187 Lockdown - Gunman (East West, 1997)

Fantastically non-cerebral Speed Garage workout.

There were definitely better-crafted, more genre-bending records to emerge during the wave of Speed Garage/UK Garage in the late 1990s. However, 'Gunman' by 187 Lockdown has an enduring straightforwardness to it that I love.

One might even go as far as to say it's a gloriously 'dumb' record with its repeated "selec-tah" and gunshot samples and the obligatory chant of "re-wind!".

And, no, it's not as soulful as 'Anytime' by Nu-Birth or 'Gabrielle' by Roy Davis Jr. or as innovative as MJ Cole's 'Sincere' but it has a charm of its own.

Download 187 Lockdown 'Gunman' (Speed Garage, UK Garage, mp3) (Divshare)

Roy Davis Jr 'Gabriel (Live Garage Version)' (XL Recordings, 1997)

Perfectly understated piece of low-slung Garage action.

Such a perfect tune, drifting along an ascending bassline and puttering percussion, the soulful vocal lilting over rafts of gentle Rhodes.

'Gabrielle' is a very gentle, uplifting, presumbly spiritual song. Roy Davis Jr had a habit of naming tracks after archangels - 'Michael' was another doozy. It sounds perfect for some late summer sun, spun into the mix with Isolee's 'Beau Mot Plage'.

My copy of this sits on an excellent, but largely totally bangin' collection of UK Garage tunes that don't have the subtly of this tune. Funnily, we're kind of getting a revival as the likes of SBTRKT display a mix of future beats and soul that recalls the first wave of post-drum'n'bass, UK Garage - MJ Cole's 'Sincere', 'Dreams' by Smokin' Beats, 'Anytime' by Nu Birth.

Takes yer back dunnit.

Download Roy Davis Jr featuring Peven Everett 'Gabriel (Live Garage Version)' (Deep House, Garage mp3 download) (Mediafire)

MJ Cole - Sincere (Metrix/A&M, 1998)

On first encountering this record, it sounded like it came from another dimension. The rolling breakbeats rendered alien by the lack of treble, before bursting into full-spectrum life.

I'm not sure where I first heard it (it certainly wasn't in a club), but it made me stop, double-take and desperately try to process/understand the sound I was hearing.

I love records that don't make sense when you first hear them - LFO by LFO, Blue Monday, Beautiful Pigeon by Moonshake, lots of Autechre's stuff, for example. With 'Sincere', classically-trained Matthew (J Cole), crafted a deeply soulful tune with enough subtle tweaks and twists to engage brain and body. Every element is utterly processed and treated but retains a yearning, authentic passion, riding on top of irresistable groove.

Sumptuous.



MJ Cole page at Prolific Recordings