Gremlinz & Ahmad – Nibiru / The Orchard [Paradox Music]

Paradox Music return with an unusual release – their first 12″ to feature music from artists other than Paradox since 2010’s PM020 (featuring Equinox on the flip). Toronto badman Gremlinz teams up with new name Ahmad to provide two rough and tough slices of dark jungle.

Nibiru gets straight down to business with heavy hitting breaks, meaty sub and old school stabs – this is a beat crafted via years worshipping at the school of Photek, positively oozing 90s D&B soul. Over on the flip The Orchard trades in the full tempo breaks for a kick driven half-time beat punctuated with distorted amens and reverb heavy toms, while bass growls and haunting synths slither in and out of the mix.

As usual the release will be available on a beautiful limited edition vinyl pressing and the standard digital formats – watch out for this one dropping from December 9th.

 

Terrahawk – Hawk Eye [Infidelity Records]

Legendary jungle soundboy Aries steps up to remix Terrahawk’s latest single Hawk Eye, laying down a ruff and tumble refix characterised by tough breaks, dark bass stabs and classic dub horns. The single also features the original mix and an instrumental but to be honest the Aries mix takes the cake by a long way! Check it out below and pick up the release from Beatport now.

Dom & Roland – Unofficial Jah / Outta Endz [Metalheadz]

When forces as legendary as these collide, you know you’re in for a treat! Dom & Roland touches down on the mighty Metalheadz with a massive 12″ that has been tearing up the dance for months now. Unofficial Jah kicks the release off with some monstrous bass sweeps before dropping into a stomping, sub infused half-step beat that’s reminiscent of Amit’s work on recent singles like Human Warfare. Just when you’re getting comfortable Dom kicks things up into double time with a full rinse oldschool techstep beat…oooft.

Over on the B-side we’re treated to Outta Endz, a track that has seen heads bawling for the rewind time and again. Infectious and instantly memorable, the cut up vocal hook of “Straight Outta London” couldn’t resonate more with the Metalheadz crew. Watch out for this dropping on vinyl and digital from November 18th.

Habitat – Can They Hear Me / Holdin’ It Down [E-Motion]

E-Motion have been going from strength to strength lately and their latest release from Habitat showcases the labels versatility with a pair of modern Jungle-tinged rollers. Can They Hear Me weighs in with heavy sub weight and dark vibes while Holdin’ It Down adds a hint of jazz to the mix with a more dancefloor oriented happy smasher.

With support from the likes of Ray Keith and Aries, jungle heads should definitely keep an eye on Habitat. Check out the beats below and grab the release from your favourite digital outlet now!

Classic Track: Ganja Kru – Super Sharp Shooter

Today’s classic comes straight outta 1995 with Zinc’s classic hip-hop/jungle fusion tune Super Sharp Shooter. From the now legendary use of samples from LL Cool J and Method Man to the innovative use of half-time beats on the slouchy, dubbed out intro through the double-time jungle breaks and wobbly bass of the main verse, the tune still oozes class almost twenty years on.

The breaks might sound scratchy compared to modern beats but this one has character by the bucket load and always gets the floor bouncing. If by some miracle you don’t know it, get to know. For the rest of you it’s time to sit back, relax and reminisce on a simpler time.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2KZoWLot0g]

Chopstick Dubplate – Wanted – Murda We Charge For [Chopstick Dubplate]

Chopstick Dubplate (aka Jacky Murda and Aries) return with a full length selection of Jungle & Dubwize cuts in the form of Wanted – Murda We Charge For. Featuring the vocal talents of Top Cat, D Brown and Mr. Williamz, the tunes blend Jungle, Dancehall, Dub and Reggae to produce an infectious, high tempo and intrinsically Jamaican sound.

While the lyrics are sometimes a bit bizarre (Worldwide Traveller seems to be a rasta ode to Ryan Air…) and sometimes just formulaic, it’s difficult to argue with the uplifting vibe of the tunes and Jungle is always sure to get a room skanking. Feelgood beats, ya man! Checkout a mini mix of the album below and watch out for the release dropping September 30th.

Jem One – The Bleep / Drop This [36 Hertz]

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Jem One drops another pair of scorching old-skool belters for 36 Hertz, bringing the vibes of breakbeat jungle and rave at 140BPM.  Both tracks harness simple but powerful sub bass and chunky breaks, with The Bleep letting a hypnotic melody take centre stage while Drop This takes most of it’s character from a huge distorted amen. Both tracks mean business and retain that infectiousness that so characterised early rave music. Check em out below and watch out for the release on August 19th.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JptTBdCTGk]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAvVB_SaEfc]

Consequence – Etcht EP001 [Etcht]

Consequence has been fairly quiet lately but it seems he’s been busy in the studio cooking up leftfield beats for his new label Etcht. His work on this release fuses elements of breakbeat, acid, IDM, glitch, jungle and ambient to create a sound that is remeniscent of Aphex Twin or Bop, with more than a hint of dBridge and autonomic thrown in for good measure.

Across the EP the sounds of warm analogue synths combine with distorted percussion and strange, syncopated rhythms, all layed over smooth, ambient pad-work. The hypnotic melody of Ressed and the classic breakbeat vibes of Lyon are particular highlights, but ultimately the whole record is outstanding. Watch out for the release dropping on vinyl from 12th August.

Andyskopes – True Chord Redux [Utopia Music]

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Andyskopes combines the spirit of 90s jungle with the deep, ethereal vibes we’ve come to know and love from Utopia Music on the labels 13th single. Soft, floating pads give the tune it’s soul and mesh perfectly with the clattering, filtered breaks that drive the composition, giving True Chord Redux much of the vibe and atmosphere of old drumfunk records from the likes of DJ Trax and Paradox.

True Human Emotion goes in even harder on the flip, with rough and tough amens smashing up the track after the strings of the intro have given way to a choice sample from Michael Fassbender’s android in Prometheus. Every drum hit is perfectly positioned for maximum impact; one for the old school heads.

Watch out for the release on vinyl & digital from August 5th.

One In The Jungle Archive

aOne-in-the-jungle

Anyone unfamiliar with the early history of Jungle / D&B would do well to investigate the now legendary One In The Jungle show. Broadcast on Radio One from 1995 to 1997 and spanning three series, the show gave Jungle a platform on the station for the first time and paved the way for the music to move from its roots in the infamous London pirate radio scene onto more legitimate broadcasters.

Some of the episodes have been lost forever but many have been salvaged from old tape recordings and a partial archive is available to download from http://oneinthejungle.co.uk/. Better still, many of the episodes are now on Mixcloud, and a few of the best are embedded below. Check it out, relive the memories, and feast your ears on the rise of a scene.

Roni Size & MC Dynamite – 03.08.95

Moving Shadow Special – 09.08.96

Ed Rush & Trace – No U-Turn Experience – 07.02.97

Future Forces – 05.12.97