, Tsunami Records boss Tsuki has been a rising name in the UK scene.

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The Sauce, Logan, “Booky”
Released by Sofa Sound Bristol in 2025, this track by The Sauce trio — of DLR, Spinback and Hydro — with Logan, is a high energy heater.

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Gouki, “Pressure Cooker”
UK DJ/producer Gouki’s tracks operate between jump-up drum & bass and neurofunk.

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Flowidus, “Pozor”
Australian-based duo Flowdius dropped this latest track on Crucast in 2025.

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Blooom, “Take Me Back”
German producer Blooom dropped this track on his 2025 EP, ‘STORIES FROM THE RAVE.’

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Simula, “Mimic”
Simula is a UK-based DJ/producer and co-owner of the Neksus Sound label, alongside Annix.

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DRZ, “Losing It”
The lead single from his 2025 EP of the same name, this track shows UK DJ/producer DRZ on fine form.

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Eskei83, Dynamite MC, “Number One DJ”
German producer Eskei83 recruits Dynamite MC for this high octane dancefloor cut.

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Simula, “Count 10”
UK DJ/producer Simula dropped this track on Critical Music in 2025.

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K Motionz, “Lights”
A fresh name on the jump-up scene, K Motionz dropped his latest EP, ‘For Old Time’s Sake,’ in 2024.

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ROVA, “Take Me Higher”
New Zealander ROVA is taking the jump-up scene by storm. This breakthrough track dropped on UKF.

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Anäis, “Origins”
Bristolian DJ/producer Anäis’s latest EP is ‘Ultrasounds Vol. 3.’

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Harriet Jaxxon, “Stop Me”
UK artist Harriet Jaxxon has been twice crowned Best Female DJ at the Drum & Bass Awards.

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LISTEN TO THE JUMP-UP D&B PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD

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