And Jacobs Optical Stairway is the "great lost artcore album" as far as I'm concerned
Yet again a throwaway line by Mr Reynolds sends me hurtling back through time to revisit a true classic. I don't have much to say about intelligent drum and bass these days, but that's a fucking decent album, no mistake. Simon also tells me that "the track that slays me on Jacob's is 'harsh realities' -- very precocious use of the vocoder there". Funnily enough that's my fave track on the album too, I shit you not. I like the upfront use of the TR-808 drum machine in conjunction with the breakbeats. They collaborate with Juan Atkins on "The Fusion Formula"which starts out like Detroit electro with Juan's destinctive burbling sequencer groove before hurtling down a wormhole into d'n'b deep space. Yum!
But who remembers Dego and Mark Mac's other mid-90s classic long-player "It's Not What You Think It Is!!?!", released under their Tek 9 moniker? Here they slow the breaks right down for a tastfully chilled take on jazz-funk. And you get a bonus disc of earlier 'ardcore classics from 91-95. What more do you want? I sold off my Spring Heel Jack and Goldie albums eons ago, but I'm keepin' these ones!

On the subject of rediscoveries, Beaumont Hannant's "Texturology" has weathered the winds of time extremely well too. Clearly, Beau had SOUL, as evidenced by the impossibly beautiful, emotionally charged melodies and sensitively structured arrangements. Tracks like 'A Summer Spent' and 'Latur' are as life-affirming as ever. I am definately gonna score copies of the 'Tastes & Textures' EPs, if I can find 'em. But what ever happened to Beau? He's one of those guys, like B12 for instance, who just seems to disappear and no one even seems to notice.