It’s now officially 2012. Whether the Mayan prophecy is true, whether we’ll be transformed or destroyed any day now has yet to be determined. One thing is for certain though: the same ol’ electronic music formulas just ain’t cutting it. 2011 was a year of destroying expectations of club music.

Every genre launched its tempos, rhythms and arrangements into haphazard, spiraling directions. By the way things are going—at least when it comes to bass music—we’ll finally be defining musical movements not by limiting categories, but by taste and attitude. Are you ready for the next soundsystem riot? Look no further than Swamp81.

Swamp81 is a record label runned by Loefah, the notorious dubstep icon and member of DMZ. After a series of successful vinyl releases over the last decade on renowned dubstep labels Big Apple, DMZ and Tectonic, Loefah remained relatively quiet when it came to production and DJing. 2009 marked his return, as he released the first 12” on his new label Swamp81: a Kryptic Minds single release with “One Of Us” on the A side. From there, a series of similar, murky releases dropped in 2010. There’s the Kryptic Minds full length album, the Skream release “Repercussions Of A Razorblade,” as well as the menacing low end of The Bug‘s “Run” 12,” featuring various versions of his Control riddim.

The huge turning point for Swamp81, however, was the smash hit by Addison Groove, “Footcrab.” “Footcrab” combines the stutter-step of Chicago’s juke music, the bounce of Baltimore club and sub bass low end of dubstep. The result is such a unique track that it was embraced by DJs of a variety of genres, and was one of the most original sounding tracks to come out that year. The track knocks at a sweaty house party just as hard as it knocks in the main room of Fabric.

Rather than piggyback on the hype of “Footcrab” and release a slew of juke-dubstep hybrids, Swamp81 continued to break boundaries. Pinch‘s “Croydon House” sounds as if Basic Channel and Darth Vader collaborated on a future house tune after last call; an exciting new direction for Pinch. Then there’s the old school electro and techno influenced jams. Boddika‘s “Electron” and Addison Groove’s “Work It” are unique, dark and mechanical bangers perfect for warehouse after hours.

And last year, one of the best releases on the label—”Sicko Cell“—was yet again another ground breaking moment for the label. Is it house? Is it dubstep? Who cares, it’s just awesome. This track by an Unknown Artist (*cough* Joy Orbison *cough*) was another cross-genre hit, and deservedly made XLR8R’s Best Of 2011 list.

By combining the best elements of the past, present and future with taste, attitude and the dancefloor in mind, the Swamp81 riot won’t stop anytime soon. If you’ve been tuning into Loefah’s Swamp81 show on Rinse FM, you’ll hear an incredible selection of brand new dubplates and white labels, which lately have been mostly influenced-by-but-not-limited-to classic Chicago house.

And let’s not forget the recent release of the outrageously catchy “Swims” by Boddika and Joy Orbison. I’ve never heard a better use of cowbell than…well…That Skit I don’t want to mention because my bro-y cousin has a t-shirt of it from Urban Outfitters (I don’t actually have a bro-y cousin but you can picture it, can’t ya?). So if you’re a fan of minimal beats, originality, sub woofers and future bass bounce, start a riot with the rest of us! Walk for me!

The transition from “dated and lame” to “retro and cool” takes about twenty years. For most of the last decade, the 80s dance party was a reliable staple of nightlife. But once the dancefloor is flooded with kids born after the time period in question, it’s time to move on to the next ironically detached, nostalgia fueled trend.

Forget about Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Dead or Alive, it’s time for C+C Music Factory and Deee-Lite. Fear not – leading the charge is Toronto’s Azari & III. While the duo, comprised of Dinamo Azari and Alixander III, might claim otherwise, they make house music that is heavily influenced by a time period that is finally ripe for homage.

Their first release, “Hungry for the Power,” is a deep house groove that relies on elements of Miami bass and rubbery synthesizers. The interplay between diva vocals and spoken word is provided by frequent collaborators Fritz Helder and SYF (Starving Yet Full). The sinister clip evokes the seedy, coke-and-whore clubs that the track belongs in (it’s also very NSFW).

