Drum & Bass Classics Vol. 1: 1996–2010 (2026)

Martin van Zeelandt / TCD
Jun 26
3 min read

Currently, we are experiencing a heatwave throughout most of Europe, and it isn't pleasant. Most of the days, the temperatures are well above 35 degrees Celsius, and some countries are now reporting to have temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. That's not fun, and certainly it isn't safe to rave outside now. So let's all try and remain safe, stay indoors, turn on the airconditioning unit, and listen to something smooth, something that does not require you to physically do much. The less you do, the better it is.

But that doesn't mean you should sit in silence at home. Oh, the complete opposite. The mix you are about to listen to, is the perfect mix for this type of weather, as it's very enjoyable. Yes, personally, I need something to take my mind of my bloody hayfever, as it's worst this year than ever before, and it has certainly helped me, coping with this runny nose, and sneezing like never before.

This mix contains some of the finest Drum and Bass classics from 1996 to 2010, and it was mixed by Propulsion. I don't know much about the DJ, but I do know that this mix was shared on Soundcloud, and I found it by accident. I clicked on it, and immediately fell in love. Who doesn't like the classics, right? And as this is only the first instalment, I'm expecting a lot more amazing mixes in the near future. As those 14 years were truly astonishing, and the tunes released during those glorious years, are certainly classics. Not all, don't get me wrong, but a huge chunk of them certainly are.

Which tracks did Propulsion use for this mix?

1. ‘Cause n Effect’ – Concept 2 (1996)

2. ‘Li Li’ – Scorpio (1997)

3. ‘Trust Me’ – Roni Size (1996)

4. ‘Titan’ – Ram Trilogy (2000)

5. ‘Carrier’ – Cause4Concern (2003)

6. ‘True Romance’ – D.Bridge & Vegas (2004)

7. ‘The Reasons Why’ – DJ Die feat. Ben Westbeech (2007)

8. ‘Midnight’ (M.I.S.T VIP) – Uncut (2003)

9. ‘Night Flight’ – Shimon & Andy C (1996)

10. ‘Authentic’ – Break (2006)

11. ‘Drop Bear’ – DJ Die (1999)

12. ‘Overtime’ – Friction & K-Tee (2006)

13. ‘Recharge’ – Shimon & Andy C (1996)

14. ‘Alibi’ – Spectrasoul (2008)

15. ’Surface Noize’ – Fierce & Optiv (2005)

16. ‘Good Old Days’ – Die & Clipz (2006)

17. ‘Lightweight’ – Total Science (2002)

18. ‘Medicine’ (Matrix Remix) – Ed Rush & Optical (1998)

19. ‘Deep Space’ – Sub Focus (2010)

20. ‘Peace, Love & Unity’ – Dj Hype feat. MC Fats (1996)

21. ‘Pathfinder’ – Jaquan (2005)

22. ‘Outerspace’ – M.I.S.T (2003)

23. ‘Set It Off’ – Friction & K-Tee (2009)

24. ‘Clear Skyz’ – Dj Die (1998)

Brilliant looking tracklist. Propulsion's list has got some amazing DnB classics, and even in 2026, I still enjoy them a lot. And in a weird way, this mix works extremely well in this heatwave. Nice and chilled, and yet the bass does come through your speakers. I do think that the Sun and DnB were made for each other.

Some of these tracks have got a certain heft to them. Over the years I have collected many DnB CDs, and most of these did appear on those compilations. And they all made me happy. Come on, tracks by DJ Die, Roni Size, Scorpio, M.I.S.T., Sub Focus, Ed Rush, Optical, etc? These are big tracks from those years. Not all of them. That would not be possible, or the mix would have been days long, and not an hour long.

Fantastic mix. Only love and admiration for these tunes. Especially when 'True Romance' and 'Trust Me' were playing. Two monster anthems, but truth be told, all 24 records are insanely good.

Propulsion, you've made by weekend! This will be on repeat, trust me. And if you are reading this, and you thoroughly enjoy Drum and Bass too, you should definitely play this mix.