Kool FM: the pirate station that helped build jungle
It first broadcast on 28 November 1991, on 94.5FM from Clapton, and 35 years on it still plays jungle and drum and bass on DAB and online.
By D-N-B Desk
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Timeless: Goldie and the album that changed the genre
Released on 7 August 1995 through FFRR Records, Goldie's debut album is widely regarded as a groundbreaking release in the history of drum and bass.
On 7 August 1995, Goldie released Timeless through FFRR Records. It was his debut studio album, and it would become one of the most discussed records in the history of the genre.
Who made it
Wikipedia says Goldie was joined in the studio by the engineer and producer Rob Playford, founder of the Moving Shadow label, who did most of the programming and production, with Goldie generating the musical ideas, rhythms and arrangements. Additional engineering and production came from Dillinja and from Dego and Marc Mac of 4hero. Diane Charlemagne and Lorna Harris contributed the bulk of the vocals.
That list shows how many parts of the early scene came together on one record: the producer behind Moving Shadow, a respected jungle producer in Dillinja and the founders of Reinforced.
The chart position
Goldie's biography on Wikipedia notes that Timeless entered the UK charts at number 7. For a jungle and drum and bass album in 1995, that was a significant result, and it helped show the industry that the music had an audience beyond the clubs.
Why it is called groundbreaking
The album is widely regarded as groundbreaking because it treated drum and bass as music that could carry long form ideas. The title track runs for a long time and moves through several parts, and the album as a whole uses strings, vocals and cinematic textures alongside the breaks.
It was a statement that the genre could be serious and ambitious, and it influenced a generation of producers who wanted to build albums, not just singles.
Goldie beyond the record
Goldie, born Clifford Joseph Price, is an English music producer, DJ, graffiti artist and actor. He released singles as Rufige Kru and Metalheads and co-founded the label Metalheadz. His acting credits include the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough, Snatch and EastEnders.
Where to start
If you are new to the record, listen to the whole album in one sitting, ideally on good speakers or headphones. Then explore the work of the people who helped make it, including Rob Playford, Dillinja, 4hero and the singers. Timeless is not only a record. It is a map of who mattered in 1995.
Sources
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