Yesterday's Trainspottle no.162 was Un-cut - Midnight.
Building on their underground d'n'b skills with Jenna G's powerful soulful stylings Future Cut deliver a memorable musical piece that would lead to a whole album of work with Jenna and later mainstream pop production success. A jazzy vocal drum & bass masterpiece perfect for any midnight celebration.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.164 was Da Intalex - Nice & Slow.
With Marcus and Mark from Manchester and L Double helping on the mix, Flex Records kicked off in style bringing drums & bass with hints of that deep, melodic groove the Intalex name would later be renown for.
Easing into the New Year, nice & slow. RIP Marcus.
Yesterday's Trainspottle was Aquarius - Drift To The Centre.
There might not be any dolphins underwater on this one but it's getting murkier finding Photek in a '95 sweet spot journeying into an amens and bass jungle workout. Looking good in the deep end.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.166 was DJ Marky & XRS feat. Stamina MC - LK.
This one has spirit. The spirit of "Carolina Carol Bela" together with Marky & XRS's Brazilian energy, love for drum & bass and Stamina's skills on the mic. A tune for the ages that warmed the underground in the winter & rode the liquid funk wave into the summer charts.
Yesterday's Trainspottle was Jagged Edge - Rock Baby.
Optical & Ryme Tyme with a funky number combining catchy drum patterns and bass while subtly bringing their hallmark Virus edge over to V Recordings. More funk than neuro and a lot of fun for the dancefloor.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.168 was Dillinja - Never Believe.
Human Traffic is a snapshot of 90s raving/clubbing culture and with Pete Tong/FFRR London on the soundtrack case including some Dillinja was a no-brainer. He whips up a catchy horns tune with all the hallmarks of his "Cybotron" sound to good effect. Representin'.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.172 was Tango - Fever.
Tango contributed many tunes & remixes from early hardcore into evolving jungle & drum'n'bass sounds. Capturing the vibe with the best of the them we find him here on a darker techsteppin' tip alongside fellow Midlanders for Moving Shadow's Trans-Central Connection compil. RIP.
Yesterday's Trainspottle was Concept 2 (Andy C & Ant Miles) - No Mistake.
Tunes like this marked a significant turning point in the RAM camp to a squelchier, stompier, sci-fi two-step sound that set them on a course for drum & bass domination in the coming years. Not your father's Origin Unknown!
Yesterday's Trainspottle no. 174 was Basement Jaxx - Fly Life (Roni Size Flyzs Mix).
Roni strips back the South London underground disco & ragga influences of the Jaxx and injects his own Bristolian drum & bass vibe for a very '97 remix.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.177 was Mickey Finn & Aphrodite - Bad Ass!
Helping set the template for a whole generation of 90s jump-up with its hip-hop samples and party-rocking wobble the tune was irresistible to djs and dancefloors (Annoying or overplayed as it was!)
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.179 was A-Sides ft. Singing Fats & Regina - What U Don't Know.
A longtime soldier in the d'n'b trenches A-Sides' dedication to the culture shines here letting the beats just roll as the inimitable Fats flows with Regina adding smooth flavour over top together. Groovin'.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.180 was D-Bridge - True Romance (ft. Vegas)
Not an automatic nominal change with )EIB( on the label & in the sound (hattip Vegas) but D-Bridge searching for more soul inside the machine gave us a drum & bass classic perfectly balanced between light & dark, fitting for Metalheadz' new elite tier. Evolving possibilties.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.181 was Everything But The Girl - Blame (J Majik VIP Mix)
Keeping an ear to the dance music world and the unavoidable bubbling London d'n'b scene Tracey & Ben EBTG got production help from J Majik & Danny J on the smoother LP cut of this track and got some harder VIP mixes for the underground. A very 90s collab.
Trainspottle no.182 was E-Z Rollers - Tough At The Top.
Taking their combination of live instruments and d'n'b to the next level adding the vocal to this helped set the Rollers on a course towards the mainstream and film soundtrack opportunities and was a flagship song on their Weekend World album of jazz & bass.
Yesterday's Trainspottle was Adam F - Brand New Funk.
While groups like E-Z Rollers were walking on land into the charts, Adam F was cooking jazz & bass up for the underground. Always keen to include his musical instrument side with the electronic this tune brought funk & beats together in a dancefloor delight (after a long intro!).
Yesterday's Trainspottle was Tribe of Issachar ft. Top Cat - Champion Natty (Jungle Redemption).
On white labels and a myriad of aliases, Rebel MC did a good job evolving the Congo Natty sound (with the help of legendary Top Cat vocals) to bring ragga vibes to new generations of d'n'b ravers & DJs alike. Jungle culture stalwart.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.186 was TNT - 2 Degrees.
Inspired by the culture around them from pirate radio to jungle raves young DJ Target & DJ Trend (RIP) teamed up to produce this effective WarGames-sampling jump-up stepper for Nicky Blackmarket's Kartoons and go on to major contributions in evolving garage & grime sounds.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.187 was M.T.S - Hard Disk.
Daz Undercover Agent under the M.T.S guise consistent as ever delivering progressively tougher jump-up breakbeat workouts to the underground while running Splash/Juice Records with ppl like Darren Fellowship.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.188 was Swoosh - Ya Rockin.
Pugwash and JB used their jump-up production experience, a familiar O'Jays sample and catchy bassline and breaks combos to nail the dancefloor-friendly formula as Swoosh on Back 2 Basics in '97.
Yesterday's Trainspottle no.192 was DJ Krust - Warhead (Steppa Mix).
A huge tune born in that very creative & competitive period of the Full Cycle gang in Bristol finding Krust moving with the scene towards a more stripped down drum & bass focus with all of his usual subtle complexity and changes. Dancefloor dominator.