Ivy Lab
{{short description|British electronic music duo}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Ivy Lab
| origin = London, England
| genre = {{hlist|Drum and bass|Dubstep|Bass music|Electronica}}
| years_active = 2012-present
| label = {{flatlist|
- Critical Music
- 20/20 LDN
}}
| current_members = * Sabre
- Slay
| past_members = Halogenix
}}
Ivy Lab are a British electronic music duo based in London. The project is a collaboration between producers Sabre (Govind Kidao) and Stray (Jonathan Fogel). Their music incorporates elements of drum and bass, dubstep, halftime and hip-hop.
History
= Origins (2012-2018) =
Ivy Lab formed in 2012 as a trio comprising established drum and bass producers Sabre, Slay and Halogenix (Laurence Reading),{{Cite web |last=Ryce |first=Andrew |date=2013-01-11 |title=Sabre, Stray and Halogenix are Ivy Lab · News ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/news/18607 |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}} and released their debut single Oblique on Critical Music in 2012,{{Cite web |title=Ivy Lab Archives |url=https://breakbeat.co.uk/artist/ivy-lab/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Drum&BassArena |language=en-GB}} shortly followed by Afterthought.{{Cite web |last=Ryce |first=Andrew |date=2013-02-07 |title=Ivy Lab - Afterthought · Single Review ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/reviews/12253 |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}} Throughout their first years together, the group garnered significant attention in the bass music scene and was named one of the top 10 DJs of 2015 by Mixmag.{{Cite web |date=2015-12-16 |title=The top 10 DJs Of 2015 |url=https://mixmag.net/feature/top-10-djs-of-2015 |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Mixmag}}
The group released their debut album 20/20 Vol. One in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Robin |date=2015-10-21 |title=5 Reasons To Check Out Ivy Lab's Debut Album |url=https://ukf.com/read/5-reasons-to-check-out-ivy-labs-debut-album/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=UKF |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Ivy Lab {{!}} SXSW London 2025 Music Artists |url=https://www.sxswlondon.comivy-lab-2e5a9b69/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=www.sxswlondon.comivy-lab-2e5a9b69 |language=en}}
= Halogenix's departure and follow-up albums (2018-present) =
In 2018, Halogenix announced that he would be parting ways with Ivy Lab to focus on his own projects.{{Cite web |last=McNicoll |first=Shawn |date=2018-03-28 |title=Ivy Lab Announces Debut Album As They Move Forward With One Less Member |url=https://www.dancemusicnw.com/ivy-lab-announces-debut-album/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Dance Music NW |language=en-US}} Following his departure, Ivy Lab released their next album Death Doesn't Always Taste Good on their own label 20/20 LDN.{{Cite web |title=Ivy Lab have confirmed the release of their long-awaited debut album |url=https://mixmag.net/read/ivy-lab-confirms-release-of-long-awaited-debut-album-news |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Mixmag}} The release earned notable praise on its range of influences and experimental approach.{{Cite web |last=Galil |first=Leor |date=2018-12-06 |title=UK electronic duo Ivy Lab make the unsettling accessible on Death Don't Always Taste Good |url=http://chicagoreader.com/music/uk-electronic-duo-ivy-lab-make-the-unsettling-accessible-on-death-dont-always-taste-good/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Bhanawat |first=Akshay |date=2018-05-12 |title=Ivy Lab release debut album – Death Don’t Always Taste So Good |url=https://themusicessentials.com/music/ivy-lab-debut-album/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=The Music Essentials}}
Ivy Lab's third album Infinite Falling Ground was released in October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Lugen |first=Mikala |date=2022-10-14 |title=Listen to Ivy Lab's Haunting Album, "Infinite Falling Ground" |url=https://edm.com/music-releases/ivy-lab-infinite-falling-ground-album |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists |language=en}} The album was received positively, with critics praising the emotional narrative of the record whilst still retaining their signature abstract sound.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=Ivy Lab Explores New Avenues on Infinite Falling Ground {{!}} EDM Identity |url=https://edmidentity.com/2022/10/14/ivy-lab-infinite-falling-ground-review/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=edmidentity.com |language=en-US}} Accompanying the album launch, the duo unveiled the Infinite Falling Ground immersive show in London, before touring the live show to 22 cities in North America supported by Oakk, Nikki Nair, Lake Hills and Sicaria Sound.{{Cite web |last=Major |first=Michael |title=Ivy Lab Announce 'Infinite Falling Ground' Tour |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Ivy-Lab-Announce-Infinite-Falling-Ground-Tour-20220920 |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}} The A/V show utilized a short film, which was sliced and interpolated with the music from the Album. Fogel noted in an interview that his inspiration for the show originated from a similar concept performed by The Who with Quadrophenia.{{Cite web |title=Creative transition: How Ivy Lab conquered the US beats scene |url=https://mixmag.net/feature/ivy-lab-interview-cover-feature-experimental-beats-dnb-duo-stray-sabre-infinite-falling-ground-live-av |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=Mixmag}}
