1995. The year that hardcore jungle went major. The year jungle went pop. The year producers and DJs that had been slogging away deep underground for years collected their dues. The year that jungle went top 40. And the year jungle died.
Thankfully it was resurrected many times over and is now firmly a staple part of the worldwide rave scene as what some people call contemporary jungle. But all good things must come to an end, and while some couldn't handle the change and moved on to pastures new (speed garage, breaks) the vast majority that were there before were still there at the end. The death of jungle though meant the birth of drum and bass proper, and you can see where that went through the 1996 sections and beyond.
So while 'Golden Era' jungle truthfully ceased to be as a musical entity, the impact it had in those few short years is still being felt worldwide now, and always will.
But enough of all that. Let's look at the absolute cream of the 1995 crop and get a taste for pure jungle.
1.Splash - Babylon
There could only be one way to start this, the year of all years for jungle music, and arguably the last in the great golden era of the movement. No amount of words could possibly do this scene setting and all time classic any justice. Just listen to it and the music will do all of the talking.
2.Dr. S. Gachet – Remember The Roller
Taking the Reese bass to new heights, Gachet created a thing of extreme beauty when he wrote this. Riding the border between jungle and drum and bass and with some serious atmosphere thrown in for good measure, this kind of defined the real meaning of the term roller, as well as including it in the title. Incredible.
3.DJ SS - Black
DJ SS's mid 90s productions came to epitomise and en=embody the very essence of what jungle was, to the point where it's difficult to out into words. It just was. No words required for this stone cold killer. Just volume.
4.Peshay - On The War Path
Another DJ/Producer who had/has the true essence of jungle running through his core. Peshay. With a clear dedication to breakbeat re-arrangement to the nth degree, his attention to detail has never been anything less than incredible.
5.Dom & Roland - Filter Fury
With a fluffy intro that draws you into suspecting this is an atmospheric tune, all hell breaks loose as one of the funkiest basslines of the year starts wandering over a whole host of breakbeat madness.
6.Remarc – R.I.P. (DJ Hype RMX).
Probably the purest definition of the term Tear out in our opinion. Nuff Said!
7. DJ Zinc - Super Sharp Shooter
Probably one of the best known tracks from 1995 and within the first few seconds you can see why, this absolute monster tear out jump up jungle classic delivers again and again. Also continuing with the hip-hop sampling style that came into force midway through 1994. BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!
8. DJ Zinc - On Fire Tonight
With more golden era hip hop samples than you could shake a stick at, Zinc came correct yet again with this floor quaker on the mighty Ganja Records. More jump up jungle for your ear holes. Ouch.
9. Prizna - Fire (Urban Shakedown Remix)
Another absolute smasher and charting in the UK at a whopping number 33, this tune slayed everything in its path and still sounds epic with that classic jump up stance. Bosh!
10. Urban Shakedown ft Debo General - Arsonist
Continuing with the Urban Shakedown theme and the jump up sound hammering through stronger than ever, this was everywhere in '95, from school playgrounds to all nighter's deep in a field in lord knows where. An absolute classic. No dispute.
11. Shy FX and UK Apachi - Original Nuttah
It's testament to the sheer power of UK jungle that this track is still getting rinsed daily on radio waves and internet platforms, as well as in raves all over the world containing crowds of all ages. Go to any student night in the UK in 2024 and you'll still here this being spun.
So good that you could play it on repeat for days, this belter fork the Ganja Records imprint packs a ridiculous punch even now, crisp breaks, burbling bass and those infamous Cypress Hill samples................Woiiiiiiiii. I'll take two please.
13. MA2 - Hearing Is Believeing
DJ SS wasn't just a flavour of jungle in 1995, he WAS jungle in 1995. A master of those simple yet incredibly effective 808 basslines that you could contort your whole body to on the dancefloor, and user of supreme breaks and samples, the Leicester based DJ and producer could easily be chosen to represent jungle in a time capsule. Simply wonderful.
14. Asylum - Da Bass 2 Dark
L Double alias Asylum dug into deeper territory than ever before with this minimal jungle smasher, eventually signed to Metalheadz. Deep, dark and deadly. Bad!
15. DJ Krust - Set Speed
Another scene defining moment from Bristol based Krust, this (in our opinion) started to mark the start of the new sound of drum and bass. While still breaks led, it employed that crisp and snappy snare accentuated on beats 2 and 4 of the bar, heralding the emergence and importance of that percussive pattern, and veering away from the amen and amen style samples where all four beats of the bar were awash with drum sounds. Truly innovative.
16. The Terrorist - Sing Time
Ray Keith back at the controls for this absolutely epic Pink Floyd sampling monster. There's not a lot one can say about the impact of this incredible piece of jungle music, only that it is still timeless 30 years later. Stunning.
17. B-Jam - Funkula
A nugget of absolute jungle gold right here, and another continuation of the golden era hip hop sampling craze that swept through 1995 with a sting in its tail. Supreme.
18. Sounds of the Future - The Lighter
No self respecting list from 1995 would be without this timeless classic from previously featured DJ SS. Borrowing the main refrain from 'love story' and blending it with some of the toughest beats known to man, this again encapsulatesthe very essence of '95 in 4 minutes and 24 seconds of throwdown junglism. Monstrous.
19. DJ Gunshot - Bad Boy
A crisp example of the lush soul and ruff breaks mash ups that also littered the musical landscape this pinnacle year, the sweet soul breakdowns at the start and end of this wikked choon really lifted the mood when the breaks were dominating the dancefloor.
20. Johnny Jungle - Killa Sound
pascal and Sponge were unstoppable during the golden era and this became an instant classic, with the raw vocal sample and that descending bassline warbling through the mid section, we loved this the and we love this now!
21. Pure - Anything Test
Swift and Zinc on the smoothest yet the ruffest of tips with this wonderful example of just how soulful jungle could be when approached with in the right way. Jump up jungle was all about letting loose on the dancefloor, but with a small helping of soul it changed the atmosphere completely. Fantastic.
22. Jack Horner - The Hoover
Ooffffff. Bass in you face! What a face melter. Nuff said.
23. Ellis Dee and DJ Fly - The Rinse Out
There since the earliest of days, Ellis Dee continued to be a fierce contender throughout the middle of the decade, and this beast show you why. JUNGLISM!
24. DJ Monk - Dancehall Style
A pure jungle firecracker if ever there was one, this little beauty has all of the elements in perfect proportion. A fantastic piece of work.
