Right, I'll admit that this one didn't actually grab me straight off in the same way that Sub Focus's April 2009 Essential Mix or Blame's February 2009 Essential Mix did, but on listening back to it a few times, it's really bloody impressive.
Whilst Sub Focus and Blame's mixes are both amazing D&B sets, Danny Byrd's Essential Mix stands out as more than this. Across the two hours, Danny Byrd sets out a lesson in D&B, but rather than being one of those ubiquitous "Jungle Classicz '94"-style mixes, Byrd presents a treatise on the state of modern D&B and its place in the wider dance/rave culture of the UK. It's a celebration of both drum and bass as it stands today, and the tracks, artists and sounds on which this scene is built.
It's amazing to think that the UK dance scene only really kicked off twenty-two years ago and yet in just two decades it has become so diverse, spanning so many genres and sub-genres. It's also easy to forget that trance, D&B, techno and house all share the same roots. Both nostalgic and yet forward looking, this mix is a must-listen for anyone with any kind of interest in dance music.
Download!
Track listing from the BBC here (*Warning* Do not access between the hours of 10.00 AM and 12.45 PM as you might encounter some Fearne Cotton)
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