Ambient Jungle started in the mid-90s as a subgenre to Jungle, also commonly known as Intelligent Jungle, Atmospheric Jungle, or Deep Jungle. This subgenre is known for deep basslines, atmospheric pads, filter sweeps, soul-diva vocal samples, and chopped breakbeats based primarily on the Amen break. While not as chopped up as traditional Jungle, Ambient Jungle is still based heavily on rhythmic improvisation. Also the diva samples are generally not sped up as regular Jungle and are more heavily processed with chorus/delay/filter sweeps. The genre is influenced by the Ambient Techno/Chill scene of the early 90s and relied on similar production styles. They both were about taking an existing genre (e.g. Jungle) and adding an atmospheric, spacey feel to it to make it "Ambient". There is a spectrum of tempo/moods: calmer and chill, or a hard-hitting feeling. While called "Ambient" the beats can often be heavy and sometimes even use hardcore breaks, which gives a unique contrast of high-energy and chill.

Some artists associated with the first wave Ambient Jungle scene: LTJ Bukem, Photek, Dave Wallace, Omni Trio, DJ Krust, Aphrodite, Peshay, J Magik, Double O, Om Unit, Blade Arp-1, Submorphics, Jesta

The compilation "Artcore - Ambient/Jungle" released in 1995 on the React record label popularized this subgenre as it was just beginning to take shape. 

From the liner notes: 

"Jungle with fusions of various styles, from ambient to jazz.
Rythmic, hypnotic, melodic, deep, spacey.
Breakbeats used more as another sound or instrument, to compliment the surrounding sounds.

Appreciate Artcore on different levels: relax to the spacious, abstract, ambient, surround sounds, and allow them to drift through your subconscious, at the same time focus on the Jungle rythms in the forefront for direct immediate stimulation.
Ambient Jungle - A new sound track for the modern era"

Ambient Jungle had a revival in the 2000s as part of the renewed Chill Out scene which continues to the present day (2023). It is now known as DnB, as the rest of the music scene had moved on from the term Jungle. Similarly, the music scene moved on from "Ambient" and now uses the more generic term "Chill". A number of new genre names also came about like Chill and Bass, Liquid DnB, Cosmic DnB, etc. The beats are still primarily Amen breaks but aren't as chopped up and rely much less on rhythmic improvisation. The sound has been influenced by modern DAW/Live production techniques and contemporary genres like Dubstep. There are now more pop vocalist samples and more traditional song structure like verse/chorus/hook, rather than strictly soul-diva samples.

Chill and Bass

Ray Of Light (CLIP) - Aural Imbalance

Earthbound (CLIP) - Aural Imbalance CAD040

Nelver - Hourglass

A mix of ambient triphop and chill from the 90s. I'm calling this special blend of music 'Tasty Beats' cuz they're all tasty musical treats!
Mixed in 2000 by your man DJ Fitz. Big up to the original chillout krew.

Track listing:

1. Small World - Shuttle 3-5-8
Experience in Kool. -1 degrees

Starting off this mix with a really spacey bit of ambient hip hop.  Wassup y'all?

2.  Nobukazu Takemura ‎– For Tomorrow (Silent Poets Remix)
For Tomorrow

A super-tasty track with a killer jazzy hip-hop drum line, sweet piano samples, and some sublime scratching.
I bought this CD in a cut-out bin and it's probably in the top 10 songs I own.

3. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - 1st of Tha Month (K&D Session)
The K&D Sessions (V/A)

One of the best tracks off of the classic Kruder and Dorfmister K&D Sessions mix CD set. Some of their best production on a very hazy, smoky downtempo hip-hop track.

4. Two Lone Swordsman - Gang Sweep Shuffling
The Fifth Mission (Return To The Flightpath Estate)

A side-project of Andrew Weatherall of Sabres of Paradise fame. The album this track comes from is a collection of mostly experimental and atonal beats. But this track is so groovy it gets to be an official Tasty Beats treat.

5. Edge Of Motion - Memories Of The Future
100% Pure: The Lowlands

An obscure compilation of Dutch electronica brings some extra herbs and spices to your tasty beats. This track is above and beyond just about anything released back in the day.

6. Beaumont Hannant ‎– Sym-phon5
Basic Data Manipulation (Tastes And Textures, Vol. 2)

This track gets a mega-Tasty Beats seal of approval. Literally one of the first ambient techno albums I ever bought. This track is what got me into DJing and the whole ambient techno genre.

7.  Land Of The Loops ‎– Welcome (Back)
Refried Treats

So much to like about this track but the spacey Indian vocal samples give this track an ethnic flair.

8. Mama Oliver - Eastwest (Stoned Together)
The K&D Sessions (V/A)

Another track off of the K&D Sessions album, and there's a reason I broke my rule to never put more than one song on a mix from a single source. Great melodic vocal samples and a 1960s flavor, combined with the inventors of the Tasty Beats style Kruder and Dorfmeister.

9. Pressure Drop ‎– The Calling
Tearing The Silence

Another really obscure track from a band almost no one heard of. All the tracks off this album are above average quality to f*cking amazing.

10.  Thievery Corporation ‎– A Guide For I And I
Shadows Of Ourselves

Thievery Corporation are the other original inventors of the Tasty Beats genre. They're such pros at production; they must have a 'Phatness' knob on their mixing board.
This track has everything you like about Thievery Corporation: killer hip-hop beats, Jamaican dub production, conscious lyrics, and some of the sweetest sounds ever produced.

