You may have heard this one in a couple of my mixes; I’ve been spinning it for quite a while now. It’s stayed in my crate through thick and thin while numerous others have been tossed aside. You may have already found it too; it’s been available for free for at least a couple of years over at Soulchampion.com.
The rhythm harkens back to my favorite period of the U.K. garage era. Before dubstep took hold with it’s minimal beats and stark sounds, there was an up-tempo swing in the popular 2-step garage tracks that I loved. Thankfully that bouncy vibe is coming back. You can hear it in recent dubstep tracks like Benga & Coki’s (seemingly soca influenced) Night. Not to mention the 4/4 Bassline stuff which digs back even further, recalling 2-step’s predecessor, speed garage.
Benga & Coki; Night Video
[youtube rNStVlJWy88]
This week’s track is by Unknown Souljah, and as the name suggests, I had no idea who this was when I originally got it. But then I recently ran into G Notorious who runs Soulchampion.com — and who I’ve known for years — and I asked about Unknown Souljah. “That’s me!” he said, and I was like “Damn, man! I’ve been playing your track at almost every gig and didn’t even know it was yours.” It’s a 2-step garage remix of Kanye West’s Jesus Walks and it’s sick. If you’ve been sleeping get it here:
Download
Unknown Souljah; Jesus Walks (ft. Kanye West)
[audio:uggc://jjj.znfuvg.pbz/nhqvb/Wrfhf%20Jnyxf%20sg%20Xnalr%20Jrfg.zc3]
I LOVE you! This remix clearly outstrips any other I’ve heard. I would have gladly killed for a copy of this tune!
bigup the only like g-notorious!
Yeah Man that track rules. I have always loved that 2 steppy beat but it seems that most people associate it with super cheezy music (you know with “jazzy” keyboards and “soulful” vocals) Its always great to hear it rough and raw and with some serious dub bass, – Can’t get enough of that isht.
ed, Glad we could be of service, both to you and to the lucky person who is still walking this earth because you were able to get your hands on this track 🙂
Flack, My sentiments exactly. There was that short window in the early ’00s through which a string of ragga-2step and early grime dropped, much of which had those raw beats and rough basslines.
There’s a bunch of that stuff on my Bouncement mix: Tracklist and MP3 ->
nice one jake.. good find. ruffed up 2-step rules!
DOPE track! BTW that Part Time Sucker mix is killer..
DJ Zince used to write heaps of that shit. Its a shame the sound kind of ‘imploded’ on itself.. I hope there’s a re emergence of it some time soon though.
Anyone heard Von Südenfed? It’s Mouse on Mars guys with Mark E. Smith, vocalist of The Fall.
Check out the following MP3s:
“Flooded”
“Serious Brainskin”