A few months back we checked in with Moakz and Chiron, founders of the south coast contemporary jungle imprint Codename RCRDS.

Fresh from the release of their debut VA LP Look To The Future Volume 1, the pair shed light on their roots, their first year of releases and their love for the timeless sound of deep atmospheric jungle and how it’s having quite a renaissance right now in the mid 20s… 30 years after it was pioneered at nights like Speed by Fabio and LTJ Bukem, and galvanised on labels like Good Look Records.

Now, just weeks after the label’s first anniversary, we reconnect with the label and delve into some of the interview content we had with the artists on Look To The Future at the time. With such a strong Good Looking Records (GLR) influence running throughout the collection we asked them for some favourite memories and inspirations and their current inspirations and observations.

For a full hit of Codename goodness check this powerful label showcase mix from Moakz and don’t sleep on the VA either. It’s right here. Now get to know each contributor a little better…

 

Arcologies

Emergent Chicago new-gen jungle operator Arcologies was inspired by a visit to a hot tub store with his missus when he wrote Spa Gallery, but that’s a story for another time. Here he reflects on a time before social media dominated our lives and considers the current state of deep jungle.

Then: “My favourite 90s releases are really just a giant stack of CD compilations and mixes – Bukem’s Logical Progression and his other progression session CDs, along with moving shadow’s Trans-central Connection got absolutely rinsed in the MP3 player. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, and so hearing any type of Jungle/D&B on the radio was a rarity… If the stations were playing electronic music, it was typically house and techno (which I also love). By the time I was old enough to go to raves, the rave scene was dead. So, I had to rely on D&B and jungle message boards, chat rooms, online reviews, stuff like that. It was fun being part of these online communities and talking to other fans, this was the early 2000s before social networking and Youtube and stuff. It was just a great part of my childhood.”

Now: “I enjoy listening to all the new releases from Omni and other labels that have been around for a while. A lot of newer labels like Codename and Spatial are putting out lovely tracks too. Some of my favorite music and releases of the past couple years have been from Thought-Forms, IJO, and Human Synthetics (especially his live performances!). I never get tired of my favorite D&B/jungle artists that are STILL putting out pristine legendary tunes: ASC, Fanu, Aural Imbalance, and Paradox.”

 

 

Con-Figure

Bristol based deepsmith Con-Figure made his debut on Codename with Talisman, a track that flexes some big Foley feels. We catch him  looking back fondly on the Good Looking era and find out about the creative process behind Talisman along with his love for brass instruments.

Then: “The Good Looking era set the foundations for all sub genres of the modern atmospheric sound of today. Even though some of these classic tunes are 30 years old now, I still think they stand up today and I would still drop some of these into a set.”

Now: “My thought process behind this track, was to try and capture elements of old school with a glimpse of the present. With a chopped up breakbeat, old school foley (birds and crickets) strings, pads and some vocals to add atmosphere. I’m a big fan of Brass instruments and tend to use a lot in my productions anyway so that was a no brainer.”

 

 

Digital Altair

Fresh from his Codename debut, Minnesota producer Digital Altair talks us through Auras and how Good Looking Records tailored his love for the atmospheric sound and inspired his production.

Then: “GLR was a bit before my time, and I was too young (and not yet alive) to be able to appreciate them during their heyday.  But it was because of their efforts and timeless works, that I was able to discover and enjoy them even ~30 years later to this day! I really look up to and admire them and the early labels/artists for paving the way for early drum & bass – and I very much consider them as monumental sources of inspiration for my own work!”

Now: “Auras is a fairly simple but evocative tune complimented by some deep pad progression, bells and breaks – tied together with a nice booming sub.”

 

Eschaton

One of the most high profile and prolific artists involved in the Look To The Future VA, Omni Music boss Eschaton describes his experiences coming up in the scene where Good Looking first made themselves known and collaborating with Moakz on Arafura.

Then: “I was lucky enough to be around and raving when Good Looking first started and it was a great to hear more musical sounds developing in the Breakbeat Hardcore scene, which quickly morphed into jungle and early drum & bass. It was a refreshing and mature direction for the music to go and I collected everything they released until they unfortunately fizzled out. The sounds Bukem had championed had allowed other labels to flourish releasing the same deeper musical sounds, such as early Creative Source, Fokuz Recordings and so on.”

Now: “It was a few little ideas I was playing around with when I was starting to work on my last Future Biology LP. I had played around with a lot of different short ideas and bounced them out, choosing what would work with what and this was a collection of sounds that didn’t quite fit the LP project. I had them lying on my hard drive for a while until Moakz and I decided to collab.”

