A mind boggling collection of ambient jungle, deep beats & mellow Drum +Bass Mixed by L.T.J. Bukem and featuring tracks by Drum + Bass pioneers DJ Crystl, DJ Trace, Adam F., Future Sound of Hardcore and more.

THE DJ: LTJ BUKEM
A man who needs no introduction. A legendary DJ and re-mixer, Good Looking Records impresario, and worldwide ambassador of Drum + Bass; the ubiquitous LTJ Bukem is many things to many people. Still shy of thirty, this young musical maverick was christened Danny Williamson by his adoptive parents. Conservative Baptists, they infused the boy with a love of classical and gospel music and a work ethic which led to his early mastery of drums, trumpet, and piano. His shared moniker with Steve Garrett's sidekick, led to a million Hawaii Five-0 gags, leaving the multi instrumentalist branded with the nickname Bukem (as in "Book 'em Danno"). A bizarre jumbling of the Spanish "El D.J." morphed into the LTJ which is on everyone's lips these days. What does it all mean? We don't know- we just call him Bukem. A respected DJ amongst the jungle crowd in England, Bukem blew the scene wide open in 1991 with his seminal Demon's Theme, a prophetic glimpse at a new sound. Jungle (or Hardcore) was wildly exciting, a mixture of American hip-hop breakbeats and reggae freneticism. The revved up beats and halftime bass lines were a radical departure from the happy, hippy, love schlock which was contaminating the rave scene at the time. As the product of an urban environment, Jungle was perceived as being saddled with the classic big city problems of crack and guns. With Demon's Theme, Bukem began to steer the undeniable Jungle energy away from it's bad-ass "gangsta" trappings into a truly futuristic and positive sonic realm. People began calling this new sound "Intelligent" or "Ambient" Jungle and Drum + Bass. Stripped of the perceived ruffneck element, it became critically adored and wildly popular. The popularity of this one track led Bukem to form his Good Looking label. He began making records with a reputation for being "deep" and having a staying power all too rare in the contemporary dance scene. Tracks such as 1993' Music are still played by DJs as though they were new releases. Good Looking was a sonic rebellion against the status quo. Artist run, so innovation and creative freedom reign, Good Looking remains one of the World's best independent electronic labels. This is by no means a star vehicle or vanity project. The brilliant, but not prolific, LTJ Bukem has only released a baker's dozen of his own tracks in the last six years. The sheer brilliance of his roster of musicians and DJs, serves as proof positive that there is a communal level of artistry which transcends the individual. The first domestic collection Logical Progression, topped the critics polls and is selling quite respectably. Logical Progression 2 featuring Blame is also imminent and represents further innovation in mellow, jazzy, Drum + Bass. Promised Land Vol. 1 is more than just a Drum + Bass collection, with Bukem at the wheel, it is possibly the closest approximation of the actual live DJ experience ever committed to disc. A fitting showcase for the enigmatic LTJ Bukem, as his greatest fame probably lies in his mixing skills. He rose to prominence at the now legendary club night Speed at The Blue Note in London. This was the apex of the whole Drum + Bass scene. Bukem spun alongside Fabio and Doc Scott while current darlings like Photek, Alex Reece, and Goldie added local colour. Rag-tag sonic alchemists, the Speed DJs were pioneering a fusion of Jungle, ambient, hip-hop, and jazz. While Speed is currently in disarray, Bukem still makes the scene with his own Logical Progression parties and as a featured DJ at the Promised Land at The End in London. Last summer, he toured the U.S. as part of Perry Farrell's ambitious but starcrossed ENIT tour. Currently Bukem is rocking the World with his music, his label, his DJ'ing and God knows what elseÑlook for him to appear on the Logical Progression tour and perhaps even on the upcoming Promised Land tour. The ultimate irony is that the successful DJ runs the risk of taking a back seat to the music he plays. For Bukem however, this poses no problems; he has always been a staunch and persistent advocate of his musical peers, allowing others to occasionally eclipse his own very bright star. His star making abilities are so renowned that a spot on LTJ's play-list is for many a critical opening gambit. The biggest names in the business still give him one off "Dub Plates" (test pressings) in hopes that LTJ will toss it in the mix and create an advance buzz. A musician who champions other musicians? He is a fan first and foremost. He formed a label to make records he likes and he has gained much of his Worldwide fame by playing other people's records. Don't assume for a second that this is not a creative and artistic endeavor, his mastery of the DJ artform is so individual and deep that every track becomes a sort of collaborative effort. He melds and blends a seamless musical groove where art and science collide headfirst, creating some wicked and one of a kind sonic wreckage. His DJ sets are a highly personalized glimpse into his mind and more importantly....his soul.

