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July 22, 2025
We're going deeper into some of the key learnings from IMS Ibiza 2025, exploring the data, best practice and stories behind the insight. This week we explore How does Intergenerational Exchange keep Jungle and Drum'n'Bass more dynamic than ever, four decades deep?
A major theme of this year's IMS Ibiza was the celebration of four decades of Jungle and Drum 'n’ Bass. Across the Summit, artists (from breakthrough stars like SHERELLE and Charlie Tee to legends like Krust, MC Chickaboo, DJ Flight and Bailey), promoters and ticket platforms and label heads explored all facets of the genre, from the role of female artists and women in the scene over the years to its international evolution.
But the biggest question of all, the one that permeated all of these discussions, was just why these genres have remained so resilient and dynamic over all these years. There are so many factors, from the idea that by never really going 'overground' or 'conquering America', D'n'B was never chewed up and spat out by the corporate machine in the way that, say, dubstep was. There's the visceral, thrilling nature of the music, obviously, which is very much best enjoyed in person, preferably on a massive sound system, adding an IRL dimension that has perhaps insulated the sound and scene from an overreliance on more capricious digital trends. There's the idea that the immediacy of D'n'B means that events large and small have a more authentic through-line to the days of rave: that VIP culture remains anathema, as Duncan King from Skiddle said: "At a D'n'B night, the only people backstage will be going to the toilet. Everyone wants to be out there on the dancefloor. That energy is infectious.”
It was the conversation between SHERELLE and DJ Flight, though, that best exemplified another vital factor in the continuing vibrancy of the sound and scene: the intergenerational exchange across the Drum'n'Bass and Jungle communities. Exploring how the interchange between different generations of artists, promoters, fans and everyone connected to the scene keeps it strong has lessons for anyone interested in building a community, and a culture, that will last.
We went back to some of the key speakers from IMS Ibiza to dig a bit deeper.
A thirst for knowledge
"I'm really impressed with a lot of the younger people that I've met [in the scene]," says DJ Flight. "Particularly those who are into the original Jungle sound. They are really, really excited about the history. They love learning about all the old labels, producers, the stories." It seems like more than any other genre in dance music, D’n’B fans have a thirst for knowledge about the breadth and history of the genre, a thirst that kicks in early and can last a lifetime. "It's difficult to go to a show and not want to feel a part of it, when everyone else around you is talking about it in depth and talking about the history of it. It's really hard not to get sucked into that ecosystem into that culture." That drive to 'level up' knowledge is encouraged and rewarded by the community around the scene - from the many thriving discord groups (like DNB academy with nearly 5,000 members) to r/dnb and forums like dogsonacid.com (which claims a remarkable 87,000 members) to, say, Charlie Tee's show on BBC Radio1, which is about to introduce a new feature celebrating a classic track each week. “When you become so obsessive," says DJ Flight, "and you're around other people who are obsessive too, that’s a very powerful thing."
Colin Steven, the founder of UK Drum'n'Bass magazine Knowledge, whose Velocity Press has published books including We Say Reload and All Crews as well as biographies of Ray Keith and Marcus Intalex, says "well written D 'n' B books do better than books about any other genre. There's a real passion to learn about the scene and its heroes and heritage and really strong support across the community." With its nuanced and myriad subgenres on the one hand, and fund of characters and stories all the way back to Rage at Heaven, D'n'B lends itself to study. Colin, DJ Flight and Craig all point to another shared ethos accompanying the culture, the idea that for a long time it was shunned or ignored by the wider music press, major festivals and labels: "put upon," "the uncool younger brother." This siege mentality, says DJ Flight, "adds to the pride and the really fierce protectiveness that people have over drum'n'bass and the music."
Forward looking legends
That's helped by the fact that D’n’B remains a forward looking culture. Compared to - say - house music, few of the foundational figures in D’n’B have moved into the 'heritage circuit' (though Fabio & Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra did look amazing at Glastonbury) or are content to play the same old bangers every gig. In part this can be a necessity: the biggest independent labels in D’n’B have a foundational or even legendary artist at their head, from RAM to Metalheadz to Shogun to Hospitality - which not only emphasises how intergenerational exchange fuels the scene, but demands that these champions stay fresh. In part it's always been fundamental to DJ culture in D’n’B, a genre where playing the same set or the same tunes has long been frowned upon and where those knowledgeable crowds will be quick to pick up on any staleness. Most of all though, "it was created through techno and breakbeat and acid house and hardcore," says Charlie Tee, "those roots melting together and then speeding it up. [Artists realise] the way that the genre evolves is mixing with more genres, people, cultures." Constant evolution aids the longevity of artists but also keeps institutional knowledge in the genre - and intergenerational exchange - going strong.
Patrons and Prodigies
That means some of the most impactful D’n’B events feature intergenerational line-ups - legends alongside breakthrough or even fledgling DJs and artists - broadening the scope of the talent, reinforcing the idea of a continuum between new and older artists… and strengthening the scene.
DJ Flight points to nights like Rupture and also SHERELLE's recent soundclash event at London's Roundhouse, where she and Double O, both with 25+ years in the game, 'battled' breakthrough collectives Demolition Crew and Sexy Lady Massive, as an example of a great intergenerational mix (the veterans won on the last track).
