Dissensus has been trying to organise a poll of hardcore continuum tracks post-2000 for a little while now, although it looks like it might have run out of steam. It got me thinking anyway, and lurkers have been welcomed so I might still vote. However, unlike a lot of the other board members, I came to the Nuum late (my grime Damascus moment came in early 2010, catalyzed by Reynolds's writings and the first taste of Run The Road). So I've been listening to this music differently, detached from the environment it has been produced in and designed for. All the weirder because I've grown up in London and have for long periods of time been in close geographical proximity to this stuff, a parallel that has only recently been broken and crossed. So my experience of the Nuum has been almost entirely "retro-active". Whether that makes me a part of Reynolds's "retromaniac" age is a discussion for another day – like when I've actually read the book. Short answer: maybe, though "mania" would put it a bit strongly. Anyway, point is I felt a bit out of place contributing to a poll of enthusiasts most of whom have a first hand knowledge of what they are talking about, while I am still doing my homework and trying to catch-up.
That didn't stop me from compiling a ballot, tho! I decided to make this ENTIRELY retro-active, excluding stuff after 2010 when I started tuning in to the Nuum and listening in real-time. The irony is that as soon as I had done so, the Nuum started dissipating into a million different streams. Suspicions of the internet and digital culture entirely overcome, the solidity provided by physical spaces and objects evaporated, so what we have now is more like a 'cloud' of shared history and signifiers stretching ever thinner. This is the new normal, to misappropriate a term used by Lindsay Zoladz.
Given the temporal boundaries of the list (2000-2009), perhaps unsurprising that grime features heavily (40+ of entries), UK Garage and UK Funky / Bassline being cut out at either end. Dubstep and progeny, also at the heart of the decade, is less well represented (about 30), and the picks are (perhaps) more idiosyncratic, since much of the core Tempa/DMZ sound doesn't do very much for me. The list is also skewed by the availability of what's out there. My ideological aversion to vinyl means that I'm reliant on what got a digital release. Happily a lot of classic productions are being made available as MP3s (cf. DJ Q's Archive, Ruff Sqwad's White Label Classics, Big $hot, Macabre Unit, Sticky all putting together albums of material made ~10 years ago). But it is unquestionable that some strands suffered from a lack of compilation and archival work.
Undisputed reigning champion of the list is Wiley, with 15 entries. As mentioned previously, 2012 brought about a significant re-assessment of the man's talents. He was always going to be all over a list such as this, but his presence was enhanced by me finally locating my senses and unreservedly accepting his frequent proclamations of unassailable prominence.
[Deap breath]
Here's the list. I've made only cursory checks on whether the stuff here fits within the timeframe, welcome any corrections on that score.
Terror Danjah feat. Hyper, Bruza, D Double E, Riko - Cock Back V1.2
Kristine Blond - Love Shy (Club Asylum Mix)
Wiley, Flow Dan, Dizzee Rascal - Eskimo Vocal
Pinch - Qawwali
Lethal Bizzle feat. Fumin, D Double E, Nappa, Jamakabi, Neeko, Flow Dan, Ozzi B, Forcer, Demon - Pow! (Forward)
Ruff Sqwad feat. Trim - Jampie (prod. Wiley)
Riko & Target - Chosen One
Dizzee Rascal - I Luv U
Sadie Ama feat. Kano - So Sure (prod. Terror Danjah)
Joker - Digidesign
Ruff Sqwad - Xtra
Pangaea - Memories
Ny - Something Real
Roll Deep - When I'm 'Ere
El-B feat. Juiceman - Buck & Bury
Wiley - Crash Bandicoot Freestyle
Artful Dodger - It Ain't Enough (Dodger Dubby Dream Mix)
Cooly G - Love Dub
The Bug feat. Flow Dan & Killa P - Skeng
Roll Deep - Let It Out
Dizzee Rascal - Ice Rink (prod. Wiley)
Wiley feat. Rage, Esco, Jammer, Scorcher, God's Gift - 16 Bar Rally
Terror Danjah feat. Triple Threat, Funsta, Shabba D, D Double E, Skibadee, Bruza, Melo D, Hitman Hyper, Ragga Twins - Creepy Crawler (Reckless Soldier)
Shystie - Pull It (Ill Blu Remix)
Burial - Fostercare
Ruff Sqwad - Functions On the Low
Lady Sovereign - Cha Ching (Cheq 1, 2 Remix)
Trim - Wot Part 1 (inst: Wiley - Taplin)
Jammer feat. Wiley, D Double E, Kano, Durrty Goodz - Destruction V.I.P.
