Dillinja - Cybotron

FFRR: 2001

When darkside jungle emerged, Dillinja was a king among the other players. His army of bassbin demolishing tracks fuelled by sci-fi funk made sure few could stand against. Thus, like all breakout acts of those mid-90s heroes, he left his fans waiting anxiously for a proper full-length debut to complement his EP legacy, already rich with classics like The Angels Fell, Threshold, and Silver Blade.

Figures he wouldn’t release one until the new millennium, well after darkside was practically deceased from the drum n’ bass consciousness. Does this mean he tried jumping on trendier bandwagons that were occurring in the year of two-thousand and one? Nah, mate, he kept it old-school, producing an album that would have been deemed a classic by many had he released it five years prior. Instead, all that tardiness and refusal to change with the jungle scene left Cybotron overlooked by all but the faithful. I mean, have you heard what Hospital Records are releasing? Or that John B guy? That’s the future, right? Ah, man, fuck that future, Karl Francis is staying true to his sound, and that’s punishing, grimey bass anthems.

I don’t know if Cybotron really was slept on back then, but I sure didn’t know he had an album out, and I kept as close of tabs on all those classic darkside artists as I could while stuck in the hinterlands of Canada. I can’t recall much press, talk of acts like High Contrast and Bad Company getting most of the d’n’b publicity. For all intents, this album passed by and was forgotten, lacking any sort of classic like his previous productions or follow-up hits like Grimey and Twist ‘Em Out. Correct me if I’m wrong, jungle mahsive, but that’s just how I recall it in my corner of the world.

So is this a poor album? Not at all, as it delivers exactly what darkside fans want. Of course, that would come off dated in 2001, but over a decade later, the sound has become favorably vintage, context be damned. If you fancy the aforementioned sci-fi funk and bass that comes pre-distorted, this is the album for you. Mind, it does get a bit tedious towards the end, a few tracks coming off like B-Sides. Guess Dillinja couldn’t quite kick that EP habit even in long-player form.

And don’t worry, fans of variety, it’s not all darkside all the time. Mixing things up are a few soulful numbers with guest female vocalists. Also of interesting note is the track Human B Bop, using what sounds like a beatboxer to create a pure street-funk workout.

If you’re new to this whole jungle thing, I wouldn’t call Cybotron an essential listen, as there’s far better collections of darkside out there (including Dillinja’s retrospective My Sound (1993-2004), of which no Cybotron tracks made it on, incidentally). If you’ve already dipped your toes, however, and need more of that darkside fix, then definitely scope this album out.

Asian Dub Foundation - Community Music

London Records 90 Ltd.: 2000

Within two songs, I realized I'd made a mistake. Maybe I should have listened to it first but there weren't any warning signs. With a name like Asian Dub Foundation, I had already conceived sonic images of thick reggae beats, Far East harmonies, and maybe the odd sitar or tabla. Eastern Dub Tactik hadn't led me astray (in fact exceeded my expectations), and Banco de Gaia himself tapped the group to remix one of his tunes. Yes, with such blinding faith as my guide, I purchased this out of a used shop. What could go wrong?

Let's focus on the basics first: the music itself. While I was correct there'd be reggae beats, I did not expect ragga jungle beats. And you know what? I'd be fine with that. I loves me some ragga; however, it's a rhythmic style that doesn't blend well with others. There's a reason why DJs who spin it seldom venture out of that genre unless into other forms of drum 'n' bass. This being a group that does draw influence from Asia, we get ample sitars and chants, but metal and big beat are thrown in as well (yes, a couple of years after 'electronica' was all but dead). There's a remarkable amount of melting going on in this pot; unfortunately, every component ends up in disparate clumps rather than a tasty mix. It amounts to glimpses of what makes all these unique forms of music work elsewhere but nothing specific to enjoy here.

Then there's the lyrical content. Hoo boy...

Anyone remember that guy with the dreadlocks and Che shirt? Who went to the community college and became over-educated in global issues? He may have had the best weed hook-ups but man, sometimes it wasn't worth it when he'd start rambling about New World Orders and the like. That's who this album's gonna appeal to the most. Nearly all the ragga raps deal in such topics, and how we gotta band together to fight the system and blah blah blah Rage Against The Machine did it better etc.

Look, I have no problem when music has messages and raises conscious awareness. What I do have a problem with is when the artist is lecturing me about it, practically guilt-tripping me into becoming active in protests or whatever. I don't appreciate accusing fingers pointing at me, especially when the whole reason I'm listening to music in the first place is for a bit of escapism out of the day. This does not mean I turn a blind eye to the world's problems, but music isn't my preferred avenue to learn about it. Sitting back with headphones does not solve them. Dancing does not solve them. Getting out on the streets and becoming active in fundraisers and politics ...well, it's a start, and far more productive than listening to Asian Dub Foundation ranting about it.

That all said, I bet Asian Dub Foundation kick ass live!

Technical Itch - Haunted/Wraith (Original TC Review)

Penetration Records: Cat. # TIP019
Released January 2006

Track List:
A. Haunted (6:13)
AA. Wraith(6:54)


(2010 Update:
Still no album, though plenty more singles in the digital realm. Like so many other jungle producers, Caro's also taken a few stabs at dubstep this past year. I've yet to hear them but if they're just as evil as his d'n'b, I should definitely try and scope 'em out.)


IN BRIEF: Evil business.

I’ve heard very few producers out there that sound like Mark Caro, more commonly known as Technical Itch. His fusion of industrial strength sounds with manic jungle rhythms can leave you gasping for air when the track is done. If you don’t have a good set of speakers that are generous with the bass, you can probably kiss those speakers goodbye when you’re finished with a typical Tech Itch song. It doesn’t just pound at you like a good deal of darkstep (the sub-genre term for this stuff -yeah, silly name, isn’t it) does; it’ll envelope you, clutch your very body in its firm grasp, then plaster you across the wall, leaving you looking like that poor guy who took a rocket launcher to the gut in Hot Shots: Part Deux. Well, maybe not quite that severe, but you get the drift.

But Caro wouldn’t have earned himself a highly regarded reputation if he was just all about killer bass sequences. This man’s rhythms can be utterly chaotic compared to all the typical Amen Break clones jungle’s overflowing with. Yes, he does rely on the standard break a great deal but the amount of manipulation with the sounds in effect is probably only taken further in the drill’n’bass camps of the IDM crowds. They are always dynamic, always filled with personal improvisation to suit the track, and never sound the same between songs. Throw in Caro’s use of choking, meanacing sound effects for his leads and ambience, and you have yourself a producer that has managed to stay ahead of his peers for many years.

It’s just a shame he’s only released one full-length album on CD despite all of his vinyl singles. It makes it tough for us CD buying crowds to keep up (if you remain honest and don’t download music illegally, that is). Sure, we have his numerous tracks appear on Moving Shadow compilations or Dieselboy DJ mixes, but it sure would be nice to have another Technical Itch full-length to follow-up the great Diagnostics. (yeah, that’s a hint in case you be reading this, Mr. Caro... but I’m sure you’ve heard it for the last five years anyways)

Anyhow, with that bit of intro out of the way for our non-jungle readers here at TranceCritic, let’s get into this latest Technical Itch single.

Haunted sees Caro going about business as usual. Eerie ambience with creepy dialogue provide the setting with numerous sounds and effects I’ve heard before recycled here from other Technical Itch tracks -they are by no means unwelcome; it’s just apparent. The strength of the track, of course, lies in the percussion, and Caro doesn’t waste a single beat. It is constantly busy, pounding and hammering away at you, never really settling into an easy loop for you to get a feel for. The moment you think you can guess how the next measure of rhythm will play out, our intrepid producer will throw in a random snare roll or guttural bass growl just to mess with us. Fascinating to listen to, probably infuriating to the jungle soldiers trying to bust out their best moves.

Keeping in tune with the horror themes is Wraith, with a suitably sinister synthy intro. The rhythm is still busy once it kicks in but it isn’t the main attraction this time around. Rather, this one’s about showing off various bass noises to suit the demonic vocal sample.

I made a joke in a forum last year: considering the way all things 80s have been seeing a revival, it would only be a matter of time before that spring of nostalgia was utterly tapped dry and we’d be moving onto the early 90s for our retro kicks -including seeing the hoover synth making a glorious return to popularity by the year 2007. Well, Tech Itch may be thinking the same thing as, amongst the typical grimy bass noises oozing about in Wraith, there is also a traditional hoover, um, hoovering at various points. You’d think it might sound cheesy today but there was a reason all those early hardcore rave tracks used it: that sound can be quite menacing when used properly, and Technical Itch certainly knows how to get the most millage out of his sounds.

Both these tracks are worth your attention if you’re in the mood for evil jungle. Caro may not be doing anything too different from what we’ve heard him do before but he can still deliver the goods as Technical Itch when called upon.

Now, about that second artist album...


Score: 7/10


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2006 for TranceCritic.com. © All rights reserved.

Sub Focus - Sub Focus

RAM Records: Cat. # RAMMLP13CD 

Released October 2009 

Track List: 

1. Let The Story Begin (4:53) 

2. World Of Hurt (4:25) 

3. Follow The Light (5:34) 

4. Last Jungle (3:40) 

5. Deep Space (4:37) 

6. Rock It (4:35) 

7. Move Higher featuring Culture Shock (4:13) 

8. Vapourise (4:05) 

9. Triple X (4:03) 

10. Could This Be Real (3:36) 

11. Splash (3:58) 

12. Timewarp (4:38) 

13. Coming Closer featuring Takura (3:35) 

IN BRIEF: More jungle for the masses. 

Thanks to Pendulum’s chart heroics, drum’n’bass has seldom been more popular. Okay, so maybe most of that success is primarily a UK thing but the genre is making some headway in bringing new talent to the masses. Nick Douwma, for instance. His first couple years as Sub Focus saw minor success but soon he caught the ear of jungle veteran Adam C (sending a CD-R of your own tunes to play out probably helps) and was promptly signed to his label RAM Records. 

Then the hits started to pile up, with tracks like X-Ray and Timewarp getting rinsed frequently at jungle parties. Still, that’s not quite enough to explain his recent string of Radio 1 play. Nay, ol’ Nick must have realized to really make an impact on the dance masses, he was going to have to follow Pendulum’s lead and branch out of the safe confines of by-the-book d’n’b. Thus, he grabbed a clutch of currently trendy styles and tinkered with the formula, creating a couple tracks that are quite inspired, and a couple others that are absolute pish. 

Let’s get the negative out of the way. Move Higher showed early promise, leaning on old-school jungle vibes with great effect. Then, that awful speed garage bassline drops, turning what could have been a fun track into a cornball fidget house tune. I’m sure it’s super popular with a whole bunch of kids out there, but whenever I hear a randomly modulated bass noise that has no funk, no hook, and no charm, all it inspires me to do is bust out my most exaggerated mock-rave dance. God, and people think donk music is stupid. 

The modulating bass nonsense continues in Could This Be Real, fucking up what could have been an amiable piano-house tune with funkless ‘wobble’ noise that’ll only have the floor acting out seizures as they try to move with it. Enough with the gimmicky bass modulations already. However, Douwma manages to surprise with Rock It, a wonderful electro spin on Pendulum’s brand of rock-heavy d’n’b. This track has already drawn tons of Daft Punk comparisons (because, you know, the French duo invented talkboxes and all) and is about as straight-forward a cut as the description implies, making it all the more surprising that no one had ever thought of doing it before. Or maybe it has been done, but this is the biggest exposure this sound has ever received. 

The rest of the album consists of jungle cuts of various types. You got some liquid funk care of Follow The Light, clownstep in Vapourise (a rather pointless tune considering it’s all tension builder with no proper release), more rocky tunes like Let The Story Begin, some spacey tracks with Splash and Deep Space, another go at diva soul with the cover World Of Hurt (original being Worla Hurt by nu-jazz mainstays Bugz In The Attic) and a total cheese-fest in Triple X. So a nicely varied album overall, with one nagging problem: much of it sounds tame. 

Yeah, there’s some strong beats to be had. Splash kicks some serious ass, while World Of Hurt and Deep Space grooves with the best of them. Yet I keep getting the impression this is jungle for beginners, those who are ready to move on from Pendulum but are fearful of diving too deep into the scene. Follow The Light, though a fine liquid funk song in its own right, ain’t a touch on what London Elektricity or High Contrast have been churning out for a decade. Ed Rush & Optical’s efforts easily trump Douwma’s sinister cuts, and so on. 

Cagey jungle vets aren’t going to be too fussed with this album, as the only way Sub Focus has managed to stand out from the glut is by producing tunes that are well outside the scene’s boundaries, and as mentioned he’s incredibly hit-or-miss with that. Still, even if this is entry-level d’n’b, Sub Focus will probably be a successful album for this very fact, as it’s an accessible starting point for the new generation of junglists. However, despite showing promise of a strong career, Douwma’s going to have to shake the formula a little more than what he’s done here. Rock It is an intriguing start but be wary if he takes the path of fidget-Hell instead. 

Score: 6/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

Follow The Light 

Rock It 

Splash 

Written by Sykonee, 2010. © All rights reserved.

London Elektricity - Billion Dollar Gravy (Original TC Review)

Breakbeat Science: Cat. # BBSCD009 

Released 2003 

Track List: 

1. Billion Dollar Gravy (6:23) 

2. Different Drum (7:22) 

3. Fast Soul Music (6:22) 

4. To Be Me (6:16) 

5. The Great Drum+Bass Swindle (7:09)

6. Cum Dancing (7:15) 

7. Main Ingredient (4:35) 

8. Harlesden (5:44) 

9. My Dreams (7:24) 

10. Born To Synthesise (6:41) 

11. Syncopated City (5:57) 

(2010 Update: This is about the time us writers at TranceCritic were getting more personable in our grammar, making the reviews much easier reads. Well, at least until you got to the wordy track-by-track detailing. That was still a chore to read, even if the quips were coming much faster than before. It'd still be at least another half-year before we finally figured that out for good.)

IN BRIEF: Soulful sweet sound with city cool stylee. 

You know, I really do enjoy me some jungle. When it comes to EDM, the rapid pace and frenetic rhythms of the genre easily encourage you to indulge in the middle word of that acronym. If I just want to cut loose on the dancefloor, jungle gets the job done better than anything else. It matters little to me if my Caucasian heritage leaves me unable to look good going at it -I'm just in it for the fun. 

If this is so, then I'm sure you're wondering why it's taken nearly nine months for me, much less TranceCritic in general, to finally get around to reviewing a true blue, honest-to-God, one hundred percent legit jungle album (or drum 'n' bass, but seriously, the difference is negligible in most cases and artists go between the two of them so frequently, it's simpler to just refer to the whole as one -since jungle was the original term, it gets precedent). 

Well, funny thing about jungle and I is it is one of those styles of music that comes and goes with me. I'll be headstrong into it for a month or two, then be completely apathic to it for long stretches at a time, sometimes never returning to the genre for months, or even a year. Unfortunately, as TranceCritic began, I was on one of those downswings, and it's taken this long for me to feel the vibe again. I'll admit this isn't an exclusive thing to jungle; the same thing tends to occur with other subsets of the EDM spectrum as well. So, if you ever find a style not getting much attention from yours truly, you now know the reason. 

