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State of Bass book

Velocity Press reissue State of Bass book

Electronic music and club culture book publisher Velocity Press have announced details of its second book, a revised reissue of the acclaimed first-ever book-length investigation into the origins of jungle and drum & bass music entitled State of Bass: The Origins of Jungle / Drum & Bass.

The book, which is written by veteran music critic Martin James (Melody Maker, Muzik, DJ, Mixmag, Electronic Sound and Urb, etc.), was originally published in 1997 as State of Bass: Jungle – The Story So Far. By 1998, it had sold out and has never been reprinted.

Drawing on interviews with some of the key figures in the early years, the book explores the scene’s social, cultural and musical roots via the sonic shifts that charted the journey from deep underground to global phenomenon.

The book was described by Select magazine as one of the 20 essential music books from the 20th Century and by FACT mag as one of the 10 electronic music books you need to read.

The updated version extends the original text to include the award of the Mercury Prize to Reprazent for the groundbreaking New Forms album and previously unpublished interviews with Roni Size, Goldie, LTJ Bukem, Fabio, Shy FX and other key players from the early years of the scene.

State of Bass isn’t out until April 2020 but if you pre-order it now via the Velocity Press website, you’ll receive it in March, signed by the author and with your name in the credits.

Velocity Press’s first title, Join The Future by Matt Anniss, is out in December 2019. It tells the previously untold story of British dance music’s first sub-bass revolution, tracing the origins, development, impact and influence of bleep techno, and the subsequent musical styles it inspired, on UK club culture.