“Reckless (With Your Love)” is the duo’s breakthrough for a reason – from it’s first syncopated beat, the track is relentless. Reminiscent of Robin S’ classic “Show Me Love,” the track is a modern take on house music of yore. And as strong as the original is, Tensnake’s remix goes even further in its tribute to an era, sampling Snap’s classic “The Power.”

The group’s latest single, “Manic,” flirts with Prince-like theatrics. The connection doesn’t end with future funk, either: Prince did write “Manic Monday,” after all. As remixers, Azari & III have brought their house sensibility to tracks by artists as diverse as HEALTH, Cut Copy, and CFCF. Their remix of “Days” by Mishka-favorites Creep is just as sinister as the original, if a little more ready for the dance floor.

Azari & III aren’t just bringing the 90s back – they’re also helping put Toronto on the map as an electronic dance music hot spot with their sex-fueled house music.

Toronto beatsmiths Zeds Dead get their name from an iconic line in Pulp Fiction. It’s a fitting choice, because the duo samples and reconstructs music in the same way that Quentin Tarantino references other films in his post-modern tours de force, giving a new feel to the familiar and classic.

The pair has been producing together since 2004, originally crafting hip hop under the alias Mass Productions. They started working as Zeds Dead in 2009 and haven’t looked back since, releasing a string of originals and remixes over the last two years and steadily building their international profile. Their weekly party BassMentality (along with the Killabits) has been host to the likes of Nero, Skrillex, 12th Planet, Borgore, Mary Anne Hobbs, and Plastician, among others.

That crew gives you a sense of what to expect from Zeds Dead: a sound heavily rooted in dubstep, but with elements of everything from classic rock to hip hop. One of their earliest songs, “Dark Side Dub,” uses an old dubstep template to great effect, combining Star Wars samples, plenty of wobble, and a hyped-up breakbeat.

Zeds Dead would chafe at being pigeonholed as just dubstep artists. On the Mad Decent release “Rumble in the Jungle,” the duo experiments with tropical percussion and a percolating bass line, while mashing Kingston’s Mavado and (the other kind of) jungle on “Undah Yuh Skirt.” This year’s “Rude Boy” features Omar LinX over a grimy hip hop beat and some razor-sharp bass.

While they continue to grow as producers, Zeds Dead might have found their true calling as remixers. Sampling everything from the Rolling Stones to Sublime to Radiohead, the duo is poised to capture new fans who are gravitating to the world of dubstep and away from mainstream rock. However, one of their strongest yet comes from a more obscure source: Blue Foundation’s “Eyes on Fire.” Their remix, which appeared on Luvstep 2, fuses the original’s melodic vocals with an undercurrent of synth bass. 16 million YouTube viewers can’t be wrong.

Catch Zeds Dead as they wrap up their 50+ date Graveyard Tour, and don’t miss them in our Holiday 2011 Lookbook.

When it comes to hip hop, Glasgow isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Perhaps beautiful women, great nightlife, Optimo and curling, but not exactly that boom bap bounce. That is until LuckyMe, the international crew of talented, forward-thinking artists and beatsmiths formed. Since its inception, LuckyMe—a record label, DJ/producer crew, party series, clothing company and art collective—have raised the bar in club music with their own brand of melodic, left-field pop.

Like all good movements and collectives, LuckyMe started simply as a party. The party started in Glasgow during the mid 2000s in a 100 person capacity vegan rock venue. Originally rooted in a common love of hip hop, the crew—starting with Hudson Mohawke, Rustie, Mike Slott and The Blessings — quickly incorporated more influences with their own unique taste. Their parties later introduced elements of techno, house, jazz and post-rock, as well as beats from the ever-evolving modern UK club music scene.

On the cosmic date of 07/07/07, LuckyMe started operating as a record label. The label’s first release, Hudson Mohawke’s monster remix of “Oops” by Tweet, immediately grabbed worldwide attention. This hype rework of a R&B classic became the first signature sound of LuckyMe: cheeky, heavy, melodic, soulful, innovative and downright catchy. Instead of being pigeonholed as a label that only releases rap reworks, later releases such as Mike Slott’s “Lucky 9Teen” and American Men‘s “Cool World” explored the ethereal side of the LuckyMe style. Mike Slott’s music could be described as melodic, off-the-grid headphone burners to listen to on long subway rides, while American Men is a colorful, math rock live band with jazz and post rock vibes.

