New Jersey garage producer Todd Edwards is widely acknowledged to have exercised a formative influence over the UK underground scene. While some British artists (e.g. Tuff Jam) continue to emulate his funky disco basslines and bustling lo-fi beats, it is Edwards' sampling technique which has proved most influential across the spectrum of UK garage, linking his work with the 'vocal science' so apparent in 2-step. Like many producers on both sides of the Atlantic, Edwards sources most of his samples in 1970s disco.
One of these people doing it well is New Jersey based producer Todd Edwards. Armand Van Helden cites Edwards as the best of the "other side" of speedgarage, that of tight beats with an underlying garage influence. This style is most evident on Edwards' single "Dancing for Heaven".
A: Well first of all, I don’t think I had anything to do with the origin of two step. The first two step track to make it over here, the Tina Moore track (‘Never Gonna Let you Go’) was by an American producer (Kelly G). So it wasn’t me that did that. I’ve heard two step tracks with elements of what I do in there, but I don’t take any credit for it. With the title ‘speed garage’, it was never my intention to create a genre or a trend. I was just trying to make my own sound. When I used to listen to mix shows, I’d know that the record coming in was by Todd Terry. Or by MK or Masters At Work. I wanted people to know that it was a Todd Edwards production coming in. [...]
