Debut EPs are usually great pieces of work. Artists want to show out, prove they’re worthy of the fans they have and deserving of more. Prove they’re more than just a DJ but a producer who can produce an entire body of work. NOW with that being said, this particular debut EP blew me completely away. Black Carl! dove right in and never looked back when creating Mixed Signals.
The EP opens with a slow and mystifying track, “Disrupt”, that draws your curiosity right in. Intoxicating vocals over euphoric melodies that almost hypnotize you before the completion of the first track. “Mixed Signals”, the title track of the EP, follows up with the same intoxicating feel but speeds us up a little. Who is Black Carl? Why in the world has it taken me this long to stumble upon his musical journey? And why the hell is it so good?
The 4 track EP is so perfectly balanced with just the right amount of…exactly what I needed. The closing tracks of the project “Mind” and “Act Up” both bring their own unique feel to this extremely artistic EP. Intense reverberating sounds and touches of angelic vocal samples to truly tie it all together.
Finding new artists is my favorite part of anyday, so being able to stumble upon an artist’s debut project and it to be as magnificent as this is truly a pleasure. I won’t be missing anything from Black Carl! in the future, that’s for certain!
Australia based experimental bass producer LEOTRIX, starts the year off strong with his “Round III EP” out now on Never Say Die: Black Label. A journey through genres, Leotrix gives us a look at where bass music is headed in 2021 and gifts us with some of the best music I’ve heard from the label so far this year. (lol) Taking the futuristic and funky sound he is known and loved for to new heights, each track on this EP is a masterful blend of genres and sounds coming from the mind of one of the most influential producers in the scene right now.
Photo taken from Leotrix’s Facebook page.
Featuring an epic collaboration from Black Label alumni AWEMINUS, ‘Cheque This Out’ showcases two of the most promising artists on their roster and gives them a moment to show us what the duo is capable of together. Combining elements of both artists signature sounds to create a grimey, bass-heavy track that’s sure to hypnotize. LEOTRIX shines best on his own in my opinion, when allowed to fully express himself creatively the guy is indisputably unmatched in his flow and sound design. My personal favorite track from the EP proves this point I think, ‘Endless Pain’ is without a doubt one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Blending the best elements of everything you’ve come to expect from his sound in what can be called nothing less than a magnum opus, the track is truly a masterpiece.
In 2020, Los-Angeles based bass music producer and icon Kyle Hagberg, aka KOMPANY, gave us an emotionally charged melodic dubstep tune in the form of his hit single, “Feel It All,” which released on Never Say Die Records to much acclaim. In the following months we saw the emergence of a new wave of melodic music coming from the bass music scene which has been going strong for some time now. Melodic dubstep has evolved immensely in the past 6 months, and now, Kompany has given us a massive remix EP including some of the forefathers of this new evolution of melodic bass music. With remixes from MUST DIE!. OOLACILE, and a massive collab remix from AKEOS and SYZY, the Feel It All Remixes are a wonder to behold.
PHOTO FROM AKEOS FACEBOOK PAGE
I have to take a moment here to really highlight this collab remix comging from NSD: Black Label alumni Akeos and Syzy. This remix is truly monstrous, and testifies to the shear talent that is coming up in this new wave of experimental bass music. It really stands out to me among the rest of these remixes, the sound design and melodic elements combine to create something truly remarkable. Of course it is really hard to pick just one, as all three of these remixes are phenomenal. You can hear all the remixes below, or find them available on most streaming platforms, be sure to check out some of our other amazing articles while you listen, and don’t forget to follow all the artists involved in this absolutely MASSIVE remix EP.
As we’ve seen all year, GRL GANG is here to pave the way for womxn of all shapes, sizes, and sounds. They wished us all a Merry Christmas and sent us off to have a happy New Year with this diverse and upbeat Wreck The Halls Vol 1compilation. If you’re unfamiliar with the collective turned powerhouse, you’re in for a serious treat. Their debut compilation, Riot! came out earlier this year and solidified the talent that was found and showcased by the collective. With music from up and coming female and non-bianarys currently taking this industry by a storm, GRL GANG gives the womxn another push to spotlight with this beautiful Christmas compilation.
