Speed garage and 2step slowed jungle’s tempo to escape drum ‘n’ bass’s cul-de-sac

Evidence

At a certain point the London-centric hardcore/jungle narrative took a swerve, slowing down in tempo and embracing house music’s sensuality, first with speed garage in 1997 and then with the even slower and sexier 2step. But that just seemed like a canny move to avoid an approaching dead end (one that drum ‘n’ bass would bash its collective head against for… ever since really!) The rhythmic complexification that had developed through drum ‘n’ bass carried on with speed garage and 2step, just in a less punitive way. — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk, 1250