In 2024, Ivy Lab released a follow up album titled Infinite Falling Ground Pt 2 which has been described as a "vivid, crystalline dreamscape centered around core precepts of melancholy and parenthood".{{Cite web |last=Solomon-Brady |first=Harvey |date=2024-07-01 |title=Ivy Lab announce new album 'Infinite Falling Ground Pt.2' and new A/V show in London whynow |url=https://whynow.co.uk/read/ivy-lab-announce-new-album-infinite-falling-ground-pt-2-and-new-a-v-show-in-london |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=whynow |language=en-GB}} As with their previous album, the release was accompanied by a visual A/V production by artist Lake Hills, which followed on from the plot of the original whilst exploring the theme of fatherhood.{{Cite web |last=Welsh |first=April Clare |date=2024-06-28 |title=Ivy Lab announce new album, ‘Infinite Falling Ground Pt.2’, share ‘Left With You’: Listen |url=https://djmag.com/news/ivy-lab-announce-new-album-infinite-falling-ground-pt2-share-left-you-listen |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=DJ Mag |language=en}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
= Extended plays and singles =
- Oblique (2013)
- Afterthought / Brat (2014)
- Twenty Questions EP (2015)
- Mef:Lab (with Mefjus) (2015)
- Arkestra EP (with Alix Perez) (2016)
- Fortuna EP (2016)
- Peninsula (2017){{Cite web |last=Pattison |first=Louis |date=2017-02-22 |title=Hear Ivy Lab meld hip-hop and d’n’b on Peninsula |url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/ivy-lab-listen-to-new-track-peninsula |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=Red Bull |language=en-gb}}
- Jetlag (2018)
- Cake (2018){{Cite web |date=2018-03-25 |title=Ivy Lab Drop Monstrous Halftime Banger “Cake” Ahead Of Upcoming Album |url=https://thissongissick.com/post/ivy-lab-cake/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=This Song Is Sick |language=en-US}}
- Stars EP (2019)
- Orange (with Two Fingers) (2019){{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Colin |date=2019-07-02 |title=Ivy Lab teams with Two Fingers on gritty new single, 'Orange' {{!}} Conscious Electronic |url=https://consciouselectronic.com/2019/07/02/ivy-lab-two-fingers-orange/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |language=en-US}}
- Hotline (with Two Fingers) (2019)
- Space War EP (2019)
- Gunk (2019)
- Fidget EP (2020)
- Cava (2020)
- Talk To Me (with Two Fingers) (2020)
- Teacup (2020)
- Blonde (2020)
- Soul Sista (with Frank Carter III) (2021){{Cite web |last=Parmar |first=Purav |date=2021-10-18 |title=In Conversation With Ivy Lab |url=https://ukf.com/read/in-conversation-with-ivy-lab/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=UKF |language=en-GB}}
- Press Play (2021){{Cite web |last=Rapaport |first=Brian |date=2021-10-04 |title=Ivy Lab Release Forward-Thinking "Press Play" EP on Dirtybird White Label Series |url=https://edm.com/music-releases/ivy-lab-press-play-ep-dirtybird |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists |language=en}}
- Suzuki/Paradise Pistol (2021)
- NOVV/NASDAQ (2021)
- Everythingmustchange EP (2021){{Cite web |last=Ali |first=Mike |date=2021-07-24 |title=Ivy Lab Will Blow Your Mind With Brilliant Experimental EP ‘Everythingmustchange’ |url=https://thissongissick.com/post/ivy-lab-everythingmustchange/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=This Song Is Sick |language=en-US}}
- Balaclava (2022){{Cite web |last=M |first=Molly |date=2022-09-08 |title=Ivy Lab Creates Immersive Audiovisual Experience With New Single "Balaclava" |url=https://thissongissick.com/post/ivy-lab-balaclava/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=This Song Is Sick |language=en-US}}
- Dogma (2022){{Cite web |last=Wallock |first=Matt |date=2022-09-08 |title=Ivy Lab’s “Dogma” Visual Elevates Sign-Spinning to an Art Form |url=https://floodmagazine.com/118283/ivy-lab-dogma-first-listen/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=FLOOD |language=en}}
- Profit (2023)
- Ghost x Dead Signal (2023)
- Demon Dust EP (2023)
- Idols Fall / Snap 101 (2023)
- Mild Snake EP (2024)
- Sex Latte (2024)
- OURDOGISMISSING (2024)
- Left With You (2024)
- Blockhead (2024)
- Olo (2024)
- Innocence (2025)
References
{{Reflist}}