In 1995, at the height of jungle’s the dog barking, ragga chatting, gunshot firing tear-out militancy fabio launched the creative source label with this wonderful Carlito release.

While there had always been a thread of deeper, spacier and (this always makes me cringe a bit) more soulful sounds in the development of jungle, Heaven really laid down the blueprint for what was to come in the liquid funk explosion (which gained its name from a Creative Source compilation, on which heaven featured).

For me the defining beauty of this tune, as with all Carlitos work is the crispness of the drums. While a lot of early hardcore and jungle tunes are endearing in their rough and ready approach this tune is absolutely polished.

The very beginning of the intro has a couple of nods to the more choppy sounds that were obviously very much the order of the day in huge parts of the scene, but once the flute comes drifting into the mix the drums take on a more relaxed rolling vibe to make way for the simple but beautiful vocal sample from which the tune takes its name. To my ears these drums are a canvas on which Carlito paints a sun kissed scene with a gorgeous array of samples. Classy, understated and subtle – this tune is an absolute classic.

Play loud and on repeat and pretend the summer might last forever.

Currently available on Discogs from as low as £1.00. A bargain for such a landmark track.

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The post Bargain Jungle: Carlito – Heaven appeared first on Drumtrip - Hardcore / Oldskool Jungle Blog.

The casual steppy intro of this oft overlooked Suburban Base monster does little to reveal what’s coming after the breakdown. Similar in style to Brainkillers – Screwface which it reminds me of, its a real calm before the storm effect. Booming wobbly bassline and clattering amen breaks after the drop won’t win any originality prizes but what is delivered is all that was great about 1995 jump up jungle.

Produced by Lee and Warren Smith who were also responsible for a string of killer releases under the Asend and Ultravibe, Basic Movements and Dead Dread aliases. For whatever reason this one, they released as Sound Station and it remains the only release under that moniker. Available on Discogs for the very respectable price of £3 it makes a great piece of dancefloor TNT for any jungle djs record box.

Finding this tune tucked away at the back of a box of assorted odds and sods in my local non dance music record shop sometime back in the early noughties, and sticking it on the deck because I liked the sleeve remains one of my favourite crate digging moments.

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The post TOTD: Sound Station – Sound Station appeared first on Drumtrip - Hardcore / Oldskool Jungle Blog.

In 1994 jungle music was alive with ideas. Before the split the happy hardcore was totally complete there was still cross pollination between the two sounds as evidenced in this wonderful tune by Danny Breaks. The juxtaposition between euphoric, hands in the air samples and rough steppy amen breaks makes this tune one of the absolute musical highlights of 1994.

Breaks had previously risen to prominence releasing a string of instant hardcore anthems under alias Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era, most notably rave classic Far Out. (other huge efforts include the amazing Bust That Groove, Freedomism both personal favourites of mine)

Anyway back to the tune of the moment – Danny had just started his own label and what a tune to drop for the first release, a real statement of intent from what was to become a production line of jungle greatness. The instantly recognisable bell sample on the intro, the slow slow build as first the high hats and then vocals drift into the mix in what can only be described as ethereal fashion, and the BAM! probably my favourite amen of all time.
The drums in this tune do things to me that no other piece of music does – as funky as they are militant, as rolling as they are choppy, they are to me all that is exciting about jungle music.
The progression through the second and third breakdowns are just icing on what is already a michelin starred musical cake.

I could waffle for pages about how amazing i think this record is but the truth is – the music say it all. Danny Breaks if you reading – Thank you, the world is a better place for having this tune in it.

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The post TOTD: Danny Breaks – Droppin’ Science Volume 1 appeared first on Drumtrip - Hardcore / Oldskool Jungle Blog.