The pioneering drum & bass label celebrated its 500th release with a monumental various artists album, and we have picked our favorites from it!
Hospital Records are an incredibly important reason why drum & bass is one of the most respected genres in electronic music. Championing nearly every style that drum & bass and jungle have to offer and artists from a diverse palette of sounds, Hospital Records have built a catalog that represents the genre in its truest form.
Spanning over 25 years and led by Tony Colman, aka London Elektricity, and Chris Goss, Hospital Records have built an institution that has nurtured budding talents into global superstars. Alongside talents of their own, the label has also brought some of the biggest names on the label for massive collaborations and built a catalog that competes with the most prominent imprints in electronic music.
The illustrious label recently celebrated its landmark 500th release since its inception with a monumental various artists compilation featuring label regulars and fresh talents on ‘Future Drum & Bass Operations.’ For such a supremely well-curated album, it’s difficult to pick our absolute favorite, so we have compiled a few tunes from the ‘Hospital 500’ album that should definitely be a part of your drum & bass playlist.
London Elektricity – Vasquez
Ever since we heard its first glimpse when London Elektricity dropped it at LOCUS Tulum’s debut edition, we could barely wait until its release. Now, a year since then, ‘Vasquez’ is out, and we can barely get enough of it. The shimmering bells and lush pads lead you on to a breathtaking trumpet-driven climax, making the tune a quintessential liquid drum & bass number.
S.P.Y – Night Moves
A mainstay of Hospital Records until starting his own imprint, DARK MTTR Records, in 2021, the Brazil-born, UK-based DJ and producer has built a reputation for churning out hard-edged drum & bass belters. This one takes a similar route but with a rude boy twist. Featuring his trademark jungle-tinged drums, S.P.Y delivers once again with a tune that will refuse to leave DJ sets and playlists.
IYRE (feat. T – Man) – Want No Drama
It’s a proud moment for the South Asian drum & bass fraternity as Sri Lankan producer IYRE becomes the first-ever artist to make an appearance on Hospital Records. Being known for gorgeous oriental-tinged soundscapes, IYRE made a move away from his style to team up with a flowy and gritty number featuring T-Man’s menacing vocal delivery. Banger and a half!
Netsky & Hybrid Minds – Let Me Hold You (Grafix Remix)
Released as part of Netsky’s ‘Second Nature’ album in 2020, the original has already become a drum & bass classic. Tasked with remixing the tune, Grafix delivered an unmistakable rework of ‘Let Me Hold You’ by adding his club-driven touch, and now we have two anthems of the same tune instead of one. Double whammy!
Unglued, Lens & Whiney – Lazy Hardcore
Our final selection of this mammoth collaboration comes from three of the genre’s super producers. Channeling their own style that merges seamlessly into the other two, Unglued, Lens & Whiney take us on a trip into the peak rave days with a pulsating and ferocious number.
Listen to the full album here:
