Fabio on Kiss 100 Tape Cache

From the years 1994-1997 the jungle sound split in several directions and different clubs and nights catered to the different sounds. The unity from the days before was still there in spirit, but things definitely did fragment - only natural i think - people wanted to push the sound and take it in different directions and express themselves as they saw fit. It would've been nice if there was more crossover, both in djs sets and in club line-ups, but on the whole it didn't happen so much.

I kept up on what was going on across the board but my heart was definitely in the Speed camp - Speed being a club night with resident DJs Fabio, Bukem, Kemistry & Storm, Doc Scott and Lee, which played tunes that if you had to describe them could be said to be deeper and more musically involved than what was going on on the upfront jump-up side of things. Really exciting times musically. Should also add I've got a little Speed Connection Facebook group here which you'd be more than welcome to join and post endlessly on.

1994 was the year that jungle blew up in the media and also the year that London's Kiss 100 FM - once a pirate station which got a legal license in 1990 - a little belatedly picked up on our UK breakbeat rave scene. The likes of Fabio, Rider, Bukem, JJ Frost, Randall, Hype, Kenny Ken and others played the slot on rotation - was the first time jungle got played on legal radio - and it was a great chance to hear tunes that wouldn't normally get played out in a dance, all kinds of (jumpy) dubplates, tunes that wouldn't come out for another year, and tunes that never came out at all. The whole scene was always pushing forward so fast that these shows were like a glimpse into the future...essential listening. Started at 9-11pm on a Wednesday if i remember rightly, but got pushed into a post midnight slot after a couple of years....

My flat mate used to particularly record Hype and Bukem's Cosmic Jam sessions, but I tended to go for the Fabio shows above all else - or at least those are the tapes that have lived to see the day 20 years on. Many didn't make it, including some early Giving it Up Slot Fabio & Grooverider sessions. Particularly gutted to have lost one which ended with Fabio playing some house tunes. Still not found that uploaded anywhere. Anyhow, we move on!

So here are the ones that made it. Thanks so much to RolldaBeats family for help with the tracklists (posted in the comments). Rolldabeats also has the best catalogue of all the Kiss Jungle Shows - check that here. Great hive-mind resource for those who care.

Before we get into it just got to pay respects to Fabio for all his hard work and almost single-handed commitment to pushing the sounds he does - hugely appreciated by a certain section of jungle music lovers. On the whole this was music that was sidelined at the time, and sadly even in an age of 24/7 jungle pirates and plenty old skool nights still remains sidelined... Interesting listening back to these tapes now and hearing Fabio talking about the splits and trying to keep the unity. So much good music and so many good memories attached to these sounds - a serious part of my life played out over these tapes.... Salute Fabio, and a big shout to all the original jungle soul boys and girls and all the Speed/Tempo/Swerve faithful.

     

Fabio on Kiss 100 Tape Cache

All tapes ripped at 320kbps. Hover over titles and right click and save as to download. Tracklists in the comments.

Fabio - Science - First Show - 1994

  Fabio's first solo show
"taking you through the spectrum...a little show, Im calling it: Science"

Fabio - Travelling - Science Pt2 - 1994 - Side A

Fabio - Travelling - Science Pt2 - 1994 - Side B
Fabio's second solo show... "music for the open minded"

Fabio - FreezeFire - 94-95 - Side A

Fabio - FreezeFire - Dec 94 - Side B
End of 94...turning the corner into 95

Fabio - Summer Bees Wax - 1995 - Side A

Fabio - Summer Bees Wax - 1995 - Side B
Getting into 1995 - by now Fabio really was carving out a distinct sound
"look ahead every single time" 

Fabio - Mutant Jazz - 1995 - Side A

Fabio - Mutant Jazz - 1995 - Side B
After a quiet start Speed was blowing up by this point

Fabio - Moving - Summer 95 Side W

Fabio - Moving - Summer 95 Side X
The soundtrack to the summer of 95...we had a proper heatwave that year 

Fabio - Lazy Days - 1995 - Side A

Fabio - Lazy Days - 1995 - Side B

More gold from 1995

Fabio and Grooverider - End of Year Spesh - 1995
F&G's xmas shows always great fun and filled with interesting chat

Fabio - New Days - Sept 1996 - Sides A+B
By 1996 the jazz elements were really coming to the fore

Fabio - Jazz Stepping - 1997 - Really  Side A

Fabio - Jazz Stepping - 1997 - Side A
The jazzstep becomes official

Fabio - RIP 1997 - Side A

Fabio - RIP 1997- Side B
Deeper and deeper into jazz and fusion sounds

A little bonus one - recorded from R1 and some great crowd vibes on this:
Fabio - Live at Sonar Festival Barcelona 2003 - Side A

Fabio - Live at Sonar Festival Barcelona 2003 - Side B

...also have some Rider tapes to rip - they'll go up later in the year i expect
and dont forget, tracklists in the comments