blog to the oldskool

I’ve been on a bit of a break from ripping stuff since my record needles were trashed, finally got one new one today though. To make up for the absence, I’m going to post a couple of bits in semi-quick succession over the next couple of days. Starting it off, here’s a kind of hard-to-find ragga jungle bit, which was later released in remix form on Greensleeves. The remixes were on a couple of ragga jungle comps as well… I know I’ve got the Greensleeves press somewhere in my record shelves but can’t seem to find it right now, so here’s the original. The production is noticeably rougher than on the 95 remix EP, but I still dig this version the most – it has a melodic ragga sample saying “like jumping” (which hopefully Mr. Droid can ID), which is absent from the remix.
[DISCOGS]
Action Man – Sleeping Lion

When I think of classic ragga jungle labels, “Flying Fish” isn’t exactly one which pops to the front of the list. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a decent label with enough decent releases, but I’ve heard a number of them and none really blew me away. Here’s a tune though which has really grown on me. It’s very straightforward and repetitive, maybe more of a DJ tune than something you listen to beginning to end. But it’s absolutely wicked – heavy, well produced choppy beats with good ragga vocals and not much else.


DJ FT – Stop Lick The Crack

Here’s a nice B-side I found on some nondescript 95 record. Choppy 94-style jungle beats and the Cocoa T & Cutty ranks “The Going Is Rough” acapella (as used in Sonz of a Loop Da Loop “Bust That Groove”). Not much more to say for this one, check it and enjoy!

Dreadi-Knight & DJ Legacy – Yard RAVE

Another good ragga jungle tune, this time from the Ibiza Records camp… I’d be curious to know what the intro is from. Even though the phrase “cool runnings” is jamaican slang, it always reminds me of that horrible 90’s movie about the Jamaican Bobsled team. I’d never actually seen it, so I started watching the first few minutes on youtube today, and was surprised to hear a sample I’ve heard at least one jungle tune. Here’s the sample (”Easy rasta!”). Anyone remember what track uses that sample?

Cool Runnings – side A

Here’s a wicked track I picked up recently. This is classic 94-95 ragga jungle stuff: mashed amens mixed with the beat used in “Helicopter tune” (I forget the name of it right now). multiple ragga vocal lines, the “ah!” sample as used in Ray Keith – Terrorist. My copy is a little bit worn down so this rip is a bit rough, luckily it’s not too hard to find of a single so anyone looking for a better copy can pony up the dough on discogs or ebay

Chris Jay put out a number of releases, all on Dubwise Productions (a label he ran with Devious D). Devious D is better know as one half of Jay J and Devious D, who released a number of great singles including (Rock on Time, and Sensational Junglist.


Chris Jay – Champion Sound (Devious D mix)

Here’s one for the ragga jungle fans who check this site… based on my google stats, that’s quite a number of you! It seems there’s still a pretty huge following for ragga jungle, tons of younger kids who aren’t particularly huge oldschool collectors in general but who just start throwing piles of money at records if there happens to be a ragga acapella on top. Case in point: the “Ganja Plant” track I posted here a while back, which recently went for $90+ on ebay for the original single. Despite that, there’s plenty of EPs like this which are somewhat underrated (3.3 rating on discogs) and cheap. This EP was released on Hi Pois’n, a solid if not spectacular jungle sublabel of Boogie Beat. I was somewhat indifferent to it first, but “Bokal Blood” won me over with the choppy eddie bo break. “Never Say Never” features the “It’s the way” acapella as in Tim Taylor – The Way and D’Cruze – Lonely

Ricochet – Never Say Never

Red Ant & Fly – Bokal Blood

I’m still in the process of unpacking boxes from my move, yesterday night I was unpacking my CDs and found this 94 ragga jungle comp. The comp is pretty good, I mean it’s a cheapo TELSTAR comp and and all, and there’s a track or two which are obviously mastered from vinyl (surface noise and all), but there’s plenty of serious tunes on there. One track which caught my ear last night is this Greensleeves jungle track – produced by Reel II Reel of De Underground recordings.

Dawn Penn & Bounty Killer – You Don’t Love Me (No No No) (Reel 2 Reel Junglist Mix)