The latest edition of Jungle Jam marked the event’s twelfth anniversary in Leeds, with it still nowhere near outstaying its welcome. Leeds’ student body throbs to each event, enticed by Jungle Jam’s repeated ability to integrate legends of the scene with up-and-comer’s across Mint Warehouse’s three rooms. If Lion Dub and Marcus Visionary can fly over from the United States to play, you can pay for that Uber from Hyde Park.

LTJ Bukem showed why he is admired by purists and casuals alike, bringing his brand of intelligent drum and bass, mixed tighter than a submarine door. Bukem has been through his fair share of MC’s but worked excellently with Navigator’s old school vocals, a combination never seen before. King of the Rollers presented a different ethos without compromising on quality, dropping a multitude of hefty tracks. Sets of this sort have cast them as arguably the most exciting names in drum and bass, a breath of fresh air into a scene which often finds itself in ruts.

Often with Jungle Jam it’s hard to tear yourself from the main room, such is its level of quality. Those who managed to command their limbs upstairs were treated to Leeds locals Deadline, a b2b duo making serious waves in the scene. Handed the responsibility of a two hour set, they rose to the challenge; indiscriminately switching between sub genres with a level of ease at odds with their relative inexperience. Their intricate mixing may be relatively unknown at this point, but this is unlikely to last.

1-Forty were handed the reigns to the back room, and they did not disappoint. Witty Boy was an astute booking, playing to the strengths of Leeds’ rising bass scene. Vital Techniques also played out well, highlighting exactly why he’s booked to most Leeds bass events. J.G’s set deserves a special mention, the ability to create a queue into a third room of an event shows why he has forged such a following in the north.

Jungle Jam are sometimes criticised by the scene’s purists (read elitists). These critics are stuck in the 90’s, only truly being satisfied if they experienced 6 hours of looped amen breaks. Jungle Jam provide the way the scene must move forward with our generation, by incorporating other scenes the event paves many students’ first steps into the scene. With shows this good, it isn’t ever their last.

Reece Parker

 

(Image: Jungle Jam)