Music
It’s now 30 years since those formative Sunday sessions inaugurated UK garage, yet the sound hasn’t aged a day. Perhaps that’s due to perspectives – dismiss TikTok all you want, but the platform has helped introduce UKG (and drum ‘n’ bass, for that matter) to a whole new generation. Dr Dubplate has soaked himself in system culture, a club fixture since his early days holding down the cloakroom at legendary London basement Plastic People.
These days he’s based in Bristol, the founder and curator of the key ec2a imprint. Essentially, the man knows a thing or two about beats – and UK garage in particular.
A perennial love in his life, Dr Dubplate leads from the front, continuing to platform and champion new voices within garage, alongside spinning favourites and deep cuts from the original era. Having spent 2022 hosting label takeovers at pivotal clubs such as fabric and Beams, he steams into summer with a fair amount of justified confidence.
Clash caught up with Dr Dubplate, and he kindly picked out seven UKG shellers from the new generation of producers…
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Silva Bumpa – Feel Aight
This one here is a straight essential. Fresh from the ec2a sub label – TWLVZ! Really love a bit of classic 4×4 speed garage and Bumpa nails it on this one. Proper future classic vibes.
Soul Mass Transit System – Come Together As One
This one by the legends Soul Mass Transit System is essential. Two absolute face melters. I’ve been playing ‘Come together As One’ in literally all of my DJ sets recently, proper naughty 2-steppa.
Da Elusive Ganjaman – Da Return
This one by Da Elusive Ganjaman is too cold! One of my favourite record labels – Hardline. Lovely little sample and a proper cheeky little groove. I love warming up with these kinda vibes. Always sets the precedent.
INVT & Logan_Olm – IGNITE DEM
Whatever you do today, make sure you run this one by INVT and Logan! I absolutely love these producers from Miami. It’s not explicitly 2-step or Garage but I feel like the influences can definitely be heard in the production style. Proper bass heavy jams and then Logan with the iconic vocals.. Love the sounds coming out that side of the world! But yeah every DJ needs this on their stick.
Introspekt – Deep Inside
This one absolutely sets the tone in any set, classic “deep inside” sample too, always gets a lovely crowd reaction. Hold tight the US Queen of UK Garage and 2step. I feel like Introspekt is one of the most exciting artists coming out of the US. The way she makes some of the most authentic sounding 2-step and Garage has me convinced she must have been from South London in a past life… Absolutely sick EP as well! Go check it out.
TUBZ. – Like That
Who don’t love a fat warp! Big ups to TUBZ on this one, I’m obsessed with the crispy drums paired with this absolutely ridiculous baseline. Been rinsing it in all of my sets lately always catch a couple gun fingers in the mist…
Silva Bumpa – Body Right
This is probably one of my favourite tunes at the moment and you can be sure to hear it in almost all of my sets! Silva Bumpa is an absolutely badboy producer and I’m obsessed with all of his productions. This slick melodies paired with that lovely vocal sampling get me every time and it really merges that gap between the soulfulness of house music and club readiness of 4×4 UK garage. Cannot wait to rinse this at all the festivals this year!
