Toontrack has expanded its EZdrummer 3 and Superior Drummer 3 ecosystem with the release of the Drum & Bass EZX, a new sound library developed in collaboration with acclaimed session drummer Andy Gangadeen and producer/engineer Peter “Erb N Dub” Chapman.
While the release includes a collection of genre-specific MIDI grooves, the main attraction for electronic drummers is the library’s collection of sampled acoustic drums and electronic percussion, designed to capture both the acoustic power and electronic punch that define modern drum & bass.
The expansion features four distinctly different acoustic kits, supplemented by a range of electronic drum machine sounds, percussion and effects. Rather than simply offering variations on a theme, the kits appear to represent different eras and influences that shaped drum & bass music.
The centrepiece is the Scope Kit, a modern Natal Originals walnut kit. With its deep low end and focused attack, it delivers the kind of punch and clarity associated with contemporary drum & bass productions.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Amen Kit, a vintage English-made Rogers Holiday kit featuring three-ply birch shells with beech reinforcement rings. Named after the legendary Amen Break that forms the backbone of countless jungle and drum & bass tracks, this kit is clearly intended to evoke the character of classic breakbeat recordings.
The Funky Kit is a vintage Ludwig Super Classic with three-ply maple shells. Its warm, open tone reflects the funk and soul recordings that provided many of the sampled drum sounds that influenced early hip-hop, jungle and drum & bass producers.
Completing the collection is the Jungle Kit, an unconventional hybrid setup comprising a Premier kick drum paired with a Percussion Plus conga used as a floor tom. The unusual configuration mirrors the experimental spirit of early jungle music, where producers and drummers often combined unexpected instruments in search of distinctive sounds.
To bridge the gap between old-school and modern production, the recording sessions combined an SSL console with a vintage Decca valve desk, with many microphones routed through the Decca preamps to add saturation and natural compression. Toontrack says a dedicated horn microphone spill channel was also incorporated to recreate some of the ambience and character associated with classic breakbeat recordings.
The samples were recorded at Rimshot Studio in Kent, UK, with Gangadeen behind the kits and Chapman handling engineering and production duties. The library also includes a variety of mix-ready presets created by Chapman, enabling users to quickly dial in everything from polished contemporary drum & bass tones to more vintage-inspired breakbeat sounds.
For electronic drummers looking beyond the familiar rock and metal libraries, the Drum & Bass EZX offers a distinctive palette of sounds that can be triggered directly from an e-kit, combining modern drum & bass punch with the organic character of the recordings that inspired the genre.
Gangadeen will be a familiar name to many digitalDrummer readers. The British drummer, whose credits include Massive Attack, Chase & Status, Rudimental and Soul II Soul, was one of the standout presenters at the 2025 E-Drum Labs at the UK Drum Show, where he demonstrated his innovative approach to blending acoustic and electronic drumming. He was also featured in the August 2022 edition of digitalDrummer magazine, discussing his career and long-standing involvement with electronic percussion.
The Drum & Bass EZX marks the 75th title in Toontrack’s growing range of EZX expansions for EZdrummer and Superior Drummer users.