Just a couple of years ago most of the extended drum & bass community in London would be sporting a rather severe hangover right about now… Flash forward to 2020 and we’re still hungover, but the very landscape of our industry and how we experience music has drastically changed. One thing that hasn’t though, is the quality and levels of creativity that continue to flourish each and every year the Drum&BassArena Awards roll around.
They say the best music comes from dark times, and 2020 has certainly provided the perfect conditions for next-level creativity as people adapt and think outside the box…
Last night’s Drum&BassArena Awards were once again a celebration of the year gone by – and an excuse to unite the D&B-loving public – showcasing some of the amazing music and bodies of work people voted for as their year highlights. Once again adapting with the times, our hosts Jenna G & Dave Columbo Jenkins presented a new-look, fully virtual Awards with winners and runners up interviewed remotely for the first time ever.
We had plenty of Drum&BassArena Awards firsts, with Waeys crowned Best Newcomer – the first winner of the award outside of the UK since 2015.
Pendulum won their first ever Drum&BassArena Awards, picking up the Best Track title for ‘Driver, along with Best Live Stream Set for their performance at Spitbank Fort.
Katie Koven took out the Best Vocalist category, clearly emotional after learning she received more votes than anyone in any of the categories this year, and introduced a very special guest – her adorable dog Hugo – the first ever doggo to grace the Awards (followed by Jenna’s adorable sidekick Henry!).
Metrik was crowned Best Producer for the first time after being nominated in the category for the past couple of years.
Doc Scott topped off an incredible year of streams and quality releases on his 31 Recordings imprint, picking up the Critics’ Choice award, with the legendary Jumpin Jack Frost joining Bryan Gee in our Hall Of Fame for his life-long contribution and dedication to the scene.
Elsewhere we had an emotional Inja who was voted Best MC for the 3rd year in a row, with Hospital Records once again taking out the Best Label title, along with Hospitality for Best Event.
Shy FX’s Raggamuffin Reloaded became the first ever remix LP to take out the Best Album title, and Best Remix went to S.P.Y for his heavyweight re-work of ‘You Got Me’ by Kings of the Rollers.
DLR’s Sofa Sound imprint was crowned Best Newcomer Label, with Noisia Radio winning the Best Podcast category.
The Best DJ accolade once again went to A.M.C, who also dropped an Awards exclusive – revealing his next album will be titled Void and is due to drop next year…
The Awards wouldn’t be complete without some good ol’ fashioned outrage and passionate debate about the results – again, we are aware that our scene is much bigger than these categories, but the Awards are a celebration of this music and the passionate people who make and listen to it.
Thanks again to everyone who continues to work tirelessly for the love of the music, and to bring this scene we all love so much to life – all artists, labels, designers, videographers, promoters and journalists. And a huge thanks to YouTube for providing a platform where we can connect and share music.
Here’s to less isolation and more unity in 2021! In the meantime, here are the top 5 results in each category…
HALL OF FAME
Jumpin Jack Frost
CRITICS’ CHOICE
Doc Scott
BEST NEWCOMER
Waeys
Harriet Jaxxon
Protostar
Alcemist
Gray
BEST DJ
A.M.C
Andy C
Camo & Krooked
Alix Perez
MUZZ
BEST PRODUCER
Metrik
Alix Perez
MUZZ
Calibre
Break
BEST NEWCOMER LABEL
Sofa Sound
Onyx Recordings
Neuropunk Records
Korsakov Music
DIVIDID
BEST ALBUM
Shy FX – Raggamuffin Reloaded
Alix Perez – Without End
Metrik – Ex Machina
Sub Focus & Wilkinson – Portals
Koven – Butterfly Effect
BEST VOCALIST
Koven
Charlotte Haining
Charli Brix
A Little Sound
Degs
BEST MC
Inja
Dynamite MC
SP:MC
Coppa
Degs
BEST LABEL
Hospital Records
1985 Music
Monstercat
RAM Records
Born On Road
BEST TRACK
Pendulum – Driver
Camo & Krooked & Mefjus – No Tomorrow (ft. Sophie Lindinger)
Halogenix – Independent
Bou & Trigga – Veteran VIP
Alix Perez – Lost & Proud w/ Liam Bailey
BEST REMIX
Kings of the Rollers – You Got Me (S.P.Y Remix)
Dillinja – Hard Noize (Break Remix)
Shy FX ft. MC Spyda, D Double E & Frisco – Balaclava (Skeptical Remix)
C418 – Aria Math (Protostar Remix)
Machinedrum & Holly – Berry Patch (IMANU Remix)
BEST ARTWORK
Bertie Simpson for Halogenix – Dragon Force EP
Vitaliy Havrylyuk, Chris Goss & Trickartt for Metrik – Ex Machina
Markus Baga & Matt Maitland for Sub Focus & Wilkinson – Portals
Burenko for Alix Perez – Without End
Vitaliy Havrylyuk for MUZZ – The Promised Land
BEST PODCAST
Noisia Radio
Hospital Podcast
Critical Sund – Rinse FM
V Recordings Podcast
Neuropunk Podcast
BEST LIVE STREAM SET
Pendulum at Spitbank Fort
A.M.C – 6 Deck DJ Set
Upgrade & T>I – Goat Shed x Onyx Recordings / Stay At Home Festival
Andy C – One7Four Stream
MUZZ Presents The Promised Land (LIVE)
BEST EVENT
Hospitality
Boomtown: The Lost Chapter
Let It Roll Winter 2020
Goat Shed x Onyx Recordings – Stay At Home Festival
Rampage Cologne