TuneLab
SHERELLE
This is the sound of someone's attic full of dusty vinyl suddenly achieving sentience and deciding to throw the most authentically junglist party imaginable. The DJ might be unnamed, but the selection speaks with the authority of a true crate digger, pulling from the genre's golden era and its modern mutations with equal reverence. The vibe is dark, humid, and focused, all rewinds and rewinds. Firmly in the realm of jungle and drum & bass, the BPM averages a blistering 159.9, darting between soulful rollers and amen-heavy tear-outs.
The key profile is varied, with 12A, 7A, and 3B all appearing, reflecting the emotional range from atmospheric depth to dancefloor aggression. The energy balance tips towards the mid-range, giving those complex, skittering breaks their crisp, detailed presence against the sub-bass rumble. The mixing is quick and energetic, honoring the genre's pirate radio roots, with cuts and doubles that keep the momentum perpetually on a knife's edge. The opening track, Nookie's 'Only You,' is a classic slice of ambient jungle, setting a mood of wistful, bass-heavy beauty.
From there, it's a masterclass in selection: DJ Rashad's 'Brighter Dayz' brings the raw, footwork-inflected energy of the Teklife camp into the fold, while J:Kenzo's 'Skatta (V.I.P)' delivers a dose of modern, dread-filled dubwise pressure. Minotaur Shock's 'Accelerated Footage' and Big Dope P's 'Kazfara Juke' show a willingness to detour into leftfield electronica and juke, respectively. Jakebob's 'Brumgrade' provides a lengthy, rolling interlude, and Breaka's 'Damn Hot' serves as the perfect, contemporary closing statement with its hybrid rhythms. The journey begins with the liquid beauty of 'Only You,' builds through the intense, spiritual peak of the Rashad and Spinn collaboration, and concludes with the futuristic swing of 'Damn Hot.' A full tracklist for the heads who still believe the amen break is a sacred text.