1992 was a hell of a year. It's the year hardcore hit the top of the charts. It's the year all night raves gathered their biggest crowds before and possibly since.
It's the year everybody and their pet poodle started raving, and it's also the year that ended with a musical backlash to the commercialism and exploitation of the movement, ending with the birth of the darkside sub-genre.
This in turn directly informed both the jungle and happy hardcore movements. But most importantly for us, it was when the proto-jungle sound really started to develop as its own entity.
With the huge influx of new producers coming through also came new ideas and new sounds. The year was literally awash with 12" singles of every description, from heads down 'ardkore tekno to piano anthems to dub fuelled jungle prototypes.
Squeezing 30 tracks into this most influential of years was always going to be a challenge, so as before, we're looking at a selection of tracks that focus on the emerging jungle sound. Feel free to continue the journey on your own!
1.LTJ Bukem - Demon's Theme
Defies description. Just close your eyes and listen to one of the most important recordings in the history of drum and bass culture.
What you're really looking at here is not only the birth of the roller, but also the birth of what started out at 'intelligent drum and bass' and finished up as liquid.
Influence indescribable.
2.Metalheads - Terminator
There is so much hype out there about this choon it's unreal. Listen very closely and you'll see why.
We first heard DJ Phantasy play this on Green Apple Radio which used to be available via SKY TV. We couldn't believe what we were hearing. Throughout the 90's there are arguably several tracks that changed the course of the movement.
This is one of them, not least because it heralded the arrival of Goldie, a man responsible for bringing jungle to a worldwide audience in 1995 much like The Prodigy and Altern-8 had done in 1992.
This isn't just jungle tekno though. It's something far more advanced. Influence undeniable.
3.Noise Factory - Be Free -
This, the first release on 3rd Party, an artist offshoot of Ibiza Records who we met in 1991, sets the tone for this most inventive of years.
'92 was a year of extreme commercialism as the media and teenaged Britain at large learned more and more about the raving way of life. As ever, we're focussing mainly on the early sounds of jungle and drum and bass and not 'the best of '92'.
We are going to purposefully hone in on the reggae and roots and culture aspect of the simply insane amount of releases in this year, in the quest for the very roots of junglism. Noise Factory is a perfect place to start. Just listen to this one slope along!
STRICTLY DRUM AN' BASS, MAKE YOU WIND UP YOUR WAIST!!!!!
4.Noise Factory - Breakage #4
Unbelievably, this was just 3 more releases deep than track 3 and listen to it! If you didn't already know it was released in 1992 you'd easily be forgiven for thinking this was from '94.
It's highly likely this was a bit of a sonic experiment, especially as the tempo thrashes almost any other contemporary releases, but I wonder if Noise Factory had any idea just how influential this monster would go on to become? If you're talking blueprint then they don't come much bluer than this!
When pitched against the majority of the other releases from '92 nothing much comes close. BLUEPRINT BUSINESS!
5.Tone Def - Aftertouch
This beautifully crafted record, released on the mighty Moving Shadow label clearly shows early signs of that undulating, almost cascading bass that became synonymous with jungle several years later, and is also host to some super crisp breaks.
A proper '92 drum and bass track with just a hint of hardcore peaking out midway through, but even then only just. Clean!
6.Nasty Habits - Here Come The Drumz
During the 90s Doc Scot was never anything less than at the absolute forefront of the boundary pushing end of the drum and bass movement.
This fella changed the face of the music many times over. If there's one thing he excelled in, it's IMPACT.
There was nothing even close to this at the time and while it's technically jungle tekno, the drums just rip your guts out. It still gives you a black eye every time you listen to it even now.
A darkside classic before darkside was even a thing, and Belgium still in full effect right here. HUGE!
7. Foul Play - Ragatere
Jungle is clearly coming into its own at this point. This is a bonafide jungle track and make no mistake. All of the elements are in there and on full display.
Sweet reggae music, snapping, rolling breaks, wandering bass and just a hint of rave culture. Boom!
8.The Brothers Grim - Exodus (The Lion Awakes)
An early drum and bass classic from that guy Floyd Dyce and Acen, this thing is just monumental, particularly at 3.34 when those beautiful pads give way to the mighty Bob Marley vocal.
Hardcore and jungle all at the same time, this is important on so many levels! There's even the legacy sound of bleep techno in there. One of the most emotive and powerful tracks to come out of '92. Incredible.
9.Code 071 - A London Sumtin
A pure and true proto jungle classic, this has every element in abundance. It's almost a continuation of we We Are I.E in terms of tempo, build and structure, and boy does it rock. This is reggae all wrapped up in a crisp, breakbeaty shell. Yum!
10.Phantasy & Gemini - Never Try The Hippodrome
A pure drum and bass classic by the legendary DJ Phantasy & Gemini. Some might call this a pure jungle techno track, and they'd be right, but to us this is pure DNB, carrying on where the likes of Bombscare and Some Justice left off the year previously. This is proto jungle gold. Solid!
11.D Livin - Why
Wow. Seriously. This has EVERY component required to create the perfect jungle tune. In its essence jungle has the same structural impact that reggae does. It makes something devastatingly impactful out of the bare bones of a musical skeleton. Break this simply wonderful creation down to it's bare bones and that's what you get. Devastating. Impact. TUFF!!!!
12.S.L.M - Nice And Slow
Tone Def was a seriously special label. It was a key component of the early jungle movement and if you listen to this it's clear to see why. An early jungle masterpiece. Play Loud.
13.Wots My Code - Dubplate
Half hardcore screamer and half jungle bassbin destructor, this thing needs no introduction on account of it still getting smashed out regularly over 30 years later.
