Technical Itch - The Ruckus (Kryptic Minds & Leon Switch Remix)

Released in the mid-90s, The Ruckus by Technical Itch (the alias of producer Mark Caro) is a high-energy breakbeat track that sits at the crossroads of jungle’s raw aggression and the darker, more technical sounds that would soon define drum & bass. Its pounding break edits, distorted basslines, and relentless pace capture the atmosphere of late-night raves where intensity and experimentation were beginning to push the scene forward.

Technical Itch emerged from Birmingham and Bristol’s underground circles, later becoming one of the most influential names in the darker end of drum & bass. With releases on labels like Moving Shadow and his own imprint Tech Itch Recordings, Caro was central to the evolution of a heavier, more industrial sound that contrasted with the soulful, reggae-infused roots of jungle.

At the time The Ruckus dropped, the UK rave scene was shifting:

Early ’90s rave/jungle leaned on euphoric pianos, reggae samples, and warehouse energy.

By 1994–1996, the music split directions: “intelligent” drum & bass on one side (LTJ Bukem, Good Looking Records) and darkside / techstep on the other — the lane that Technical Itch drove hard.

This darker sound reflected the underground mood of the mid-90s — police crackdowns on raves, a more fragmented scene, and producers exploring futuristic, dystopian soundscapes.

The Ruckus wasn’t just a track — it was part of that moment when rave culture shed some of its euphoric skin and revealed the harsher, more complex energy that would define late-90s drum & bass.