History of Bass in 100 Tracks

On April 6, 2012 Skream & Benga started their radio show on BBC Radio 1, and with it launched a segment called History Of Bass in 100 Tracks.

This site is dedicated to all 100 tracks selected by the guests on the show between 2012 and 2014.

Rhythmatic - Take Me Back (Bass Head Mix)

A four-on-the-floor techno tune from 1990 by Rhythmatic (Leroy Crawfard & Mark Gamble.


Lennie De Ice - We Are I.E.

We Are I.E. is a classic breakbeat/early jungle tune from way back in 1991 (I was mearly 11 years old). I've heard it dropped many a time, but never knew the track name until Wookie picked it on the 20 April 2012 show.

It's got the good old amen break through it and numerous backspin samples

Blogtotheoldskool has a further details about it here.


24 Hour Experience - Together

Together by 24 Hour Experience was selected by N-Type on the January 11, 2012 Skream and Benga show.

24 Hour Experience is a collaboration between seminal producer Grant Nelson along with Simon Firmin and was released in 1994.


Loefah - Mud

Mud by Loefah was selected by Chase & Status on the innaugural Skream and Benga show on April 6 2012. It's a half-speed (70 bpm) dubstep tune released on DMZ in 2006. I'd not heard it before it was featured on Skream and Benga's show being more into D&B, hence not dubstep, up until a year ago. I remember first hearing dubstep at D&B shows back in the early 2000s and not enjoying it. I felt it was too slow, and difficult to dance to, especially as my body and brain were expecting 160 bpm.

The tune features a slow pulsing bass and a reverby snare with a ghost like introduction and interlude. It's darker than much of the music I listen to these days, but that's just my taste. Perhaps "dubstep" is an incorrect description. More like dub.


Hello world!

This is my first post of my new weblog History Of Bass, a celebration of Bass Music from Drum & Bass to UK Garage to House, and all in between.

A little introduction

My name is Benjamin Rumble a 32 year old Australian, now residing in Vancouver, Canada. I've been meaning to get into writing more, as it's never been a strong point of mine, and have thought for a while what I'd write about. My interests are world news, gadgets, software development, cycling, running and music.

Obviously writing about something you're interested in is a good start, so it'd have to have been one of those. Then a few weeks ago I was listening to Skream and Benga's show on BBC Radio 1, specifically the "History Of Bass in 100 Tracks" segment.

History Of Bass in 100 tracks

Most weeks Skream and Benga have a guest DJ or producer on, and they're tasked with selecting a track to add to this list. It's based on choosing a track that has had an impact on them, or the Bass Music/Dance Music scene in general. Most of the selections are Drum & Bass or UK Garage, but a number of surprising choices come up here and there.

Since their first show, in April 2012, they've had artists such as Adam F, Friction, Justin Martin and DJ Zinc pick a track, so for people that know the scene, or these aritists, it's interesting to hear what they think of as "classic" tracks.

This weblog

I thought I'd like a list of all of the History Of Bass in 100 tracks that have been chosen. I searched around the Web and couldn't find a definitive list, so went about creating my own. After finding a few of the tracks, I figured I should share them with others, hence this site.

The content here is going to be focused around the Skream and Benga show selections, with some of my own choices thrown in every now and again. Also general posts about "old school" or classic bass tunes. If you started listening to dance music before 2002 you'll hopefully find something of interest on this site.

You can follow the site on Twitter and please join the Google+ Community where you can post music you like, and comment on the articles posted here.


Frankie Knuckles - Your Love

Your Love by Frankie Knuckles was selected by [Chase & Status][chasestatus] on the May 4, 2012 Skream and Benga show.

You Love was originally recorded by Jamie Principle in 1984, then re-released in 1987 after Frankie wanted a copy on vinyl (rather than the reel-to-reel he was playing it from previously). Thanks to that 1987 it's become known as an Acid House classic.

It's truly a classic that's continued to be played today.


Pendulum - Slam

Slam by Pendulum is an absolute classic. If you've not heard of Pendulum then you don't know your bass music. They formed in Perth, Australia in 2002. The band moved to the UK to further their music and signed to Fresh and Adam F's then fledgling Drum & Bass label Breakbeat Kaos.

The track was released as a single in 2005. It was an instant Drum & Bass hit. With Pendulum's distictive driving sound, and the move to a more accessible sound (as compared to earlier releases such as their 2003 tune, Vault).

You can buy the tune on Beatport, iTunes, Juno and on Amazon.


Shy FX - Shake Your Body


Mr. Oizo - Flat Beat

With one of the most famous basslines in all of dance music, Mr. Oizo (aka Quentin Dupieux) found himself with an instant hit. No doubt Levi's helped when they featured Flat Beat in a series of TV commercials including the yellow puppet Flat Eric from the unforgetable music video. The song reached number 1 in the UK, Belgium and Austrian charts.


Awesome 3 - Don't Go

One of the most classic breakbeat hardcore tunes from 1992, Awesome 3 (David Johnson, Pete Orme, Shane Hughes, Steve Gorton) had a classic on their hands.

Random tidbit: this track sampled Stone Roses' Fools Gold.

Purchase on iTunes here.


London Elektricity - My Dreams (High Contrast Remix)

This remix, released in September 2001 after the original hit took the track to a new level. You can hear High Contrast's liquid funk feel starting to appear in this track.

Buy it on iTunes here.


DJ Zinc - 138 Trek

Zinc's first real foray outside of the D&B genre, 138 Trek, took the UK Garage world by storm in 1999. Eventually given a proper release in 2000 it reached number 27 on the UK charts.

Download it on iTunes now.


LTJ Bukem - Demon's Theme

LTJ Bukem, one of only 9 artists to feature more than one on the History Of Bass, originally released Demon's Theme as a white-label back in 1991.

A year later it became Bukem's label, Good Looking Records, first release.


Wookie - Scrappy

I only first heard of Wookie after his UK Top 10 hit, Battle (James Ash & Rob Perello DJing at Salt nightclub, Melbourne back in 2000). Later that year I heard someone drop Scrappy, and wow!

Wookie is one of only 9 artists to have more than one History Of Bass entry.

Picked by Example


Liquid - Sweet Harmony

Those strings! That piano! A massive hardcore tune from 1992.

Jack Beats picked a classic here.

It's been re-released 3 times since that '92 original, due to its popularity. Danny Byrd even re-recorded a version back in 2010. The vocals & piano riff come from Ce Ce Roger's 1987 recording "Someday".

More information about the track can be found on its Wikipedia page.