Suburban Base Vinyl & CDs

Review: Essex rave pioneers and indeed, instituion, Suburban Base plunges into its 90s archive with the new Subbase Sampler, at first a CD-only compilation from 1997. Coming at an evolutionary moment in jungle and drum & bass, we hear the figureheads of said insurgency - Remarc, Dream Team (Bizzy B & Pugwash), Pascal, Mampi Swift, and Marcus Intalex presents The X (Mark XTC) - spread their audio ambits over two tracks per side. While 'Hardstep' by D'Cruze and Remarc's 'In The Hood (Shy FX Remix)' are omitted from the vinyl due to space, they're included in the digital package and available on other recent Suburban Base reissues. Most of the tracks featured here haven't been repressed since the 90s; and aren't 'Raw Dogs', 'One Style' and 'New Dawn (VIP Mix)' true soulful stars among them?