Future Forces Inc.: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia

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Introduction

Future Forces Inc. is a Belgian drum and bass electronic music artist with documented activity spanning from 1998 to 2013. The project emerged from Belgium’s electronic music community, releasing five studio albums over an eight-year period. The first release arrived in 1998, with the most recent confirmed activity recorded fifteen years later.

Belgium holds a recognized position in electronic music history. The country contributed the new beat movement of the late 1980s, which influenced the development of hardcore and trance throughout the decade. Cities including Antwerp, Brussels, and Ghent built club scenes and label infrastructure that supported electronic music production. Against this backdrop, Future Forces Inc. began releasing music when drum and bass was expanding beyond its UK origins to reach audiences across Europe.

The late 1990s saw drum and bass establish itself as a distinct genre with dedicated labels, events, and communities worldwide. Producers from continental Europe brought their own perspectives to the form, incorporating regional influences and production backgrounds. Future Forces Inc. entered this landscape in 1998, releasing music during a period of creative expansion for the genre.

Across its discography, Future Forces Inc. released albums at regular intervals between 1998 and 2006. After the fifth album, no further studio releases have been documented, though the project remained active for several additional years. The seven-year gap between the final album and the most recent confirmed activity in 2013 suggests ongoing involvement with music for djs beyond what the album catalog captures.

Genre and Style

Future Forces Inc. operates within drum and bass, a genre built on breakbeat percussion, bass-driven production, and tempos generally ranging from 160 to 180 beats per minute. The project’s five albums were produced during a specific era of the genre’s evolution, when drum and bass was diversifying into recognized substyles including liquid, techstep, neurofunk, and jump-up.

The drum and bass Sound

The Belgian electronic music tradition brings particular characteristics to drum and bass production. Belgium’s history with hardcore and trance has influenced how producers from the region approach rhythm, melody, and sound design. Future Forces Inc. works within this context, creating music that reflects both the genre’s conventions and the production sensibilities common to Belgian electronic artists.

Production technology during the years of Future Forces Inc.’s album releases underwent significant changes. The 1998 debut was produced during the era when hardware samplers and synthesizers remained central to electronic music production software creation. By the 2006 release of the fifth album, software-based production had become increasingly prevalent. This technological shift affected the sound and workflow of electronic producers throughout the period, and the Future Forces Inc. catalog spans this transition.

drum and bass production relies on specific technical elements: precisely programmed or sampled drum breaks, synthesized or sampled basslines, and atmospheric components that provide melodic or textural context. Future Forces Inc. works with these core components across its releases. With five albums released across eight years, the project had substantial opportunity to explore different approaches within the drum and bass framework, from darker, more aggressive material to accessible, melodic productions.

Key Releases

Future Forces Inc. has released five studio albums, all issued between 1998 and 2006. The discography is presented below, organized by format and year:

  • Apocalypse Cow
  • Land of the Living
  • Milk Inc.
  • Closer
  • Supersized

Discography Highlights

Albums:

Apocalypse Cow (1998): The debut album from Future Forces Inc. This release marked the project’s first documented output, arriving during a productive year for drum and bass worldwide. The late 1990s saw numerous producers establishing themselves in the genre, and this record introduced Future Forces Inc. to the electronic music community.

Land of the Living (2000): The second studio album followed two years after the debut. Released at the turn of the millennium, this record continued the project’s presence in the Belgian electronic EDM music scene during a period of transition and experimentation for the genre.

Milk Inc. (2002): The third album maintained the pattern of biennial releases established by the first two records. By 2002, Future Forces Inc. had developed a consistent release schedule, with albums arriving at two-year intervals.

Closer (2003): This fourth album broke the established pattern with a release just one year after its predecessor. The shorter interval between albums suggested increased productivity or a shift in the project’s approach to releasing material.

Supersized (2006): The fifth studio album arrived after a three-year gap, the longest interval between releases in the catalog. This record stands as the most recent full-length album from Future Forces Inc. The extended time between the fourth and fifth albums may reflect changes in the project’s creative process or external factors affecting production schedules.

No further studio albums have been released since 2006. However, the project’s confirmed activity through 2013 indicates continued involvement in music beyond the documented album discography.

Famous Tracks

Future Forces Inc. built their catalog across a prolific eight-year stretch, beginning with the 1998 release Apocalypse Cow. This debut established the Belgian act’s presence in the drum and bass scene during a period when the genre was expanding rapidly across Europe.

The year 2000 brought Land of the Living, arriving as drum and bass evolved toward more diverse production approaches. Future Forces Inc. followed with Milk Inc. in 2002, a release that coincided with the Belgian electronic music scene gaining broader international visibility.

Closer landed in 2003, and the project’s catalog concluded with Supersized in 2006. Across these five albums, the act maintained a consistent presence in the Belgian electronic music landscape.

Live Performances

As a Belgian drum and bass act, Future Forces Inc. operated within a national scene that has produced several notable electronic music figures. Belgium’s relationship with electronic music traces back decades, providing a supportive environment for artists working in faster, bass-heavy styles.

Notable Shows

The act’s performance history aligns with the club and festival circuit that sustained drum and bass throughout the late 1990s and 2000s. During this era, Belgian venues and neighboring European countries hosted regular events dedicated to the genre, offering artists regular opportunities to test material in front of live audiences.

Live drum and bass performance during this period often centered on DJ sets rather than full live instrumentation. Artists frequently relied on turntables, samplers, and eventually digital setups to present their productions. The shift from vinyl to digital formats during the 2000s changed how acts like Future Forces Inc. approached their live output.

Why They Matter

Future Forces Inc. represents a specific thread in Belgian electronic music history. Operating from a country better known for its contributions to new beat, acid house, and trance, the act pushed into drum and bass territory instead. That choice positioned them differently from many of their Belgian contemporaries.

Impact on drum and bass

Their run from 1998 to 2006 spans a transitional period for electronic music. Genres fragmented, production tools became more accessible, and distribution shifted from physical formats toward digital platforms. Releasing five albums across this span required consistent output during uncertain times for the industry.

Belgian electronic music has often received less international coverage than scenes from the UK, Germany, or the Netherlands. Acts like Future Forces Inc. demonstrate that the country’s contributions extended beyond the more commonly recognized styles. Their focus on drum and bass added dimension to Belgium’s electronic music identity.

The act’s catalog also reflects the international reach of drum and bass during its commercial peak. Producers from outside the UK increasingly adopted the genre, bringing regional influences and local sounds to a style that originated in British clubs and pirate radio. Future Forces Inc. participated in that geographic expansion.

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