The Herbaliser are one of the more purely hip-hop oriented acts on Ninja Tune's roster of sample-based pocket-funk. Combining deft, mid-tempo beats, well-chosen jazz and funk figures, sparse scratching, and even the odd rap, Herbaliser bridge the gap between dusty B-side instrumental hip-hop and London's new school of psychotropic beat... [+] Read More

The Herbaliser are one of the more purely hip-hop oriented acts on Ninja Tune's roster of sample-based pocket-funk. Combining deft, mid-tempo beats, well-chosen jazz and funk figures, sparse scratching, and even the odd rap, Herbaliser bridge the gap between dusty B-side instrumental hip-hop and London's new school of psychotropic beat scientists. Formed by Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry in the early '90s, Herbaliser, unlike many of London's abstract beat scene's acid house-steeped big-name artists, trace their roots to American jazz and funk (Roy Ayers, Johnny Pate, Ramsey Lewis) as well as old-school hip-hop (particularly of the New York variety -- Grandmixer D.ST, Sugarhill, Jungle Brothers). A bass player in acid jazz/funk group the Propheteers, Wherry met local DJ Teeba in South London, where they both lived. The pair assembled a few tracks in Wherry's tiny studio, which they subsequently passed to Ninja Tune bosses Matt Black and Jonathan More (aka Coldcut) in a club. The group were signed to the label shortly after.

Herbaliser released a few warmly received EPs on Ninja Tune in 1994 and 1995 (the hard-to-find Real Killer being the best) before dropping their debut LP, Remedies, which brought both the group and the then up-and-coming Ninja label much attention. While that album capitalized more directly on London's burgeoning underground breakbeat scene, freely mixing styles into a funky, sample-heavy amalgam closer to beat-heavy acid jazz, subsequent singles ("Flawed Hip-Hop," "New & Improved") subtracted the schmaltzier bits from the mix, focusing in and expanding upon the group's hip-hop foundation. Blow Your Headphones, their second LP, presented a solid hour-plus of the same, simultaneously taking aim at U.K. trip-hop's tendency toward gimmick and noodle over depth and kick. Very Mercenary followed in 1999, bolstering the duo's hip-hop foundation, as did 2002's Something Wicked This Way Comes.

The group have provided remixes for artists including DJ Food, Raw Stylus, and label foremen Coldcut's "Atomic Moog," the last of which went to number one on the U.K. singles chart. Wherry has also released solo material through the Parisian Big Cheese label (under the name the Meateaters) and worked with the Propheteers. A touring act as well, Herbaliser assemble a full-blown band for live performances, with Wherry's bass and Teeba's turntable tricks supported by a three-piece horn section and live drums and percussion. That live act gained more influence on their recording activity, seen to small effect on Something Wicked This Way Comes but coming into full flower with 2005's Take London. ~ Sean Cooper & John Bush, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Experimental hip-hop outfit UNKLE was one of the original artists releasing material through noted U.K. label Mo' Wax, which helped launch the instrumental mid-'90s downtempo breakbeat revival eventually termed trip-hop. Though hardly the label's highest profile group (at least until the long-delayed release of their debut LP in 1998), UNKLE... [+] Read More

Experimental hip-hop outfit UNKLE was one of the original artists releasing material through noted U.K. label Mo' Wax, which helped launch the instrumental mid-'90s downtempo breakbeat revival eventually termed trip-hop. Though hardly the label's highest profile group (at least until the long-delayed release of their debut LP in 1998), UNKLE numbered among its members label-head James Lavelle, who formed Mo' Wax while still in his teens as an antidote to the increasingly stale acid jazz/Northern soul scene. Stripping the music down to its barest of essentials -- bass, percussion, minimal samples, and heavy effects -- the Mo' Wax sound (best exemplified by the second Mo' Wax label comp, Headz, as well as its sequel, the two-part Headz II) quickly gained respectability and a large audience. Although not as prolific as other Mo' Wax artists such as DJs Shadow and Krush, Lavelle's group nonetheless played a crucial role in cementing Mo' Wax's early sound though their Time Has Come double EP, the latter of which featured remixes of the title track by Plaid, Portishead, and U2 producer Howie B.

