Jonny L - The Bells Raise

sandikitchen

Review by sandi green

The Bells Raise by Jonny L – A Timeless Drum 'n' Bass Gem Alright, let’s talk about The Bells Raise by Jonny L. This album dropped in 1999 and it's one of those records that just sticks with you. It’s not perfect, but damn if it doesn’t have soul. If you're into electronic music, especially drum 'n' bass, this is the kinda thing you'll wanna dig up on vinyl or stream late at night when you’re feeling nostalgic. Jonny L did everything here—writing, producing, mixing—and he roped in Stu to master it. Props to him for keeping it tight because back then, production tools weren’t as slick as they are now. The whole vibe feels raw yet polished enough to hit hard. And yeah, shoutout to Piranha Records and whoever else got involved in putting this out there. Now, I gotta zoom in on two tracks that really stuck with me: “Raise” and “The Bells.” “Raise” kicks off the album with this infectious energy. It’s like waking up to sunlight streaming through your window after a heavy night out. The beat builds slowly, teasing you until BAM—it drops, and suddenly you’re hooked. You know how some tunes feel like they could soundtrack your life? That’s what “Raise” does. Whether you’re walking home from the bus stop or zoning out during a long drive, it fits. Simple, but so effective. Then there’s “The Bells,” which honestly might be my favorite track. There’s something hypnotic about the way the chime-like synths loop over the relentless breakbeat. It’s eerie without being too dark, uplifting without being cheesy. Every time I hear it, I think of old-school raves in warehouses where everyone’s lost in their own world but still connected somehow. Maybe that’s romanticizing it too much, but hey, good music makes you do that. What’s wild is how Jonny L managed to make an album that feels both personal and universal. Like, you can tell he poured himself into these tracks, but they also speak to anyone who loves the genre. Back in ’99, drum 'n' bass was blowing up, and this release felt like a solid contribution to the scene—a little rough around the edges, sure, but full of heart. Reflecting on The Bells Raise, I realize how rare it is to find albums like this today. Sure, modern DnB has its bangers, but there’s a certain magic in older releases that feels harder to replicate. Maybe it’s the simplicity, or maybe it’s knowing this came straight from someone tinkering away in the UK underground. Either way, it’s iconic. Oh, fun fact—I once tried to DJ this record at a party, and halfway through “The Bells,” the needle skipped. Ruined the moment completely. But hey, even mistakes can’t kill great music. Guess that says something, right?

Download Jonny L - The Bells Raise
Artist: Jonny L
Album: The Bells Raise
Rating: 3.91

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: jonny-l-the-bells-raise.zip
  • MP3 size: 12.6 mb
  • FLAC size: 89.4 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
The Bells6:35
Raise5:10

Video

Jonny L - Approaching (Piranha Records PIHCD 001 track 3) 1999
Jonny L - The Bells (Piranha Records PIHCD 001 track 1) 1999
Jonny L-Raise
Jonny L - Raise (Piranha Records PIHCD 001 track 2) 1999
Jonny L-The Bells
Jonny L - Approaching

Images

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Catalog Numbers

PIH-001

Labels

  • Piranha Records
  • Not On Label

Listen online

  • ouvir online
  • kuunnella verkossa
  • online anhören
  • lytte på nettet
  • online luisteren
  • lyssna på nätet
  • escuchar en línea
  • ascolta in linea
  • écouter en ligne

Formats

  • Vinyl
  • 12"
  • 45 RPM
  • Acetate
  • 10"
  • White Label

Companies

RoleCompany
Copyright (c)Piranha Records
Published ByStar-Write Ltd.
Lacquer Cut AtMusic House

Credits

RoleCredit
Mastered ByStu
Written-ByJonny L
ProducerJonny L
Mixed ByJonny L

Notes

Made in London, England.

