Logical Progression Level 1
Various Artists
This 2001 compilation captures the lush aesthetic that drum ‘n’ bass pioneer LTJ Bukem and his Good Looking label roster perfected around the turn of the millennium, flooding the underground genre with light and air. Without sacrificing jungle’s forward motion, the crew used ethereal keys, atmospheric sound effects and lithe drum programming to achieve an illusion of weightlessness. It’s a vast, oceanic sound: rattling snares mimic choppy whitecaps, while bass lines forged from tuned toms roll like the tide. Two hour-plus mixes further accentuate the music’s aquatic properties, arraying surging breaks and jazzy licks from horizon to horizon.