music journalist since 1992 | educator since 2004 | podcaster since 2020 | Iranian American since birth

Previewed for LA Weekly:
LTJ Bukem at Respect at the Dragonfly
There are scaffolds upon which genres of music are built, made by key musicians who both pioneer and define the parameters of the sound. One of the fundamental figures for drum ’n’ bass—the liquid or more soft, soulful and accessible strains of the style in particular—is LTJ Bukem. In the game for going on three decades, Bukem solidified his position from his very first release in 1991, the inimitable Logical Progression. Then came the Progression Sessions series, a subtle and moody mix of emotive drum ’n’ bass with Bukem’s perfect vocal accompanist, MC Conrad, released on his classic label, Good Looking Records. To this day, no one does quite what Bukem does. His touch is not just melodic, it’s deep, with a slow but sure build, proving that effective dance music doesn’t have to be obvious.
Listen to a mix from Bukem via Drum & Bass Arena.