10. TDQ (Royal T, Flava D, DJ Q)
The words “let the bass kick” will have resonated with the artists included in the following list. Like a call to arms, the lower frequencies in the musical spectrum stir a creative force in these producers and DJs, compelling them to create music to test the most adept of sound systems.
Whether it’s drum and bass, dubstep or bassline, this year has seen the release of a fair few stonkers, but which one has floated your boat the most? Your votes have been counted and the numbers are in. Roll on the best bass music and DnB DJs and producers 2018 has to offer.
Taking up places 15 down to 11 are:
15. Dirtyphonics
14. My Nu Leng
13. Joyryde
12. Camo & Krooked
11. Friction
Kicking off the top 10 we have TDQ (Royal T, Flava D, DJ Q)...
2018 highlight: UK garage, bassline and grime trio TDQ have thumped their way through 2018 with a string of floor-filling shows across the globe, including Ibiza and Tokyo.
Though regularly releasing material individually, TDQ has yet to release any music as a trio, although it is hoped that they will soon.
9. Andy C
2018 highlight: Co-founder of the legendary RAM Records, Andrew Clarke is one of drum and bass’s pioneers.
There has not been much on the release-radar for Andy C this year, but the DnB man can now boast the claim as the first drum and bass DJ to sell out Wembley Arena in just three days.
8. Sigma
2018 highlight: UK DnB duo Sigma have been hitting some big gigs this year, with slots at Finland’s WKND Festival, Creamfields, Ibiza and a trip out to South Korea to name a few. These all culminated in an epic sellout show at the Electric Brixton this autumn.
All of these are building up to the release of a new album, which is due out early next year and will feature the single Anywhere, which sees the duo moving away from its DnB roots.
7. Sub Focus
2018 highlight: Nicolaas Douwma, aka Sub Focus, is yet another DJ who has been on a relentless touring schedule. His summer festival tour took in nine countries around the world.
It’s been five years since his last album, so it’s no surprise he is gearing-up for another release in 2019 and we have already had a taste of new material in the shape of his collaboration with Dimension on new single ‘Desire’.
6. Chase & Status
2018 highlight: MTA Records bosses Chase & Status have spent much of the year trotting the globe gearing up for the release of new album RTRN II Jungle which, as the titles suggests, sees Saul Milton and Will Kennard coming back to where the jungle is massive.
5. Netsky
2018 highlight: Belgium’s Boris Daenen, aka Netsky, took a similar path trodden by a fair few on this list with a non-stop tour of the European festival circuit.
The big news of Netsky’s year has to be the release of ‘Ice Cold’, an absolute banger of a tune created in collaboration with David Guetta. And as we unveil this year’s reader poll results, Netsky is releasing the Abbott Kinney EP.
4. Danny Byrd
2018 highlight: Close neighbour of the MusicRadar UK offices, Bath’s king of all things bass, Danny Byrd geared-up for one of the releases of the year.
Atomic Funk dropped in September, bringing with it some much needed sun-soaked, liquid low-end to prolong those long summer’s day feels, well into the bleak midwinter.
3. Pegboard Nerds
2018 highlight: Danish/Norwegian dynamic-duo Pegboard Nerds followed up 2017’s epic Nerd by Nature EP with the even more epic Full Hearts EP.
Needless to say, an unrelenting schedule of touring across the globe has taken up much of their time and sees the Monstercat artists party well into the new year.
2. Pendulum
2018 highlight: Despite a short hiatus back in 2013, Aussie DnB masters Pendulum returned in 2016 promising a remix album to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of ‘Hold Your Colour’ – this year they delivered on that promise.
With standout remixes from the likes of Swire and McGrillen’s very own Knife Party, Noisia, Moby, ATTLAS and even Devin Townsend, ‘The Reworks’ has definitely whet the appetite.
Next stop - we hope - is a new album.
Winner: Noisia
2018 highlight: And so, we turn to everyone’s favourite Dutch bass music trio, Noisia, as your crowned-kings of the best bass music and DnB producers/DJs category.
Not ones to rest on their laurels, Noisia have spun six singles so far this year. We say 'so far' as we wouldn't put it past them to drop another before the year is out.
Alongside contributing to Pendulum’s ‘The Reworks’ album, our top 2018 pick has to be the densely hypnotic and freshly released ‘Deep Down’, created in collaboration with Phace.
“Michael Stipe said it was his favourite dance album – he used to put it on and then write his lyrics for REM to it”: Rave icons Utah Saints on their legacy, sampling Kate Bush, and the challenges of making their debut album
“They're French. I would say it's a kind of techno prog band”: Elvis Costello reckons that the Brooklyn warehouse gig he saw Justice play was “one of the great shows I've ever been to”
“Michael Stipe said it was his favourite dance album – he used to put it on and then write his lyrics for REM to it”: Rave icons Utah Saints on their legacy, sampling Kate Bush, and the challenges of making their debut album
“They're French. I would say it's a kind of techno prog band”: Elvis Costello reckons that the Brooklyn warehouse gig he saw Justice play was “one of the great shows I've ever been to”