11. Spacefish - Stardust
Global Psychedelic Chill Out - Compilation Vol. 2 (V/A)

Off of an obscure German record label that released predominantly Psy Trance. This is pure chill with super-phat beats that you can crunch with your granola for breakfast.

12. Ronda Ray Meets The Gab! - Martha
Dub Backups.Three (V/A)

This track is so sweet you'll get a toothache! Turn up the phat on those beats to 11.

13.  Single Cell Orchestra ‎– Transmit Liberation
S/T

A favorite track of the early 90s Ambient/Chill scene, this showed up on probably 20 or 30 compilations. And there's a reason it's so popular; you gotta love that groove.

14. Faceless - Sequin Ocean
S/T

I wish these guys did more music but their one release has some top quality tracks. This one has a hip-hop Jungle feel with really groovy beats.

15. Thievery Corporation - Transcendence
Dubbed Out in DC (V/A)

Closing out with the masters of chill. A track from their early career, a true Tasty Beats classic.

Tasty Beats - A Mix of Chilled Out, Tasty Treats 🌅 Chill, Downtempo, Ambient, Trip Hop

Exoplanet - Space Jungle

ESCM

The Road to Lostwithiel

CHECK OUT THE IMAGE, IT'S THE ACTUAL CD ARTWORK!

Here's a mix I did in 1998 of some favorite Ambient Drum and Bass/Jungle tracks. All digital mix using Jam by Adaptec.

Unfortunately I lost the original sound files and artwork, so I don't have all the track titles any more. Here's what I managed to remember:

01. Unknown
(I chose this song to start the mix because of the sample "I want to take you to that one more place where nobody's ever been before.")

02. Unknown
(I wish I remember who did this track. It's basically a filter sweep that goes the entire song. And guess what? I eat it up every time.)

03. Still Not Smokin'? - A.R.K.
(Off of the compilation "Avantgardism - drum 'n' bass". Released in 1996 on the old-school Rave/Chillout label Rising High, who got on the DnB bandwagon in the 90s.
This is another track with a big filter sweep. You can tell I'm a big sucker for sweeps.)

04. Q Flutes - Aphrodite
(A pretty slamming track that has a cool pan flute sample. Could have been really cheesy in a  Zamphir kind of way, but not a chance, this is one of the best tracks in the mix. Aphrodite usually does this heavily distorted, aggressive form of Drum and Bass, but this track is pretty melodic and groovy.
Off the compilation "Trip to the Andes" on Ark 21 Records, released in 1996.
** Odd trivia: The owner of Ark 21 records is Miles Copeland, brother to Stewart Copeland of The Police.)

05. Synthony - The Spirit
(From a 12" released in 1997 on Timeless Recordings. I randomly bought this at Tower Records(!) but it turns out to be one of the best Chill 'n Bass records I own.)

06. Solar Glide - The Spirit
(The B-side of the above record. It turns out the two songs were meant to be played as a single track so did that on this mix.)

07. Watch the Mix - Tricky Cris
(This track is off a compilation called "Dub Backups 3" from Electrolux Records. I bought this by chance when I was on vacationing in Bologna, Italy, and I've never been able to find any other releases on this label.)

08. Get Up Man - Gümix
(This track always wrecked the dancefloor.
Dj Gümix is the co-founder of the Viennese Dub-Club and well known for his deep, groovy Tribal-Funky-Dub. On this 1997 Dub Club EP on G-Stone Recordings, he assembles Tosca and the Uptight posse to contribute mixes to his own.)

09. We Enter (Deep Forest Dub VIP Mix) - Alladin
(From a compliation called "Artcore: Ambient/Jungle" released by the React label in 1995. This compilation is often credited with breaking the Ambient Jungle genre.)

10. Soul Beat Runna - Boymerang
(Boymerang was a side project of Grahm Sutton, who got indie rock fame from his band Bark Psychosis. This track from 1997 is actually pretty awesome for a guy having fun on the side.)

11. So Dark Now - Magnetic

12. Meiso (4 Hero Mix) - DJ Krush
(A killer 4 Hero mix. I love his groovy sound. From the collection of DJ Krush remixes of "Meiso" put out in 1996.)

13. Blue Maroon - Ben Neill
(Ben Neill is a longtime New York jazz trumpeter. He moved into the avant-garde music scene and modified his trumpet into The Mutentrumpet that would trigger all kinds of sounds. He then started creating slamming DnB beats. This track is from a remix on Goldbug records released in 1998 featuring tracks produced with the likes of Spring Heel Jack, DJ Krust, and the X-ecutioners.)

14. Mental Strength - Megashira
(From the 1997 album "Submerged: Blooming Breaks + Bulging Beats" released on the Incoming! label, which featured so much great dubby breaks.)

15. Unknown

16. Spring - Elektronauten
(Another track from the "Submerged: Blooming Breaks + Bulging Beats"  album. A nice up-tempo dance-floor stepper that showcases a unique take on the DnB sound.)

17. Link - The Chameleon
(Link is another name for the recording output of Mark Pritcherd. He also recorded with Global Communication, Reload, Jedi Knights, etc. along with Tom Middleton.)

DJ Fitz

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