In addition to releasing quality EPs and singles, each member of the LuckyMe crew is an international spotrocker in their own right. Hudson Mohawke released his critically acclaimed full length album “Butter” in 2009 on Warp, while Machinedrum released his next level album “Room(s)” on Planet Mu earlier this year. And who can forget the Montreal players Lunice and Jacques Greene? Both DJs and producers were infamous for throwing epic parties in their hometown, and their EPs on LuckyMe showcase their big bass ethos to the world. From Glasgow, London, New York, Montreal to Berlin, these guys know how to get the party started.

If you were fortunate enough to be in Chinatown in New York on September 2010, you got to see an amazing, rare lineup: Hudson Mohawke, Rustie, The Blessings, Mike Slott, Lunice, Jacques Greene, Eclair Fifi, Machinedrum, Cubic Zirconia and Azealia Banks. I was there and trust me, I’ve never seen anything like it. Seeing this entire crew all at once in a gritty, Chinatown ballroom until the break of dawn was unlike any party I’ve ever been to. It will be years before anyone can catch up to the originally of all of these artists when they’re all on the same stage.

The end of 2011 and soon to be beginning of 2012 looks promising for LuckyMe. Rustie recently dropped his highly anticipated debut album Glass Swords on Warp (be sure to catch my review of it), and their recent signing of Montreal’s Ango pushes the future R&B fueled pop we now know and love into new realms. On their facebook page they jokingly describe themselves as “post cool,” but really though…they are! What brings all these cats together? They’re just cooler and ahead of everyone else out there.

ANGO – ANOTHER CITY NOW by LuckyMe Music Art Parties

In recent years, no doubt related to the blogosphere and social media, club music has been boosted into overdrive. New genres are born every month, and every night of the week–in all major cities around the world–there are outlandish, haphazard parties mashing all of these new club bangers together. Some are flashes in the pan; some are here to stay. In the City of Brotherly Love, one crew stands out and continues to dish out quality tracks. Over the last decade, Philadelphia based bass record label and DJ crew Seclusiasis has managed to ride the wave of it all and develop their own innovative sound: “street bass.”

As early as 2000, Dev79 founded Seclusiasis by throwing underground parties around town. Later that year, he began releasing music incorporating elements of hip hop, glitch, rave music and grime in his production style. In 2004, sci-fi bass titan Starkey joined the label and continues to co-pilot the direction of the sound. After a few years of more forward-thinking releases, 2006 suddenly became a pivotal year for the Philly label. It was the year Street Bass Anthems Vol. 1 dropped, which would coin the term of their distinct sound–“street bass”–which they’re famous for today. The compilation included bootleg remixes of popular, well-known rap anthems such as Clipse’s “Wamp Wamp,” Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s” and Pharrell’s “Frontin’,” all tailored and refixed to the street bass style. The popularity of this underground mixtape lead to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th installments of the Street Bass Anthems series, this time including bootlegs and originals from collaborators and bass kings Chrissy Murderbot, DNAEBEATS, Siyoung, BD1982, Slugabed, Stagga, Hovatron, Buddy Leezle and more.

Branching and expanding outside of the Street Bass Anthems series, the duo moved forward with their Philly bass ethos by releasing a series of original singles, EPs and LPs from like-minded artists around the world. One of my favorite tracks from Seclusiasis is Raffertie‘s “Wobble Horror,” co-released by Planet Mu Records. All at once the track combines elements of grime, dubstep, dirty south hip hop and rave into one big street bass banger. Though Seclusiasis is notorious for its filthy Philly basslines, they’re not afraid to drop innovative, creative and left-field albums, such as Kotchy‘s 89 and BD1982′s Let’s Talk Math along the way. In 2010 and 2011, the label expanded their roster by including EPs from Siyoung, Kastle, Halp and an album by San Francisco-based futureblap badman, DNAEBEATS.