The group comprised the trio of Lavelle, Tim Goldsworthy -- a mate of Lavelle's since childhood -- and producer Kudo, of seminal Japanese label Major Force (and a member of the on-again, off-again psychedelic beat crew Skylab). Previous to his entrée into production, Lavelle along with Goldsworthy was deep into New York hip-hop and electro, the emerging late-'80s Sheffield bleep scene, the English acid jazz scene (which he covered as a columnist for Straight No Chaser magazine), and of course the acid house and techno explosions that were redefining the English counterculture at the time. The pair hooked up with third member Kudo through the growing rep of the latter's Love T.K.O. project, whose outbound interpretations of breakbeat and acid jazz drew Lavelle's ear. While Goldsworthy and Kudo remained more heavily involved in nuts 'n' bolts production (especially given the success of Mo' Wax, with the penning on an expansive partial ownership deal with A&M Records in 1996), Lavelle is heavily involved in the conceptual and organizational end, crafting beats and laying out vague sketches his partners then expand into full-blown tracks. Despite the scarcity of released material, UNKLE grew to wider acclaim during 1996 through remix projects for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Tortoise. After Goldsworthy and Kudo were effectively replaced by Mo' Wax bill-payer DJ Shadow, the all-star LP Psyence Fiction finally appeared in 1998. It was a disappointment considering the advance hype, and DJ Shadow distanced himself from the collective. Lavelle, amidst much work as a DJ, recruited singer/songwriter Richard File for the second UNKLE full-length, 2003's Never, Never, Land. ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Norman "Jack-of-All-Genres" Cook, in addition to his former occupations as bassist for the Housemartins and one-third of acid house hitmakers Pizzaman, is also the man behind one of the most popular of the new flock of English "Brit-hop" producers, Fatboy Slim. Releasing his Fatboy material through club staple Skint, Cook's raucous blend of... [+] Read More

Norman "Jack-of-All-Genres" Cook, in addition to his former occupations as bassist for the Housemartins and one-third of acid house hitmakers Pizzaman, is also the man behind one of the most popular of the new flock of English "Brit-hop" producers, Fatboy Slim. Releasing his Fatboy material through club staple Skint, Cook's raucous blend of house, acid, funk, hip-hop, electro, and techno has added to his already formidable reputation as one of the foremost all-around producers on the U.K. club scene.

Born Quentin Cook in Bromley on July 31, 1963, Cook joined the Hull-based pop group the Housemartins in 1986, replacing founding member Ted Key. After the group split the following year, Cook became involved with the burgeoning acid house scene, pairing with producers Tim Jeffrey and J.C. Reid toward the end of the decade to form Pizzaman. The trio nailed three Top 40 hits together ("Trippin' on Sunshine," "Sex on the Streets," and "Happiness") before Cook splintered off to record with similarly styled outfits Freak Power and Beats International in the early '90s.

He shut most of his other production activities down in the following years to focus on his latest incarnation, Fatboy Slim, which began with a trio of singles and the full-length Better Living Through Chemistry. Cook was also called in to add his remixing skills to Jean-Jacques Perrey's proto-electronica classic "Eva," released as a 12" and CD single in 1997. In addition to his FBS work, Cook also recorded the Skip to My Loops sample CD, a popular studio tool sporting a mélange of sample-ready drum loops, analog squelches, and assorted noises. In early 1998, his remix of Cornershop's "Brimful of Asha" spent several weeks at number one in the British charts.

Fatboy Slim's eagerly anticipated second LP, You've Come a Long Way, Baby, followed later that year. The album went platinum in the U.S. and spawned two international hits, "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You," which also boasted a Spike Jonze-directed video that earned three MTV Video Music Awards as well as two Grammy nominations. "The Rockafeller Skank," "Praise You," and other songs from You've Come a Long Way, Baby ended up on countless soundtracks and commercials, cementing Fatboy Slim's unique position as a critically acclaimed and immensely popular act.

Cook also recorded several mix albums, including the first disc of the Radio 1 compilation Essential Selection, Vol. 1 and his own On the Floor at the Boutique. The latter was released domestically in the U.S. in early 2000 to help fans withstand the wait for his third album, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, which arrived that fall. Two mix albums -- Live on Brighton Beach and Big Beach Boutique II -- appeared in 2002. During 2003, Cook and his wife -- popular British TV presenter Zöe Ball -- separated for a brief period. They soon patched things up but the split was a heavy influence on 2004's Palookaville, the most laid-back and moody Fatboy Slim album yet. Collecting his singles along with a couple important remixes, The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder appeared in 2006. ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Hip-hop's influence spread far and wide during the '80s, as witnessed by the growth of the international scene during the following decade. Standing beside brilliant DJs from Japan (Krush) and France (Cam), Russia's DJ Vadim has proved to be the most popular advocate of hip-hop to come out of the former Soviet bloc, triggered mostly by the fact... [+] Read More

Hip-hop's influence spread far and wide during the '80s, as witnessed by the growth of the international scene during the following decade. Standing beside brilliant DJs from Japan (Krush) and France (Cam), Russia's DJ Vadim has proved to be the most popular advocate of hip-hop to come out of the former Soviet bloc, triggered mostly by the fact that he moved to Britain early in life. Upon arrival, he set up his own Jazz Fudge Records later that year to issue a demo he called Derelicts of Conformity (by Son of Seth). He finally released the recordings early in 1995, as DJ Vadim's Abstract Hallucinating Gasses EP.