Barcodes

  • Barcode: 6 66017 00306 1
  • Matrix / Runout (Hand-etchings Runout Side A): PIH- 001 - AI Stu mA
  • Matrix / Runout (Hand-etchings Runout Side B): PIH-001-AAI mA

About Jonny L

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Jonny L (often spelled as Johnny L), is a British drum and bass producer. He has also released music under the alias of Mr L and was one half of the UK garage duo . He first came to prominence with the 'rave' single "Hurt You So," in 1992 (That single would later be sampled and looped in the 1997 track "Oh Boy," by ). Before that he was an in-house engineer at studios in London. He signed to , the same label as The Prodigy and SL2. He produced more rave singles such as "Ooh I Like It," and "Make Me Work." In 1995, he changed direction making drum and bass records, beginning with "I'm Leavin.'" With that he produced two other EPs before his first album Sawtooth in 1997. From this album, the hit single, "Piper," proved to be a success even though it was extreme in its sound, although on the album there were other electro-influenced tracks. By 1998 the next album, "Magnetic," carried on in a similar vein. He left XL to form his own record label, in 1999. He continued to produce singles, but these had a darker sound to them. He released a single on the record label in 2002 titled "Synkronize" / "Phreak." "Synkronize," featured vocal sampling speculated to be from Brian Harvey of East 17. Another album, "27 Hours A Day," followed with the -sampling single "Let's Roll," in 2003. Jonny also produced ' "Out Of Your Mind," the hit single featuring and , and also produced "Who Do You Think You Are," and "Do It Till We Drop," for 's 2002 album, "Seeing Double." More recently, in 2007, he started a project with vocalist (aka , who appeared on some of his singles) called . They released two singles, the first, "Skinny," was released in 2006, with "Watch Me," being released in 2007. He produced a track called "1 N 2," on , for the compilation album "Sick Music 2," released on 26 April 2010. On 26 November 2012, "Sick Music 3," was released by Hospital Records, which contained his track "Moon."

Real Name

    • John Lisners

Name Vars

  • Johnny L
  • Johnny L.
  • Johny L
  • Jonny
  • Jonny L.
  • Jonny l
  • Jonny.L
  • L

Aliases

  • Baraka
  • Mr L
  • John Lisners

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know? The iconic drum and bass album *The Bells Raise* by Jonny L was released in 1999 and features just two tracks: "Raise" and "The Bells." It’s a minimalist masterpiece that packs a punch. Jonny L not only produced and wrote the entire thing but also mixed and mastered it with help from Stu. Released under Piranha Records and Not On Label, this UK gem remains a standout in electronic music history. Sometimes less really is more!

Comments

ahimsamidwifery
2025-03-12
nice, halftime dnb in 1999
infomevisa
2025-03-11
thanks for the upload. I couldn't get enough of J L in the late 90s and I can't get enough of his vibes even today
Thank you so much for this upload! I'm a huge Jonny L fan and love the Piranha period of his production. Although I'm partial to Raise over this tune, it's a damn shame it never saw a proper vinyl release. Cheers!
volvo2v1
2025-03-10
I miss dropping this one in a set live. Had such a big impact. Great segway tune.
josuadblog
2025-03-10
Definitely forgot how good this one is. Perfect to slip in half way through a set to have a rest bite from all the bass heavy hard step typical of 97/98. But usually started the set with this cos the drop is a whopper!
angelvega981
2025-03-10
Clean uploads. Thanks for sharing your music. Sunbscribed.

Jonny L #1
terusilva
2025-03-10
Thanks for this! Didn't know this tune existed, as I got the vinyl single which, as you say, this tune wasn't on :)
0x15
2025-03-09
One of my all time favorites
posmaferdinan
2025-03-08
This and See Red ? ..great sample tracks
biblemomnini
2025-03-08
Banger

Ed Rush & Optical Essential Mix <3
monsterlau
2025-03-07
Remember hearing this in a mix and thinking "wtf are those high pitched 'boing' noises". Definitely one of my favorite drum and bass songs by far
godferie
2025-03-07
Dom & Roland Killa Bites flashback
dodgycellel
2025-03-07
one of my faves from two decades ago
experiencedhey
2025-03-06
this is the largest testicles