The biggest story of the first quarter happened before most people had taken their Christmas decorations down. Flexout Audio acquired Sofa Sound Bristol, and in doing so, quietly changed the shape of the underground. Two labels that already shared artists, aesthetics, and a refusal to pander to streaming algorithms are now operating under the same roof, with DLR still heading up A&R at Sofa and both imprints keeping their own identities intact. Tom Bassi has been clear: this isn’t consolidation for its own sake, it’s a structural move to make both labels more viable long-term while the wider industry keeps getting noisier and more expensive to operate in.
We’ll be watching closely to see how the rosters develop. For now, the music keeps coming. Here’s what stood out this month.
Flexout Audio
Flexout opened the year quietly but purposefully. Crystal Clear and Minor Forms delivered “Acid” (FLXA229A) in late February – a release that does exactly what a good Flexout record should: sits somewhere between functional and beautiful without announcing itself too loudly. It’s the kind of thing that plays better on a rig than on a laptop, which is still exactly the point. With the Sofa acquisition bedding in, expect the back half of 2026 to feel more ambitious.
Sofa Sound
Zero T has been one of the most consistent operators in rolling, deep DnB for well over a decade, and “What’s Happenin'” is another reminder of why. Unhurried, deliberate, and engineered for a specific kind of late-night focus, it slots comfortably into the Sofa catalogue without sounding like it was made on autopilot. Under the new Flexout umbrella, the Sofa identity feels more protected, not less – the message from the label is that the pond got bigger. This sounds like proof.
Dispatch Recordings
Dispatch Blueprints is one of the most reliable formats in DnB – a vehicle for technical, stripped-back music that rewards patience. Blueprints 023 with Deeizm, Philth and Battery (late February) continued that run. Philth in particular has been in a purple patch, and his contribution here leans into the darker, more industrial end of what Dispatch does best. If you’ve been sleeping on the Blueprints series, this is as good an entry point as any.
Metalheadz
Adred’s relationship with Metalheadz runs deep – New York-based, rooted in 80s new wave, and one of the few producers on the label who consistently makes music that has nothing to prove to the dancefloor. Autotélica (META124, March 13) is four tracks of exactly that: rolling jungle rhythms through warm synth textures, built for headphones and opening sets rather than peak-time. Kimba and Wildwood are the standouts. If you’ve only known Adred through his Dispatch appearances, this is the version of him that matters more.
Shogun Audio
Two releases worth your time from Shogun this month. S.P.Y and Alibi brought in Toronto-based vocalist flowanastasia for “This Is Goodbye” – a vocal roller with enough emotional weight to separate it from the usual Shogun fare. Then Pola & Bryson landed “Stampede” featuring Jelani Blackman, which earned Spotify editorial support and represents the more accessible, anthemic side of the imprint doing what it does best. Both tracks serve different parts of what Shogun is in 2026 – one for the room, one for the commute.
1985 Music
Alix Perez’s label continues to operate at the intersection of liquid and something harder to name. “Cold Classic” by Molecular dropped this period and represents the rollers aesthetic that 1985 has been quietly leading for the last couple of years – rhythmically punchier than traditional liquid, more atmospheric than jump-up, and completely its own thing. The trend for 2026 across this end of the scene is understated vocals that serve the music rather than the other way around, and Molecular gets that.
V Recordings
Think Tonk’s “Fantastic 4 Track EP” landed on V Records at the tail end of February and had the feel of something designed for peak-time in smaller venues. V remains one of the scene’s most enduring imprints and still delivers when the brief is met. Jump-up adjacent but not brainless — a decent release from a label that never quite gets the credit it deserves for staying relevant this long.
The North Quarter
Lenzman’s Amsterdam imprint remained one of the most considered operations in the scene this month. The label’s roster – FD, Zero T, Redeyes, Satl, Echo Brown – continues to produce music that sounds like it came from somewhere real. No standout single release to flag this month, but the label’s SoundCloud and Bandcamp are worth bookmarking as a permanent tab if you care about where soulful DnB is actually heading.
Also worth your time this month:
Spearhead Records kept their output rolling with purpose – check their SoundCloud for the latest. Warm Communications had a few atmospheric cuts that rewarded attention. Symmetry Recordings continues to operate at the quality end without much noise. And if you haven’t been tracking Soulvent Records lately, the label has been quietly dropping some of the most honest liquid DnB in the European underground.
Ones to watch in April:
Keep an eye on Fokuz Recordings – their Dutch-led liquid output has been consistently underrated and early 2026 suggests they’ve got more in the locker. Spearhead’s new signings are worth tracking as the label continues to develop its next generation of producers. And watch for anything Alix Perez flags directly – when 1985’s founder is paying attention to a name, that name is usually worth knowing.