What separates Seclusiasis from other bass labels, aside from their great catalog and talented DJs, is the parties they throw in Philadelphia. In the last two years, the Who Run It?! party series has been a defining moment for the crew, where they bring in all of their international friends in the name of street bass. Seclusiasis has brought in the likes of Plastician, EPROM, Distal, Gemmy, AC Slater, Udachi, Mike Slott and many more. If you have never been to any of their parties, you’re missing out. Simply put, no one throws parties blending all things heavy bass, rave, rap and dubstep with such an original swag, unique to Philly and the rest of the world.

Not stopping anytime soon, 2011 is continuing to be a massive year for the long running bass label. You can expect a new EP from DNAEBEATS called Tangled in Technology, an EP from Edmonton-based duo Knight Riderz called For Real,” a 7″ from Atlanta-based speed demon Distal for his tracks “Eel / The Kurgan,” as well as another Siyoung EP and a solid single, “Street Hawk”, from old school grime producer J Sweet that has been recently making alot of waves along side veteran Alias.

Last but not least, the highly anticipated Street Bass Anthems Vol. 5 will be dropping this Fall. As if that wasn’t enough bass for your face, you can catch up on their sister label “Slit Jockey Records,” operated by Starkey, Dev79 and El Carnicero, and their infamous Who Run It?! podcast series. When it comes to North American East Coast bass bangers, look no further than that Philly raw street bass.

When writing about bass music, a frequent theme is former drum and bass producers who started producing dubstep. However, no D’n’B producer has reached higher heights before abandoning the genre than DJ Zinc.

DJ Zinc, aka Londer East Ender Benjamin Pettit, has been a force in the electronic music scene since 1995′s “Super Sharp Shooter.” By 2007, however, he found the drum and bass scene stagnant and decided to forge a new path for himself. Zinc’s output since has been a bass-heavy blend of fidget, house, funky and dubstep that he provocatively calls crack house.

The finest example of his current style is the party starter “Wile Out,” a track that guarantees that a crowd will do just that. Between the funky riddim, oscillating bassline, and Ms. Dynamite’s singing/toasting, “Wile Out” is a big track. In a similar vein, Zinc teams up with Benga and Ms. Dynamite on the wobbly “My DJ.”

Zinc has released two volumes entitled Crack House, with the latest dropping last year. Volume 2 contains nine peak hour massives. The hypnotic bass of “Nexx” was harnessed by DJ Benzi on Donnis’ “Shawwty” on a Get Right Radio mixtape. “Old Flame” proves that old habits die hard, as Zinc gives the track a very early-90s rave feel.

The track to listen for dancefloors across the world, however, is “Gimme the Camera,” which features Angela Hunte (of Magnetic Man’s “I Need Air”). The bass is a little too saw-toothed and wobbly for the song to be electro, even if the “gimme the camera and let me videotape ya” hook is right out of the electro-house playbook.

Zinc may be done with drum and bass, but he’s just getting started with crack house. And this sound is addictive.

Even when the well runs dry of quality club music and your average Saturday night is saturated with formulaic, cookie-cutter cuts, few labels are able to swim against the tide and release groundbreaking music for soundsystems everywhere. Tempa, one of London’s first and longest running dubstep and garage labels, has always been brave enough to step up to the plate.

We can’t start the Tempa story without OG dubstep innovators, Horsepower Productions. In an era when garage began to drift into a cheesy, “velvet-rope” direction, the original members of Horsepower Productions (Benny Ill, Lev Jnr, and Nasis) forged their own brand of crisp, dub-influenced garage with their single “When You Hold Me,” the first Tempa release in 2000. Their tasteful, creative single set the standard for what would later be categorized as the genre we now know as dubstep. By combining elements of drum and bass, 2step and dub in a way no one else had done prior, “When You Hold Me” still stands as a critical track that would inspire an entire generation of bass music producers. Later Tempa releases such as “Fist of Fury,” “The Swindle” and Benny Ill and Hatcha‘s “Highland Spring” demonstrated that this developing dubstep sound was no fluke or flash in the pan: this would become the new sound of London.

