The evolution of Drum ‘n’ Bass

By Mark Randall

Early years

• In it’s early days drum and bass started out as sped up garage and hard dance styles that turned into ‘jungle’, with it’s followers being called ‘junglists’. This was recognised by it’s rhythms, effects and old Jamaican samples.

• This was mainly found in the rave scene that started as festivals and parties

Evolution

• Jungle got pretty big, and then it became more commercial and was transformed into the diverse style that it is nowadays.

Modern D’n’B• These days D’n’B, as it’s formally

known, has many varying styles ranging from soft “liquid” drum and bass to the hard-hitting styles known as ‘Jump up’ and ‘Dark/Neurofunk’.

• These last two sub-genre’s are the ones that will usually be played at raves/events.

Sound systems

• For drum and bass raves, the sound systems that are used are huge, usually home built speakers that come together to make rigs that have excess of 10,000 watts of power. Making these goliath rigs is hard, but the raw power upon output blows it all away. It is recommended that people only stand in front of these for 10 or 15 minutes at a time but people dance in front of these systems for hours while the DJ’s crack their sets out.

Pictures of sound systems used today

The Mighty Collision Sound System from Bolton

The Gash Collective rig

The Switchin’ Sounds rig

NOTE: All of these systems need to be tied together with thick ropes so they don’t shake themselves apart!

The Tsunami Bass Experience rig

Drugs and Drum ‘n’ Bass

• These is quite a heavy connection between drugs and drum and bass because drugs were a big part of the rave scene, from which drum and bass was born. Raves will not be short of drugs as there will always be people taking them to the event to either consume themselves or sell off to others.So it’s no wonder people are able dance for six hours solid at raves!

Examples of old and new D’n’B

The Archangel & Dub V Dainjah - Ganja Tune – YouTube This is some old school jungle.

Dub Elements - Black Ninja – YouTube This is one of the newer styles known as ‘Dark’

Hope you enjoyed my presentation

• Any questions?

Sources

I would like to thank the marvellous Google for all of it’s information, websites and pictures that I have used in my presentation.... DNB Wallpaper - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=drum+and+bass&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=ofcV8_DVuK_9fM:&imgrefurl=http://hdw.eweb4.com/out/747339.html&docid=Sasmg4771IY0VM&imgurl=http://hdw.eweb4.com/media/wallpapers/1/1/454.jpg&w=1920&h=1080&ei=gGLdUej3Jaev0QXomIHwDA&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&dur=109&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=239&start=0&ndsp=27&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:113&tx=198&ty=44 Background for slides – http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=drum+and+bass&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=Z9jLo6iIc7N2QM:&imgrefurl=http://wallnwalls.com/img-influence--drum-and-bass-4813.htm&docid=lGpe_o9NFN1QBM&imgurl=http://wallnwalls.com/data/media/3/influence__drum_and_bass.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=gGLdUej3Jaev0QXomIHwDA&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&page=2&tbnh=146&tbnw=214&start=27&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:35,s:0,i:200&tx=131&ty=36 Roots CD cover – http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=drum+and+bass+roots&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=703&tbm=isch&tbnid=R6Z7ar-CcjvwdM:&imgrefurl=http://boomkat.com/cds/30113-various-trojan-strictly-drum-bass-the-roots-of-sly-and-robbie&docid=wa4vaduSj8O7lM&imgurl=http://assets.boomkat.com/images/49455/333.jpg&w=333&h=333&ei=GWXdUbr-L5Ka0AXO44HQDA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=372&vpy=185&dur=172&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=128&ty=131&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=145&start=0&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:88 Junglist Movement – http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=junglist+movement&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=WJ5lrX5VtAn2bM:&imgrefurl=http://aerosoul.co.uk/index.php/junglist-movement-babe-t-shirt-black.html&docid=jkPbYHaQRBZmpM&imgurl=http://aerosoul.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/_/d/_dsc9699.jpg&w=2000&h=1600&ei=m2bdUf7MMKaH0AWaooCoAw&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&dur=94&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=196&start=0&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:88&tx=59&ty=65 DNb 160-190 cover - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=drum+and+bass+160-190&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=hub2NQig9wCOcM:&imgrefurl=http://freevocals.com/acapellas/genres/dnb/&docid=EzLOfTj4MnjWzM&imgurl=http://freevocals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/dnbbox.jpg&w=1000&h=1000&ei=Y2fdUcWhDMaM0AXS7IDYAg&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&dur=94&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=128&start=0&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:91&tx=67&ty=69neurofunk gold - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=neurofunk+gold&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=2-NqKZLJeklYSM:&imgrefurl=http://soundcloud.com/djgold/neuro-funk-ep-promo-mix&docid=_weQ7sFuqFoH3M&imgurl=http://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000024533846-vuu3y6-original.jpg%253F69e2a4e&w=960&h=960&ei=xmfdUZynI-ml0wX124Bg&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=149&start=0&ndsp=38&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:82&tx=61&ty=75Free party picture – http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=free+party&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=07NzdRqTFfOupM:&imgrefurl=http://openanthcoop.ning.com/profiles/blogs/a-vision-of-excess-techno&docid=Qep3ddbnATvgQM&imgurl=http://api.ning.com/files/*nTn9YIInVBHxgQbHrkXDEc1Gc5WxKXUVdk-XOfIkyNBfMhaky9hBKyCFueK7F9BhG-szEiAhIpK6IotnH1Z2om62Ytsd-KE/1828.jpg&w=1500&h=1125&ei=sGjdUZfcJ4ev0QXYsICwDQ&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&dur=78&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=183&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:88&tx=117&ty=72Indoor rave picture - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=drum+and+bass+rave&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=EgYe_kogB1hAgM:&imgrefurl=http://www.torontojungle.com/&docid=fpMNmmOWQFdRyM&imgurl=http://i.imgur.com/JnCARPu.jpg&w=480&h=318&ei=IGndUaG_K-bW0QXM7YC4Cg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=624&vpy=247&dur=1157&hovh=183&hovw=276&tx=30&ty=87&page=3&tbnh=144&tbnw=204&start=68&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:96,s:0,i:378&biw=1440&bih=703Borat picture - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=thumbs+up&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=qSVaILVuI8NkqM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.b92.net/text/22570/Faza-prosvetljenja/&docid=zktVLU30rDp7qM&imgurl=http://blog.b92.net/user_stuff/upload/649/1291131680_two-thumbs-up.16649.jpg&w=248&h=320&ei=PmjdUb_nL_KY0QWMj4DwCA&zoom=1&biw=1440&bih=703&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=122&start=0&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0,i:122&tx=78&ty=93