Neurofunk

Neurofunk
Neurofunk
Stylistic origins	Drum and Bass, Funk, Techstep, House, Jazz, Techno, Dark ambient
Cultural origins	late-1990s, London, Scotland, Europe, eastern United States
Typical instruments	Synthesizer - Drum machine - Sequencer - Keyboard - Sampler - Laptop - Desktop
Subgenres
	none; (complete list)
Other topics
	Drum and bass artists, Drum and bass record labels

Neurofunk (commonly abbreviated neuro) is a sub-genre of Drum and bass pioneered by producers Ed Rush, Optical, Matrix, and MC/producer Ryme tyme circa 1997/1998 as a progression of techstep. It was further developed by juxtaposed elements of heavier and darker forms of funk with multiple influences ranging from techno, house and jazz, characterized by consecutive stabs over the bass line and rhythmically structured by razor-sharp back beats where overall, highly nuanced dark ambient atmospheric production is prominent. The prototype sound of the early evolution of neurofunk - diverging from its techstep counterpart - at its most creative period which defined the style, can be heard in the essential live mix by Ed Rush & Optical for Radio 1 (1998).

Continuity

Since the early experimental stages of neurofunk when producer Optical helped to define the sub-genre with his seminal "To shape the future" (Metalheadz Records/1997) tune, producers Sinthetix, Cause 4 Concern and Silent Witness & Break took the minimalist approach to production in 2002 with emphasis on colder, precision beat engineering, harder stabs over the bass line and sharper mixdowns - another influence on some subtle changes of sound over the years, were the continuous developments of music production software and recording studio equipment - with further stripped-down style of innovations in 2005 by producers Noisia, Phace, The Upbeats, Misanthrop, Desimal, and Mayhem. Producer Gridlok however, mostly focused on complex horn arrangements of the Big Band era in Jazz yet maintained the atonal, consonant aspects of classic neurofunk minimalism in his music.

Lyrical Content

As an MC/producer, Ryme Tyme personalized neurofunk as an integral member of Ed Rush & Optical's live sets and studio productions. His abstract lyrical flow and futurist manifestations - in contrast to his progressive production skills - can be heard on neurofunk classics such as "Resurrection" (co-produced by Ed Rush & Optical) and "Fastlane" (produced by Ed Rush & Optical). His original lyrical style was influental on neurofunk´s second-wave MC´s, most notable on MC Mecha´s (ex-Sinthetix), chopped-up spoken word roundabout drawing parallels to Ryme tyme´s poetic impact. Ryme tyme´s set-genre tune "We Enter" - his original solo version and the Optical remixes - further composed neurofunk as an entity to Drum and bass along with "Payback parts I & II" (solo production), "Lightsleeper" (co-produced by Matrix & Fierce), "Fever" (co-produced by Younghead), and "Dose" (co-produced by Gridlok).

History

No one truly knows where the term "Neurofunk" originated but one first reference is a mention in the book Energy Flash by British music critic Simon Reynolds (ISBN 0-330-35056-0), a history of rave and dance music culture. According to Simon Reynolds' perspective, "Neurofunk is the fun-free culmination of jungle´s strategy of 'cultural resistance': the eroticization of anxiety." [1]

The history of neurofunk - besides the subgenre being a progression of techstep - can be traced back to the late 1960´s to mid 1970´s period of trumpeter Miles Davis when he fused jazz, rock and funk rhythms while switching his trumpet on to marshall stacks and wah-wah pedals giving an intense and distorted sound effect to it. His drummers - most often in the case of Tony Williams - made use of polyrhythms and the metric modulation technique in interaction with a dynamic system of dark trumpet modes and riff driven walls of sound of heavy rock guitar rhythmic patterns, improvised jazz solos and thick funk bass lines, pioneering a new form of electric trance induced, instrumental dance music.

Miles Davis' seminal albums from this period, In a Silent Way (1969), stated by Matrix as an influence on his work, On The Corner (1972), and Get Up With It (1975) were de facto, the breeding ground for breakbeat driven, dark funk, experimental music, and evident as an influence on neuro tunes such as the Ed Rush & Optical remix of "Bluesy Baby" by japanese producers Ram Jam World, "Syringe" (produced by Ed Rush & Optical) and the Matrix Remix of "Serum" by producers Outfit. Some of the tracks by Miles Davis which can best translate the foundations of early neuro - when conceived by it´s pioneers - is the two-step beat driven "Black Satin" from On The Corner and the dark ambient, drone assault of "Rated X" from Get Up With It.

