Heroes.

In 1997, Roni Size & Reprazent won the Mercury Music Prize, for their first album, ‘New Forms’. I had long been a fan of drum and bass, despite my age, and had sought it out all over. I now had the chance to discover this new music scene from Bristol, where the young Roni Size, a DJ and producer, was fusing Jazz with drum and bass, to introduce a totally new sound. That sound was a revelation. String bass, allied to sampling, percussion, and added vocals. It was the freshest thing that I had heard in years.

Although he never repeated this initial success, he continued to perform with the band until 2009, and is still involved in projects to this day. He may never have achieved the recognition he deserved, but for me, he took this area of music to new levels, and will never be bettered. I have chosen the most accessible track from his album, for ease of listening. But if you are remotely interested, I would urge you to explore the rest of his catalogue.