Enter: Skream. In 2005, Skream released what would become one of the most famous dubstep singles, “Midnight Request Line.” Its half time, grime-influenced drums, dub sub bass and rolling, eerie synths still sound fresh today as it did the day it was first rinsed as a dubplate. Skream, as well as the Tempa label, quickly became a household name with this seminal release. In true Tempa form, however, the hype and quality of releases didn’t stop there. The following year in 2006, Tempa released a slew of essential record collecting works, including Skreamizm Vol. 1, D1‘s “Degrees,” Coki‘s “Shattered” and Tempa Allstars Vol. 3.

Enter: Benga. In 2007, Tempa released Benga and Coki’s “Night,” one of biggest dubstep crossover hits to date. The year it came out, “Night” could be heard at techno nights, house nights, drum and bass nights and of course every dubstep around the world. In 2008, following the momentous hype of “Night” was Benga’s pivotal dubstep full length, “Diary of An Afro Warrior.” Songs such as “Crunked Up,” “26 Basslines,” “Loose Synths” and “Pleasure” not only were unlike any club anthems then, but Benga’s unique style has yet to be emulated today.

Tempa still remains one of the most influential, fundamental and integral labels of dubstep and continues to release quality records. This year alone featured Dubstep Allstars: Vol. 08 mixed by Distance, the room-shaking low end of J:Kenzo‘s “The Roteks,” and Skream’s smooth, melodic festival banger “Where You Should Be.” For anyone interested in serious low end, dubstep and its roots, get familiar with the entire Tempa catalog.

Before dubstep was a household name, there was Dub Police. Founded by Caspa in 2005, the UK label has helped launch the careers of an impressive list of DJs and producers that continue to dominate the ever-growing bass music landscape. With over 60 releases, Dub Police is the go-to label for dubstep that is true its roots.

Dub Police’s first dubplate was a re-release of L-Wiz’s “Girlfriend.” The Swedish duo have been dabbling in dubstep since 2000, but this ominous wobbler turned heads. Dub Police has also released their mellow “Girl From Codeine City” and stomach-turning “Strength.”

Dub Police has the distinction of releasing Rusko’s first production, the chiptune-and-reggae stomper “SNES Dub.” The track is an important reminder that before Rusko was rocking festivals with his high-energy sets, Chris Mercer was just a kid from Leeds who made chilled-out dubstep. In similar fashion, Dub Police has pressed early records for Subscape, The Others, and N-Type.

No name has become more synonymous with Dub Police — or dubstep in general — than Birmingham’s Emalkay. 2009’s massive “When I Look at You” has been the archetype for countless club hits, shifting from chipmunk vocals to sinewy synth stabs to — finally — razorbacked subwoofer blasts. Since then, Dub Police has released a handful of Emalkay joints, including this year’s full length Eclipse, the first for the label.

Six years and over 60 releases later, the label is still going strong. Up next is Tuesday’s Universal EP by Subscape. Lead single “Turn Me On” (which you’ll find above) is a major-key crowd-pleaser from the rising producer, another dubstep heavyweight thanks to the only police you should trust: Dub Police.

The name of UK dance maven Doorly‘s record label, Pigeonhole This! is a big eff-you to people who would attempt to do exactly that with his sound. Techno and electro, drum’n'bass and dubstep, hip hop and indie – Doorly does it all. Scratching and splicing his way through high energy dance sets, he’s been described as “an old school block party DJ using new school technology.”

His unique style has earned the globetrotting party starter residencies every where from the UK to Ibiza at seminal clubs and dance nights Ibiza Rocks, Wax:On, Metropolis and Reclaim The Dance Floor. Where he’s played is nearly as impressive as who he’s played alongside, a list that includes Groove Armada, Chase and Status, Kissy Sell Out, Tiga, Fake Blood, Skream, Pendulum, Boys Noize, Erol Alkan, Diplo, Proxy, Scratch Perverts, Benga, Grooverider, Sinden and Soulwax.

