The 10 best jungle tracks, according to Uncle Dugs

“My name is Uncle Dugs and I present Run Come Follow Friday #RCFF the only legal daytime weekly Oldskool / Jungle radio show in the world”, the Rinse DJ declares proudly on his Soundcloud, and next week he releases his edition of Rinse’s CD series. Plotting a history of jungle from its birth in the ecstasy sweatboxes of east and south London to its dissipation into drum & bass and mass consciousness in 1997. The DJ plays out at Rinse’s 18th birthday party on the on the 29th September. Roll through the rollers with the playlist at the bottom

Lennie De Ice – We Are I.E. [I E Records]
1991 : Widely acclaimed my many (though not by Lennie himself) to be the very first Jungle tune. Whether it is or it isn’t it definitely was a tune that made a massive everlasting impact on the scene.. I remember where I was when I first heard it (Fantasy FM rave at Michael Sobell Sports Centre in 91), it was one of them special tunes and still is. A great opener for my story of jungle mix.
Bodysnatch – Euphony (Kuff Mix) [Big City]
1992 : The anthem also known as ‘Just 4 U London’ which in 1992 made you really proud to be a Londoner and have the music and parties we had at that time. A real landmark piece of music. This tune was a Tasco warehouse anthem in 92, Tasco warehouse in Plumstead being the place where you would find me and my crew raving most weekends through that year.
Noise Factory – Set Me Free (remix) [3rd Party]
1992 : Noise Factory and 3rd Party Recs were for me the most underated producers & label to come out of the scene in these days, These guys were setting standards with prototype Jungle from 1991 onwards and came with 4 track eps full of bangers time after time all through this era.
X Project – Walking In The Air (Mix 3) [X Project]
1992 : Rebel MC (Congo Natty) under his X Project guise, the 1 thing that always struck me about this tune was how you could cross Cutty Ranks, Aled Jones and Rave.. In theory it should never work, in reality it is a classic..
Jo – R Type [Awesome]
1993 : Its amazing that this tune was released in 1993 as it still to this day works in a rave alongside upfront D&B music. For some weird reason when I hear this tune I see the colour green and lines running through my minds eye.
Leviticus – Burial [Philly Blunt]
1994 : Possibly the biggest Jungle tune of all time, it has everything.. I remember hearing this in 1994 at Notting Hill Carnival so many times over the course of the weekend that it really made me fully realise that Jungle owned the streets of the UK at that time.
Conquering Lion – Code Red (Wild Apache mix) [X Project]
1994 : Even if you only know a handful of Jungle tunes this would usually be one of them ones I would expect you to know.. I think this tune probably owns the world record for having the words that people sing wrong to it most. The only bit most people really know is “its yoooooo, im talking tooooo”.. Even with people singing the wrong words its still 100% a 1994 anthem.
Alex Reece – Pulp Fiction [Metalheadz]
1995 : As a DJ I have probably played this tune more than any other tune I own. It is so simple yet so effective the way it glides along with the famous ‘Pulp Fiction’ bassline driving it throughout. A masterclass in music.
Andy C & Shimon Quest [Ram]
1996 : One of them tunes and definitely one of them basslines that whenever its dropped gets a massive reaction and has a 99.9% success rate in terms of wheel ups. If I remember correctly I bought this actual vinyl off of Shimon when he was working in Boogie Times back in the day
Shy FX – Bambaata [Ebony]
1997 : This tune from the undeniably talented producer Shy FX came at the end of my Jungle record buying days, in fact this was probably one of the last 20 or so Jungle records that I bought. The beats, the bass, the sounds in this tune all scream Jungle but not in the way that Jungle worked in 94/95. Not a Ragga vocal in sight but just as much Jungle vibes in it as anything that came before it.