Whatever they say about drum 'n' bass being over, LTJ Bukem is having none of it. An innovator of the movement and by far its most prolific exponent, Bukem does breakbeats and drum 'n' bass so well it seems almost wrong to lump him in with the rest. His new mix album, the fifth in his Progression Sessions series, is a case in point. It's jazz, breakbeat, hip-hop, and soul set to a breakneck jungle beat; but to call it simply drum 'n' bass is to sell it short.

Bukem avoids the temptation of Pro Tools and other computer gadgetry in producing his celebrated mix albums, instead making dub plates and mixing them live before overlaying freestyling vocals (provided by his long-time MCs Conrad and DRS). As such, every track segues smoothly into the next and the album comes off as a fully rounded 75-minute uninterrupted session, allowing his unrivalled DJ talents to shine through.

From its gentle textural synth opening and solid choice of tracks from label bedfellows including Big Bud, Pariah, Intersperse, MC Conrad, and Bukem himself, to its intricate rhythms, organic growth, and tantalizing build-up, Progression Session 5 is an album of inspired confidence and futuristic drum 'n' bass ingenuity.