Countdown Commencing / Cool, Calm & Collected

Released in 2000 under the Central Intelligence Records label, this 12-inch single represents a slice of the turn-of-the-millennium drum and bass scene. As catalog number INTEL 003, it fits into the label's focus on tech-driven, precise breakbeat production that was characteristic of the era's transition from the darker, harder sounds of the late 90s toward more atmospheric and polished studio aesthetics.

The tracks 'Countdown Commencing' and 'Cool, Calm & Collected' were produced by the artist known as Shuriken. Like many releases on independent electronic labels of the time, the record was designed primarily for DJs, serving as a functional tool for club sets. Its reception was largely confined to specialized drum and bass circles, where it remains a representative artifact of the mid-sized independent labels that fueled the underground electronic music culture in the United Kingdom.