Chase & Status

England's Chase & Status rank among the leading commercially viable names tied to drum'n'bass and dubstep, amassing multi-platinum albums, repeated chart singles, and studio work for major figures including Snoop Dogg and Rihanna. The project unites dancefloor DJs and label proprietors Saul Milton and Will Kennard with supplementary live performers, fusing forward-thinking rhythms and studio craft with infusions of rock, pop, reggae, hip-hop, and further styles to shape high-energy pieces equally suited to clubs and broadcast. First appearing in 2003 via singles on niche imprints such as Bingo Beats and Barcode Recordings, the pair delivered their debut full-length, More Than Alot, in 2008, a critically embraced blend of drum'n'bass and dubstep material.

Milton and Kennard initially surfaced as a U.K. garage/breaks act in 2003 before turning to drum'n'bass in 2005. They gained recognition after remixing Capleton's "Duppy Man" to strong effect that same year. Signing thereafter to Andy C.'s Ram Records imprint, they scored early club successes with the 2007 double A-side "Hurt You" b/w "Sell Me Your Soul" and 2008's "Take Me Away," both of which topped the U.K. dance charts. Their first album, More Than Alot, finally arrived in 2008 and featured Kano, Takura, and Digga; it reached number 49 on the British charts and earned a 2009 Drum'n'Bass Award for Best Album. In 2009 Milton and Kennard handled album tracks for Rihanna and Tinchy Stryder as well as Snoop Dogg's dubstep cut "Snoop Dogg Millionaire," while their collaboration with Plan B on "End Credits" entered the U.K. Top Ten. That momentum produced the 2011 album No More Idols, which included Dizzee Rascal, Tinie Tempah, and Cee-Lo Green; the set spent 35 weeks in the U.K. Top 40 and attained double-platinum status.

At the start of 2012 Chase & Status received a Brit Awards nomination for Best British Group—the first such nod for any drum'n'bass act—though Coldplay ultimately prevailed. They maintained momentum through 2012 and 2013 with extensive festival appearances across the U.K. and Europe, among them Radio 1's Hackney Weekend, T in the Park, and a headline performance at Glastonbury in June 2013. In gratitude to supporters, the live staple "Big Man" featuring Liam Bailey was issued at the close of 2012. The 2013 single "Lost and Found" with Louis M^ttrs reached the U.K. Top Ten and appeared on the third studio album, Brand New Machine, a darker release highlighted by the '90s rave-styled "Count on Me" that again peaked at number two on the U.K. album chart. While preparing their fourth album, the duo put out the grime EP London Bars in late 2015. Tribe, issued in 2017 and featuring Mr. Vegas, Craig David, and Novelist, continued their fusion of grime with drum'n'bass and dubstep, climbing to number seven at home.

RTRN II JUNGLE, a long-awaited ragga-jungle project spotlighting guest deejays such as Cutty Ranks and General Levy, surfaced in 2019; the concept extended into the 2020 mix-CD Fabric Presents: RTRN II FABRIC. The sixth album, What Came Before, arrived in 2022 with vocal contributions from Unknown T, BackRoad Gee, and Popcaan and explored U.K. drill, big beat, and R&B. The 2023 single "Disconnect" with Becky Hill and "Baddadan" (with Bou featuring Irah, Flowdan, Trigga, and Takura) both returned Chase & Status to the U.K. singles Top Ten. 2 Ruff, Vol. 1, an anthemic drum'n'bass collection that incorporated "Baddadan" alongside Stefflon Don, Clementine Douglas, and ArrDee, saw several additional tracks chart and marked the duo's fifth Top Ten album.