170 BPM is where electronic music reaches maturity. Below this, you have the clubs and dancefloors of house, techno, and slower electronic music. Above this, you have the extremists of breakcore and industrial noise. At 170 BPM, you’re in the heart of drum-and-bass territory—complex, intricate, and designed for people who want to feel the bottom drop out of the floor while their brains process sophisticated breakbeats.
What 170 BPM Means
At 170 beats per minute, the kick drum is firing almost three times per second, but it’s no longer the main story. The breakbeat (the sampled or programmed drum pattern) is the centerpiece—intricate, polyrhythmic, filled with surprises. Basslines are deep and precise, requiring careful sound design to sit properly. The entire production philosophy shifts: nothing is straightforward; everything has layers.
170 BPM feels intense and uncompromising. It demands your full attention. You can’t zone out to 170 BPM drum and bass; you either engage or turn it off.
Genres at 170 BPM
Neurofunk is the primary home of 170 BPM. Neurofunk is dark, technical drum and bass—cyberpunk in sound. Producers like Calibre, Black Sun Empire, and Logistics use 170 BPM as a playground for complex, minimalist sound design. The break patterns are intricate; the basslines are engineered to the millisecond.
Liquid drum and bass often sits around 165–175 BPM, with some liquid tracks preferring the higher end of this range for added intensity.
Breakcore pushes beyond 170, but many artists working in the crossover between drum and bass and breakcore sit right here.
Industrial electronic and some extreme metal subgenres also touch 170 BPM, though the production philosophy is entirely different.
For deep context on drum-and-bass culture and the full 160–180+ BPM range, explore our DnB guide.
Where 170 Sits in the Spectrum
170 BPM is comfortably in drum-and-bass territory—faster than any mainstream electronic music (house tops out around 130 BPM; techno maxes around 150), but not so extreme that it’s unlistenable like 200+ BPM breakcore.
For DJs, 170 BPM is a serious working tempo. It’s not beginner-friendly (you need ear training and precision to beatmatch cleanly), but it’s not impossibly fast either. Many experienced DJs mix entirely in the 165–175 BPM range.
For listeners, 170 BPM is the “I love electronic music and I’m not backing down” tempo. It separates casual listeners from engaged fans. You either embrace the speed and complexity or you move on to something else.
DJ and Listening Contexts
DJs working with neurofunk and dark drum and bass need to be technically proficient. Beatmatching at 170 BPM leaves no room for slop. Your pitch adjustment, your beat sync, your timing all need to be tight. Most DJs working this tempo use software (Serato, Traktor, rekordbox) with automatic beat sync, then fine-tune by ear.
The genre attracts producers and DJs who view mixing as a technical craft. There’s a deep community around drum-and-bass production and DJing, with forums, forums, and production schools dedicated to the discipline.
Listening to 170 BPM drum and bass is an exercise in immersion. You’re not multitasking; you’re engaged. Many listeners describe the experience as meditative in a high-intensity way—the complexity itself becomes the focal point.
Use our analyzer to verify exact BPM of drum-and-bass tracks—some sit at 167, others at 173, and the difference matters for mixing.
Neurofunk vs. Liquid at 170 BPM
Neurofunk at 170 is minimal, dark, and precise. Liquid at 170 is melodic, jazzy, and warm. The same BPM produces entirely different listening experiences based on production choices. Exploring both styles at 170 BPM shows the depth of drum-and-bass production.
Frequently Asked Questions
What songs are exactly 170 BPM?
Neurofunk, dark drum and bass, and some liquid DnB tracks sit at 170 BPM. Verify exact BPM using our analyzer.
Is 170 BPM faster than dubstep?
In terms of official BPM, yes (dubstep is 140 BPM). But dubstep’s half-time feel makes it feel different. 170 BPM DnB feels noticeably faster because the beat hits are continuous.
Can I train or run at 170 BPM?
Not safely or sustainably. 170 BPM approximates a 8.5 mph hard sprint. You could use it for 30-second maximum-effort intervals only.
How do I get into neurofunk and dark drum and bass?
Start with producers known for accessibility: Calibre’s deeper albums, London Elektricity’s dark releases, and Logistics’s moody material. Then move toward more minimal, technical artists.
How does 170 BPM compare to 180 BPM drum and bass?
170 is slightly more accessible and melodic. 180 feels relentless and extreme. The 10 BPM difference is significant at these high speeds.