It’s the end of an era after famed dubstep imprint Never Say Die: Black Label announced that it is shutting down indefinitely.
In a statement shared via social media, the team behind the Never Say Die Records sub-label said that they have been “prompted to rethink” how they release music due to it “being blurred to staggering new levels.” In order to move forward with a more cohesive brand, all future releases will now appear under the single umbrella of its parent label.
“One of the only positives we can take from the pandemic is that huge strides have been made in genre fluidity, with producers continuing to push the boundaries and keep the bass scene moving,” the statement reads. “As a result, we increasingly find that some Black Label submissions have more melody than NSD submissions, and some NSD submissions are heavier than the Black Label ones. With that being the case, we’ve made the decision to bring all our future releases back under the single umbrella of Never Say Die Records.”
Known for releasing some of the most widely supported dubstep music tracks in the DJ community, Never Say Die: Black Label solidified itself as a tastemaker since its 2014 inception. It earned a prestigious reputation in bass music circles for its penchant for heavy-hitting tearout and riddim, spearheading the careers of a myriad of the scenes’ major players. Many of those artists have replied to Never Say Die: Black Label’s bittersweet tweet with adoration for the storied brand, such as Subtronics, UBUR, and Trampa.
You can read the label’s full statement below.
