The 13 best darkside jungle tunes ever

Okay, people, it’s time for a re-run. Or actually, it’s more of a remix than a re-run.

In the 2014 edition of JUngLEkalenderen I did a collection of the best darkside tunes ever, but I posted them below a tale from my very very early childhood about my very first favourite vinyl record – and that tale got all the attention, so I feel that the darkside tunes deserve to have their very own post. A remixed and extended version, of course, this is a JUngLE calendar!

So here they are – the 13 ultimate darkside masterpieces.

And by darkside I mean: Not just jungle and drum’n’bass with ‘dark sounds’ – because then this list would be something like 20.000 youtube-links long. I mean real oldskool darkside: with horror samples, monstrous laughs, sorrowful strings, dread, crying, panic. And those drums to boil your blood.

(Jump to my Soundcloud for a darkside mix I made): Chriszka’s Darkside Jungle Mix: Shaping the Future

Subnation – Scottie

IMMENSE CLASSIC! This tune has it all. The ominous laughs of tiny monsters. Panicky voices. We’re all gonna die here. We’re all gonna die, all of us! Combined with someone who thinks that we’re gonna make it anyway, raver style: We’re not gonna die, we’re gonna get out of here! Touching.

Johnny Jungle – Johnny 94 (Origin Unknown Remix)

There are SO many remixes of this tune. This is my absolute favourite. Again, all the ingredients are in place. Panicky voices. Crying. Voices somehow too close and too far away, like in nightmares. Hectic and awesome drums. Screaming. Chilling synths. WHAUW this tune is good!!!

Remarc and Lewi Cifer – Ricky

I know this tune is already featured on my 7 favourite jungle tracks of all time list, but no darkside collection can be complete without this mega-classic! For some variation, you can enjoy a bad boy gunshot version of the track here. <– Lots of playing around with the crying and shouting here. Those were the remix days…

Shimon – Predator

Same thing goes for this classic. No darkside collection without Predator! For obvious reasons, the Predator movies are heavily sampled in darkside jungle, and this track in particular turned me into such a sample hunter. For years I couldn’t watch ANY movie without thinking about which sound bits and sentences could be cut out and used for new tracks.

Remarc and Lewi – Cape Fear

Speaking of film samples… This tune is so completely over the top. Guns loading. Glass breaking. And what is more chilling than somebody saying “Nobody is gonna hurt you” followed by a scream indicating that somebody clearly did hurt you anyway? Nothing!

Boogie Times Tribe – Dark Stranger (Q-Bass Remix)

There are so many versions of this track, but this remix is my favourite. The original has more direct horror samples: Boogie Times Tribe – The Dark Stranger – and the Origin Unknown Remix is good, too. But the Q-Bass remix is the best.

Brainkillers – Screwface

A techno wolf howling. Ice cold synths. Music built for adrenaline junkies. Escape, escape, escape, but stay on the dancefloor while you do it. Classic!

Remarc – Help Me

REALLY panicky shouting here, like from someone who is clearly already lost. And 1977 Star Wars samples. If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Uuuh yes. Man, how I love darkside.

Intense – Journey to the Unknown

More ominous Predator sampling – threatening whispers and swampy sounds. You ghostin’ us motherfucker. I don’t care who you are back in the world. If you give away our position one more time, I’ll bleed you. Proper subcultural warnings.

DJ Pulse – Stay Calm (Foul Play Remix)

The original version of this tune tops my 7 saddest jungle tunes ever list (such a favourite; go listen to it, it’s achingly beautiful!), and they both easily fit on this darkside list, too, but here’s the remix. Beautiful drums, too.
Hyper-On Experience – Disturbance

My all time favorite, Lord of the Null Lines (by Hyper-On Experience), is üüüüber-darkside, too, obviously, but I’m trying to stop myself putting that track on EVERY SINGLE LIST I EVER MAKE, I guess, so here’s Hyper On Experience represented with Disturbance instead. Lots of darks sounds, and that snippet of a chilling’ laugh at 2:29 (and onwards), brrrrrrrrrr. Nightmarish stuff.

Steve C & DJ Monita – The Razor’s Edge

Aaaaaaand we’re back in the jungle with Predator samples. Pouring rain and jungle rivers and menacing planes in the sky. And such creativity and variation with the drums again, too! They really don’t make them like this anymore, unfortunately. Why oh whyyyyyyy.

Intense – Space Time Continuem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fk-K-OtJZc

Oh, and what better way for the JUngLE calendar to end this list with the eerie Space Time Continuem and its perfect drums and ominous horror movie samples. <3

That was 13 BIG tunes and I just love them all. Darkside forever.

If you wanna know why, check out my childhood memories and a possible explanation in The DIY test: Is Your Child a Junglist?

Jump back a year: Last year’s day 7 –> The 7 best things about being a raver

Did you miss a day of JUngLE? Have no fear, it’s all right here: JUngLEkalenderen