Drum & bass has been around for more than 30 years, and while the tempo usually stays around 170–176BPM, the sound has evolved into dozens of different styles. Whether you're new to the genre or just want to understand the difference between jump up and liquid, this guide breaks down the main drum & bass subgenres you'll hear at festivals and in clubs across the UK.
Liquid Drum & Bass
If you've ever heard a drum & bass track with emotional vocals, smooth melodies and uplifting piano, chances are it was liquid.
Liquid DnB is known for its more melodic sound while still keeping the fast paced drums that define the genre. It's one of the most accessible styles for newcomers and is often played during daytime festival sets.
Expect: Vocals, melodies, soulful atmospheres and feel good energy.
Popular artists:
- Hybrid Minds
- LSB
-
Etherwood
- Monrroe
- Logistics
Jump Up
Jump up is one of the biggest subgenres in the UK festival scene.
Known for its heavy basslines, playful sounds and energetic drops, it's designed to get crowds moving. It's loud, fun and often doesn't take itself too seriously.
If you've been to Boomtown or a DnB Allstars event, you've almost certainly heard plenty of jump up.
Expect: Big basslines, crowd reactions and high energy drops.
Popular artists:
- Hedex
- Serum
- Simula
- Sota
-
Turno
Dancefloor Drum & Bass
Dancefloor sits somewhere between liquid and jump up.
It's clean, polished and packed with catchy melodies while still delivering enough energy for festivals and clubs. It's one of the most popular modern styles and appeals to a wide audience.
Expect: Catchy melodies, big builds and festival friendly drops.
Popular artists:
- Sub Focus
- Netsky (although has many liquid songs too!)
- Dimension
- Culture Shock
- Metrik
- Wilkinson
- K Motionz
-
1991
Neurofunk
Neurofunk takes things in a darker direction.
With complex bass design, technical production and relentless energy, it's one of the most detailed subgenres in drum & bass. Every sound feels carefully engineered, creating a futuristic and often aggressive atmosphere.
Expect: Dark sound design, technical basslines and powerful drops.
Popular artists:
- Camo and Krooked
-
Black Sun Empire
- Noisia
- A.M.C
- Mefjus
Jungle
Jungle is where it all began. This is not Drum & Bass, more of a precursor and needs to be mentioned. Modern drum & bass wouldn't exist without it.
Emerging in the early 1990s, jungle combined breakbeats, reggae, dancehall and dub influences to create a completely new sound.
You'll still hear plenty of jungle sets at festivals, often bringing together older ravers and younger fans alike.
Expect: Chopped breakbeats, reggae samples and old school rave energy.
Popular artists:
- Ed Solo
-
Nia Archives
- Shy FX
Rollers
Rollers focus less on dramatic drops and more on keeping the groove flowing.
Instead of constantly changing direction, roller tracks build momentum with deep basslines and driving drums that keep dancers moving from start to finish.
They're a favourite in clubs because they maintain energy without feeling repetitive.
Expect: Rolling basslines, deep grooves and continuous energy.
Popular artists:
- Bou
- Voltage
- Alcemist
- Breaks
- DLR
- Born On Road
-
Kings of the Rollers
Minimal Drum & Bass
Minimal strips things back.
Rather than filling every second with huge basslines, minimal producers use space, subtle percussion and simple but effective bass sounds to create tension.
It's proof that sometimes less really is more.
Expect: Clean production, stripped back rhythms and deep bass.
Popular artists:
- Halogenix
- Skeptical
- Workforce
- Visages
- Monty
- The Sauce
Artists Who Don't Fit Just One Subgenre
While drum & bass is often split into subgenres, not every artist sticks to one style. Many producers experiment with different sounds throughout their careers, and some are known for blending multiple influences into their music.
Pendulum are a great example. Although they're most commonly associated with dancefloor drum & bass, their music also incorporates rock, electronic and breakbeat influences, helping introduce drum & bass to a much wider audience.
Chase & Status are another artist that regularly crosses boundaries. Across their catalogue you'll find everything from dancefloor anthems and jungle inspired tracks to heavier bass/dubstep music and collaborations with artists from outside the DnB scene.
Ultimately, the best drum & bass artists aren't always defined by one subgenre. Exploring different styles is part of what makes the scene so exciting, and you may find your favourite artists don't fit into just one category at all.
Which Subgenre Is the Most Popular?
There's no single answer.
Jump up dominates many UK festivals, dancefloor fills some of the biggest main stages, while liquid, neurofunk, jungle and rollers all have passionate fanbases.
The beauty of drum & bass is that there's something for everyone, and most festivals showcase a mix of styles across different stages.
Which Style Should You Start With?
If you're completely new to drum & bass, try listening to a mix of liquid, dancefloor and jump up first. They offer a great introduction before exploring darker styles like neurofunk or the roots of the genre through jungle.
The best way to discover what you enjoy is to listen to as many different artists and DJs as possible. You might arrive at a festival expecting to love one style and leave obsessed with another.
Drum & Bass Is More Than Just Music
One of the reasons drum & bass has continued to grow is its community. Festivals, clubs and events bring together people from all walks of life, united by a love of fast beats and heavy basslines.
At LBA174 Studios, that culture inspires everything we create. Our graphic T-shirts are designed for people who spend their weekends chasing sets, discovering new artists and living life at 174BPM.
Final Thoughts
Drum & bass has changed enormously since the early '90s, but its energy has never disappeared. Whether you're into liquid, jump up, dancefloor, neurofunk, jungle or rollers, every subgenre has helped shape the scene into what it is today.
If you're just starting your drum & bass journey, don't worry too much about labels. Go to festivals, explore different artists and enjoy discovering the sounds that keep people coming back to the dancefloor year after year.