If you’ve never seen Doorly live, then you’ve definitely heard one of his earthquaking remixes. Doorly has used the same anything-goes approach on his remixes of tracks by Basement Jaxx, The Prodigy, Calvin Harris, Groove Armada, Kanye West, Marina & The Diamonds and MSTRKRFT; if you’ve heard a dubstep remix of these artists and more, it was probably Doorly’s creation. His remix of Dizzee Rascal’s “Bonkers” accentuates the wobbling bass, bringing the grime superstar back to the club.

Doorly captures the spirit of his live sets in his own productions. Last year’s “Toys/Horsestep” went from bass-heavy house to galloping dubstep, and his Pigeonhole This! EPs have branched out even further. His latest, released this month, goes from grime (“She’s Got Moves”) to vocal house (“Your Love”), adding in bits of jump-up rave throughout. Doorly refuses to be pigeonholed, and dance music fans are better for it.

Doorly – Pigeonhole This! EP3 by Doorly

Before there were online magazines, blogs and endless digital resources for discovering new music, pirate radio was one of the only ways to discover underground music. DJs and tastemakers on these pirate radio stations were essential in not only developing a community of like-minded, forward-thinking artists, but communicating their visions to an international audience. Pirate radio at its core is a platform for new, uncensored ideas, as well as preserving the integrity of the genres it supports. For 17 years and counting, Rinse.FM is arguably the most important pirate radio station of the UK.

Since 1994, Rinse.FM has been a central voice for London’s underground electronic music scene. Beginning with jungle, drum and bass and never hesitant to evolve as fast as London’s electronic music innovators, DJs on Rinse.FM were spinning cutting-edge content which “major” radio stations were afraid to broadcast. Around 2003, Rinse became one of the flagship outlets for the world’s first exposure to grime. Departing from the feel-good attitude of UK garage and house, grime developed a darker, more aggressive take on London’s club music. Grime embraced abrasive, “broken” drums, filthy basslines and antagonistic lyrics. While major radio stations in the UK ignored the growing grime community due to offensive lyrical content and lack of faith in its commercial worth, Rinse.FM cultivated the growing grime sound by playing local, upcoming producers and vocalists. Before the mainstream success of such grime OGs as Wiley, Dizzee Rascal and the whole Roll Deep Crew, Rinse FM was playing their tracks far before they became household names worldwide.

The popularity and influence of Rinse grew exponentially around 2006-2007, as it not only embraced drum and bass, garage and grime, but the newly developing sounds of UK funky and dubstep. Rinse’s commander-in-chief Geeneus exposed London to the unique rhythms of UK funky and became one of the original champions of its developing sound, as well as previous Serious Saturday artist Roska. Of course we can’t forget that Skream, Benga, Kode9 and Plastician all DJed on Rinse in the early developments of dubstep, and premiered brand-new dubplates London had never heard before until their live broadcasts.

Along with Rinse’s history of DJs past and present, Rinse’s current schedule is an excellent overview of all of London’s current tastemakers. My personal favorites are the menacing dubstep vibes of N-Type and Plastician, the technicolor, left-field house sounds of Nightslugs leaders Bok Bok & L-Vis 1990, the new generation sound of grime with Elijah and Skilliam and so much more. I’ve only began to scratch the surface of Rinse’s current talent, and I haven’t even mentioned the “your favorite DJ’s favorite DJ” hosts, Youngsta, Oneman and Ben UFO.

Now in its 17th year and with a legal broadcast license, Rinse will only continue to grow in international popularity. In recent years Rinse has put on gigantic festivals featuring their in-house talent, have released periodic and diverse mixes for their mix series, and the Skream and Benga Rinse show has been picked up by BBC Radio 1. With all this exposure and attention, Rinse still maintains its fundamental authenticity. They continue to broadcast new styles of music, preserve the genres of music they helped develop and remain politically active within the UK community. Various Rinse DJs have spoken out against the recent London riots, urging Londoners to cease the violence and looting. Having been through almost two decades of pushing things forward, Rinse won’t be backing down on badman beats anytime soon. When it comes to hearing the best in UK underground music at any hour, don’t touch that dial!