Dirtbox Recordings introduces DNB Essentials, a tightly curated compilation series built to deliver album-length drum & bass selections with a clear editorial identity. The launch follows the conclusion of the label’s Tape Pack Project, a three-year run, with DNB Essentials positioned as the next phase for keeping Dirtbox side projects focused and creatively fresh.
DNB Essentials targets a specific gap in the modern compilation landscape: a purpose-built VA album where selection, sequencing, and identity sit at the centre of the listening experience. Inspiration is linked to legacy flagship compilations associated with the genre, most notably Andy C’s Nightlife, and to the sense that a particular lane of high-identity curated compilations became less visible within drum & bass following RAM Records’ closure.
A defining structural twist arrives via rotating curation, with each DNB Essentials album curated by a different name to place a distinct point of view at the forefront of every installment. The rollout combines Dirtbox regulars with 14 newly introduced artists, framing the series as a polished entry point designed to spotlight individual identity rather than anonymous placement.
The first wave draws from several established Dirtbox-linked names. Diode is described as a recurring presence across multiple labels in the orbit, while Akuma returns with ‘Cryo’, presented as a strong example of the current sound focus. Sigmus is positioned as an early-era Dirtbox mainstay, with Impex continuing a long-running association with the label. Bad Ace also appears again following earlier Dirtbox involvement under a different alias and releases tied to the VTO label. Noise Souls features as both a long-standing contributor and a key creative catalyst behind renewed collaboration, with further joint material noted beyond this compilation.
Alongside the familiar names, DNB Essentials is used to introduce and elevate newer arrivals selected from a large volume of demos over the last six months, plus artists already active across related label projects. gANGLADESH—noted as Dallas-based with hip-hop roots—appears following a recent Dirtbox release, while Cyclops, NRV, Mango, Fr4ktion, and 9THWAVE are also included, with additional releases planned across associated labels in 2026. Further contributors highlighted as emerging names include Zak Meow and Levia, plus a wider group flagged as ones to watch through 2026: TIM3LIMIT, Dave Shichman, Bullaway, FractalOne, and Roadboyz.
Quality control is framed as the core rule-set. Track selection prioritises purpose and impact, avoiding the common compilation pitfall of becoming a home for leftover material, with tracklists built to ensure contributions do not get buried in volume.
NRV & CyclopsDNB’s ‘Bass In Your Face’ sits in that sweet spot where liquid polish meets teeth-bared techstep pressure. The roller momentum is immediate, clean, weighty drums pushing forward with a steady, chest-level groove, while the low-end does exactly what the title promises, upfront and unapologetic. Warm pads and atmosphere give it that liquid glide, but the tune keeps throwing gritty little elbows: gnarlier bass stabs, darker accents, and a roughened edge that stops it drifting into “pretty” territory. The result is a mean, club-ready hybrid that works as a late-set switch-up and smooth enough to ride, dirty enough to bite.
DNB Essentials Volume 1 drops on digital, CD, and vinyl on 30 January 2026.