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Roni Size is one of those artists who, along with a few others (Goldie, Metalheadz, 4 Hero), has significantly contributed to the definition of a genre, Drum'n'Bass, which quickly became a pillar of today's diverse electronic panorama. Born in Bristol to Jamaican immigrants, from a very young age Roni was immersed in the multifaceted local music scene. Clubs and underground circles, in fact, introduced him, between the late '80s and the early following decade, to the world of Hip-Hop, Reggae, Hardcore, and above all, Club Culture, which would mark his subsequent musical journey.
After initial productions between House and Reggae, he meets Krust, DJ Die, and Suv, aka the future collective Reprazent, invents a label, Full Circle, of fundamental importance for the emerging D'n'B scene, and in 1995, releases the compilation "Music Box". However, it is 1997, the year of change, the year Roni Size's phenomenal debut album, "New Forms", is released on Talkin' Loud Records, whose stunning success was even awarded the prestigious Mercury Award (a sort of English Oscar for music).
"New Forms" is a perfect album from start to finish, a cornerstone of modern electronics that showcases, in its 13 tracks, the varied and multifaceted sound of our super DJ from Bristol, accompanied by the ever-faithful Reprezent and a few other guests. From the hammering breakbeat rhythms supporting MC Dynamite's rhymes in the opening "Railing" it is understood how the whole thing is not recommended for home or slipper listening. It becomes practically obligatory to nod your head up and down and unleash in frantic dances with the ensuing compelling "Brown Paper Bag", with its engaging bass lines. Bahamadia's tight rap perfectly blends with the syncopated beats of the magnificent title track, then explodes into pure melody, "Matter Of Fact" and "Mad Cat" delve into the more Drum'n'Bass and dark side of the album's sounds, "Heroes" is perhaps the true masterpiece of the album, 6 minutes of pure musical ecstasy between ambient tranquility and dance accelerations, accentuated by the splendid vocal skills of the vocalist Onallee.
Worthy of note are also the distorted funk of the masterful "Watching Windows" and the astounding sonic kaleidoscope of "Morse Code", while the sustained and regular tempo of "Destination" leads to the conclusion and the desire to listen to it all over and over again. "New Forms" is, in short, an excellent work in every respect, a milestone in music that enshrines Roni Size among the all-time legends of electronic music. The subsequent "In The Mode" will only partially confirm the splendid premises of its predecessor, but this will in no way affect the monumental beauty of an album that does not fade with time, and owning it in your collection will prove to be at the very least a moral obligation.
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