Okay, so now that the jungle bug has bitten me again (going to a prolific jungle night certainly helps) I feel I can give the release I've had on my To Review list some proper attention: London Elektricity's Billion Dollar Gravy. Why this one? To be honest, it was the first jungle release from my personal collection I randomly grabbed to review. Yeah, real revolutionary methods we utilize here at TranceCritic, isn't it. 

The man behind London Elektricity and Hospital Records, Tony Coleman, is yet another of the label's artists that has taken jungle down exciting, new roads with the soul-and-house jungle fusion dubbed 'liquid funk.' Don't ask me why it's named that, although I admit the music does fit the description better than some other names. With this revolutionary, new- 

Wait a moment! That's not right. Liquid funk is hardly new at all. Have we forgotten the work done by Gavin Cheung (as one example) in the mid-90s (Coleman hasn't, as Cheung's Nookie alias does get a shout-out in the liner notes). If house heads or trance heads or any non-jungle heads haven't heard of him, I can understand. But junglists? That's quite criminal if you ask me. It'd be like trance heads not knowing of Claudio Giussani. Hmm... then again, perhaps it isn't so surprising after all. 

So, really, liquid funk isn't all that new or revolutionary after all, despite certain media's claims the stuff High Contrast and the ilk are producing is. However, because the Grooverider tech-step, LTJ Bukem atmospheric, and Aphrodite jump-up styles grabbed all the attention from way back (as well as jazzstep being tapped for the 'electronica' wave), it's understandable some of the other stuff was overshadowed for so long. It seems it took the other jungle styles to run their templates so far into the ground, by the time junglists were ready for something else, the liquid funk sound seemed like a stroke of genius. Huh, well that's what happens when folks dedicate their musical horizons to such a small microcosm of style, I guess (hint hint, tranceaddicts!). 

I guess you're starting to wonder if I'll ever get around to actually reviewing this release. Okay, fine. Man, are people impatient these days. You'd think they would be able to sit through my ramblings to learn something about this music in the process. I mean, it's not like there aren't more important- oh, yeah. This review. 

Billion Dollar Gravy opens with Billion Dollar Gravy, which is as fine a jungle track as any I've heard. Using orchestral strings to provide the backing melodies while frenetic rhythms and smooth, swinging bass energize you, this is certain to move you physically and emotionally. Funky leads and soulful samples provide the padding, as they will for most of these tracks. I could complain the percussion comes off a little tinny, when more refined production would have made this track more intense, but this is only the opener; plenty of room left on this release for Coleman to flex his musical muscle. 

If you thought Billion Dollar Gravy was funky, then hang on tight for Different Drum. Along with Blaxploitation guitar licks (or a very good replica of them), mild horns, and that single high-note string heard in many a house track, this is a smooth, soulful slice of music to be had. Throw in some great lyrics from house legend Robert Owens, and the link between jungle and house is complete. Your typical bridges heard in jungle are filled with little piano solos and while the climaxes aren't as intense here, that oh so smooth bassline gets you grooving just as emphatically, especially as you hear Liane Carrol's soulful wails in the background. 

Things mellow out a little on the next track, letting orchestral strings and Liane Carrol carry the bulk of the track. Don't be fooled, though, as like the title suggests, Fast Soul Music is quite brisk as well, utilizing the strings to build to little peaks, embellishing sound effects bubble about on the other side before repeating the process throughout. 

To Be Me continues the inner city cool trend expertly, spicing up the formula by utilizing a bass lick that goes more wwum wwum ww-ww-ww-ww-ww-ww-wwum rather than the smoother versions we've had on hand thus far. Also, expect to hear mellow horns and single piano notes rather than strings to build the peaks up. It may be the exact same template as Fast Soul Track, but it still sounds remarkably different.