Britain's top hip-hop and acid jazz DJs began playing the record and, after being scouted by several labels, Vadim signed a contract with Ninja Tune. Several EPs released during 1995-1996 showed him to be quite an experimentalist, working heavily with static and noise, never content to let his ideas meander past the two- or three-minute point. His first LP, U.S.S.R. Repertoire (The Theory of Verticality), was released in late 1996. The following year, Vadim began working on acts for Jazz Fudge; he issued the compilation Sculpture & Broken Sound, then debuted his own Andre Gurov project with the album A New Rap Language. His next project, the highly touted remix album U.S.S.R. Reconstruction, appeared in 1998, and was followed a year later by U.S.S.R.: Life from the Other Side. His third U.S.S.R. record, The Art of Listening, dropped in 2002. Vadim has also worked as the Bug, with Kevin Martin, Dave Cochran, and Alex Buess. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Hailed in 1997 as the new Prodigy -- mostly by their record label -- Cirrus was born in Los Angeles as the project of Aaron Carter and Stephen James Barry. The duo program acid and trance breakbeats for their material, but also added live guitar and bass to appeal to rock crowds at their frantic live shows. After the release of the hotly tipped... [+] Read More

Hailed in 1997 as the new Prodigy -- mostly by their record label -- Cirrus was born in Los Angeles as the project of Aaron Carter and Stephen James Barry. The duo program acid and trance breakbeats for their material, but also added live guitar and bass to appeal to rock crowds at their frantic live shows. After the release of the hotly tipped single "Superstar DJ," Cirrus signed to Moonshine and released Drop the Break in April 1997. Back on a Mission followed one year later. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide [-] Hide

British DJ/keyboardist Jon Carter is the mastermind behind Monkey Mafia, who finally issued their debut full-length Shoot the Boss in 1998 (after several EPs and singles such as "Work Mi Body," and 15 Steps EP, etc.). By remixing tracks for such popular alternative rock artists as Kula Shaker, Supergrass, and Prodigy (Carter has toured with the... [+] Read More

British DJ/keyboardist Jon Carter is the mastermind behind Monkey Mafia, who finally issued their debut full-length Shoot the Boss in 1998 (after several EPs and singles such as "Work Mi Body," and 15 Steps EP, etc.). By remixing tracks for such popular alternative rock artists as Kula Shaker, Supergrass, and Prodigy (Carter has toured with the latter), Carter made quite a name for himself. Shoot the Boss shows that although Carter is interested in electronic dance, he wants to also keep a "human" element to his music. By including an MC named Dougie, turntable master First Rate, bassist Dan, and drummer Tom, Monkey Mafia contains the best of both worlds. The music is a combination of reggae, hip-hop, dance, electronic, and alternative -- "Make Jah Music," "Blow the Whole Joint Up," and "Lion In the Hall" contain each of these musical elements. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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Megamixes are almost never very interesting, as they mostly consist of DJs placing their own interpretive tastes and ideas over those of the artists being mixed, but as the subtitle indicates, DJ Krush's Holonic: The Self Megamix is actually more of a greatest-hits collection than a traditional Megamix. Taking tracks (or bits and pieces thereof)... [+] Read More

Megamixes are almost never very interesting, as they mostly consist of DJs placing their own interpretive tastes and ideas over those of the artists being mixed, but as the subtitle indicates, DJ Krush's Holonic: The Self Megamix is actually more of a greatest-hits collection than a traditional Megamix. Taking tracks (or bits and pieces thereof) from all of his previous albums, from 1994's Strictly Turntabilzed through 1997's Milight, DJ Krush turns these fragments into a cohesive, free-flowing whole. The album is heaviest on tracks and samples from Milight, even including some of the spoken-word segments from that album, but Holonic has a much brighter and less-heavy vibe than that doomy, almost-apocalyptic album. DJ Krush's music could never be called cheerful -- his jazzy, minor-key grooves and atmospheric use of found sound and unidentifiable samples is just too dark and moody -- but Holonic has a playful quality that's largely been missing from his work since the days of Strictly Turntabilzed. Neither a traditional greatest hits nor the average Megamix, Holonic is nevertheless an excellent introduction to DJ Krush's work. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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The former Dust Brothers make oblique reference to litigation averted on their debut full-length. The Chemical Brothers' sound is big on bombast, replete with screeching guitar samples and lots of sirens and screaming divas. A breakthrough album of sorts, Exit Planet Dust was, upon its release, one of the few European post-techno albums to make... [+] Read More

The former Dust Brothers make oblique reference to litigation averted on their debut full-length. The Chemical Brothers' sound is big on bombast, replete with screeching guitar samples and lots of sirens and screaming divas. A breakthrough album of sorts, Exit Planet Dust was, upon its release, one of the few European post-techno albums to make any sort of headway into the stateside market. ~ Sean Cooper, All Music Guide [-] Hide