Jungle Music

In Episode 3, before the arrival of UK Garage and the eventual emergence of 140bpm dubstep, dubstep producer Mala’s first love was jungle, discovering the music through pirate radio DJs and listening to tape packs at school in the 90s. For Mala, the Metalheadz events at Blue Note were an important introduction into a the underground jungle culture, that would go on to influence his own approach to music.

Mala mentions the Eskimo Noise soundsystem which was behind the Metalheadz Blue Note events that were so influential on him. For more on Eskimo Noise, here’s an interesting article on RBMA, curated by the mighty Martyn, which explores that period further. Plus, Eddie Otchere has an excellent series of  photos from the period here!

Grooverider, Fabio and Goldie at Blue. Photo: Gus Coral

There are a few documentaries that explore the jungle period linked below. First, footage from those classic Metalheadz sessions at Blue Note in Shoreditch (with voxpops and VHS distortion), and secondly a BBC doc which I remember watching as a teenager, that covers LTJ Bukem and Good Lookin Records’ rise in the late 90s.

Sound Sources