While drum & bass has been around in the United States for over two decades, it is only now experiencing a mainstream breakthrough.
Major US festivals have embraced the genre, while social media platforms like TikTok have helped it become a trend alongside a recent influx of drum & bass-influenced pop music. While European artists have reaped the rewards so far, there are a handful of North American artists who are also making a living.
Bensley, Justin Hawkes and Kumarion are just a few who have recently lit the torch. Their new collaborative EP, Carry the fireis a formidable showcase that moves through a variety of drum & bass, from anthemic hits ready for the main stage to tracks that will make you jump to the next level.
However, it takes more than just raw talent to back up their star power. Their manager, Anthony Tedder, has given them an even bigger platform by offering them a new venue to release music: his new record label, BEACON.
BEACON stands firm on its name as a stable place for drum & bass artists to release music.
“Of all the mainstream dance music labels, there are a few that consistently release drum & bass,” says Tedder. EDM.com“One of the issues we often encounter is programming and interest in drum & bass tracks. All of these labels that release drum & bass only release a small percentage of their catalog as drum & bass. They're releasing dubstep, bass house, 140, experimental, or whatever else. Our main goal is to create a space where drum & bass artists have an American label to get their music out to people.”
While some local labels have thrived, such as Reid Speed’s Play Me label, they tend to cater to an underground audience. BEACON, on the other hand, seeks to push a more festival-oriented sound.
“The goal of BEACON is to provide a modern context for drum & bass in North America and create an access point to help people deepen their love or discover drum & bass,” Tedder continues. “We want to pay homage to what the scene has had to offer over the past 30 years or so. While experts know this, many don’t realize that drum & bass has been around in the U.S. just as long as it has elsewhere. It’s important to us to recognize the cultural foundation that’s already been built.”
Additionally, BEACON seeks to focus on North American talent as much as talent that has not been given as much attention across the pond.
“We want to create an ecosystem for local artists to thrive and achieve the same success that international talent has achieved here. We also want to provide opportunities for international artists who haven't had the same exposure as some of the original artists to come here, release music, get involved, play live and make a mark in the United States.”
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Conceptually, BEACON is not limited to a simple label. Tedder's ideas go much further and he hopes to make the brand a cultural phenomenon.
“BEACON is more than just a record label,” he explains. “It’s a music and lifestyle brand that also releases music. The brand is meant to be the foundation of the modern drum & bass community in the U.S. We’ll have merchandise, we’ll have events, we’ll do tours. I want our brand to be a source of positivity and we want to use it as a place to promote culture.”
Tedder’s desire to further the genre’s influence comes not only from the talent of his roster of artist managers, but from a passion deeply rooted in his own experiences in electronic music.
“I was at Electric Forest in 2013 or 2014,” he recalls. “On that bill were Wilkinson, Andy C and Noisia. I remember seeing those sets and thinking, ‘Wow, this is cool. ’ It took me back to a time in 2011 or 2012 when I saw Rusko and Sigma on tour and loved the fast-paced music I was hearing. I discovered another side of dance music that I didn’t really know anything about.”
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Tedder’s vision for the label aligns with his vision for the future of drum & bass. “We’re seeing drum & bass being programmed at almost every festival in North America right now, and with each new festival, it’s only going to continue to grow,” he predicts. “I don’t see drum & bass as a fad. It’s something that’s grown slowly but surely after being so marginalized. I think that’s going to compound until we see a full drum & bass festival in the U.S. and more drum & bass artists playing on the main stage at festivals mixed in with other artists.”
Not only has the festival circuit contributed to drum & bass's rapid rise in popularity on festival stages across North America, but social media and pop music have also leaned into the genre.
“One of the biggest factors that indicates the growth of drum & bass is the trend of up-tempo pop songs,” he continues. “They take a 140 BPM pop tune and speed it up to 160 and it goes viral on TikTok. People are passively listening to faster music and I think that’s influencing it. I can see it becoming bigger and better than ever before. A great example is Kenya Grace’s ‘Strangers.’ After they get started, people are looking up what they’re listening to and passively listening to it more. Drum & bass has something for everyone and that’s what makes it stand the test of time.”
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At the end of the day, BEACON's purpose, Tedder says, is to serve the needs of the community.
“The main reason we're starting this is because we're seeing a need. Dance music and drum & bass have given me so much and I've enjoyed the culture so much that I want to help create a community, help it flourish and create new ways for it to be accessible to people.”
Although BEACON is a new face, Tedder and his team are on track to develop something the burgeoning North American scene desperately needs. He says there will be more music on the way throughout the rest of 2024.
Artists interested in submitting demos to BEACON can find the label's form here here.
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