The comp opens up with “Mind Contrrl” by MADGRRL, with an upbeat synth intro that builds you up into an exciting dubstep track sure to pull you in and leave your mind under MADGRRL’s control.
The project slows down and gets a little deeper on VILLA’s “Need U”. With an ominous melody and vocals whispering to us, this track definitely gets you feeling something. It is an intense and moody track with the perfect placement of each element.
We get a smidge darker on this next track with Austeria & Zingara. “Shakuhachi” is not like anything you’ve ever heard before. A sinister and slow opening, that melts into some funky drum kicks to build right into a bass-heavy, but still melodic and futuristic sounding drop. This has to be my favorite track on the project, so unique and heavy hitting, the kind of music my holiday season needed.
Photo from GRL GANG’s Twitter
This next one, “Moontide” is another one for our bass lovers. Space.Wolf & Kerys keep it very soft and melodic until punching you with the drop and giving you that OG dubstep sound.
Dolltr!ck goes for a more light and airy take with “Reverie”. This track is full of upbeat and euphoric melodies that take you back to those timeless moments on a dance floor, or in a crowd at your favorite festival.
Stepsisters speed things up a little on “Tuckfwelve”. Adding in some techno to this otherwise dubstep-focused project. Kicking up the BPM and going in for the perfect sprinkle of warehouse vibes we all desperately needed this Christmas.
Last but certainly not least, Shmell takes us on a wild ride with “Beats Knockin”. This song was pieced together beautifully. Hitting you hard and deep, you can feel every beat in your chest. There were so many elements used in this song, placed together in such an amazing way it was an outstanding closing to this magnificent project.
Photo From GRL GANG’s Twitter
GRL GANG proves once again that they are a collective full of powerful womxn, with out of this world talent. And this compilation is only a small fraction of the talent that lives under the GRL GANG name. JEANIE and her gang of womxn aren’t going to be slowing down for anyone any time soon, and this farewell to 2020 was their way of making us all very aware of that.
With 2020 almost coming to a close, we’ve come across one of the most fire EPs to end the year, and that comes in the form of Canna’s new Extragalactic EP. Hailing all the way from The Netherlands, young Dubstep artists Canna has been gaining traction in both the Dubstep and Riddim scene. You may have already heard some of his tracks, as he’s had releases on up and coming Dubstep labels such as Savage Society, Bewildered Productions and Interval Audio. These are just a few to the plethora of other labels Canna‘s had releases on. And throughout all of these releases, he’s quickly grown a tumultuous audience throughout the year. Now he’s ending 2020 with his own bang in this new 5 song EP, which will surely take you to infinity and beyond.
Photo courtesy of Halcyon Music
The EP begins with the EP’s title, “Extragalactic“. It starts off very bright and vibrant, before it drops into some heavy Bass. I’m especially fond of how this track makes me thing of beautiful colors that travel at the speed of light once the drop comes in. One might even describe it as beauty and the bass. ‘Starfall‘ gives off a very heavier sound than the track that preceded it, and it always makes you feel as if you’re falling with tons of stars surrounding you. This new type of sound is welcoming to the ears, because it’s more than just Dubstep this time. It’s an variance of different sounds infused with Dubstep, but it makes for a satisfying listen nonetheless. ‘Jewels’ immediately reminded me of an F-Zero song from it’s beginning, but it doesn’t stay light-hearted for long, as this track instantly gives us the hardest drop of the EP thus far, giving off those Future Riddim/Dubstep vibes. I’m a huge fan of how Canna flawlessly fuses both beauty and bass together throughout this EP. This track is further proof of that seamless execution too.
Photo courtesy of Halcyon Music
‘Celestia’ takes us to a very chill place. Every track so far has given off the same vibe as it’s name implies. With ‘Celestia’, we are given a mellow, almost Future-Trap sound. It’s got nice exotic yet technical sounds to it, which enhances the listening pleasure even more. The final track, ‘Unbound’, starts of with serene sounds, before giving off addicting sampled vocals, which leads into a head bobbing beat that incorporates so many interesting electronic sounds. Canna surely has some production skills to be able to integrate so many different sounds within a song and still make it sound beautifully cohesive.
