Monthly Archives: December 2011

Top 20 Releases of 2011: #10-#1

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Here ye, here ye. The countdown to officially welcome 2012 into our lives is here. 2011 has been amazing in numerous ways. Electronic music has been steadily rising in popularity, opening many avenues never thought possible for rave communities. Mainstream popularity, however, is not the greatest thing of this year. This year has birthed such a ridiculous amount of talent, new and old, it was literally impossible to keep track of everyone and everything going on. In areas of production and live performance, boundaries have been pushed further than imagined. What 2012 will bring is one of the most exciting questions we have been asking ourselves lately. Although this website is dedicated to a small niche of deep Dubstep, BIG THINGS will be happening in all genres of EDM this next year. Of course, there will also be an immense amount of absolute sh*t being released this next year, just like 2011 has seen. But, weeding out the sh*t is half the fun, if you ask us. So tomorrow, everyone, raise your glasses to one of the most progressive and expansive years Electronic music has seen. Raise your glasses to the wild roller coaster that 2012 holds ahead for us, because it is going to be a sick one!

Today, we have reached part 2 of our top 20 releases of 2011 segment. As stated in last weeks post, it was extremely difficult to put all this together, given the top quality productions the past year has seen. Doing the top 10 was about 75% of the difficulty that came with this task. I couldn’t even tell you how many times these tunes were listened to, re-ranked, re-ranked again, and so on. Despite the hardship, it was also really fun to do this. So, here we go. The top 10 releases of 2011:

10. J:Kenzo – The Roteks

  • Instantly receiving a large amount of support from DJ’s, this tune throws out some of the heaviest low-end frequencies imaginable. The half-step drums leave space for the basslines to completely take over your mind. The eerie vocal sample, originating from a 1980’s TV series called M.A.S.K., gives way to one of the illest drops a tune could have. Download here.

9. Von D – Daydreaming LP

  • It should be no surprise that one of the most musically educated/trained individuals on this planet has earned himself a spot in the top 10. Jerome Meyer has captured minds with his ability to successfully produce music in various genres. This album is one of the most fine tuned pieces of musical composition out there. Whether you are into soul/jazz-filled vocal bass music (ASAP), huge basslines (E von), or jungley-break style drum patterns (One Day ft. Riya), it’s all on this 15 track masterpiece. Download here.

8. Kryptic Minds – Cant Sleep LP

  • Arguably one of the most talented monickers in Dubstep, Kryptic Minds released this album early in the year. Perfectly titled, Can’t Sleep, this album is a shining example of “less is more”. Their minimalistic approach to production, rendering spacious mixdowns and nightmare-like vibes, gives its listener a sense of absolute solitude. Download here.

7. Benton – Thermo Stellar

  • Never has there been a tune that hits as hard and as low as this tune right here. Benton’s ability to make some of the most evil sounding music is unrivaled. The distant-sounding ambiance, horror movie chimes, and gritty low frequencies absolutely smash any and every dancefloor. Download here.

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6. Headhunter – Projector

  • Hailing from one of the most prolific Bass music producers, this tune is an absolute RINSER! The bouncy synths, punchy kick drums, and chest-rattling sub frequencies all work together to make one of the biggest tunes of the year. One of the most well rounded tunes of the year, hands down. Headhunter’s musical talent and production expertise show through on this one. Download here.

5. Goth Trad – Babylon Fall EP

  • Where to even begin on this release? 4 tracks that are all near perfection, all very unique, and all versatile to any situation. These tracks take your ears for the ride of a lifetime. Some of the most energetic bassweight Dubstep ever made. Goth Trad has been around since the early early days of Dubstep, and his eclectic musical influences give him a very signature sound/vibe. Download here.

4. TMSV – Myth

  • Meditation music at its finest. Exhibiting tribal horns perfectly touched with delay, bouncy bongos, and a sub-bass line that can throw anybody into a trance, this tune is definitely one of the most successfully unique tunes the year has seen. An absolute spliff-riddim’! Get back to your roots with this one. Download here.

3. Phaeleh – The Cold In You

  • This 7 track release exhibits the most emotion-filled productions that, quite possibly, this decade has seen. Phaeleh’s music is one of the few that can actually bring tears to your eyes because of its sheer beauty. Like Von D, Phaeleh has the ability to jump from style-to-style, and do so with ease and success. One minute you’re feeling as if you are floating through some surreal utopian dimension, while the next you are watching plates shift beneath the earths surface. Purchase here.

2. Author – Author LP

  • One of the most widely anticipated releases of the year, and rightfully so. This 8 track package of goodies incorporates such a vast amount of musical influence it would take up an entire page to try to recap it. Coming from the hands of Jack Sparrow and Ruckspin, this album is just flat-out amazing. Listen for yourself. Truly the music for the revolutionary thinker. Purchase here.

1. Joker – The Vision (Instrumental Version)

  • Honestly wish there was a picture of our faces when we first heard this track. We went absolutely bonkers! this tune was without question the biggest release of the year. The extremely catchy synths immediately hook the listener, and then the drop just leaves the listener dumbfounded. Purchase here.

