Inspired by an Uncle Dugs show which paid homage to the legendary label that was Suburban Base Records, I decided this week to write about one of the first jungle tracks I picked up way back in 1994. Prior to jungle I had been buying acid house and early hardcore but as far as jungle is concerned this is probably my earliest memory on vinyl.
In some respects, release 38 was somewhat of a mixture of styles, what with the devastating jungle monster that was ‘Roll The Beats remix’ on side A, ‘Dawn of the Fever’ (another jungle track which sampled KRS-One’s ‘Mad Crew’) and ‘Dreams’ both on the flip. This tune being my personal favourite which was an infusion of breakbeat hardcore and jungle all rolled into one.
I originally assumed Hype sampled vocals for ‘Dreams’ from one of the Nightmare on Elm Street films although conflicting information on the internet suggests it was taken from track by the Rap group ‘Lifers Group’ – a group consisting of men who served life and extended long-term sentences in excess of 25 years. Whatever the sample source though, it really added to the mood of the track, you can picture Hype sitting at a rickety old piano programming some pads while everything around him is getting dark, the wind is picking up… then everything stops for a second before the breakbeats come thundering down. Whatever next, DJ Hype in the next remake of Friday the 13th?.
Most probably overlooked for being on the B side edge and because it wasn’t a typical jungle tune, however, for anyone with a love for anything that crossed the line between breakbeat hardcore and jungle then this really is a tune for you. At the time I wished I could have pushed the track over +8 in order for it to fit in with the new breed of hardcore that was emerging at the time but to be honest it was always going to be best suited at its slower pitch.
Download Uncle Dug’s special Suburban Base show here