At-One-Ment by Stealth Tactic
A throwback to old-school drum and bass from the nineties and noughties, this is almost exclusively from the Moving Shadow label that specialised in high-quality chilled-out sounds. This is technical and complex music at its finest. It was the first music that I attempted to mix back in the day but I never could get the hang of it. It was only much later that I’d come back to it, realising that actually it mixed brilliantly. It was an absolute joy to revisit a part of my history that had been forgotten. It can be jazzy in parts but it’s accessible, relaxing and uplifting. Excellent for lazy days, reclining on the sofa, cooking in the kitchen or soaking in the tub.
The early nineties saw the birth of a totally revolutionary genre with the advent of new music technology. Drum and bass came kicking and screaming out of the rave scene that occasionally lacked finesse and cool. This novel format blended elements of jazz with dance music. It was characterised by its skipping rapid-fire percussive elements and big basslines. The Moving Shadow label was at the forefront of this new movement, creating some of the best sounds that defined a golden era of musical excellence. The adherents of the scene were more like rabid acolytes that proselytised new recruits into the fold shrouded in cloaks of purple haze. It was easy to fall under the spell and pretty soon the tunes would become embedded in our personal histories. Moving Shadow broke the mould creating something unique.
Listen: Shadow Era, Pt. 2 (Remasters).
BT has continuously pushed the boundaries of dance music and is famous for his signature stutter edit technique. This genius producer changed my existence entirely when I bought his second album “ESCM” on a whim from a CD store in my University town. I had no idea what I’d let myself in for when I first heard it in its entirety. It blew my mind and I became an ardent fan. While most of the music was in the breakbeat and trance genre, one track stood out in particular as a peculiarity. “The Road To Lostwithel”, a cheeky drum and bass number thrown in at track number four on the album shifts the mood perfectly and stands the test of time. It’s such a gorgeous tune and it’s the opener in the At-One-Ment mix below – the one and only track not from the Moving Shadow label. It occupies this space because of its sheer beauty.
Listen: Mercury & Solace.
Dark and spooky, often up-lifting. Serious toe-tapping and head-bobbing to these broken beats.
Listen: Skeleton Keys.
Jazzy sweet-talking rolling music for connoisseurs of cool. Good vibes enveloped in a puff of smoke.
Listen: Dimensions of Sound.
The beautiful tranquility of lovely atmospheric lushness from purveyors of quality drum & bass.
Listen: Shadow Era, Pt. 1
