from the LP New Forms, Mercury Records, 1997This was the album that changed everything for jungle music, taking it from the smoky second-stage at raves and turning it into the soundtrack for automobile commercials and shopping at Urban Outfitters, even landing a video on MTV (for the track “Brown Paper Bag”); yes, LTJ Bukem and Goldie came before, but no jungle record had ever blown the scene open like this one, and arguably, none has since. I’ve heard people talk shit about this having been a bit “bloated” or “overhyped”, obviously individuals not closely associated with beats, as nearly every major jungle producer since this time has ripped stuff off from these records. You know why? Because this bangs as hard today as it did when it dropped, and continues to feel so clean & crisp, like a fresh ruby-red grapefruit, that people still can’t leave it alone. The incredible thing is, even though jungle music has evolved, you can still play these tracks out today and no one will miss a beat!
