Black Sun Empire

Black Sun Empire is a Dutch drum and bass trio from Utrecht consisting of Rene Verdult, Milan Heyboer, and Micha Heyboer. The group formed in 1997 and has operated under aliases including Empirical Labs and Charger. They run their own imprint Blackout Music NL, which serves as the primary outlet for their releases.

Black Sun Empire produces drum and bass spanning techstep and neurofunk subgenres, with recent expansion into breaks, UK bass, house, and Afro house territories. Their sound incorporates the heavy, industrial elements of techstep with the complex basslines characteristic of neurofunk. The trio maintains consistent output through Blackout Music NL, with eight releases catalogued between March and December 2025, demonstrating their continued activity in contemporary drum and bass production after nearly three decades in the scene.