Arguably one of the most monumental imprints in drum and bass, V recordings took to London’s Steel Yard to celebrate the launch of their ‘Future’ album. After a sell-out show in November celebrating 25 years of the label, they managed to once again bless a packed-out main room with some of the most versatile and talented producers the scene has to offer. Each set took the crowd on a journey through the many different styles of drum and bass, from soulful melodies to heavy basslines, while still bringing the positive vibes that V’s music is known for.
Opening the night, was the Cheltenham-based Donovan Badboy Smith, a versatile DJ known for his repertoire of deep house and drum and bass. He fittingly opened the night with an hour of feel-good liquid tracks. Alibi, the Brazilian rollers duo formed of V Recordings household names Level 2 and DJ Chap, unloaded tracks from their Said & Done album. Led by Juiceman MC, their performance brought good vibes and high energy as the venue started to fill.
As it turned midnight, one of the most stylistically varied and original producers in the sceneNeed for Mirrors, spun his experimental bass-heavy rhythms from his latest Souped-Up EP, as well as the darker styles from his DRS collaborations on 31 Recordings. A stand-out track was from his latest release on V Recordings, ‘Nipples’ was perfect for Steel Yard’s Nova sound system.
Next up, was one of the most revered artists of this generation and founder of the fast-growing Souped Up label, Serum. He opened with a brand-new track which featured a soulful vocal intro before dropping into a tearing bassline and rolling drums. In a similar fashion to his Kings of The Rollers performances, he drew for his signature punchy, melodic rollers as well as forthcoming tracks from the Souped-Up recordings library, which included Bou’s Scorpio release.
Planet V’s special guest on the night was another Kings of the Rollers member, Voltage. One of the highlight sets of the night, Voltage ran through his usual selection of Low Down Deep anthems, plus a new remix of Bladerunner’s iconic ‘Feel For You’. Voltage’s set was perfectly matched with the monotone but lyrically violent MC Bassman, who’s tongue-in-cheek bars and rhymes worked well against the tracks played.
In the early hours of the morning, V Recordings' veteranKrust graced the decks. Identified as one of the founders of jump-up drum and bass, Krust unleashed a slew of double drops, drawing for his old-school jump up sound which consists of hard-hitting drums, amen breaks and rough basslines. Closing the night, was Command Strange. The exclusively signed V artist from Saint Petersburg, his set fittingly rounded off Planet V with a selection of low-key rollers and deep atmospheric rhythms.
V have been on the road, taking their ‘Future’ tour to Bournemouth, Manchester and Bristol. If you missed out, their final stop is Brighton, taking over The Arch on 27 July, tickets can be purchased here.
Stay tuned for more upcoming events from V and of course the 'Future' album dropping later this year.
Photography - samwrightmedia
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