Bomb The Bass: Pioneers of UK Electronic and Dance Music

Bomb The Bass is the pioneering electronic music project of British producer and DJ Tim Simenon. Originating from London, the project achieved a landmark UK chart success with its 1988 debut single "Beat Dis," which reached number two and became a defining record of the UK's electronic dance explosion.

Early career

Bomb The Bass was formed in 1987 by Tim Simenon, then a young DJ working at the influential London record shop Rough Trade. The project's name and early ethos were rooted in the burgeoning UK hip-hop and cut-and-paste sampling culture of the mid-1980s, drawing from a wide palette of eclectic sounds.

Breakthrough

The breakthrough arrived swiftly in early 1988 with the release of the seminal single "Beat Dis" on Simonen's own Rhythm King label. The track, a dense collage of over 70 samples, soared to number two on the UK Singles Chart, helping to catalyze the mainstream acceptance of sampling and electronic dance music in Britain.

Key tracks

Beat Dis — This 1988 single was a UK number two hit and a sample-heavy blueprint for the emerging breakbeat and dance scene.

Megablast — The lead single from the debut album "Into The Dragon," it further cemented Bomb The Bass's chart presence and innovative sound.

Winter In July — A 1991 single featuring vocalist Lorraine Bowen, it showcased a more song-oriented, ambient house direction for the project.

Bug Powder Dust — This 1994 single from the "Clear" album featured guest vocals by Justin Warfield and merged big beat with trip-hop aesthetics.

Following the success of the debut album "Into The Dragon," Simenon evolved the Bomb The Bass sound, moving towards a more atmospheric and song-based approach on 1991's "Unknown Territory." The 1994 album "Clear" featured high-profile collaborations, including contributions from Spike Jonze and influential rapper Will Oldham (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy). After a long hiatus, Simenon revived the name for the well-received 2008 album "Future Chaos," which included collaborations with artists like Paul Conboy and Fujiya & Miyagi.

Artists exploring similar terrain of electronic fusion and sample culture include The Art Of Noise. This British group also pioneered avant-garde sampling and pop collage in the 1980s. The Chemical Brothers later expanded on the big beat and electronic psychedelia that Bomb The Bass helped to pioneer. Massive Attack shares the Bristol project's affinity for cinematic soundscapes and genre-blending collaborations. Leftfield parallels the project's progression from sample-heavy dance to deeper, album-oriented electronic music.

The innovative tracks from Bomb The Bass remain a staple on electronic and alternative music radio stations. Classic hits like "Beat Dis" and "Megablast" are frequently featured on specialist dance music shows and retro 80s FM stations, while later material finds a home on independent music radio stations focusing on experimental electronica.

You can hear the influential electronic music of Bomb The Bass on various radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover the evolving catalog of this UK dance pioneer by tuning into the online radio streams available on onairium.com.