Feedback on the drum'n'bass discussion: Is d'n'b getting too hard??

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Feedback from SCRAD:

well d&B 4-5 years ago produced albums/complilations that had 1 to 3 good tracks on them.

and in a move of bold progression d&b compilations of more recent times had 1 to 3 good 
tracks.

of course there are exceptions


Comment from Shambler:

Errrr...

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Feedback from Mickey:

'The future of <insert genre here>' seems to be one of those perenial
discussions. I normally get drawn into house/techno versions of it, but i think
the same things apply.
 
 Music genres like D&B, House & Techno, constanly fragment and mutate, as fast
as one sub genre becomes mainstream, old school artists or newbies come up with a new
'alternative'. Ususally deeper or darker or just downright shite. 
 
I like a lot of what i here from the D&B circles. Being a DJ from a mainly techno 
background i can appreciate it from the lighter stuff up to the nosebleed brutal stuff.
My only take on 'the future of ....' , is anticipation to hear what someone else comes 
up with to push a genre even further. Sounds trite i know, but its the truth.


Comment from Shambler:

It's true that genres constantly fragment into sub-genres, however it's seemed recently that
D'n'B has only fragmented into harder techstep (the current jungle norm) and intelligent (at
the complete opposite end of the spectrum), while a lot of older genres and "in-between"
genres have been lost. Obviously that's not the whole story as both old skool / rave 
influences and vocals are coming back, but it's still a very polarised fragmentation.

"anticipation to hear what someone else comes up with to push a genre even further"

Indeed, something I share - something I think is overdue for jungle as although the
techstep genre is being well explored and producing some good stuff, there's not that much
groundbreaking stuff....yet.

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Feedback from Jesse:

For me personally, just 'being rough' doesn't qualify for a 'good tune' anymore.
Back in the days, 1995, 1996, there was so much intelligent coming out that
every hard tune you got was one to be grateful for...this changed when DJ's
started realizing the laid-back stuff didn't work in clubs (at least it was that
way in Holland). Since, the dark genre started showing crazier and crazier
sounds, it seemed almost the crazier the bass was, the better. Last two or three
years, a lot of the possibilities were exploited, I think. Pretty much all
thinkable means of making a rough, fast tune were used. I've heard a lot of
weird and innovative stuff, but recently, I hear too much repitition. Even
though the fast paced 'jungle-rhythms' seem to be making a comeback (good!) a
lot of the stuff these days just 'sounds like' other stuff. I think this is
inevitable, but it's still a shame.

Anyway, I still hear quite some cool stuff coming out. The "omfg - this sounds
unlike anything I've ever heard"-feeling is getting scarce these days though. As
I said, I'm not complaining, DnB still ownz.


Comment from Shambler:

My thoughts exactly, my concern isn't about hard drum'n'bass, it's about it being too much
of a standard for the scene. I think a few years ago in England the focus was more on "phat"
jump-up d'n'b rather than intelligent, but the comparison with harder stuff being something 
to savour then but something that's becoming too standard now, still holds up. But as Ajare
pointed out, and as you've hinted at, other stuff is coming back in so hopefully d'n'b is
starting to progress again.

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