As it was never clear on the label who Baraka actually was – although Kid Andy is listed as ‘co-ordinator’, many people (myself included) had speculated that Baraka was in fact an alias for Jonny L. The main evidence would be the similarities in the amen work on this and Jonny L’s remix of U Can Be My Lover.

However, a while back when browsing the Beautifully Crafted Jungle Facebook group, I noticed this post from one half of Serial Killaz; Tobie Scopes.

Baraka was Kid Andy, aka Andy Lysandrou – the guy who owned Boogie Beat. I was good friends with him at the time.

Jonny L might have engineered it, as they both went on to be True Steppers together (who then produced that Out Of Your Mind track with Dane Bowers & Victoria Beckham). He didn’t mention Jonny’s name to me at the time, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t involved of course.

What Tobie doesn’t know about jungle / D&B really isn’t worth knowing!

Andy Lysandrou is also the man behind the essential UK garage label Ice Cream (along with Tim Deluxe), a label probably best known to the masses for the speed garage anthem RIP Groove by Double 99.

So there you have it, mystery solved.

The post Who was Baraka? It wasn’t Jonny L after all… appeared first on Drumtrip - Hardcore / Oldskool Jungle Blog.

Released on the relatively short-lived, but prolific hardcore and jungle label ‘Boogie Beat‘ in 1995, ‘I’ll Be There‘ is hypnotic and frantic, but also quite a deep cut.

Starting with ethereal bells or chimes it builds up before a razor sharp amen and sub bass combo hit. The pace is unrelenting and there is a real air of energy and urgency about the track.

The producer name ‘Baraka’ can mean one of several things;
My first thought is that it would be taken from the character from Mortal Kombat II, two years after the track was released.
It was also a natural world documentary film or it simply means ‘blessings’ in either Hebrew or Arabic languages.
One thing is sure, the identity of the producer remains a mystery with only one more release to his name.

Was he a kind of one hit wonder? Or, as the production suggests, a more established producer……
Due to the similarities in sound rumours have pointed to a certain Jonny L (see his U Can Be My Lover remix for the evidence)

Whatever the story, it’s a great track and one I would have love to have made a Bargain Jungle 12″  but despite being relatively unknown to most, its still fairly sought after by a few and as such its expensive to track down

The post Tune Of The Day: Baraka – I’ll Be There appeared first on Drumtrip - Hardcore / Oldskool Jungle Blog.