Over the last few years it has become undeniable that Jungle is increasingly present on dancefloors and airwaves everywhere. Not that it has ever disappeared, operating in the shadow of the rhythmic Techstep pragmatism of the more bovine drum & bass, slipping its tropes into spaces that wouldn’t be theirs by right of oppression, in an escape manoeuvre from an autophagic old school revival. Always vital. If, as the late Mark Fisher said retroactively and with some regret and disenchantment in ‘Ghosts of My Life’, this was music that ‘sounded’ like a future that could no longer be imagined, today we can see it as a reflection of the present, rearranging time points between the past and the future in a blessed confusion that no longer follows the linear progression of the hardcore continuum and jumps geographies to bring together coordinates from other latitudes and histories such as footwork or dissolving electronics.

It’s at the epicentre of this creative whirlwind, alongside names like Sherelle, Nia Archives, Special Request or Coco Bryce, that we find Tim Reaper. This London-based artist has been spreading gospel jungle for over a decade, whether through his Future Retro London – a more than appropriate name for what we’re experiencing -, countless releases on labels such as Unknown to the Unknown, Parallax Recordings or 7th Storey Projects, collaborations with like-minded artists such as Dwarde or Kloke and DJ sets that span the decades and genres of broken and fluid music, with an unwavering precision and sense of discovery. There’s a whole trail of beasts that bridge different facets of the genre, from the initial euphoria of Hardcore to the blackness of Metalheadz’s ‘Ardkore, from the Afrofuturist visions of 4 Hero or A Guy Called Gerald to the rollers of Moving Shadow and dubby detonations along the lines of Dillinja’s most indebted productions of Sound System culture – cf Warriors, Lion Heart – crossing them with genres such as Electro or Hard-Step, in an honest collage strategy that never falls for a hoax, always finding points of contact and friction. ‘Why did the lion get lost? ‘Cause Jungle is massive!’ BS

Music has always been part of Michelle Borja aka MIX ELLE. During childhood, little attention was paid to dolls. Always preferred playing with family’s vinyl collection. In 2003, at university, MIX ELLE and vinyl met again. Started mixing techno, at free parties and underground clubs, powered by DJ friends. However quickly surrendered to drum & bass. Not only to the musical genre itself, but above all, the movement, which represents and diffuses passionately.

Inspired by different musical universe specters, it is difficult to qualify her sound, which is why she is not identified with just one style. Said that, a mere label is insufficient for its presentation. She has toured the entire country, integrating line-ups from various events and festivals, sharing the booth with some top artists, from the national and international scene. In this regard, it should also be noted some memorable experiences in Bristol, Basel, Prague, Sardinia, Frankfurt, and @ the legendary Outlook (Croatia).

Currently, she cofounded Interesting Constellation, integrates several portuguese projects, namely Angel Lisboa and Counterpoint. Also worth mentioning the emphasis given to her work, especially on the international scene, being repeatedly requested for DJ sets, which have captivated the attention of some of the most prestigious collectives, namely: Sofa Sound Bristol, EQ 50, BassDrive, Unchained Asia, Dynamics UK, SeekSickSound, Rinse FM, ACabine, Radio Quântica, Radio X…