THE MC: MC CONRAD
If the DJ is the captain, think of the MC as the cruise director on your voyage to the Promised Land. The lengthy partnership of Bukem and Conrad has been a fruitful and joyous one. Tens of thousands of travellers Worldwide have been guided on their trip by this trail-blazing duo. Conrad's unique vocal contributions elevate the serene to the sublime. A veteran of the UK hip-hop community, Conrad found in Drum + Bass a place to express his ideas and feelings without the posturing and negativity of the other scenes. His stints with various UK hip-hop groups honed his rapping skills but it wasn't until he discovered the emerging UK rave and breakbeat scene that Conrad Thompson discovered his true calling. As the scene evolved MC Conrad was easily able to adapt his hip-hop roots to the accelerated breakbeats which were just becoming known as Jungle/Hardcore/Drum + Bass. Drum + Bass for Conrad was the perfect multiculturalism, a synthesis of American Hip-Hop, European Acid House and the Carribean rhythms which pervade the UK. He started making appearances at various East End raves and had begun to build a reputation as a first class MC. Killing time after a cancelled gig, Conrad turned up at a secret rave at a farmyard. LTJ Bukem was spinning and mutual friend DJ Trace (of Mutant Jazz fame) hustled him up a guest spot on the mic for a few tracks. Notoriously self absorbed while spinning, Bukem didn't recognize the chemistry until someone played back a bootleg of the gig. He tracked down the mystery MC and the rest is history. Bobbing and weaving like a funky prize fighter, Conrad's rhymes are the thread which holds the live show together. He reads both the crowd and the music and reacts accordingly. He seems to always know what to say and, even more importantly, when to shut up. As a result, he is omnipresent but never obtrusive. Much like Bukem, he knows that the music is the star. He's just there to make sure we don't forget it. Bukem and Conrad have a unique telepathic bond which allows them to communicate with each other as well as the dancefloor while both doing their own thing.

TRACK LISTING
MIXED: Smash 'N' Grab / ADDICTION & HELEN T. > FOKUS/After Hours > DJ TRACE/Circles-Adam F/Experience-M15/By Any Means Necessary > DJ TRACE/Jazzed Out > Fokus/Angels in Dub (Remix)-Code Blue/F Jam > Adam F/Midnite-Simon 'Bassline' Smith/Let it Roll-DJ crystl/Meditation-DJ crystl/Tranquility To Earth > ORCA
UNMIXED: Promised Land > FUTURE SOUND OF HARDCORE/Discovery > ORCA/Come To Me > STREET SCIENCE/ Wired-FOKUS /Desire (original mix) > FUTURE SOUND OF HARDCORE/Angels in Dub > CODE BLUE/Second Heaven > ATLAS/ Euphoria > FUTURE SOUND OF HARDCORE/West Coast > DJ TRACE/On Line > FOKUS/Sea of Destiny (Remix) > ADAM F/Groundhog Day > M16

THE CRITICS SPEAK
"Bukem is at the center of a scene which has managed to sink musical futurism deep into the mainstream. A scene which has scored massive success with music which has neither been diluted for the mass market, nor reneged on its adventurous, experimental principals."--URB

"L.T.J. Bukem, arguably the finest exponent of what has been variously called intelligent jungle, drum 'n' bass, artcore, ambient jungle."--Paper

"Artists like Metalheadz, Omni Trio, Foul Play, LTJ Bukem, ...are producing a sound known variously as 'Ambient', 'intelligent' or 'deep' hardcore. It's music of such undeniable beauty and innovation that even Trance heads and Detroit-nostalgics are starting to turn onto it."--The Wire

"He steps up to the tables, and suddenly, everyone who seems bored or asleep wakes up in a roar of applause and excitement. They cheer when he puts on the headphones, and everyone starts moving when the first track is dropped. They know that when Bukem takes the decks, they'll hear the newest, most beautiful records around, mixed perfectly for a heavenly experience of pure Drum + Bass."--Presence

"With the possible exception of Goldie, no one has done more to break Drum + Bass to the house masses than (LTJ) Bukem."--Mixmag

"MC Conrad is the most original mic controller in Drum + Bass, bar none."--MixMag