The historyFROM PIRATE RADIO
FROM PIRATE RADIO
TO THE WORLD.
Explore the people, records and changing sounds of drum and bass. This is a listening route through a broad history, rather than a complete chronology.
01 / The roots run deepOne rhythm.
One rhythm.
Many revolutions.
Pick an era. Hear the records.
Follow the story behind the breaks.
1990–93
The breakbeat blueprint
A new rhythm in the underground.
UK rave and breakbeat hardcore collided with reggae, dub, hip-hop and soul. Producers sped up and chopped sampled drum breaks; pirate radio, independent record shops and sound systems helped circulate the music. The boundary between hardcore and early jungle was still moving.
Listening pointRead the source