Jonny L

After establishing himself amid the early-'90s hardcore techno explosion, Jonny L vanished from view for several years until his shift into drum'n'bass earned fresh respect within the dance world and erased his earlier image as a rave relic. Among the limited number of dark-side jungle artists possessing a truly personal approach, he infused familiar two-step patterns with customized 303 acid lines whose sharp, digital clarity evoked high-resolution computer displays. A fixture on XL Recordings alongside Prodigy since 1992, he first appeared with direct rave tracks such as "Love You So," "Ooh I Like It"—which reached number 73 on the British chart—and "Make Me Work." Mid-decade he moved toward broader statements, issuing "2 of Us" and the Tychonic Cycle EP in a vein recalling the intelligent jungle aesthetic of L.T.J Bukem. The 1997 single "Piper" together with the Sawtooth LP marked a vivid reclamation of his hardcore breakbeat roots and ranked among that year's standout drum'n'bass releases, anticipating the shadowy, cerebral strain later labeled neuro-funk. Magnetic appeared the following year. Although he continued releasing singles, production work sustained him through the ensuing period; among those efforts, Truesteppers' "Out of Your Mind" topped the British charts on the strength of its commercial association with Victoria Beckham and Dane Bowers.