At the turn of the century, dance music had a distinct sound that fused warehouse techno with sweeping trance riffs, creating an atmosphere that now conjures memories of glowsticks, green lasers, and parachute pants. Many artists today try to recapture that magic, but few succeed—until now. The UK’s 1991 has managed to blend the essence of the late ’90s and early 2000s with modern drum and bass in his nostalgic dancefloor anthem ‘Jungle’ featuring Alex Hosking.
Released on the Chaos/Polydor imprint, ‘Jungle’ has been a festival favorite this summer, thanks to its high energy and seamless crossover appeal. Alex Hosking’s vocals are pitch-perfect for big rooms, with lyrics that stick in your head like white on rice. A breakout artist in recent years, 1991 continues his streak of hits following ‘Cyclone,’ ‘Worlds Apart,’ and ‘Horizon.’ Just last week, he hosted an intimate pop-up party on a packed boat in London to celebrate the new single, with Alex Hosking performing alongside.
“‘Jungle’ has been a crucial part of my sets this year,” says 1991. “It started with an amazing vocal hook sent to me by my friend Alex Hosking, which I instantly knew would be perfect for an instrumental I was already working on. I was feeling inspired by the euphoria of trance from around the turn of the millennium and that formed the overall theme for the track.”
There must be an unwritten rule that all drum and bass artists must reference the word “jungle” in one of their tracks in order to cement their place in the genre. Over the years, dozens of DNB producers have used “jungle” in their songs as a tribute to a cultural movement that represents a significant chapter in UK dance music history. Jungle music is the precursor to drum and bass and combines elements of reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop with breakbeat rhythms, fast tempos, and heavy basslines. While drum and bass and jungle are distinct genres today, they still share many elements.
With his ‘Jungle,’ 1991 not only honors the roots of drum and bass but also pushes its evolution forward, proving that the spirit of the genre and the community that nurtured it is as vibrant as ever. Listen to ‘Jungle’ by 1991 and Alex Hosking below.
Photos courtesy of 1991 Instagram and fabric London.
