Hardstep

If early jungle ran downstairs three steps at a time with a bag of samples, hardstep followed in dirty boots and switched off the light. Its formula is dense bass, blunt drums, toughened breaks and an elastic two-step frame from which techstep would later build more elaborate machinery. The sound coalesced in mid-1990s Britain through Grooverider's orbit, Prototype and records by Dillinja, Lemon D and their peers. Melody is admitted if it brings identification. Hardstep has excellent manners - excellent, at least, by the standards of a bulldozer.