★★★★☆

You know the story: you’re cleaning out your studio or apartment, and just happen to rediscover an album of 10 unreleased drum ‘n’ bass cuts lying around…whatdyamean that only happens to rebel dance music producers? The forgetfulness of Luke Vibert, he of many multi-directional electronic experiments under a slew of codenames, is the gain of those that enjoyed his previous form with outside d’n'b looking in, the mid ’90s LP Drum & Bass for Papa.

As expected from such a maverick who pushes limits until they become shoves, Back on Time is a just left-of-center consideration of ‘straight-up’ jungle or drum ‘n’ bass. Crucially there’s a faint sense of Vibert not taking himself or the genre too seriously, and by that, he’s not mocking or cheapening the establishment either, just undercutting each find with an entertaining disposition that ruffles core values.

“Come on My Skeleton” puts together Fat Boys beatboxing, Asian twangs, B-line plunges and bizarre samples thrown in blindly. “No Reality” is jungle jazz with fairground organs whirring to give the track a nervous grin. “A Quick Plug for a New Slot” and “Flight 78″ are pure ’94-’95 Amen break badness. Vibert knows the ‘ledge, but with reassuring melodies, fixes of sitar plucks and drums stretched and scarred, and “Mind Bending” lives by the rules of a Speak & Spell. A long lost friend you’ll be happy to see again.
File under: Dilinja, Squarepusher, Amen Andrews