The 10 Most Important Grime Tracks Ever

During out recent "State of EDM" address, we spent some time breaking down how the UK grime scene faired in 2012. In doing so, we realized that some of you might not be too informed on this UK genre, filled with bouncing basslines and a explosive lyrics, and asked DJ Cable back to run down the 10 most important grime tunes ever. A lofty task, but he's been a student in the game for a while, and as DAD's unofficial grime consultant, he compiled a serious line-up of classic grime records for you to study.

Heavyweight track, with Dizzee's spastic flow adding the perfect accent to that bassline. Great primer into the hybrid world of grime.

The vocal in this one is one of the most beautiful things to hit the grime scene, ever. It's hypnotic, and is one of those beats that you can't help be asking to be rewound. You'll also notice that, while the vocals in the actual beat are present throughout, able MCs (including Skepta and Tempa T) have no problem slaying this track.

Roll Deep is a deep grime collective, with it's members including Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, Flow Dan, and plenty of others at one time or another. This crew straight decimates Danny Weed's instrumental, giving us the feeling that each MC is in the booth, itching to get their bars in.

Wiley's one of the most widely-recognized artists within the grime scene, so it makes sense that the definitive statement from the scene, the tune that gives the sound a name and identity, came from him. He let's it be known, by both imploring you to check out the beat and informing you of what the sound is, that it's defintiely not garage. Every genre needs definition, and this track is a great look into the grime culture.

You have to love the way this track rolls out. Every four bars, we get some added sound or variation on the track, from the strings dipping oddly or some new elements added to the drums. This is the sound of grime: Fast-paced, melodic, but not so crowded that an MC couldn't slay the track.

This one wins for being Lethal B's highest-charting single, hitting #11 on the UK singles chart on January 1, 2005. It's also one of those tracks that, due to it's overall agression and gul-talk, has been banned from clubs due to causing fights. One for the rowdy crowd.

Funny story about this one; people tend to forget that this was the lead single off of Boy in da Corner, primarily because of how big "Fix Up, Look Sharp" was pushed. This was Dizzee's first top forty hit, with it peaking at #29 and spending three weeks within the top 75. Pitchfork even rated it as one of the best songs released between 2000 and 2003. It's also important to note that, while much of the grime subject matter deals in boasting about a laundry list of topics, this actually dealt with the topic of teenage pregnancy.

Wiley's "Eskimo" is the instrumental that's seen as the beginning of the grime style of production. Legend has it that people loved it so much that they rushed to try and make their own "Eskibeat." You have to know where the scene started, and you can hear the material coming out today still referencing to the foundation Wiley laid.

Go into any club where dubstep, grime, or garage is played and put the needle to this track. Guaranteed pandemonium. We know what you're saying: "It's just the same loop over and over again!" Gorgeous in its simplicity, "Pulse X" doesn't need more than alternating, gut-wrenching bass bouncing back and forth. Undeniable classic.

If you thought Roll Deep rolled deep, So Solid tops their member numbers, with them stretching anywhere from 19 to 30 individuals in the Crew. They're one of the groups to truly hit the mainstream in the UK, and "Dilemma" was the B-side to the first single from their debut album, which hit the Top 10 of the UK charts. This cut had the perfect blend of mainstream appeal, with straight gutter bass. Perfect description of what makes grime so intriguing...