The line-up for just one sample arena at the recent Hospitality On the Beach festival spanned Hospital founder London Elektricity (first release, 1996) to imo-Lu (2021). "I vividly remember seeing Netsky dancing in the crowd to Hoax's set," says Craig. And perhaps this is the driver for the striking intergenerational exchange on D’n’B dancefloors: while some subgenres might tend younger (and are an important access point to the culture) a key feature of many parties is the range of ages present. "We've been doing shows with Dillinger and Valve Sound System," says Craig, "where I've stood between an 18-year-old and a 60-year-old. That's an incredible feeling." Maybe it's because we have such respect for the artists that created this genre who are older," says Charlie, "that ageism isn't a thing on D’n’B dancefloors."
Radio as an incubator
In the early days of Jungle and D’n’B, record shops and pressing houses like legendary dubplate studio Music House were fundamental; nexuses of shared knowledge and exchange of ideas. While forums and digital spaces have their place in 2025, nothing quite beats a physical, IRL location. And foremost among the new talent incubators are radio stations. As Benji B said at IMS Ibiza, “we’re blessed with a specialist radio culture in the UK that’s helped launch so much music and so many people.” Nowhere is that more true than in D’n’B. In many of the UK's urban centres, it's the defining sound of independent and community radio stations, from Reprezent Radio to Kool FM, while myriad digital D’n’B stations span the globe. DJ and producer CassKidd, for example, taught SHERELLE how to DJ using CDJs at Reprezent's hot house of talent. "In a way they're kind of a different form of a community center," says Flight. "For helping artists get a step on the ladder," says Charlie Tee, "and facilitating the earlier stages of their career, 100%, they're essential."
The golden thread
One of the best episodes in the Marcus Intalex book is a young Marcus venturing to Goldie's house to pick up an old mixing desk from the Metalheadz legend "we turned up at his house and he was standing outside his front door in his underpants.." And the willingness of established stars to take on proteges, to nurture new talent with donated gear, advice and contacts is a feature of the scene that spans its history. In recent years this has been formalised in some hugely successful structured mentoring programs. Hospital records launched their Women In Drum 'n' Bass Production mentorship in 2019, which has expanded into two further schemes - New Business Development and New Artist Development. "More experienced artists and producers take an incredible amount of pride in helping out the younger younger generation" says Craig. Success stories include Jedis like Nu:Tone guiding young padawans like Gabriela Bongo, Anais, and IVY to breakthrough success.
But no scheme has been more influential than EQ50, the platform co-founded by DJ Flight and Mantra in 2018 to provide support and mentorship to women and non-binary individuals within the music industry. Not only have EQ50's cohorts included meteoric stars like Nia Archives, Spektral and Mandidextrous, but their 'open source' approach to transparency around their process provided a template for many other similar schemes. Crucially, EQ50 provides a well rounded insight into the music industry, with their alumni going on to careers not just in DJing and production but also management, promotion and marketing. Most poetic is seeing that golden thread of knowledge and support running through multiple generations of artists. DJ Flight recalls a mentoring session for EQ50, where hugely respected second gen producer Fracture passed down advice on workflow first learned from the legendary (and IMS Ibiza speaker) Krust. Indeed, DJ Flight herself received early support and encouragement from the peerless pioneering DJ duo Kemistry and Storm. Goldie (again) gifted the duo their first set of turntables. DJ Flight’s first set with Metalheadz was also one of Storm’s first gigs after Kemistry died in a tragic road accident in 1999. At the end of the night, she gifted DJ Flight with Kemistry’s decks.
Broadening the bass
But D’n’B hasn't always been quite so nurturing to new talent. A common complaint from the millennium to the 2010s was that the same old middle aged male artists had the best gigs 'sewn' up. Any biologist will tell you that without an 'evolutionary gap' to move into, the result is stagnation (if you've ever wondered why chimpanzees aren't becoming humans anymore). "Around 2018 / 2019," says Craig, "it seemed collectively the industry took a good look at itself and decided that this genre is gonna die if it doesn't embrace change." Within a few years a tidal wave of new talent started emerging. Charlie Tee points to lockdown as another key factor in the rise of female and non-binary artists, providing both time to learn skills and promote their creations via social media.
In the same way that the diversity of British society was a key component in the genesis of D’n’B and Jungle, the new generation of artists and promoters, from the explosion in female DJs from SHERELLE and Nia Archives to Gabriella Bongo, and queer facing parties like Unorthodox, have broadened the foundations of the scene, provided more accessibility, and a raft of incredible role models. And more representative line-ups, says Charlie Tee, mean friendlier, more inclusive and accessible dancefloors. "At our UNITEE shows," says Charlie, "I love that whenever I play or Anna steps up like there's just loads more women on the front row."
Having said that, sometimes it comes down to deeply committed artists creating that space for themselves. "Nia [Archives]" says DJ Flight, "sent her music to labels, didn't get one response - so spent some of her student loan on Instagram ads that helped build her profile for her first single. Then she applied to EQ50 for the mentorship and then it went from there. But she forced her way in, she became popular without the help of 'the scene'."
Ultimately, it's passion, allied with community - across the generations - that keeps D’n’B and Jungle surviving… and thriving.
Written by Duncan JA Dick - IMS contributor. Opinions expressed are the author’s own.
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