Any DnB and Jungle raver worth their salt knows about Ray Keith, known as ‘Uncle Ray’ to many of today’s DnB DJs, equally well known for his engaging social media content and prolific production back catalogue that spans decades.
The man behind timeless classics like ‘Terrorist’ and ‘Chopper’ is also an OG DJ, playing to live crowds since the birth of UK Rave.
It wasn’t until years later after 1992 that I came across a tape labeled: Dreamscape 4: Proof of the Pudding- Ray Keith’ and I wore that tape out from the sheer amount of plays.
So what makes it a classic? And why should anyone take time to listen to a YouTube video of a chewed up muddy sounding mix from 33 years ago?
The answer lies in listening. The tape begins with the (possible) first tune of the set (Zero B ‘Lock Up’) being furiously chopped and faded into the obscure ‘Solstice’ by The Emphasis, switching between the famous breakdowns of ‘Lock Up’ and the hoover stabs of the incoming track.
For someone like me who leans heavily on modern tech and concepts like harmonic mixing, this set breaks all the conventions I’m familiar with. The order of tracks are not in ascending BPMs or matching camelot keys. The tracks flow how Keith want them to flow, even if that means pitching up some tunes and dropping them in just the right place.
Ray gets the most out of the two turntables, mixer and his choice of records, using quick fades and even switching off the turntable and playing the next track straight from the intro.
As this is strictly 92 rave, it can’t be called an open format mix but the similarities in delivery are audible. It’s all hardware, strictly vinyl and guided by the DJ’s intuition and the crowd. It’s the rawness that makes it so appealing. Sure, it’s not going to win awards but it’s a perfect snapshot of the Hardcore Continuum circa 1992 and that’s why, for me, subjectively, it’s still one of my favourite DJ sets.
If you fancy having a go at recreating the set, I’ve listed tracks below that feature in the mix, readily available on the major download stores. For the more obscure material, you may have to cough up a few hundred quid on Discogs:
Urban Shakedown – Some Justice (Concrete Jungle Mix)
Nookie – Give A Little Love (The Not Enough Love Remix)
Rhythm Section – Perfect Love 2am
Tic Tac Toe – Ephemerol
Urban Shakedown – Bass Shake
DJ Seduction – Come On
Justice & Mercy – Fake Lobsters
For the full tracklist, try this link or this Discogs link. It’s always worth checking sites like vinyljunkie.uk and kniteforcerevolution.com for affordable, high quality vinyl represses or reasonably priced used vinyl copies.