Another influence on the early Neurofunk sound of Virus Recordings stated by Optical, was visionary record producer George Clinton's complex studio techniques and experimentations for Parliament and Funkadelic during their early to late 1970's period when he re-defined funk as an advanced, conceptual form of music by incorporating the skills of virtuosic musicans such as Bernie Worrell and Eddie Hazel, while using the idea of long range instrumentals as tools for his progressive, psychedelic influenced arrangements.

Pioneering funk bassist, Bootsy Collins played on many of George Clinton´s P-Funk´s jam sessions during this period - using the bass as a lead instrument rather than as standard back-up for guitar and drums - creating a new, reverberating, heavy low-end bass sound which set-pace for future genres such as Hip-hop, Detroit techno and Chicago house.

These styles initiated by Miles Davis and Funkadelic are considered to be some of the main sources for emerging new sounds from the funk related underground and by a far extension, the early foundations of neurofunk.

Signature Recordings (1997-2000)

To Shape the Future - Optical (Metalheadz Records/1997)
Where´s Jack the Ripper - Grooverider (co-written & produced by Optical/Sony Music/1998)
We Enter (Optical Remixes) - Ryme tyme (No U-Turn Recordings/1998)
Bluesy Baby (Ed rush & Optical Remix) - Ram Jam World (Higher Education Records/1998)
Funktion - Ed rush & Optical (V Recordings/1998)
Compound - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/1998)
Gas Mask - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/1999)
Medicine (Matrix Remix) - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/1999)
Serum (Matrix Remix) - Outfit (Metro Recordings/1999)
Roadblock - Konflict (Renegade Hardware/1999)
Climate - Matrix & Fierce (Metro Recordings/2000)
Phone Call (Matrix Remix) - Klute (Certificate 18 Records/2000)
Fever - Ryme tyme & Younghead (1210 Recordings/2000)
Payback (Parts I & II) - Ryme tyme (DSCI4 Records/2000)
Coma - Bad Company (DSCI4 Records/2000)

Signature Recordings (2001-2006)

Resurrection - Ed Rush, Optical & Ryme tyme (Virus Recordings/2001)
Gateway - Sinthetix (No U-Turn Records/2001)
Kerbcrawler - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/2001)
Pacman (Ram Trilogy Remix) - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/2002)
Ultraviolet - Sinthetix (Cryptic Audio/2002)
Cryogenic - Sinthetix (DSCI4 Records/Spy Technologies Vol. I/2002)
Contact - Silent Witness & Break (No U-Turn Records/2002)
Lightsleeper - Matrix, Fierce & Ryme tyme (C4C Records/2002)
Vapourspace - Cause 4 Concern (Metro Recordings/2002)
Andromeda - Kiko (DSCI4 Records/2002)
Silicon - Noisia (Nerve Productions/2003)
Runaway - Noisia (Stare Remix) (Blindside/2003)
Rainman - Silent Witness & Break (Commercial Suicide Records/2005)
Hot Rock - Phace (Subtitles Recordings/2005)
Facade - Noisia (Ram Records/2006)
Ghobby Ghost - The Upbeats (Project 51 Recordings/2006)
Dose - Gridlok & Ryme Tyme (1210 Recordings/2006)
Ormus (D-struct Remix) - Fission & Kaiser (Barcode Recordings/2006)

Signature Albums

Mysteries of Funk - Grooverider (co-written & produced by Optical/Sony/1998)
Wormhole - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/1998)
Sleepwalk - Matrix (Virus Recordings/1999)
Level 1 - Metro Recordings (Singles compilation/Metro Recordings/2000)
The Creeps - Ed Rush & Optical (Virus Recordings/2001)
1210 - Ryme tyme (Singles compilation/1210 Recordings/2001)
Gateway - Sinthetix (Singles Compilation/OHM Resistance/2006)

Signature Mixes

Ed Rush & Optical: essential live mix - Radio 1 (Smart Disc/Bootleg/1998)
Optical: live P.A. at Future - Prototype Records event (London/1998)
Sinthetix: live mix - Jungle Zone Radio (09/07/2002)