Various – Metalheadz Boxset 1 (Metalheadz)

With a nod to the tin casing of P.I.L’s seminal ‘Metal Box’ album from 1979, ‘Metalheadz Boxset Vol 1’ arrived in 1997 channelling a similar hard-shelled spirit of boundary pushing.  \n \nThe packaging alone, featuring the iconic Metalheadz logo, is enough to make this a collector’s item. But the five records contained within also chart the label at the height of its powers, packed out with drum and bass artists whose sound has proved seminal. Featuring Digital, Doc Scott, Ed Rush, Hidden Agenda, J. Malik, Lemon D, Optical, Dollis Hill (aka 4 Hero’s Dego), Dillinja and Photek, it’s packed with dark, dystopian steppers of varying flavours that still sound fresh. \n \nThe freeform spirit of the ‘90s shines through alongside this though, meaning it isn’t simply a collection of d&b. Hidden Agenda’s ‘Big Lamp’ points towards the emerging broken beat scene, as does Dollis Hill’s wicked ‘"Desist" Da Black’. Photek’s ‘Neptune’, meanwhile, is deep, jazzy downtempo, and even Ed Rush steps away from tech-step for a second with the smoker friendly trip-hop of ‘Westway’.  \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsjiOZPs1QA \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ6zWKzzF4M \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOlR1TjjbSM \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKGHnYvczvw \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7HCyhFTaNY \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyMNHJdewWI \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8q30_W24x4 \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmn4qJbxCPY \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V_nPPSV_fI \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCy45qFkbX8 \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2wN6HKBS40 \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_X0o_-u8f8 \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKL_rxcGS1s \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQsKy2lNgoU \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-Jb9C9zAyk \n \nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh3yDyqjTtc