i’ve said it before, and i’ll say it again: i’m a list man. well, man-boy, whatever. lists are always good fun, and music lists are even gooder fun. so i was rather tickled to see this latest entry from pitchfork – the 200 best singles of the ’90s! talk about a gargantuan job. and some would say a pointless one too. but i wouldn’t be one of them.
anyways, the candidates are being revealed this week, with the top 20 clocking in on friday. i’ve only had a chance to skim through 200-151, but i have to say that i was pleasantly chuffed to see the inclusion of a handful of standout jungle/drum ‘n’ bass tracks – including ltj bukem’s oceanic remix of “atlantis (i need you),” omni trio’s immortal “renegade snares” and dillinja’s darkcore dirge “angels fell,” which squeaks in at 198.
i wonder which other junglistic gems will make the cut – certainly, my pickings would include “shadow boxing,” the numanoid slab from nasty habits/doc scott; the breakbeat funk of roni size’s “brown paper bag”; and goldie’s epic “timeless.”
and if there truly is any justice in this world, asend’s ”can’t play bass” is gonna top this list. i actually found a youtube clip of the choon, but the sound quality is so crap that one can’t even hear the soul-shredding bass that defines this monster.
which is a pity, ‘cuz it’s pretty much the best song ever.
Of course I second Asend. What’s not to like? It is interesting that Roni Size isn’t judged generously nowadays. I have seen a few negative comments about him, in particular about how he stole the Mercury Prize, as if he were another M People. But he was great and New Forms still sounds great and the title track still sounds cutting edge.