When it comes to fast breakbeats and thunderous basslines, jungle and drum & bass (DnB) are inseparable twins with distinct personalities. Born in the same underground UK rave culture, these genres have both captured the imagination of dancers, ravers, and music lovers worldwide. Yet despite their shared DNA, each has its own unique identity, aesthetics, and legacy. Here’s a deep dive into the world of jungle and drum & bass, exploring their origins, defining sounds, iconic artists, and the cultural movements they sparked.
Jungle music burst onto the scene in early 1990s London. It emerged from a fusion of reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, and the fast, breakbeat-driven sounds of hardcore rave music. In a way, jungle was both a rebellion and an evolution—a sound that celebrated UK street culture while flipping rave music’s straight rhythms into syncopated, chopped beats that pulsed with energy and unpredictability.
One of jungle’s earliest anthems was "We Are I.E." by Lennie De Ice (1991), a seminal track that laid down jungle’s blueprint with breakbeat loops, heavy sub-bass, and the unmistakable dub-influenced vibe. This was followed by pivotal releases on labels like Reinforced Records, Moving Shadow, and Suburban Base, whose artists pushed jungle to new heights. Goldie, one of the genre’s most iconic figures, released his track “Terminator” (1992), introducing the use of timestretching to manipulate breakbeats, giving jungle a futuristic, gritty sound that became a defining characteristic.
Meanwhile, as jungle gained momentum, a new sound was beginning to evolve in parallel. By the mid-90s, some producers began refining jungle’s raw, chaotic beats into a more streamlined, polished form. This was the birth of drum & bass, a genre that kept jungle’s intensity but brought a smoother, more rhythmic structure. Drum & bass began exploring a wider range of influences, including jazz, ambient music, and techno, distinguishing itself as more versatile and accessible.
LTJ Bukem, with his track “Demon’s Theme” (1992), and later Roni Size and his collective Reprazent created lush, sophisticated soundscapes, using jazz and soul influences to introduce a cleaner, more atmospheric side to DnB, which became known as liquid funk.
One of the most distinctive features separating jungle from drum & bass is their approach to rhythm. Both genres rely on breakbeats—drum loops sampled from funk, soul, or rock music and reworked to create fast-paced rhythms—but they treat these breakbeats differently.
In jungle, the iconic Amen break (a heavily sampled six-second drum break from The Winstons' “Amen Brother”) became almost a standard. Producers would slice, chop, and rearrange this breakbeat in complex, layered ways, creating an unpredictable, syncopated rhythm. Tracks like “Original Nuttah” by Shy FX and UK Apache (1994) feature classic jungle rhythms, full of rapid break chops that make the beat feel chaotic yet rhythmic. The jungle beat was raw and unpolished, often using lo-fi samples and layering multiple breaks to create a thick, dense soundscape that feels organic.
Drum & bass, however, adopted a more streamlined approach, with a cleaner, “two-step” breakbeat pattern that emphasized regular, linear beats. This gave DnB a tighter, more controlled sound, ideal for club play. The two-step beat became iconic in tracks like “Circles” by Adam F (1995), where the beat provides a steady rhythm that allows the bassline to shine. As DnB developed, subgenres like neurofunk and techstep focused on precise, powerful rhythms and basslines, giving DnB a more intense, polished edge that’s perfect for high-energy environments.
Bass is the backbone of both jungle and drum & bass, but their approaches to basslines differ significantly. In jungle, basslines often draw heavily from dub and reggae traditions, producing a “rolling” or “bouncing” vibe that’s deep and immersive. This influence is evident in tracks like “Incredible” by M-Beat featuring General Levy (1994), where the bassline mirrors reggae’s deep, laid-back grooves, and the music is further enhanced by General Levy’s “toasting” vocals—a style rooted in Jamaican sound system culture.
Drum & bass, on the other hand, tends to experiment more with sub-bass textures, using “reese” basslines (an aggressive, distorted tone that became popular in techno) and complex, layered bass sounds. Ed Rush and Optical, with their 1998 album Wormhole, introduced a darker, heavier side of DnB known as neurofunk, featuring razor-sharp basslines and eerie atmospheres. Neurofunk’s basslines are designed to feel intense and visceral, creating a more cerebral, futuristic sound.
Liquid drum & bass, popularized by artists like High Contrast and Calibre, uses warm, melodic basslines that are more subtle, creating an uplifting, jazzy sound that’s smoother than jungle’s rough bass.
Jungle music is renowned for its extensive use of vocal samples, often pulling from reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop. These vocal samples, along with sound system-style “toasting” (similar to MCing), give jungle a more urban, streetwise vibe that resonates with its multicultural roots. Shy FX’s “Original Nuttah” is a classic example, featuring UK Apache’s energetic toasting that gives the track a reggae vibe and high-energy bounce. The emphasis on vocals in jungle helped it stand out as a genre that represented UK youth culture in the 90s.
As drum & bass evolved, vocals became less central, with many DnB tracks shifting focus to production quality and intricate sound design. While vocals are still present in DnB (especially in liquid DnB and more commercial tracks), they tend to be smoother and less aggressive, often used to create atmosphere rather than dominate the track. Netsky and Logistics are known for their melodic vocal samples in liquid DnB, offering a soulful, softer sound.
Labels play a significant role in both genres. Jungle was largely defined by pioneering labels like Reinforced Records, Suburban Base, and Moving Shadow, which released some of the earliest and most influential jungle tracks. These labels became hubs for jungle culture, shaping the genre’s identity and fostering communities that resonated with UK youth and multicultural identities.
For drum & bass, Metalheadz (founded by Goldie), Hospital Records, and Ram Records (founded by Andy C) were essential in bringing DnB into the mainstream and showcasing its diversity. Metalheadz became synonymous with the darker, more experimental side of DnB, while Hospital Records pushed the melodic, jazz-infused liquid DnB sound, with artists like London Elektricity and Nu.
The cultural impact of jungle and drum & bass extends far beyond the UK, with the genres influencing music, fashion, and even video games. In the 90s, jungle was seen as a rebellious, underground movement, attracting ravers and fans of hip-hop alike. It was a genre that celebrated diversity, often playing at warehouse raves and illegal parties, with tracks like “Super Sharp Shooter” by DJ Zinc (1995) becoming anthems for the urban rave culture of the time.
By the 2000s, drum & bass had broken into the mainstream, with artists like Pendulum and Chase & Status bringing a rock-inspired, crossover sound to the charts. DnB events grew into major festivals and international tours, spreading from the UK to Europe, the U.S., and beyond. Today, DnB remains a staple at festivals like Let It Roll in the Czech Republic and Hospitality in the Park in London, showcasing the genre’s enduring appeal.
Both jungle and drum & bass have left an indelible mark on electronic music and UK culture, with each maintaining a loyal fanbase while continuing to influence new generations of producers. Jungle’s gritty, organic sound has recently seen a resurgence, with younger producers reviving the genre’s classic style while experimenting with modern production techniques.
Meanwhile, drum & bass continues to evolve, pushing boundaries with subgenres like liquid, neurofunk, and jump-up, proving the genre’s adaptability and wide-ranging appeal. While jungle and DnB will always be close cousins, each has forged its own path, creating a legacy that goes beyond beats and basslines. Whether you’re drawn to jungle’s raw energy or DnB’s polished grooves, there’s no denying the transformative power these genres have brought to electronic music.