The Great Drum+Bass Swindle takes the Different Drum template and cranks the energy up with rolling basslines, spastic rhythms, and sampled singing getting chopped up throughout. This track is also a great example of why the breakdown/build template works so effectively in jungle no matter how much it gets used. Whereas it tends to get redundant in other genres if abused, the rhythm is just so intense here, when you get that respite that can sometimes last up to a minute (although it doesn't here), it is quite welcomed to have a breather on the dancefloor. In addition, when it builds back up again, the payoff is rarely lacking, thrusting right back into the thick of that mad rhythm that you'd have to be either very athletic, jacked on amphetamines, or plain crazy to match pace. You just don't get that with most typical four-on-the-floor dance music. 

We're now halfway through this release and, while everything that's been heard has been top notch, I'm starting to get a little antsy. The formula has remained very consistent thus far and, while having similar sounding songs may work fine for singles, you expect a little more variety when it comes to album releases. Can Coleman prove hes more than just a purveyor of funk and soul samplings while making use of just a mostly CHA wiki-CHA, CHA wiki-CHA rhythm in the second half? 

Cum Dancing (stop snickering back there, you) aims to prove this isn't a one trick pony, but only halfway. Very synthetic in nature, this was an earlier single for the London Elektricity moniker that seems like the odd man out on Billion Dollar Gravy. Sure, there are still string samples being used, but they are mostly background elements rather than the focus. Instead, Coleman takes a feral bassline and tweaks it about while eerie effects flutter about. However, the same rhythmic template as already heard thus far is still in usage. It's good, but something needs to break up the similarity between all these tracks soon, otherwise things aren't going to stick out as much in later songs. 

Main Ingredient seems to indicate Coleman's made his bed with the current rhythmic template and sticking with it, though. More jazzstep than liquid funk in nature, this one's focused more on the lyrics sung by Liane Carrol than the music surrounding it. Definitely a different take, of course, but the rhythm's been just so similar this far through, and it's not sticking out as well as it should. This holds Harlesden back from being as good on this album as it is on its own as well. Yes, it's another fine example of the liquid funk sound, but we've already heard this done on the album, Mr. Coleman. Let's hear what else you can do. 

Ah, no dice I see. My Dreams brings Robert Owens back for another smooth little bit of soulful jungle. Much like Main Ingredient, it's quite restrained on the musical department (word to the 808 cowbell though!) so Owens gets the chance to showcase his vocal range, but, please, Coleman, can we get something a little different before this album ends? You've proved you're a master at this liquid funk game now. A new direction would be nice, I'm begging! 

Actually, My Dreams was a nice segue into Born To Synthesise, where Coleman finally does something out of the ordinary. The sparseness of the former managed to take us out of the more energetic nature of the rest of the album, and this track brings the energy right down to a crawl with a simple, jazzstep take on, well, acid jazz, I guess. It's quite nice to listen to, as Ms. Carrols lyrics carry quite a bit of weight now that she has the opportunity to embellish a bit without losing pace with quicker rhythms. However, I'm feeling this track is coming almost three songs too late. It would have been perfectly placed after The Great Drum+Bass Swindle to break up the rhythmic monotony that was starting to affect this album. Instead, I guess Coleman decided to go for the "come down at the end of the night after an energetic barrage" feel to this album. 

Syncopated City certainly helps maintain that feeling, as it's book-ended by pleasant strings and nice vocals, with a stuttering bass and a completely atmospheric rhythmic middle that helps ease us nicely out to finish. Unfortunately, as nice as it is to finish out, because there was such a long stretch of similar sounding tracks, Billion Dollar Gravy doesn't quite stick out as well as an album with such great songs should. 

In fact, therein lays my main gripe about many jungle albums: that damned near absolute refusal of some producers to never stray from a given template throughout. It's no surprise to me that some of the best jungle albums I've ever heard are diverse throughout, and don't have a few token different tracks tagged on at the end. However, this is still an expertly produced album, and recommended to anyone either curious of liquid funk or just how good soulful jungle can sound. The track arrangement may be a little lacking, but they are all fantastic in their own right. 

Score: 8/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

Different Drum 

The Great Drum+Bass Swindle 

Cum Dancing 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.