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Jungle is the name given to an electronic music style that incorporates influences from genres including; breakbeat hardcore, techno, rare groove and reggae/dub/dancehall.

Subgenres of jungle include;

ragga jungle, more Jamaican-Ragga influenced styles and lyrics (circa 1992-6),

darkside jungle; instrumental jungle with a more minimal focus (1994-today),

intelligent jungle; a more ambient sound, focusing on mood, synthesis and production methods (1996-today).

In the UK, Jungle was also the genre that drum&bass and it's various styles evolved from, although this point is contended by drum&bass fans from the USA.

The fast tempos (150 to 170 bpm), breakbeats, other heavily syncopated percussive loops, samples and simple synthesized effects makes up the easily recognisable form of Jungle. Producers create the tell-tale drum patterns, sometimes completely off-beat, by cutting apart breakbeats such as the Amen break. Jungle producers incorporated classic Jamaican/Caribbean sound-system culture production-methods. The slower, deep basslines and simple melodies (which are directly descended from dub, reggae and dancehall) accentuated the overall production and hence, gave Jungle it's 'rolling' quality.

History

The term jungle

Whilst the use of the word to describe what is now known as 'Jungle' (music) is debatable the emergence of the term in musical circles can be roughly traced to Jamaican/Caribbean toasting, (a pre-cursor to modern MC's), circa 1970. References to 'jungle', 'junglists' and 'jungle music' can be found throughout dub, reggae and dancehall genres from that era up until today.

It has been suggested that the term 'Junglist' was a reference to a person either from a section of Kingston known as 'The Concrete Jungle' or from a different area, 'The Gardens', which was a leafy area colloquially referred to as 'The Jungle'.

The first documented, modern use of the term is within a song featuring Jungle producer and lyricist Rebel MC. In which a sample was taken from a much older dancehall tune containing the lyrics "big up all of the Junglists!"

At one time there was even some confusion and debate as to whether the use of the word "jungle" was a racist referral to its blacker, reggae influenced sound and fans. This seems unlikely as whilst it has been suggested that it was the black youth of Britain who fueled the early jungle and drum&bass scenes, the reality is that it was a racially diverse mix of fans and producers alike.

Some early proponents preferred to define the "jungle" element as representing the deeper and darker sound of the heavy beats and bass lines whilst others saw a connection with tribal drumming, percussion and simplicity.

Producers and DJ's of the early 90's, MC 5ive '0, Groove Connection and Kingsley Roast, place the origin of the word in the scene with pioneers like Moose and Danny Jungle.

"a guy called Danny Jungle - he is the first person I always quote. ... As soon as the breakbeat started he was calling it that."

The emergence of the Jungle sound

In the summer of 1992, a Thursday night club in London called "Rage" was changing in response to the commercialisation of the rave scene (see breakbeat hardcore). Resident DJs Fabio and Grooverider, amongst others, began to take the Hardcore sound of to a new level, the speed of the music increased, from 120bpm to 145bpm, whilst more ragga and dancehall elements were brought in and Techno, Disco and House influences removed.

Eventually the music became too fast and different to be mixed with with more traditional rave music, creating a division with the other popular electronic genres. When it lost the four-on-the-floor beat, and created percussive elements solely from raw, 'chopped up' breakbeats, the old-school ravers would complain that it had "gone all jungle-techno".

The club, 'Rage', finally shut its doors in 1993, but the new legion of "junglists" had evolved, changing dancing styles for the faster music, enjoying the off-beat rhythms and with less reliance on the chemical stimulation of the rave era.

Jungle's decline

Jungle reached the peak of its popularity between 1994 and 1995. It was toward the end of this period that the genre diversified into drum and bass as most producers started to incorporate new sounds and rhythms into their music. The co-produced "Timeless" by Goldie and Rob Playford (released on Playford's Moving Shadow record label) is the clearest example of the split between Jungle and drum&bass. Showcasing the new wave of high-tech music production tools being created and computer and audio-software possiblities, 1995 ushered in many of the biggest names in drum&bass today.

Reference tracks

• A-Zone - Calling The People (Jungle)
• Conquering Lion - Code Red (Ragga-Jungle)

Notable artists

• 4Hero
• DJ Hype
• Mickey Finn
• The Prodigy
• Johnny Jungle (aka Pascal)
• Aphrodite
• Grooverider
• Shy FX
• DJ Zinc
• Andy C
• Ed Rush
• Omni Trio
• LTJ Bukem
• Krome + Mr Time
• Tom + Jerry
• L Double
• DJ SS
• T.Power
• M Beat
• Ray Keith
• DJ Krust

References

1. See All Crews: Journeys Through Jungle / Drum and Bass Culture by Brian Belle-Fortune (ISBN 0954889703)