Canna has definitely made a huge wave in 2020, and after hearing this heavy hitting yet sonically diverse EP, we’re more than eager to see what’s next for this young producer’s career in 2021. So if you want even more Canna, check out both Canna and Halcyon‘s socials below.
2020 has been a breakout year for new music and artists in the EDM industry, people have had more time than ever this year to get creative and embrace their inner artist. One such person is the Austin-based bass music producer Saint Chris, who gave us his debut single this week, “Love Of My Life”. After a rebrand back in 2018, Saint Chris (used to be C4) opened his mind more passed the normal “club DJ” route and began to truly find his sound as a producer.
A beautiful and psychedelic journey, reminiscent of some of the early years of some of my favorite Wakaan artists. Those of you that know me know I am a headbanger through and through, I like the heavy stuff, and while this track isn’t exactly something I would normally listen to, I have to say that the beautiful melodies and deep basses here are absolutely entrancing. The track starts off with some powerful vocals and strong vibes, ushering in the drop which is full of the basses and deep dub vibes that we crave, while the soundscapes and atmospheres carry us all the way through to the end of the track.
You can listen to Saint Chris‘s debut single below, and be sure to follow them for more music if you like what you hear!
2020 may have been filled with much chaos and craziness, but that hasn’t stopped the music industry from spawning new breakout artists. And that’s exactly the case with new breakout star NUU$HI. NUU$HI (real name Nuushi Harada) is a multiracial Bass artist born and raised in Japan, and is also a member of ARANCK Collective. Being a 3rd generation musician within his family, he draws his inspiration from places such as Jamaica, China and Japan. His musical adventure began when he was inspired by the powerful sounds of both Noisia and Moody Good. But it wasn’t until after seeing Flume and San Holo that Nuu$hi began incorporating more melodic elements to his sound. With over 10+ years of DAW experience, Nuu$hi strives to put the Japanese Bass music scene on the map, all while educating others towards the goal of reaching a top notch sound. But not only is Nuu$hi a skilled producer, he also cooks up a mean curry! For now, he’s cooked up six tracks of melodic goodness in the form of his Fairy Tale EP. Let’s dive into it below.
The EP begins with the sounds of nice relaxing waves washing up up onshore of a beach, accompanied by a sweet melody, only to buildup into an almost Future Bass/Dubstep-infused drop. This track is a great way to start of the EP, as it showcases NUU$HI‘s productive prowess. Especially since NUU$HI has also been known for a type of Future Riddim sound from time to time. “Unrequited” is a nice melody driven Future Bass style track. Honestly hearing this track only made me wishful to one day hear a collab between NUU$HI and Fransis Derelle. This song just makes you feel good in an uplifting way. The drop even gives off that Future Riddim vibe once more.
“Daydreamer” is a fast yet hype Electro track that has a colorful soundscape to it. It’s deeply enjoyable for it only being less than three minutes in length. “Dancing In The Rain” follows it up with even more flourishing styles in sound. NUU$HI has this sense of power within his music, and I absolutely love that. They just radiate with such sensation. But it’s “Glitter” that truly shines almost above the rest for me. Featuring Moyashi, “Glitter” gives off Electro festival/stadium vibes, which has a semi buildup that immediately drops you into what sounds like pixelated madness. The track itself is simply a triumphant hurrah to NUU$HI‘s style. The claps that take place within it to help with the buildup only make it even more grand. That second drop really makes the Future Riddim presence known. Closing out this phenomenal EP, “Tsubaki” ends things with a roaring bang. You’ll definitely have to listen to this track again just to catch all the sounds you may have missed the first time. That’s something I really grew to appreciate with this EP. Overall, NUU$HI himself has more than proven himself to be a promising new artist with this EP alone. We’re eager to see how far he goes in 2021.
Austin-based dubstep label Silent Motionare no slouches when it comes to bringing the heat and respect to the genre. Touting deeper dubstep and artists from around the globe, they have been putting out bangers for the last few years. Their newest release this week definitely goes along the same path. This week they will be kicking off Dub-cember with a banger of an EP from Dutch producer, ZiEK. This EP also features two heavy hitters of the scene Kodama and Mesck. We have the privilege of premiering Kodama‘s unique remix of one of ZiEK’s tracks named Plak off this upcoming record.
