In 1990s-era London, if you wanted to hear the hottest new dance sound, you wouldn’t hit a club at midnight on a Friday or Saturday; you’d head to a bar called The Elephant and Castle on a Sunday morning. After superclub Ministry of Sound closed its doors and ravers spilled out into the sunrise, some would filter into this unassuming spot in the city’s south-east to bounce to UK garage music. This “Sunday scene,” with DJs like Matt Jam Lamont and Todd Edwards, became a destination for dance music enthusiasts who loved the vocal house of American producers like Masters at Work, Todd Terry and Kerri Chandler, but wanted something tougher — with fewer vocals, rawer production styles, bigger basslines and even bigger drum swings.
Throughout the ‘90s, UK garage spawned different styles. Speed garage combined four-on-the-floor rhythms with breakbeats, warped basslines and pitched up vocals, all at 125-140 beats per minute. Double 99’s classic track “Rip Groove” is emblematic of it. As the sound became more popular and ravers spread the word — notably in Ayia Napa, the Ibiza of garage music — it weaved its way into the UK charts by the early ‘00s.
Vocal-led hits were the gateway drug, as American soul and R&B samples were swapped out for live vocalists. Sweet Female Attitude’s “Flowers,” MJ Cole’s “Sincere” and “Crazy Love” and Shola Ama’s “Imagine” are among the genre’s most celebrated. On the tougher side, MC crews came through with rapidfire, party-starting bars. So Solid Crew and Oxide & Neutrino hosted at raves before becoming popular artists in their own right, with hit tracks like “21 Seconds” and “Bound 4 Da Reload” respectively.
As with many genres, though, once UK garage blew up and broke through en masse, it lost some of its street cred. The contemporary tabloid press in particular treated it as either as a joke or a threat, demonizing the genre and its fans with racialized undertones and mocking successful crossover artists like Craig David. UK garage gradually fell out of favour with casual listeners — but like all genres with staying power, it retreated back to the underground; to hone its sound, and audience, on its own terms.
It’s a move that’s paid off, because UK garage has enjoyed a stunning comeback in popularity and innovation. Culturally, TV shows like “People Just Do Nothing” brought UK garage back into the mainstream conversation, with its playful homage to the genre. But more specifically, it’s all down to a new generation of producers, DJs and vocalists bringing new sounds and ideas into the fold.
Leading the charge are Sammy Virji, whose US festival shows and viral online DJ have been capturing Gen Z audiences, and Interplanetary Criminal, whose broad scope of inspiration across house, techno, jungle and bass has inspired his dancefloor-focused tracks. (As further proof of UK garage’s growth, many of the new generation are not British themselves, exemplifying how UK garage has become a style in its own right, not just a pindrop on the map.)
Rather than drawing on the original US house sound, many producers are focusing on Black British soundsystem genres like jungle, drum & bass, bassline and grime for their sonic palettes; producers like Conducta, Main Phase, Soul Mass Transit System, Bakey, Swami Sound and bullet tooth all show the diversity on offer. A new crop of vocalists are taking on garage beats, too, from established R&B vocalist Jorja Smith to acts like Bklava, Laura Alice and Ell Murphy. In a full circle moment, this new wave is being led by producers whose childhood memories of pop music were, in part, of singles inspired by UK garage.
To hear how the genre is evolving in real time, dive into this collection of tracks from producers tapped into UK garage’s expansive sound, and discover a new wave of artists setting the dancefloor on fire.
LISTEN TO THE UK GARAGE PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD
Jorja Smith, “With You”
Walsall’s favorite daughter, R&B vocalist Jorja Smith, leans into a sentimental side of UK garage on this 2025 single. Learn more about Jorja Smith’s artist journey and accomplishments so far, including taking home the BRIT Award for Best Female Solo Artist in 2019, here.
Soul Mass Transit System, “Up In Da Club”
Leeds-based DJ/producer Soul Mass Transit System keeps it bumping on this track, taken from his summer 2025 EP, ‘HAUSFOG001.’
Interplanetary Criminal, “Slow Burner”
Manchester-based Interplanetary Criminal rips the dancefloor up with this 2025 track, which features vocals from Jamaican artist Original Koffee.
bullet tooth, Capo Lee, “KEEP IT ROLLING”
A fire blend of grime from MC Capo Lee and heaving bass from producer bullet tooth.
Main Phase, “Bumpa Riddim”
DJ/producer Main Phase focuses on dark, two-step garage beats. Alongside fellow Dane Interplanetary Criminal, he runs ATW Records.
MPH, “Hold On”
British DJ/producer MPH creates a melodic earworm hook on this collaboration with garage legend MJ Cole.
Sammy Virji, “I Guess We’re Not The Same”
With this infectious 2024 track, DJ/producer Sammy Virji is pushing UK garage in new directions.
Salute, “system”
salute blends UK garage with French filter house for his uplifting, catchy sound. This track is from his 2024 album, ‘TRUE MAGIC.’
Bklava, MJ Cole, “all around me”
Irish-Lebanese vocalist, producer and DJ Bklava teams up with “Sincere” hitmaker MJ Cole for this sparkling piano-backed track.
