RAM Records

I won't talk about what have been done before (because it's what ppl will RAM for, classics heavy quality shit) but about what's happening in RAM since few years... Men, wtf??
What are these releases? What are these PRICES for a single LP? For the repress, or even single EP it's amazingly EXPENSIVE. I used to buy on RAM a lot, to DJ shit and listen at home, but it's been 5 years I have not buy a single record.
Indeed, when I checked their website today, I was horrified by what I saw. The price are getting even higher nowadays, for albums and tunes that all sounds the same!
What a shame.

But huge respect for what have been done in the 90s era, Killers

Ram is 2 labels for sure. There was the Ram era that was Andy C, Shimon, Ant Miles, Moving Fusion, Red One etc then there was the rest.
The 1st Ram will go down as arguably the best label in the scene for a considerable period. Highly distinctive sound with sky high quality control. Started during the hardcore and jungle era with some wicked dark tunes, amazing but they were 1 of many labels putting out sky high material. Then came what for me was the defining period ie the Techstep era, 96-2002. You knew when you heard Hype or Randall dropping those distinctive funky tech tunes on plate that they were Ram and everyone would be excited to find out the titles, hearing Bad Company rewind Titan 4 times before it even dropped properly is one of my fondest raving memories, Brian G dropping No Reality months before release and Andy C ending with Bodyrock at Helter Skelter which didnt age well but was fun at the time. Then wait for them to drop on promo which would be a bloodbath as they were usually 1-3 copies per shop in order to pick one up a month or 2 before everyone else. I sussed that if you rang Ram up around the time the slightly lesser djs started to play them you could get your name down on a promo by putting your name down and sending them a cheque. I believe this was Red One that would pick up the phone which was really cool. I still picking up Molten Beats on promo 2 or 3 months before release. Utterly amazing.
I will it I fell out of love with most mainstream drum and bass after this time, tastes changed and although I would pick up some Ram tunes and they were still releasing what were the big tunes they were just another label I feel, lost that edge that had made them so unique. Chase & Status + Sub Focus in particular were absolutely huge, I dont know but maybe having more commercial success than anything else ever on the label in this period. This was also the period when Andy C was probably at his peak, atleast profile wise. His sets were just ridiculous and he will go down as best ever Drum & Bass DJ although id still rather hear him c1998 but he's in that Hype, Ratty, SY, Bukem, Top Buzz category that will never be ed.
Then came what I consider the post vinyl era, this is where I dont have a clue so wont any judgement. My vinyl lover side wishes they'd ended the label years ago but here we are. A label being 99% 9/10 releases vs maybe 40% will long term taint its legacy but honestly its still one of the best 92-95 labels, the best 96-2002 and one of the best post that so have to what they did during that golden era and just ignore the rest as its not there for us anyway. I notice some very impressive represses in recent years so must give them props for that. Dont over repress though as a lot of it doesn't need doing.

Another label that looks a mess because of stupid discogs rules. Compilations listed here clogging it up.

Ram records is one of the greatest DnB labels of all time. They haven't gone a single year without releasing absolute bangers. From "Valley of the Shadows" to "No Problem" to "Illuminate", they clearly participate in defining the sound of Drum and Bass, from its beginnings up to today. They always adapt and diversify their sound, while keeping a common backbone to it, making their style recognizable. They made and still make bold choices, which many criticize, but clearly most people agree with, as shown by their sales, the number of times their releases are played in mixes, and by the crowd's reaction everytime you play one of their releases. So much love. It's clearly deep and not commercial music, even though it has great commercial success. Don't listen to the many angry hating DnBoomers down here, what they say clearly doesn't come from the right place.

one of the great seals of the drum n bass scene. but for many, many years he does not cast anything that he lends. only discardable sounds of pessimistic quality. sad to see a label that had great relevance in the history of drum n bass making this role ridiculous.

Another label that started with excellent Records and offered great quality with outstanding artists . But all of that has changed the last several years in offering shit materials the boring commercial mainstream stuff many people of this new century savours without taste and emotions .

The same faith happened with another great label "Renegade Hardware Recordings" all became shit around 2004 .

Drum&Bass will sadly never be the same anymore offering dark materials like famous DJ Artist were known for ( i.e. Ed Rush, Optical, Future Forces Inc. , Teebee, Calyx, Grooverider , Nasty Habits, Johnny L, Panacea , Decoder , Technical Itch , etc.... ) In around 2004 the Drum&Bass started to sound more trance-ish way too soft and the adding of silly chipmunk and annoying female voices and what not .

Same happened with the Techno/Minimal Techno we are very far from what was once the very deep dark claustrophobic Techno from the 90's such as Adam Beyer, Pacou, Surgeon , Jeff Mills, Joey Beltram, ...offered us or labels such as Tresor, Construct Rhythm, Advanced Records, Drumcode, Fine Audio Records ,...were back then . Techno/Minimal Techno has vanished and is today more Trance EDM-esque commercial shit .

Hope someday DJ's will stop to think about the "money" first and focus more on offering quality like back then . And that people stop to go listen to poser wannabes artists like those clowns in Tommorow Land ( David Guetta, Paul Oakenfold, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, ....even Moby has becoming WTF , and others ) .

Ram Records was quality! They made pioneering tunes which everyone heard, which everyone raved to between 93 and 96. They were king of the rollers by far, "Valley of the Shadows (31 seconds)" was and is a massive tune, "Falling down" "Quest" "Valley of the shadows remix" and you could go on and on. Add "Recharge" to the list and some really good albums.

Andy C, Ant miles, Shimon, Desired State, could literally do no wrong in my eyes. If plastic dropped from Ram in 93 -96 it was an instant buy in my mind. Then something changed, the rolling stopped, the direction got confusing, the tracks started sounding like non Ram music. Dare I say it the quality and production from the new artists IMHO was lacking and it was below average music that was being released. Most of it sounded like some kind of pop DNB .. with not much thought put into it. Granted the new Ram artists couldn't use the same old formula, tunes dipped to what was produced just a few years before and Ram was no longer king of the rollers.

I will always view Ram as one of the big boys pioneers of the scene and it would not be the same without them. Valley of the shadows is a classic in any musical scene, play it and people shack out and move to it wether they like DnB or not. It is over 20 odd years old!! I was gutted Ram could not find a formula after 96 - 97, I did purchase the Fresh ‎– Future Jungle EP in 2011 that was good "Mission to mars" is a tune! It's just shame it went the direction it did, so I just them for the quality label they were.

I feel sorry for all the people who have Ram tattoos :D

Shame to see this label fall, the output of late is horrendous

If there is one thing you can depend upon Ram records for, its quality.
Having been around since the beginning of the 90's they have been somewhat less prolific in their release schedual than many other DnB labels but in doing so have managed to produce a catalogue of truly excellent music. There simply is no filler on this label, every release is well constructed, well produced well rinsed by every DJ who gets their hands on a dub. They also have made a point (it seems) of hardly ever repressing any of their back catalogue which means trying to complete a collection of Ram tunes is a rather long term task, involving plenty of ebay shopping.

Props to Ant Miles n Andy C long Ram continue!