Max HeyraudSeminal drum & bass producer dBridge has shared his thoughts on the growing trend of artists bootlegging his tracks, warning that an overreliance on the past could ultimately stunt the genre’s future.
The Exit Records boss took to Instagram, here, to address what he described as a “feedback loop” in drum and bass culture, where familiar material is prioritised over forward momentum. According to dBridge, the scene risks becoming trapped in nostalgia if producers continue to lean on pre-existing anthems rather than pushing new ideas.
He drew a clear distinction between reinterpretation and innovation, arguing that remixing or bootlegging already canonised tracks may offer safety rather than genuine creative challenge. “When remixing something that’s pre-validated, you’re not asking people to trust you, you’re asking them to remember something they already love,” he said. “This feels like creative risk aversion dressed up as homage.”
The producer, who first rose to prominence as a member of Bad Company before launching a prolific solo career, emphasised that sampling and borrowing have always been central to drum and bass culture. However, he pointed out that there was a crucial difference in mindset during the genre’s formative years.
“When I started out, yes, we sampled, but it was from outside the scene,” he explained. “It was messy, legally grey, but it came with a belief that the future could sound different from the past.”
Framing the current moment as a generational crossroads, dBridge suggested that today’s producers must decide whether to preserve the status quo or reshape it. “What this generation chooses to do with the sound is entirely up to them,” he added. “I just think there’s more longevity in innovation than in opportunism.”