An all-out assault of bass, it’s not your brother’s typical dubstep. This is much truer to the roots and origins of where dubstep began, as are Silent Motion’s typical releases. This track is MEATY with super plucky tones, an infectious beat that drives the entire thing through, and of course THAT BASS. Certified heat and an instant favorite that pays respect tothe original track by ZiEK on the EP. While the original was much darker, Kodama turned it down into a more subtle simmer. While still staying true to the original, he was still able to make it his own in a unique style.
“Crowded” … [is] our latest installment which takes us on a journey through [ZiEK’s] realm of darkness
Silent Motion
This track merely whets the appetite for the EP that drops this Friday, December 4th. Make sure you keep an ear out on Silent Motion socials for the release and pre-save and follow along for more sounds just like this.
This year’s installment of Black Label’s ‘Black Ops’ series, their big yearly compilation focusing on riddim, heavy bass and tearout, features Syzy‘s beautiful-yet-destructive “Yakisoba”, an aptly-named ear cuisine that injects the perfect high-knee form into anyone who listens. “Yakisoba” includes Papa Khan-esque “Piano Roll Abuse” early on, and creates this pretty, happy atmosphere before the spice kicks in. The roar or screech that leads you into the drop and periodically resurfaces is one of many highlights, alongside the absolutely mind-blowing and numerous drops delivered straight from Syzy‘s creative brain.
This year’s comp is picked and mixed by Pittsburgh-native Akeos, the destructive dubstep aficionado behind tracks like ‘Toll Gate’ and ‘Derma Crush’ and whose been on a tear all year. Never Say Die‘s yearly ‘Black Ops’ series has put the community on some of the best up-and-coming artists each year, and the newest installment only doubles-down on the trend.
‘Yakisoba’ was a really fun track to make. I was fortunate because I ended up finishing this track in about 5 hours. It’s very rare I have good creative days like that, so it’s best to take advantage of them when they come around. Big ups to Akeos and NSD for organizing this compilation and bringing some lesser known artist the spotlight they deserve!
– Syzy
I could not keep count with how many breakdowns and drops there were throughout, but God damn, each drop feels so unique from each other and compliment each other in ways I haven’t heard all year. Syzy’s sound design is mind-breakingly good, and I’ve repeatedly been coming back to the one synthwave-style synth that takes over outside of the drops. The outro is easily my favorite from any track all year, and I fully expect it to be flipped into lo-fi soon. There’s just so much to love about ‘Yakisoba’, with each and every section masterfully made and Syzy‘s passionate double-down on the atmosphere and emotion’s throughout. Hype maxed to 11, yet still beautiful beyond doubt, ‘Yakisoba’ is a 5-minute journey unmatched that we implore you to begin.
Not gonna lie, when I got the offer to do this I was extremely surprised but also excited. Generally the idea was to have a lot of friends/insane producers have a chance to be involved with this somehow either if it was the mix or the actual compilation, I’d highly suggest to follow said artists asap because they all will be cranking out crazy tunes and be the ones to watch next year. ❤
– Akeos
Click that pre-save link below to get the ENTIRE Black Ops XL III compilation as soon as it drops, and give Syzy a follow on his socials linked below!
MARAUDA is here once again to give us some absolutely filthy bass that will surely set your soul ablaze. The Australian Dubstep producer just keeps up his hot streak with the fiery new track known as “Avoidable Cause,” which just recently released under Malignant Music. It’s full of intense transitions and shifting soundscapes that will surely rumble any landscape you’re standing on if played on a good sound system. The track itself starts off very abruptly, before quickly building up into the first bass face-inducing drop. A flurry of different sounds, screeches and more make their booming presence known. But it’s where the second drop comes in that really cranks up the filth level. This drop hits you HARD! It’s pulse pounding Dubstep at it’s craziest, and doesn’t cease to stop being as wild as it can possibly be. Whether you knew him as Mastodon before, or are just discovering him as MARAUDA now, we can positively say that he’s surely beginning to make the MARAUDA brand even more well known than ever before.
Photo courtesy of Graham Joy Photography
TRILLVO 