Irish Drum & Bass Producers That Aren't Named Calibre

Let's preface this first by saying this isn't a slight to Calibre at all. When you break things down, Calibre will go down in dnb history as one of th

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Let's preface this first by saying this isn't a slight to Calibre at all. When you break things down, Calibre will go down in dnb history as one of the best to do it. What's crazy is most casual dnb listeners don't know too many Irish producers outside of Calibre. The scene out there is strong, even if there haven't been a plethora of huge names to break out of Ireland. What's also great is that Ireland doesn't just breed one style of drum & bass - everything from neuro to liquid has emerged from the region. Let's show you what the Irish drum & bass massive is capable of, once you look past the beauty that is Calibre's material.

Zero T

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City: Dublin

Zero T (FKA Zero Tolerance) got his start alongside Beta 2, getting tracks released on Dublin-based Bassbin Recordings before getting solid looks from Reinforced, Commercial Suicide, Subtitles, and Advanced (among other imprints). He dropped the "olerance" sometime in 2007 and really started to soar, dropping his critically-acclaimed Cheap Shots album on Total Science's C.I.A. Records in 2008, while getting tunes signed everywhere: V Recordings, Playaz, Dispatch, and others. He even started his own imprint, Footprints Music, and hopefully 2014 will see more material being released from Zero T and his label.

Code

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City: Limerick

While Code now calls Montreal, Canada home, he is from Limerick, Ireland, and was one of the few that helped push the more "jungle" side of the scene during a time when the more upfront, dancefloor-friendly sound was in tact. As the head of Subtle Audio (which has been pushing out quality beats since 2005), Code's made it a point to push deeper, more progressive styles of jungle and drum & bass, making sure to keep in tune with the roots of the scene while keeping things experimental.

Ricky Force

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City: Dublin

If you wanted a massive amount of amen-fueled drum & bass music, Ricky Force is your guy. He's repped hard for that side of the dnb scene, even having material being released on DJ Trace's Amen Warfare compilation for DSCI4 back in 2011. And while he's also had material come out on 36 Hertz, it's his own Pressin' Hard label that's truly highlighting where he wants to go. All of the releases are limited vinyl pressings that you can only order from Ricky, and keep a consistent, throwback quality that many feel still needs to be present.

Naphta

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City: Dublin

There's not been much in the way of releases from Naphta in the last few years, but as jungle music goes, he's one of Ireland's finest. With a firm foot planted in the mid-'90s sound, Naphta has released material on Bassbin, Fanu's Lightless imprint, Keysound, and D1. He went from crafting ferocious bits to giving his material more of a political slant, releasing a pair of well-received Democracy Now albums that focused on the post-9/11 "war on terror" and the plight of the Chechen people.

[GENETIX]

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City: Dublin

[GENETIX] is an interesting character; while he's been active in the scene for 15 years, it's not until recently where it looks like he's truly hit his stride. Over the last year, he's been working on material with 3rd Degree as Infiltrate, with Gridlok & Prolix's Trendkinll imprint putting out a single in the fall of 2013, alongside a single for Bad Chemistry. All of this is working towards an album release, which should help highlight the more tech side of the dnb scene.

Polska

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City: Dublin

There's a huge love of jungle and experimental dnb works in Ireland, huh? Polska not only releasd an impressive album (2nd Rate) that included not just dnb but downtempo and other sounds, but he's also released material on Inperspective, Breakin, Counter Intelligence, and Make:Shift. And while he jokes about not using amens, the aesthetic, the tenacious breakbeat edits... you won't NEED to hear amens the way he chops his drums.

Komplex Therapy

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City: Cork

While he's only been producing for about three years, Komplex Therapy is taking influence from recent dnb gems like Icicle, Enei, Rockwell, and Jubei, focusing on the darker-edge of dnb. He's a part of Jet Li's Sub Era crew, and has been seen behind the decks everywhere from Ireland to Slovakia over the last few years. With the right push and dedication, Komplex Therapy could make his mark in the scene for sure.

3rd Degree

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City: Dublin

While he's from South Africa, 3rd Degree has been based in Dublin, churning out dnb for the likes of You So Fat Records and Caliber Music. As of late, his material with [GENETIX] as Infiltrate is surpassing his previous material, with producers, DJs, and label heads alike coming to get their mittens on the next Infiltrate bits. Keep an ear out.

Jet Li

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City: Cork

Jet Li has been more like a mentor and motivator, helping usher in a new wave in the dnb scene in Cork. In 2011, he created the Sub:Era crew and club night, which has helped put local talent on display. He's also behind Phase 2 Recordings (which scored a single from Calibre) and Jungle Republic, and has spent the last decade-plus really pushing the dnb sound in his town. Commendable.

Romeo Butcher

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City: Cork

Representing both the Sub:Era and Evolution crews, Romeo Butcher's aim since 2009 has been simple: he wants to "portray the inside of my mind through the sounds i make." Alongside his production partner Komplex Therapy, Romeo is definitely exploring the limitless possibilities with sound. He doesn't stick to solely dnb, as his SoundCloud features a number of different BPMs getting touched. He's a great look at the future of the Irish dnb scene, and quite possibly the future of their electronic music scene.

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