Surveillance Music is a drum and bass label and promoter established in Porto, Portugal, in 2019 by DJs and producers Fragz and Blast, who had previously been associated with Yellow Stripe. Its branding uses SRVLNC, a shortened form of the name, and draws on themes from George Orwell’s 1984. The founders set out a musical direction built on melody, mystery and futuristic sounds, and wanted to work with artists who were friends or personally meaningful to them.
The label’s first release was The Blacklist EP, issued in July 2019. Vowel joined after that release, and later managed the label with Jon Tho and Blast. Jon Tho and Vowel took on management, public relations and A&R, while Blast oversaw visual direction and events. Its releases also include The Blacklist II compilations and the Surveillance Blacklist VA EP series. The Blacklist compilation series has featured established artists as well as emerging talent.
Surveillance Music has said it chooses drum and bass for the music itself rather than an artist’s following, and releases work intended to extend the genre’s boundaries. Its releases include Kung’s Aegis, issued in 2022, and NickBee’s Running Through / Essential, released in 2020.
