12 of the most influential grime and dubstep labels of the last decade

Dubstep was first coined back in 2002 by Tempa founder Neil Jolliffe. It’s a pivotal player for many reasons, perhaps most importantly of all, for the early championing of Skream, who would go on to form the sonic framework the genre still relies on today. From the game-changing ‘Midnight Request Line’, one of the most recognisable dubstep productions in existence, to the seminal sounds of his debut album ‘Skream!’. Other key contenders such as Appleblim, Youngsta, Distance, Hatcha, Kode9 and Horsepower Productions also dropped cuts on the label, making it perhaps the most inherently influential outlet for unadulterated dubstep in it’s purest, rawest form.

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To call DMZ just an influential imprint would be an unjust remark. A cult concept, DMZ runs as both a label and a party, conceived by Digital Mystikz, the production duo made up of Mala, Coki, alongside Loefah (honorary shout out to Swamp 81), and Sgt. Pokes. Rooted in Croydon and Big Apple Records, the legacy and importance of DMZ reaches far beyond its humble beginnings, back when dubstep as a legitimate genre was all but unheard of. As intertwined with the music as an atmospheric wobble, DMZ tracks like, ‘Anti War Dub’, ‘Spongebob’ and ‘Mud’ still go off in the rave today.

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