25 Essential Metalheadz Tracks

It's hard to imagine where the drum & bass landscape would be without Goldie's Metalheadz imprint. From the mid-1990s through today, he's had the knac

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Complex Original

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It's hard to imagine where the drum & bass landscape would be without Goldie's Metalheadz imprint. From the mid-1990s through today, he's had the knack for not only establishing a sound, but finding the right producers to help elevate the label's distinct vibe higher than those who'd graced the label previously. In the early days, legends ike Doc Scott, Grooverider, Ed Rush, Dillinja, and Adam F had passed through, and the releases following theirs continued down the Metalheadz path. Getting a track signed by Metalheadz can be seen as a badge of honor for most drum & bass producers; you'd officially made it, and your prowess has been certified.

In looking back at Metalheadz history, the idea isn't to just throw together the "best." The bar has been set to high for anything to be released on Metalheadz to be considered "bad." There have been tracks that helped mold the label, tunes that you could see as landmarks that helped shift the way the dnb scene as a whole moved. If you wanted to chart the Metalheadz path, use these 25 tracks as your beacons. From 1995 through today, here are 25 essential Metalheadz tracks.

Alex Reece - "Pulp Fiction"

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(1995)

Reece's seminal track still to this day remains one of the jazziest, darkest tracks to come out of the Metalheadz camp. Film noir soundtrack music at its finest.

Asylum - "Da Base II Dark"

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(1995)

The drums in this track are still to this day unparalleled in terms of production, and the vocal by MC Bassman is one of the most popular (yet misheard) samples in drum & bass history.

Dillinja - "The Angels Fell"

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(1995)

Dillinja's track truly encaptures the futuristic ethos of what Metalheadz wanted to get across - modern urban dance music for the forward-thinking listener. Considering that the production technology has drastically changed since this tune's release, you have to admire at how clean this across-the-board classic still sounds today.

Lemon D - "This Is LA"

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(1995)

People from the City Of Angels know that this tune is a staple amongst anyone that can consider themselves "junglists." The amen edits in this track is nothing more than exceptional, and the Tom Brokaw audio sample puts it over the top.

Adam F - "Metropolis"

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(1996)

Possibly the tune that put Adam F on the map, "Metropolis" comes on like a warm rush and doesn't wait for you to grab hold. He truly took things into a different direction with this, and there are some clubs that will completely lose their shit if/when this track is dropped.

Doc Scott - "The Unofficial Ghost"

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(1996)

Truly a bonafide classic, and one of the tunes that established Doc Scott as a player within the scene. Rolling drum breaks, a quick sample from a Wu-Tang track, and a nasty bassline? All you really need, when arranged the right way. A surefire whirlwind of breaks and bass.

Ed Rush - "The Raven"

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(1996)

Ed Rush is obviously known as one of the techstep dons, and "The Raven," a tune that's credited solely to his own dark mind, plays like an awesome example of that vibe: Undeniably macabre bass, ominous samples, and a tight amen thrown in just when it's right. AKA the blueprint for most No U-Turn releases around this time.

Codename John - "The Warning"

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(1997)

Grooverider's always been seen as one of the pioneering DJs within the jungle/drum & bass scenes, but his work as a producer can't be overlooked (no matter how small his catalog truly is). "The Warning," produced under his Codename John moniker, is an exercise in building a proper tune, and once it actually drops (roughly four-and-a-half minutes into the tune's duration), you understand what a true build is. Classic drum & bass right here.

Dillinja - "Warrior Jazz"

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(1997)

The Dillinja of today isn't remembered for b-side bangers like this, but the thunderous drums that underscore the mellow vibe of "Warrior Jazz" can't be denied. This one truly is what it's called: A magnificently vibrant piece of militant dance music.

Goldie - "Kemistry (Grooverider Remix)"

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(1997)

"Kemistry" was one of the best tunes on Goldie's Timeless album, and a homage to the woman who helped get Goldie into the rave scene in the first place. Grooverider found a way to inject some awe-inspiring bass onto this one, making it more dense and weighty than it already was.

J Majik - "Your Sound (Remix)"

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(1997)

The original of this tune is a good one, but the way they say "hold up, hold up" and power the original down to make room for the remix is absolutely ingenious.

Optical - "To Shape The Future (Remix)"

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(1997)

Optical's done so much work engineering and producing with/alongside the likes of Goldie, Ed Rush, Grooverider and others, it's hard to forget how much of a threat he was with his solo work. "To Shape the Future" was relentless, and pretty much foreshadowed the dnb landscape that followed it, and his remix of the tune was a bigger exclamation point on where the scene was heading.