Digital Mystikz - Misty Winter
Sticky feat. Ms Dynamite - Booo!
Darkstar - Aidys Girl's A Computer
MJ Cole - Sincere (Wookie Master Mix)
Kano - Sometimes
Guido feat. Aarya - Beautiful Complication
Toasty - The Knowledge
Wiley & Riko - Lethal B Diss (inst: Wiley - Fire Hydrant)
Paleface feat. Kyla - Do You Mind? (Crazy Cousinz Remix)
Plastician feat. Shizzle, Fresh, Nappa - Cha Vocal
SLK - Hype! Hype!
D Double E - Frontline (prod. Big-E-D)
Boxcutter - Silver Birch Solstice
Spor - Aztec
Artful Dodger - Woman Trouble (Wideboys Pick A Pocket Or Two Remix)
Ghetto feat. Kano, Scorcher, Devlin, Wretch 32, Durrty Goodz - Top 3 Selected (Remix) (prod. Rapid)
Ny feat. Maveric - Make It Work
Burial - Raver
Shackleton - Blood On My Hands
Teebone feat. Kie & Sparks - Fly Bi
More Fire Crew - Oi!
T2 feat. Jodie Aysha - Heartbroken
Bear Man feat. Blazer, Doctor & Fender - Drink Beer (Remix)
DJ Q & MC Bonez - You Wot!
Sunship feat. MC RB - Cheque One Two (Remix)
Wiley - Nan I Am London
Zomby - Spliff Dub (Rustie Remix)
Roll Deep - Poltergeist (Remix) (prod. Terror Danjah)
Breakage feat. Newham Generals & David Rodigan - Hard
Instra:Mental - Watching You
The Midnight Circus - Complicated
Ramadanman - Every Next Day
Dizzee Rascal - Sittin' Here
Untold - Stop What Your Doing (James Blake Remix)
MJ Cole - Bandelero Desperado
Joker - Stuck In The System
Plastician feat. Skepta - Intensive Snare
Digital Mystikz feat. Spen G - Anti War Dub
Angel Lee - What's Your Name (Artful Dodger Mash Up Vocal Mix)
Geeneus feat. Ms Dynamite - Get Low
LV feat. Dandelion - Turn Away
Geiom & Appleblim - Shreds
Ghost (El-B) - Lyrical Tempo
Raffertie - Wobble Horror!
Dogzilla - Never Ending Story
Genius Cru - Course Bruv
Untold - Anaconda
Virgo feat. B Live & Flirta D - Clack Riddim
Mizz Beats feat. Wiley, Jammer, Earz, JME & Sier - Saw It Comin'
Parson - Throw Some Ds
Subeena feat. Jamie Woon & Om'mas Keith - Solidify
Naphta - Soundclash 1 (Grievous Angel V.I.P.)
Rebound X - Rhythm & Gash
Distance - Traffic
P Money - 1 Up (prod. Royal-T)
Terror Danjah - Piano Madness
Horsepower Productions - When You Hold Me (Version)
Pay As You Go Cartel - Know We
No Lay - Unorthodox Daughter
3rd Core - Mindless & Broken (MJ Cole Mix)
Deadboy - U Cheated
Silkie - Dam 4
Gabrielle - Sunshine (Wookie Main Mix)
Crazy Titch - Sing Along
Jamie Vex'd - In System Travel
Wretch 32 feat. Badness & Ghetto - Ina Di Ghetto
Mount Kimbie - Maybes
The Bug feat. Flow Dan - Jah War (Loefah Remix)
Gemma Fox - Boxers (Delinquent 4x4 Mix)
Commix - Be True
Benga v Skream - The Judgement
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