Wish U Had Something [Jonny L Remix] - dB, L., Jonny
(You're Gonna) Miss My Face [Dillinja Remix] - dB, Campbell, S
Stash - dB, Decoder
Soothe [Prisoners of Technology Remix] - dB, Deva, T
Data Life - dB, Quinn, M
Starburst [Club Remix] - dB, B., John [3]
Magnum Fusion - dB, Wax Doctor
Defining Moments - dB, Robinson, S
I Let U - dB, L., Jonny
Subtropic - dB, Banks, A
Connection 17 [Matrix Remix] - dB, Hall, L
Blue Monday [Optical Remix] - dB, Gilbert, Gillian
Funktion - dB, Optical
Warhead [Stepper Mix] - dB, Krust [1]
Saturday Flex - dB, L. Double
The Shadow [Process Remix] - dB, Playford, Rob
DJ DB, the founder of Breakbeat Science (the first all-jungle record store in America) is a big proponent of accessible jungle. On this mix CD for his own F1-11 label, you can hear DB's attempt to push jungle up from the u... more »nderground. Straying from the more popular and purist hard-edged "tech step" styles, DB mixes in tracks with vocals, some jump-up (definitely considered not cool by junglists), and even--gasp--melody. Don't think this means there's a lot of fluff. From the dark, moody opener, Exocet's "Demon Seed," to the tough beats of Krust's dynamite hit "Warhead" from 1998, this is jungle at its best--with all genres sharing center stage and mixed with flawless precision. --Tricia Romano« less
DJ DB, the founder of Breakbeat Science (the first all-jungle record store in America) is a big proponent of accessible jungle. On this mix CD for his own F1-11 label, you can hear DB's attempt to push jungle up from the underground. Straying from the more popular and purist hard-edged "tech step" styles, DB mixes in tracks with vocals, some jump-up (definitely considered not cool by junglists), and even--gasp--melody. Don't think this means there's a lot of fluff. From the dark, moody opener, Exocet's "Demon Seed," to the tough beats of Krust's dynamite hit "Warhead" from 1998, this is jungle at its best--with all genres sharing center stage and mixed with flawless precision. --Tricia Romano
CD Reviews
Predictably Good
R. Friesel Jr. | Burlington, VT USA | 01/15/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"First off, my musical tastes tend to run toward the more melodic (i.e., trance and house) but this mixCD rocks my little world. On this album, DB pulls off the "drum and bass journey" declared on the CD's label side. Full of frenetic beats and some of the thickest, tech-nastiest basslines, "Shades of Technology" shreds speakers, rips eardrums, and tears into your mind. Basically, this mix is brutal, dark, and techy. It's full of the patented tricks of the DNB business -- tight snare rolls, distorted and overdriven basslines, and frightening samples. Of course, what makes this mix stellar is also what makes it mediocre. On the plus side, the mix accomplishes what it sets out to do and be: It's a nasty headscrew of down-n-dirty drum-n-bass. Highlights include "Wish U Had Something," the Prisoners of Technology remix of "Soothe," "Connection 17," and (of course) Krust's infamous "Warhead." Unfortunately, that same frenetic energy that makes DNB what it is, can also be its downfall at times. That frenetic aesthetic translates out into the overall mentality of the genre -- or what some DJs call an "acetate culture." It's difficult to make a timeless or classic DNB mix because the DNB audience is not often particularly interested in that. They want what's newest sounding -- the records still warm from the lathe. As such, the way "Warhead" made this CD great at its release makes it boring now. Plus, there aren't really any surprises here. You get what you expect. However, as far as techy, dirty, nasty DNB goes -- this may very well become *the* classic mixCD. I know I use it as the standard by which I measure other techstep mixes... So, if this is your bag -- well, you probably have it already anyway. Otherwise, if you feel compelled to buy and keep just one mixCD of this genre, this is the one to have."
VERY Good Mix -- logical, intense, easy all in the same disc
R. Friesel Jr. | 09/28/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Picked this up on a whim at a 'mainstream' record store in NYC. I was floored. From the eery opening ("Demon Seed") to the appropriate, emotional end ... this steps all the way through D&B genres ... even folks who aren't exposed to the music would be advised to pick this up as a D&B primer."
Dj DB hits with a good cross-section
meeks | 04/05/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"DB's got a good feel for the complexity of drum and bass, and he's tried to give a "tour of the landscape" with this mix. It's mostly darkstep and intelligent/progressive stuff, so if you're looking for the ruff ragga vocal tracks or MC action, it's not here. But if you appreciate a blending of the other styles, it's great. Nice flow, intimate vibes, off-the-beaten-path tracks."
Finally
Julio F. Maclay | USA | 03/28/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this CD just by luck; I had purchased a few trance and house CDs beforehand and felt like I should mix things up with some breaks...Until I bought this CD, I had a personal history of faking my way through d'n'b - I knew it had awesome potential, creatively but too many albums I bought had very few tracks I actually enjoyed. System Upgrade by Dieselboy came close, but it was too noisy and repetitive sounding. LTJ Bukem is great, but i find his style too low-key for me. I've heard that its a bad thing to judge him by, but Aphrodite's self titled album really didn't get to me at all. I kept looking and looking and when I found DJ DB, I saw some tracks I really enjoyed. Semi-melodic with phat beats and a definite "dance" mentality. This was my personal D'n'B euphoria, and after experiencing this, I can go to other breakbeat albums with a different mentality, which lets me enjoy them for what they are and not for what I was trying to make them. Highly recommended. (also, check Roni Size Reprazent newforms)"
Track Listings (17) - Disc #1