Source Direct - "Dark Metal (Remix)"

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(1997)

Originally released on Metalheadz' sister imprint, Razor's Edge (only to later be included on the Platinum Breakz II compilation), Source Direct took Goldie's brooding "Dark Metal" and honed in on the intensity, building an all-encompassing roller. At over eight minutes, this one travles a fine line while still giving you peaks and valleys. The additions of the flute and guitar add a nice human element to an otherwise robotic beast.

Future Cut ft. Jena G - "Obsession"

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(2001)

Jenna G's vocals hailing the world's best addiction (music - what did you think?) and the whole concept of the long intro leading into a very organic drum arrangement is what makes this tune amazing. Future Cut is no longer in the dnb game - they now produce for the likes of Lily Allen, Nicole Scherzinger, and Shakira. Rumor has it that Future Cut drove to Goldie's house from their home city of Manchester to pitch the tune to him; he signed it right on the spot, and the rest is history.

John B - "Up All Night"

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(2001)

Before drum & bass there was jungle and hardcore, which saw many supporters at all night raves and warehouses before the sound migrated to the clubs. John B's track seems to take that idea of a peak-hour, hands in the air track from 1992 and give it a dark twist.

Amit - "Gatecrasher"

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(2004)

The marriage of Eastern culture and drum & bass could never really be done tastefully by anyone else until Amit Kamboj came along, and he proves that hands down with this tune.

dBridge & Vegas - "True Romance"

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(2004)

This is one of the first tunes that dropped from the Bad Company UK camp after DJ Fresh left, and it let us know that Fresh wasn't the only creative one in the lot. dBridge and Vegas crafted a modern-day drum & bass classic, with an unforgettable hook and undeniable sway amongst the junglist massive. "True Romance" plays like it's title; it doesn't bowl you over at first kiss, but seduces you while working its way into your core, then BOOM: Before you know it, you're hooked.

Spirit - "Dial Up"

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(2004)

From the mysterious intro, into the main reece and later going into some stabs that mean business - If there's one word to really capture this tune, it would be DARK. Yet another certified banger from the InnerActive Recordings bossman.

D.Kay & DJ Lee - "Wax'd"

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(2005)

While many only know Metalheadz for the darker, more experimental styles, this tune from D.Kay and DJ Lee really showcased how that 'Headz sound could still fit within a more rolling, emotional coat. "Wax'd" could make a grown junglist cry.

Goldie - "Say You Love Me (Rufige Mix)"

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(2005)

Technical Itch being added as a part of the revolving Rufige Kru line-up was a better look than many realized. Goldie and Tech Itch shared an appreciation of dark tones being utilized in bright tunes, and this "Rufige Mix" of "Say You Love Me" works very well, even if the original's vocals aren't in tact. Watch out for the bass!

Hive - "Krush"

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(2005)

Hive was one of the few American drum & bass producers to really be seen as a promising artist to the UK scene worldwide, so many US junglists felt a sense of pride when Goldie signed "Krush." It had all of the elements of a Metalheadz heater, and still maintained it's own singular vibe. Back to the future beats.

Total Science - "Loose Ends"

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(2005)

Total Science might be one of the more unsung duos in the dnb scene; many know they are dope, but it's not until you really go through their back catalog when you see how vital their sound has been. Mixing a bit of the new with a lot of the old, they created a moody scorcher that is one part technical wizardy and many parts off-the-hook BANGER!

Commix - "Satellite Song"

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(2007)

Commix was a great fit for Metalheadz at the time; they knew how to bring the leftfield, bass-driven numbers that still maintained that air of secrecy. When this one dropped, it was upfront in a lot of DJs bins. That constant bass tone worked wonders.

Commix - "Talk to Frank"

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(2007)

At the time, the crew known as Commix was the future; they still are, as many producers are still discovering their tracks every now and again. They worked within the high-quality continuity of a "Metalheadz track" whilst bringing forth their Cambridge-bred bassline pressure.

Lenzman ft. Riya - "Open Page"

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(2010)

For his Metalheadz debut, Lenzman linked up with the sensual vocals of Riya... two artists within the drum & bass scene who were really giving it to those before them. That jazzy piano, her impressive performance? No wonder Goldie kept Lenzman close, making sure his vibe was front and center for the next phase of Metalheadz.

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