Earl Gray

Comprising Ron Well and Paul Frazer Clarke, the act Earl Grey often draws descriptions that echo its chosen name, much as the iconic English tea blend suggests: Well and Frazer Clarke's output carries a measure of bounce yet lends itself chiefly to comfortable domestic listening. Their production approach highlights robust, though not aggressively forceful, drum'n'bass patterns that dispense with the extended openings and breakdowns common in dance-oriented jungle, opting instead for compact four-minute stretches of breakbeats. Early work featured joint efforts alongside jungle originator Fabio and mainstream vocalists including Boy George and Peter Gabriel. Independent recording began in the mid-'90s via singles issued on Rugged Vinyl Records, after which the duo settled at Worldwide Ultimatum for the 1997 release Purveyors of the New Groove.