 

 

Fortune & Chance

South coast selector Fortune & Chance beams over the legacy set by Good Looking in the 90s as he pays tribute to Bukem’s brand and he talks about his tune, Tribute.

Then: “I was a massive fan from the early releases, which I still have on vinyl to this day. I was warm-up DJ at a few Logical Progressions at the end of the 90s (under my real name, in case anyone is fact-checking!) which was a joy and a privilege.”

Now: “Tribute is just that – a tribute to the flavours and sounds of the 90s atmospheric sound that I love. I have tried to combine melodic atmospheric feels with a dancefloor-friendly rhythm section on the track, because many of the tracks I love from that era pull off just that.”

 

 

Mineral

Recently spotted on DJ Trace’s DSCI4, Finnish artist Mineral is a long-time lover of atmospheric D&B jungle. His track We Look Back pays homage to the older atmos style and introduces fresher elements to this mix. Originally released in March on Songs For A Drifting Rose, it comes in the form of a Trident remix on Look To The Future.

Then: “I have always enjoyed the atmospheric side of D&B and Good Looking did a great pioneer work back in the day. hats off! Gotten so much inspiration from those days to my music.”

Now: “My track We Look Back tries to capture the good old atmospheric D&B style with fresh melodic elements and nostalgic vibe. Trident’s touches on the remix add yet more layers to the melodic style. Many thanks to Trident for the remix duties.”

 

 

NonRev

Welsh deep jungle craftsman NonRev (the artist behind this exceptional Leftfield edit we recently released) returns to Codename with his track Estival. Here he describes what GLR was all about back in the heyday and how influential it is to this day.

Then: “Obviously one of the most influential labels in terms of atmospheric D&B and jungle. So many classic tracks and also the downtempo and jazzy stuff on the Earth series. Not just GLR but all of the atmos labels and artists from the mid 90s definitely captured a moment and a vibe that people are trying to recapture to this day.”

Now: “Estival means the feeling of summer. This track was initially started from finding the weird vocal and having this like sepia drenched, South Pacific image in my head…. even though it was probably made on a rainy Sunday haha. Final tune has elements of that mental image like the lazy horn sample and to me has a lot of 70s summer aesthetic…. watching ships come into the dock at sunset with Otis…..It works well within the whole vibe of the album.”

 

Wez Walker

Considering he’s only been releasing since 2021, Wez Walker has been hugely prolific dropping soulful, deep and atmospheric gems on the likes of Liquid Drops, Mathemtica and C Recordings. His Street Lights is his second on Codename RCRDS. Here he tells us how it took shape.

Then: “LTJ Bukem was my introduction to atmospheric/intelligent jungle. I was introduced to good looking records by a friend back in the 90s and was instantly hooked.”

Now: “My track Street Lights, all started with a piano sample that is chopped in a way that is reminiscent of some hip hop productions. The saxophone added to the jazzy vibe I was looking for to achieve. With atmospheric pads and the breaks and bass rounded off the track giving it that jungle feel.”

 

Perspective R

Dutch newcomer Perspective R has been a follower and fan of drum & bass jungle since the late 90s but has only recently emerged as a producer himself. Here he reminisces about the atmospheric foundations laid by GLR and talks to us about the atmos sound on his track Ode To Legends.

Then: “Well, for my introduction to atmos D&B all began with GLR, like many of us. Surely the first years of GLR lay the foundation in my opinion, for what atmospheric D&B is. Not just GLR / LGR, definitely including all the sub labels. And of course there was and is a lot of quality brought out on others labels as well.”

Now: “I am quite retro oriented. And try to focus my mindset on the inspiring golden era of drum and bass, when making tunes. As goes for all tracks, this is my perspective on the mid 90s atmos sound.”

 

Trident

More recently spotted on Codename RCRDS with his latest EP Detonator, Bristol’s Trident was last on the label remixing Mineral – We Look Back. Here he tells all about his project on this LP while looking back on the journeys a Bukem jungle mix would take you on.

Then: “Hardcore and Jungle had taken over 90% of my listening whilst studying in Plymouth in 94-97. I was listening to any Jungle I could get my hands on. My best mate had the Fantazia in the Jungle mix CDs including a very nice Bukem Jungle mix. I loved the juxtaposition of the ambient soundscape with the ruff beats and bass. I loved how the tunes and mixes would progress taking the listener on a journey that ebbs and flows.”

Now: “I’d heard Mineral’s tune on the 3rd Codename: RCRDS EP and it was amazing but it was running over 170bpm and I thought it could be slowed down to fit in with the 160bpm tunes that I’ve been drawn towards. I asked Moakz about doing a remix and he ran it past Mineral who gave it a thumbs up.”