[Chaotic Electronic Music] A Collection of Classic Drill ’n’ Bass Tracks
If you’re familiar with the electronic music scene of the 1990s, you’ve probably heard of the genre known as “drill ’n’ bass.” In English it’s written as “Drill ’n’ bass.” While it’s hard to pin down musically, it’s characterized by rhythm patterns and programming even more complex than drum and bass, yet with a chaotic atmosphere rather than a heated groove.
Although it influenced genres like breakcore and glitch, there aren’t actually many works that are pure drill ’n’ bass.
In this article, we’ve selected and introduced essential drill ’n’ bass classics you should know first.
If you’re interested, please have a look!
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[Chaotic Electronic Music] A Collection of Classic Drill’n’Bass Tracks (11–20)
CutPlug
Plug is the stage name used by British musician and producer Luke Vibert.
The track “Cut” by Plug is included on the 1996 studio album Drum ‘n’ Bass for Papa, where you can enjoy a straight-up, classic drill ‘n’ bass/drum and bass sound.
Incidentally, the album received very high acclaim, including being ranked 33rd on NME’s Best Albums of the Year list.
In addition to Plug, Luke Vibert has released music under various other aliases such as Amen Andrews, Kerrier District, and Spac Hand Luke, so if you’re interested, be sure to check those out too!
Black Lawn FinaleThe Flashbulb
Ben Lukas Boysen? Wait—The user is referring to American artist Benn Lee Jordan, best known as the electronic musician The Flashbulb.
A multi-instrumentalist and also a filmmaker, Jordan’s work as The Flashbulb centers on sounds rooted in drill ’n’ bass and its evolved form, breakcore.
“Black Lawn Finale,” included on his 2004 album Red Extensions of Me as The Flashbulb, gives the impression of updating an Aphex Twin–lineage sonic world for the 2000s.
Amid the flurries of intricately chopped electro beats, a simple melody rings out with a nostalgic, wistful tone, showcasing Jordan’s assured songwriting sensibility as a skilled trackmaker.
Even listeners who feel wary of genres like drill ’n’ bass or breakcore may find this track quite accessible.
Meinheldμ-Ziq
While it’s best to start with Music-san’s 1990s work to appreciate one of the quintessential artists of drill ’n’ bass, I would also love to highlight his output from the 2000s onward.
The 2003 album Bilious Paths unfolds a sound that resonates with the breakcore that blossomed in the ’00s, conveying Music-san’s determination—as an originator—to further evolve the very sound he created.
Among its tracks, Meinheld is a standout that I’d want you to hear as a definitive example of 2000s drill ’n’ bass.
Its onslaught of innovative, subtly deranged breakbeats should also appeal to those who love Music-san’s 1990s style.
PalidAnimals on Wheels
Animals on Wheels is a solo project by artist Andrew Coleman, based in Cambridge, UK.
After releasing several works in the late 1990s, he appears to have shifted his focus to online activity from 2012, putting out tracks primarily on SoundCloud.
His first album, Designs And Mistakes, released in 1997 on the prestigious Ninja Tune label, presents a highly intriguing musical vision.
It was actually released domestically in Japan as well, and since the obi strip featured the term “drill ’n’ bass,” it’s worth noting that this is how it was introduced there at the time.
The allure of its meticulously constructed sonic world—abstract synths, irregular breakbeats, and jazz elements resonant with Squarepusher—should come across just by listening to the track Palid featured in this article.
Dreadlock KoolP.J.P.
It’s not purely drill ’n’ bass, but if you want to understand what kind of music evolved into drill ’n’ bass, you should check out “Dreadlock Kool.” It’s a track by P.
J.
P.
included on the compilation “Rough And Fast,” released in Germany in 1994.
In fact, P.
J.
P.
is an alias of Alec Empire, the frontman of Atari Teenage Riot.
It’s valuable in the sense that you can experience another side of Alec, who made his name with hardcore digital beats, but despite being a work conceived around jungle and drum ’n’ bass, when you actually listen, you can hear rhythmic patterns and stylistic elements that overlap with drill ’n’ bass.
If you approach it as a sort of prototype of drill ’n’ bass, you’re likely to make all kinds of discoveries!
Viper FlatsWitchman
Witchman is the stage name of musician John Roome from Birmingham, UK.
His track Viper Flats is included on the 1998 studio album Explorimenting Beats, and its appeal lies in its multilayered drum sound that’s more than just fast.
Witchman is also known for contributing music to various TV dramas and films; you can hear his tracks in popular series in Japan such as Cold Case, CSI: Miami, and CSI: NY.
In conclusion
As mentioned at the beginning, drill ’n’ bass itself was a localized movement, and the people involved didn’t cling to that style but broadened their musical range, so there are only a limited number of definitive albums or tracks in drill ’n’ bass as a pure genre.
I recommend first checking the titles by genre originators like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher that fall under drill ’n’ bass, and then digging deeper afterward.