Selected Classics: The Drum and Bass Mix

Download mix here

Alright alright!! I know this is supposed to be a legitimate blog, with a showcase of all that is me... BUT I've been on this mixing tip for a minute and I have my latest to share. Be sure though, that I'll be blogging my random nonsense and posting my feeble attempts to fuck with your head soon...

But here we are "Selected Classics; The Drum and Bass Mix" I know I'm being way overboard with these over the top titles but I figure why not and if I want to live in a castle in my imagination, then so be it. This is hopefully the start of a series where I showcase musical genres and tracks that have shaped my musical palette.

While my first introduction to DnB came through Jungle (Original Nuttah to be exact) I missed the bus and my first DnB taste was "Its Jazzy' by Roni Size. Prior, I had been listening to nothing but Jungle and was totally oblivious to the evolution that took place. I never knew about DnB until a guy in college told me he liked DnB, and I played him my "Firing Jungle Anthems" CD, which he hated. I had no idea that Jungle, with its dirty breaks, reggae basslines, and crazed out samples, turned into a simpler much chunkier form. When I went to my first rave (Sting, 1998) I was quite bored with the boom clack boom clack of the DnB two step... but as time rolled on, my love for DnB grew.

I've noticed how the progression of Jungle to Drum and Bass runs similar to the many switch ups of esthetic of other genres right at that point where its original creativity and boldness becomes seen by the mainstream and repackaged for easy consumption. 1920's Jazz was a boisterous, sexualized, boombast party music, which became highly popularized when it began to "Swing". Hip Hop was anything and everything music... where classical, funk, Latin, Rock, were ALL drawn together and brought back to life with breakbeats, cutting and scratching... Nowadays, Hip Hop lives in such a limited space where its become forumlaic and the rules are well placed (ahem... sort of like swing). THEN, there is Rhythm and Blues that morphed into youth-friendly Rock and Roll. Disco morphed into House, Techno became "Techno" and so forth... its an unfortunate phenomenon.

But this 'post boom morph' doesn't mean the music goes stale that quickly, the 'watering down' of Jungle to DnB opened it up for some new sounds and energy, while not Jungle, expanded the music to some form of artistic creativity and interesting innovations. I don't think the spaciousness of "Pulp Fiction" could of happened in the midsts of chopping up amens and other jungle breaks. The more mid-range basslines in later DnB could only happened if there was less on top. Unfortunately though my feeling music was more tribal, crazy, and funky when it first comes out.

So here you are... as i say, I'M NO DJ!! I just present this music to you in these packages, so pardon the mistakes but appreciate the love...

Tracklisting

Piper - Jonny L
Up All Night - John B
Badass - Mickey Finn & Aphrodite
Rock the Funky Beat - Natural Born Chillers
Super Sharp Shooter - DJ Zinc
Six Million Ways - Dope Skillz
Brown Paper Bag - Roni Size & Reprazent
Warhead - DJ Krust
Dubplate - Total Science
Its Jazzy - Roni Size
Dark Soldier - Ray Keith
Can't Punish Me - Dom & Roland
Annacostzambia (Dillinja Remix) - Baby Namboos
Killer Bees (Optical and Fierce Remix) - Usual Suspects
Pulp Fiction - Alex Reece
Two Faced - TeeBee
Autumn - DJ Die
True Colours - High Contrast
Billion Dollar Gravy - London Elektricity
Circles - Adam F
One and Only - PFM
Innercity Life - Goldie

Upcoming Mixes:

Old School Hip Hop
Underground/Indie Hip Hop
Old School House
Disco
Randoms
Soul/Funk
Reggae/Dub
Jungle