Just as we witnessed the closing chapter of Ternion Sound’s farewell tour, another hugely influential force in bass music has announced their split after 12 years together.
Right as we were entering 2026 with the sense of optimism that bass music was gearing up for yet another emphatic year, we’ve been hit with news that feels like the end of a definitive chapter. One of the most influential innovators across the bass music spectrum, Ivy Lab, has announced that they will part ways at the end of 2026. This news marks the end of a thirteen-year journey that fundamentally reshaped the landscape of underground bass music, leaving behind a void that will be almost impossible to fill.
The Ivy Lab story began in 2013 when three established heavyweights: Sabre, Stray, and Halogenix, came together to create something that was fresh, unique, and forward-thinking. The trio’s earliest releases leaned heavily into the deeper, more soulful ends of drum & bass. But it wasn’t long until the project Ivy Lab entered one of the most influential phases of its existence. Ivy Lab radically flipped the narrative by pushing into experimental, hip-hop-leaning, and halftime territories at a time when few acts were willing to take such risks, a move that inspired an entire generation of producers to challenge structure, tempo, and genre conventions.
Ivy Lab’s experimental pursuits extended beyond their own music with Twenty Twenty London – a label they founded to champion futuristic bass music. The label became a hub for some of the most boundary-pushing sounds of the past decade, which helped Ivy Lab form a strong community that embraced innovation over formula. In 2018, the project entered a new phase when Halogenix stepped away from the trio to focus on his solo music. Ivy Lab then continued as a duo, but the shift marked the beginning of a longer, quieter evolution that now culminates in the project’s final bow seven years later.
Some of Ivy Lab’s iconic tunes included early drum & bass staples like ‘Make It Clear,’ ’20 Questions,’ ‘Oblique,’ and ‘Arkestra.’ These tunes laid the groundwork for their reputation, before they fully embraced the wonkier, hip-hop-infused direction with tracks such as ‘Taste The Mango,’ ‘Magikess,’ ‘Orange,’ and ‘When I Go.’
There is, however, a silver lining. Individual releases from Sabre and Stray will continue, and Twenty Twenty London will remain active, carrying forward their mission of supporting artists operating in that rich, twisted vein of bass music. As a parting gift, Ivy Lab will release new music this year and embark on a final run of shows throughout 2026, giving fans one last chance to experience the project in full flight before they officially go their separate ways.
In many ways, Ivy Lab will leave a legacy by cementing their place as an act that fearlessly stretched, mutated, and evolved endlessly, while still retaining a deeply personal and unmistakable sound.
Get your tickets to Ivy Lab’s farewell tour show in Massachusetts
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