New Forms - Roni Size/Reprazent > Reviews > Ambient drum and bass taken to new levels

Author's product rating:   

Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency of tracks
How does it rate alongside the competition
Value for Money

Advantages:	Original, beautiful, creative, imaginative
Disadvantages:	Still a little to hard or a little too soft for extremists

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

New Forms is one of the only drum’n’bass albums to make it into mainstream acceptance. Roni has managed to make music that appeals to fans of normal types of dance music without alienating true drum’n’bass fans.

This feat cannot be overlooked as the two styles of music, although similar to an extent, are very hard to mix. True drum’n’bass as I would call it is some of the most intense music you will ever hear, with ultra-fierce drums and stomach grinding bass. Attempts to bring this music to the masses has always ended up with watered down pap that is too weak and lame for the drum’n’bass massive, and still not dancey enough for the mainstream that it was intended for. (and no, I can’t think of any better descriptions than dancey!)

The hybridisation of drum’n’bass and ‘normal’ music resulted in Ambient drum’n’bass, which is sort of like drum’n’bass without the intensity, and sort of like dance without the beat. This leaves it as quite relaxing music that you can happily leave playing quietly in the background. However, drum’n’bass is rather repetitive, which it makes up for in intensity, so if you take away the intensity behind it, you are just left with tedious and uncreative music that loops over and over and over until you get bored of it. There are of course some great highlights in amongst the garbage, DJ SS, Peshay, LTJ Bukem, Goldie, and even DJ Hype’s Ganja Kru to name but a few, but has Joe Public ever heard of them? Also, none of these really stand out for having the flair and talent of Roni.

Roni Size has managed to thrust the genre into the limelight, primarily because of his exceptional talent. He has made music that is above all else, funky. Instead of drum’n’bass mimicking dance music, this is drum’n’bass skilfully blended with jazz. Instead of the usual synthesised churning bass noises, he uses beautiful piano loops, jazz guitars, brass instruments, all kinds of creativity is shown. This leads to music which is original, exciting, and yet hasn’t lost the spark of power that makes it drum’n’bass, not just jazz with drums. This is just as well suited to chilled-out ambient home listening as it is to being played in a live D&B set in someone’s packed basement.

Roni’s work for this genre has been likened to Bob Marley’s inspirational reggae by the Guardian, and the Times calls this “a rhythmically ingenious and spectacularly well-crafted record” This album was the winner of the prestigious Mercury Prize in 1997, and was even nominated for a Brit Award, a major first for anything of this style.

In my opinion, the album is truly deserving of these honours, as it is sheer joy to listen to. It is blissfully relaxing in places, and elsewhere is just as soul-stirring as it’s much more hardcore cousins. Throughout it is filled with lively upbeat jazz and creative genius which I believe gives it such a wide appeal.

This is a true defining moment in the evolution of drum’n’bass and maybe jazz as well, updating it for the 90’s yet keeping it real. Fusing these two styles and forming a true work of art is an achievement that will never be forgotten, and the unparralelled excellence of this music will live on, powerful, influential, and above all else, a pleasure for you ears.