Heavy Traffic

John Roome, aka Witchman, released a string of 12” singles and EPs in the late 1990s that were gathered on this two-CD compilation. His music combined booming instrumental hip-hop beats, dark-tinged drum ’n’ bass, and horror-movie-soundtrack-style synths into a uniquely unsettling and aggressive style. Tracks like “Hammerhead” and “Chemical Noir” take the ominous, threatening vibe of Mobb Deep tracks and stretch them out to six or seven minutes, allowing the beat to wax and wane and the melodies to warp and drift. Meanwhile, faster pieces like “Light At The Edge” or “Offbeat (Fire Mix)” turn drum ’n’ bass into the stuff of nightmares, while dark ambient pieces like “Destiny” may appeal to fans of Lustmord.