That stepping bass was probably one of the first to really step away from the traditional reggae bassline that occupied all eight beats over two bars, instead occupying just four, leaving the last four beats vacant just to spin your head out.
This became a core fundamental for 94/95 jungle and it's what made that musical skeleton so full and rich. Absolutely timeless.
14.Dance Conspiracy - Dub War
This is hands down one of the most beautiful records to come out of '92. And one of the best. Mid decade jungle was well known for its lush pad arrangements and this makes wonderful use of them here.
Waiting until well over two minutes to get anything close to hardcore and then only to get that dancefloor rushing, this 6 minute + slab of epicness oozes musicality and panache while simultaneously kicking you in the shins to make you dance harder, which is what the best jungle did. EPIC.
15.DJ Trace - Teach Me To Fly
Much like Bukem with Demon's Theme, Trace was on a completely different level with this one. There is no hint of the hardcore madness that littered the UK's record shop in 1992 on this sublime creation.
There is however an uplifting piano section covering it's midriff, yet no hint of any hands in the air energy at all, leaving this in a league all of its own. No theatrics. No gimmicks. Just pure musicality, and that delicious dry kick bouncing along underneath it all !
There weren't too many other tracks that managed to pull of this level of quality. Standard setting proto intelligent drum and bass (see our 1994 Intelligent drum and bass section!).
16.Body Snatch - Just 4 U London
110% jungle. End of. Rolling, writhing, stark, sinister yet welcoming. An undeniable forerunner of the classic jungle sound. When you compare this to the tracks in the 1992 Hardcore section you can really clearly identify the very distinct difference between it and the proto jungle sound. There was actually no comparison. This is the birth of an entire movement taking place here. Stunning.
17.DJ Clarkee - Smiley
For a DJ that went on to make his name playing gabba and hardcore tekno via the ESP organisation and 'Dreamscape' raves, this absolute beauty from 1992 bares all the essential hallmarks of an early proto jungle banger. With only the very slightest hint of anything hardcore related, but wallowing in that classic jungle bassline and multiple drum layers, we felt this one needed to be included. Wikked!
18.Babylon Timewarp - Durban Poison.
With its haunting middle eastern refrain gliding over the top and half tempo breakbeat intro, this thing is drenched in '92 rude boy culture. A fantastic example of up tempo proto jungle just kissing the cusp of breakbeat hardcore. Brilliant.
19.Johnny L - Hurt You So
This thing is in a league of it's own. Probably on of the most excellently crafted use of samples from any record from this year and full of infectious feel good vibes, there's no way we could have left this out. Hardcore without being over the top and jungle without being too dark, we think this is a masterpiece. Quality.
20.C Biz - The Crowd Say Rewind
Bizzy B was a hugely influential and incredibly important part of the early 90s musical jigsaw and pushed the boat out on many occasions with his in your face sonic experiments. He was without doubt a true crusader for pushing things forward, but in '92 he was helping forge the jungle sound with this relentless banger alongside DJ Connie. A great example of that early jungle sound. Stompin'.
21.4 Hero - Cookin' Up Ya Brain
4 Hero and the individual members of the Reinforced Records posse were born with a gift for producing excellent music. Everything was just so clear and crisp, and the drums on this in particular pack such a punch. Top class production.
22.Ellis Dee & Swann'ee - Ruff Neck Bizznizz
Ellis Dee back at the desk alongside DJ Swann'e for this junglistic hardcore belter. These two DJs became quite a prolific pair as the 90s wore on and the strength of this quality release shows why. Bumpin'!
23. Project One - Roughneck
Woooooooiiii - What a bouncer! This bubbler did major damage during '92 and that bassline still carries it through even now. Roughneck indeed!
24. DJ Nex - DJ Nex' Theme
This awesome Mark Archer (Altern 8) solo project churned out some quality cuts on the Stafford North label, and we caught up with him for one of our 'From The Vaults' interviews which you can find in the site index. This deep cut from the Respect Is Due EP has a deadly swing that echoes beautifully the early jungle sound. Wikked!
25.The Family Foundation - Express Yourself
A heads down rave stomper of epic proportions, and most notable for being released via Pete Waterman's PWL label, this thing just smashes up everything in its path. Released early on in the year (we think) this slower tempo monster still kicks ass. Heavy!
26.Tic Tac Toe - Ephemeral
Created by one half of Bassment Jaxx, this absolute stunner has that same edge as 'Just 4 U London' in that it wanders and meanders in a state of perpetual darkness. This one just had to get a mention. A darkside pre-cursor with no mistake. Boom!
27.The Ragga Twins - Shine Eye
Seriously though. With the last burning embers of Sheffield bleep running an eerie and haunting top line across it, and that pure reggae bassline burbling deep, deep under its core, AND that relentless break pummelling away through the midsection, this is pure class in every conceivable way. A TRUE PROTO JUNGLE MASTERPIECE!
28. Tronik House - Spark Plug
A jungle tekno driven belter from the house of Kevin 'Reese' Saunderson, and boy does it rock. This was a firm favourite in almost of every hardcore DJs record box in '92. Huge.
29. The Moog - Jungle Muffin
Sure, there's that lush piano breakdown in the middle, but just listen to the BASS!!!!!!! A proto jungle monster. We did an interview with The Moog right back at the start of the website. Check the Index!
30.Egyptian Empire - The Horn Track
A fantastic way to end this 30 track journey into the first true seeds of the jungle sound. This kicked ass in '92 and still sounds amazing, with those layered beats and burbling bassline pushing things forward. A true stomper. As we move forward into '93 you'll see the hardcore elements starting to drop off and some dark flavours coming through as the jungle blueprint of bass and drums started to really take shape. See you there!
