1985 Music: The Modern Blueprint of Bass Innovation

1985 Music is where boundaries dissolve. Founded by Alix Perez in 2016, the label took the precision of drum & bass and stretched it across tempos — from halftime to jungle, dubstep to techno. Every release feels sculpted: stripped-down, dynamic, and emotionally tuned. In a landscape obsessed with trends, it’s one of the few labels that have releases that consistently sound timeless.

Foundations: Alix Perez and the Post-Exit Generation

By the mid-2010s, Alix Perez was already a respected figure in drum & bass. His early releases on Shogun Audio, including the 2009 album 1984, showcased his melodic sensibility and technical control. But over time, Perez began to lean away from traditional DnB structure — exploring slower tempos, broken rhythms, and a wider emotional palette.

After collaborations with dBridge and Exit Records’ artists, the formation of 1985 Music felt inevitable. It was his chance to carve a new lane — not just for himself, but for producers who valued clarity, low-end control, and musical depth.

The 1985 Sound

Every 1985 release has a recognisable DNA:

• Tight, spacious drums.

• Controlled sub frequencies that hit hard but never muddy the mix.

• Clean, minimal arrangements that rely on groove and tone rather than overload.

The tempo may shift — 85, 130, 160, 170 BPM — but the aesthetic remains unified. The label’s catalogue moves fluidly between halftime, jungle, dubstep, and experimental bass, yet it always sounds like 1985.

Tracks such as Alix Perez – “Melodrama”, Skeptical – “Charge”, and SubMarine – “Xertz” showcase this balance perfectly: refined, engineered, and emotionally charged.

A Collective of Precision

The 1985 roster reads like a cross-section of the best producers working in the UK bass sphere. Artists such as Monty, Visages, SubMarine, Eprom, Skeptical, Trail, Napes, and Shimah contribute distinct sounds that align under the same philosophy — innovation through restraint.

Rather than chase hype drops, these producers focus on drum texture, space, and sub pressure. You can hear the influence of hip-hop, dub, and sound system culture throughout, but everything is filtered through a lens of modern engineering.

This approach gives the label consistency without repetition. Every release feels part of a long-term conversation about where bass music goes next.

Halftime and Hybrid Rhythms

One of 1985’s most significant contributions has been bringing halftime into the mainstream of electronic production. What began as a fringe experiment within the Exit Records sphere evolved into a fully realised sound on 1985 — slower, heavier, and moodier, but with the same energy as 170 BPM drum & bass.

Tracks like Alix Perez & Eprom – “The Alibi”, Monty – “Magenta”, and SubMarine – “Karma” blurred the line between DnB and dubstep, shaping a new tempo range that producers across genres now reference.

This rhythmic flexibility allowed DJs to bridge sets between styles, creating fluid transitions between 140, 160, and 170 BPM. 1985 effectively became the connective tissue between bass scenes that had once been separated.

Visual and Sonic Identity

1985’s branding mirrors its music: minimal, clean, and purposeful. The artwork is consistent — monochrome palettes, sharp typography, and subtle detail. It doesn’t rely on nostalgia or retro imagery. Instead, it feels timeless, aligning with the sound’s clarity and discipline.

That visual control carries through to the label’s events, from 1985 showcases across Europe and North America to collaborative club nights with artists like Ivy Lab and Noisia’s Vision. Each show is curated like a studio project — precise, powerful, and engineered for maximum impact.

Production Ethos

At its core, 1985 is about engineering excellence. Its records are mastered for weight and clarity, not loudness. Drums are sculpted rather than layered, and arrangements are stripped to their essentials. It’s production that rewards good monitoring and punishes sloppy mixing — a benchmark for sound design.

For many young producers, the label has become a reference point for mixdown quality. If Metalheadz represented the golden age of jungle engineering, and Exit embodied experimentation, 1985 represents technical precision with emotional depth.

Beyond Drum & Bass

Alix Perez has made it clear that 1985 isn’t a drum & bass label — it’s a bass music label. Releases comfortably sit at 85, 130, 160, and 170 BPM, blending influences from dub, garage, and electro without feeling forced. This versatility reflects Perez’s wider collaborations with Eprom under the SHADES project and his crossover work in sound design.

By refusing to be boxed into a single genre, 1985 remains adaptable — a crucial reason why its catalogue still feels relevant in a constantly shifting scene.

Legacy and Impact

In less than a decade, 1985 has become one of the most trusted labels in electronic music. Its influence extends across scenes: you’ll find its tracks in techno sets, experimental bass mixes, and headline DnB shows alike. The label’s focus on sound over style has earned respect from both underground heads and industry veterans.

It continues the lineage of labels like Metalheadz and Exit Records, not by copying them, but by evolving their spirit — pushing boundaries with discipline, precision, and a deep respect for low-end culture.

Conclusion

1985 Music represents modern electronic music at its sharpest — emotionally rich, technically flawless, and genre-fluid.
Every release feels deliberate, from mixdown to artwork, and every artist under its banner contributes to a wider ecosystem built on integrity and craft.

Alix Perez created a standard. And in a time when electronic music is saturated by quick releases and throwaway trends, 1985 stands as proof that taste, patience, and quality still matter.