Laura Alice, Phonetix, “Be Ok”
London-based DIY garage producer, DJ, and vocalist Laura Alice runs her own label, LAM Records, where she releases her own tracks.
Sharda, “It’s A Love Thing”
Manchester-based producer Sharda — who also produces as Murlo – leans on the 4x4 bassline side of things, with chipmunk vocal samples and bouncing bass.
Conducta, “Stratus”
Boss of Kiwi Records and one of UK garage’s big recent success stories, Conducta’s energetic and colorful style of garage draws from bassline, rap and more.
SP:MC, “XL Bully”
This DJ/producer keeps it dark and moody with his shuffling half-step beats. This track dropped in 2024 on Declassified Records.
KAISUI, aaron2.0, “First Time”
KAISUI joins forces with aaron2.0 for this dark-yet-bouncing 2024 track with old school vocal samples.
Diffrent, Silva Bumpa, “I Don’t Want U (Extended)”
Germany’s Diffrent connects with Sheffield’s Silva Bumpa on this track, blending speed garage and bassline.
p-rallel, Blanco, ODF, “Sorry I’m Like This”
London’s p-rallel heads up this heater of a collaboration on Nevermind Recordings.
Wen, “Swingin’ (LDN Mix)”
UK DJ/producer Wen’s ‘Signals’ 2014 album, on Keysound Recordings, was ahead of its time in its take on dark garage.
Bakey, Felixcw, “DON’T STOP”
Another leading act in the UK garage revival, Bakey keeps it dark and heavy on this track with Felixcw.
Obsidian, “Viserion”
DJ/producer Obsidian dropped this track on Brighton’s leading bass label Southpoint.
SHUFFA, “ARE YOU READY?”
Manchester-based SHUFFA unleashed this 4x4 speed garage banger in 2025.
Oppidan, “WHERE’S MY VAPE?”
DJ/producer Oppidan has a nostalgic quality to her productions, as showcased on this 2024 track.
Hans Glader, “Trumpets”
LA producer Hans Glader is bringing the UK garage sound to the US, and giving it a bright, funky edge.
SHAKING, “ROCK N ROLL”
Bringing UK garage influences to Los Angeles dance floors, fast-rising DJ/producer SHAKING explains his inspiration behind his latest drop, noting, “I really wanted to make something that hit everywhere from the fast late night drives to dingy clubs to festival main stages, and the second I had the main ideas down, I knew I had something.”
Y U QT, “One More Time (I Need U)”
This Leicester-based DJ/producer duo is hot in the UK garage scene. This track dropped on FWD>> in 2025.
Bushbaby, “DESIRE69”
Part of the Brighton bass collective Southpoint, Bushbaby has been making garage tracks inspired by grime and bassline since 2015.
K-Lone, “Bonez”
This track from UK producer K-Lone features on his 2025 collaborative EP with MJ Cole, ‘Stand Up,’ on fabric Originals.
In4mous Goose, “Closer”
London producer In4mous Goose released this smooth 2025 track via the NUKG 24/7 collective, which includes his own In4mous Records.
Higgo, “Fantasy”
London DJ/producer Higgo dropped this track on Signal >> Supply, an Atlantic Records UK imprint focused on new dance music.
Swami Sound, “So Real” feat. Netanya
Bronx-born DJ/producer Swami Sound brings a wealth of Black American club music knowledge to his take on UK garage.
Ell Murphy, “Everlasting”
A London-based DJ, producer and vocalist, Ell Murphy dropped her latest EP, ‘Moving,’ in 2025.
Minista, “Movin’ On Up”
Co-founder of the Steppers Club label, London producer Minista riffs on Roselle’s track of the same name, blending house and garage.
Osmosis Jones, “Rubadub”
Released on ATW Records, this 2025 track by Australian DJ/producer Osmosis Jones is a dancefloor killer.
Sam Deeley, “Sensation”
This track features on London DJ/producer Sam Deeley’s 2025 EP, ‘New Context.’
IsGwan, Noneohone, Amber Ferraro, “Because Of U”
Australian DJ/producer IsGwan leads this collaborative track, which dropped on Rinse in 2025.
Silva Bumpa, “Check Dis Out”
Sheffield’s Silva Bumpa dropped this track on Valentines Day 2025, for the love of UK garage.
Champion, Sammy Virji, “Hot In Here”
Established bass producer Champion collaborates with rising star Sammy Virji on this 2024 track.
Bushbaby, “Take No Chat”
UK DJ/producer Bushbaby dropped this 2025 track on the Australian label No Instruction.
Royal-T, “Phone Line Crew”
British DJ/producer Royal-T blends grime, bassline and garage to make his elastic grooves.
Zero, “Lyrically Ill”
On this lead track from his 2025 EP of the same name, Zero cranks up the volume on his style of UK garage.
KETTAMA, Interplanetary Criminal, “Yosemite”
KETTAMA cranks up the BPM on this collaborative speed garage track with Interplanetary Criminal, released on Steel City Dance Discs.
Lewis Taylor, “Move Your Waistline”
This organ house-inspired track from Lewis Taylor dropped on tastemaking UK garage label ec2a.
LISTEN TO THE UK GARAGE PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
.jpg)
.png)
