Life-Changing Music: Roni Size/Reprazent – New Forms (Mercury Records, 1997)

Although release in 1997, it was late in ’99 when I discovered a new obsession. I was aware of drum’n’bass  from school mates but was then a serious guitar freak. I’d probably heard Roni Size/Reprazent’s ‘Brown Paper Bag’ on the radio when it was released but it wouldn’t have registered with me at the time. It was only moving to university in Bristol when I bumped into a friendly new flatmate at my halls of residence that I was turned on to left-field dance music.

My walls and furniture, that had once been decorated in images of Nirvana and Green Day, were now being covered in club flyers, rave posters and other dance music paraphernalia. I was a junglist in d&b city, home to moody electronica of ‘trip hop’ kings Massive Attack, Tricky and Portishead, as well as jungle pioneers Smith & Mighty, vocalist and DJ trio Kosheen, and one-off Roni Size and DJ Die side-project Breakbeat Era. Bristol was then a city surrounded by dark and dingy clubs like the Thekla (a boat), Lakota and other warehouse-like venues in disused fire stations or bus depots.

Reprazent was a local, mostly black production supergroup helmed by Roni Size alongside fellow label mate DJs Die, Krust and Suv, fronted by hype man MC Dynamite, featuring lady vocalist Onallee and a number of sessions men like Portishead drummer Clive Deemer or double bass player Si John. It was the Reasons For Sharing EP in 1996 that first introduced Reprazent’s novel take on jungle. Most of the tracks would also feature on the impending album the following year. An exciting live act, they really came into being on record. In fact there are so many inspired musical mash-ups and outstanding audio montages on New Forms that just cannot be replicated in concert, which is probably why the album deservedly ran away with the coveted Mercury Music Prize .

The album was originally released in either four or five-piece vinyl sets and at least three different CD versions (single disc, UK 2CD and US/Japan double disc sets with a bonus track). Roni Size and co. later revisited the album in New Forms² eleven years later, re-editing favourite tracks and trading in a few for four new numbers.

Looking at the UK double CD, disc one opens with ‘Railing’, an exhilarating breakbeat intro and MC Dynamite rap before seguing into album highlight ‘Brown Paper Bag’ with its abstract jazzy guitar, bendy bass from Si John and hyper beats. The phenomenal sonic montage eventually dies away to reveal the slinky syncopated drums of ‘New Forms’, with a guest rap by Bahamadia and Onallee’s first vocal contributions. ‘Let’s Get It On’ is one of many tracks across the two discs that (like of ‘Digital’ or ‘Matter Of Fact’) is less impressive out of context. However, ‘Mad Cat’ is more fun, angular jazzy breakbeats with the John/Deemer rhythm section. Next come the three singles ‘Heroes’, ‘Share The Fall (Full Vocal Mix)’ and ‘Watching Windows’ in sequence, all featuring Onallee. The first is slow and steady with warm keyboards, while the next crackles with popping drum loops and a beautifully moody, trancy second half before a calming outro into the tough hip-hop groover ‘Watching Windows’. ‘Beat Box’ is a short, cool drum’n’bass scat by Size and Suv before the penultimate track, ‘Morse Code’, which revolves round an arrogantly simple little bass riff which sounds like the bastard son of ‘Love Cats’ by The Cure. The slightly forgettable ‘Destination’ rounds off part one.

After a short drum and sound effects intro, the second disc opens with ‘Hi-Potent’, a track not unlike ‘Brown Paper Bag’ with its acoustic guitar and double bass elements. ‘Trust Me’ is a club classic while ‘Change My Life’ is less so, but the last four tracks are stompers. The original instrumental version of ‘Share The Fall’ differs extensively from the vocal mix on disc one and is full of booming bass bombs and snappy sampled beats. ‘Jazz’ is very moody, with its crackling vinyl flute loops and ‘Hot Stuff’ is a head-nodding funky drumming tour de force complete with swooshing psychedelic atmospherics. Lastly, ‘Ballet Dance’ provides the grand finale to a pretty special album.

Listening to the album again is still an enjoyable experience, and although sitting  through the entire two hours and twenty minutes can be trying, it’s the double album that makes the most interesting listening.

If you can’t get enough of the beats, instead of the disappointing follow-up In The Møde, track down the rare 1997 compilation Replica: The Remix Album for some cracking ‘Brown Paper Bag’ remixes by Photek and Nobukazu Takemura amongst other re-interpretations and rarities. Also recommended are the Brown Paper Bag singles for the adrenaline-charged ‘Full Vocal Mix’ with MC Dynamite on the mic and the ‘Roni Size Sound Is The Music Remix’ which effectively turns the bass riff on its head. Unfortunately, the dark, minimalist ‘DJ Die Gnarly Instrumental Mix’ of ‘Watching Windows’ is harder to get as it’s a 12”-only affair but it has featured on high-profile DJ mix albums.

Album rating: ****

Different Forms: New Forms remixes and rarities on disc
Reasons For Sharing
Brown Paper Bag (single)
Heroes (single)
Share The Fall (single)
Watching Windows (single)
Replica: The Remix Album
New Forms²