Roni Size
Born: 1969
Location: Bristol, England
Genre: Dance, Drum & Bass, Jungle, Atmospheric Drum & Bass
Years Active: 1993 -
Real Name: Ryan Williams
Meaning of the Name: As a short guy, Roni's friends would look at a girl and say 'she's Roni's size'.
Way of Working: A producer who works with live bands and vocalist
Associated: DJ Die
Essential Releases
New Forms (1997)
Drum & Bass with a live band.
Roni Size's career represents a critical juncture in the legitimisation of British electronic music, a paradigm shift driven by his commitment to genre fusion rooted in the countercultural landscape of 1980s Bristol.
At the time, a young Size frequented sound system raves across the city. Hosted by The Wild Bunch, who would go on to become Massive Attack, these 'all-genre, all-night' parties were known for playing various styles including reggae, funk, hip hop, and punk. At the time, it was a novel approach as most clubs played one type of music. Size would later incorporate these diverse influences, as well as others, such as Soca (a soulful subtype of Calypso), into his own compositions.
His breakthrough album New Forms (1997) played an important part in introducing drum & bass to the British mainstream through a key innovation: the integration of acoustic instruments. While Size produced the beats electronically, he performed them with his live band Reprazent.
The ensemble featured non-traditional elements of drum & bass, such as stand-up bass, drums, synthesizers, guitar, and vocalist alongside the more expected MC. The collective also featured four DJs (Size, DJ Krust, DJ Die, and DJ Suv), which helped them play thrilling all-night raves to please the purists. However, it was the inclusion of 'real' instruments and live performance that gave the music an unprecedented legitimacy in the mainstream.
In the early '90s, electronic music in general was not considered 'authentic', and its creators were generally perceived as less talented than their acoustic counterparts. The prejudice was even more pronounced when it came to drum & bass and jungle. By performing his tracks live with a band, Size directly challenged that perception. Consequently, he, alongside others such as Goldie and LTJ Bukem, played a key role in moving the genre away from outright dismissal and into being considered on its own merits.
The subsequent victory of New Forms at the 1997 Mercury Prize represented a crucial shift in critical consensus away from traditional guitar music. That it won against Radiohead's lauded OK Computer, ranked as the 20th greatest album of all time by NME in 2013, highlights the willingness of the British music industry to embrace drum & bass as a legitimate form in its own right.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
40
Mental Impact
45
Originality
85
Artistry
70
Authenticity
55
Live
85
Production
75
Musicianship
75
Textures
80
Songwriting
35
Danceability
90
Fun
65
Consistency
40
Range
45
Cool
75
Charisma
60
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards >>>
- Mercury Prize WINNER! 1997 - New Forms
- MOBO Award WINNER! 1997 - New Forms: Best Jungle Act
Certifications >>>
- New Forms - Platinum in the UK
Charts >>>
- New Forms - Number 8 in the UK
