Rumble in the Jungle

In the early 1990s, jungle was on the rise in the UK. After initially emerging out of the post-rave scene, jungle quickly evolved, and by 1993 was now drawing on the slow, heavy bass-lines and ragga vocals of Jamaican music. Whilst many would come to see this era as a short-lived phase in the evolution of drum and bass history (ragga-influenced jungle was all but over by 1995) this album counters this theory, showing that the roots of jungle started much further back -- in the UK's vibrant dancehall scene of the 1980s. Ragga-influenced jungle always works best as a clash. The double-time drums against the slow bass-lines, the Jamaican or Jamaican-influenced vocals against the dark, contemporary rhythms of young UK producers. Both London's Fashion and Greensleeves record labels had championed Jamaican and UK-based Jamaican music throughout the 1980s, so it was a logical progression for them to start making jungle records in the following decade.

As numerous young UK jungle producers sampled their favourite Jamaican ragga artist, Fashion and Greensleeves (as well as UK reggae distributor Jetstar) invited young UK-based jungle mixers to legally work with Jamaican artists. Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Barrington Levy all got re-worked by the likes of junglists Congo Natty, DJ Monk and more. Soul Jazz Records' latest journey features all-time classic jungle anthems such as General Levy's 'Incredible' and UK Apachi and Shy FX's 'Original Nuttah' alongside some serious ragga heavyweight tunes like Cutty Ranks' 'Limb By Limb' and Congo Natty's classic re-make of Barrington Levy's Under Me Sensi.' The album tells the story of how jungle developed out of acid house but with its roots in the UK dancehall scene of the 1980s and comes with extensive sleevenotes, exclusive interviews and photography.