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BRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAP! That’s the word, ya’ll. Top 10 release of the 2011, as interpreted by Bassweight Society. Hope you all enjoyed the read! If you haven’t already purchased these tunes, it is an absolute MUST, so get out there and do it. We wish everybody a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Be safe, be smart, and most importantly, be WILD! We will see everybody Monday for another Mix Monday session. We out!

To the Gods.

-Bassweight Society

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Rewind Wednesday! Old School Jams that Still BUMP!

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BIGGUPS Everyone! By now you should be used to our Rewind Wednesdays and hopefully are looking forward to ’em! Sometimes its a stretch to remember the old tunes that were favorites and dance floor smashers, but we at BWS try to refresh our readers with absolute JAMS from the past.

First up needs no explanation, Benga & Coki’s – Night, still crushes dance floors to this day! This tune arguably was one of the first dubstep tunes to cross the boundary from the small niche it was, to a much larger and diverse audience. With one of the catchiest hooks in all of electronic music, it’s no surprise that this tune solidified both Benga and Coki’s names within the dubstep scene. Check it out below.

Second tune is a personal favorite (Shice) and is great for anyone who likes lasers, zaps, beeps, etc. In fact, this is THE tune for lasers, zaps and general mind expansion/explosion. It comes to us from Zomby, remixed by the great Rustie, and is the infamous “Spliff Dub”. It’s sample, which recommends “one spliff a day”  is highly recognizable and frankly speaks the truth. This tune released in 2008 on Hyperdub is an all around slammer, great for kicking back with a spliff at the pad or bouncing around like a madman at the club!

Our third and final tune of the day comes to us from Juju remixed by Komonazmuk in 2007 from SF based label NarcoHZ. “Punks”  was a tune rinsed in many sets of the year and still hopefully gets spins cause its wicked! It’s swinging drums and punchy bass make it an easy decision for any DJ to let it rip on the dancefloor. The tunes darker vibe, pitched down samples and subtle wobble give it great character, and made it an obvious choice for our Rewind Wednesday! Give’r a listen, let us know what you think!

Hope you all liked the post, and DJ’s don’t be afraid to play older tunes! Make sure to check out these artists, as they are still making great music as well. Also check our previous post and make sure you got all of the Christmas Freebies given out over the Holidays, you do not want to miss those!

Skank it EZ!

-BWS

Christmas Freebies!

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What is up, children of Jah.  Well Christmas has just passed and, as usual, there has been a great number of artists that have been generous enough to give the people FREE tunes.  We want to just take a second and truly commend these people.  This is how they make their living, and the fact that they are giving away free songs is one of the most selfless things a musician can do.  Too many people overlook the dedication, effort, and sacrifice that goes into each tune that a producer writes.  You should really think twice about about clicking that link next time you stumble upon an illegal download.  Unless you are that kind of person that enjoys stealing money from hardworking individuals.  But if that’s the case, FUCK OFF.  We have four different bundles of tunes today for you all.  One is hailing from the boys at Chestplate Records, and contains 4 very amazing tunes from the likes of Distance, District, and Sleeper.  The second one is a free tune from the Soap Dodgers.  Third in line we have a free EP from the extremely talented TMSV.  Lastly, we have the FINAL FREEIZM that will ever be released, according to Skream.  The release from Skream is an absolute gem.  It contains tracks that he made while still in his teen years and never released.  Really sick OG vibes on this one.

Please go out and personally thank these artists for their generosity!  If you have not already showed support on their pages, please go out and do that as well!  Massive outs the all the above from us at Bassweight Society, we will be reppin’ you guys hard all of 2012!

Chestplate Records Xmas EP

Soap Dodgers Xmas Tune

TMSV Xmas EP

Skream’s FINAL Freeizm

 

Alright people that’s what we got for you today!  Just a short and sweet post for today.  Enjoy the freebies, and like we said please go out and thank/support these artists for the endless amount of hours they put into making music that makes us feel good.

We’ll see all you guys on Wednesday.

To the Gods.

Bassweight Society

Top 20 Releases of 2011: #20 – #11

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Well everyone, we have reached that time of year. A time when you look back at all the things that you have accomplished, and of course the things you have yet to. It’s a time when we begin to make goals for next year, however ridiculous they may be. It’s a time for family, friends, loved ones, and blah, blah, and blah. It has always been of interest how we, as humans, thrive on some sort of calendrical affirmation to our existence. It is both a very scary, and settling concept. Scary because each year that passes we are closer to the end of our existence. But is this not the same reason that the concept is settling? This constant reminder of our mortal existence, does it not attribute meaning to everything that we do? It is the recognition of this finite boundary that motivates our species to achieve. Without time effecting the biological/physiological expiration dates of our bodies, what would be the reason in finishing anything?

Today is part 1 of a 2 part series that will be highlighting Bassweight Society’s choices for the top 20 releases of 2011. We say releases, so our choices will range from a single song to a full-length album. It seems silly having to say this but, just for the record, we are covering releases within the 140 Dubstep arena. This was of one of the most painstaking things we have had to do for the website thus far. It took so long to gather all the great releases of this year. But, that was a cakewalk compared to the difficulty in narrowing a list of almost 100 tunes into a list of 20, and then ranking those 20. We understand that some of you will not agree with our choices but it’s our website so, start your own if it bothers you that much. We tried to encompass a lot of different styles within Dubstep, so hopefully that is seen by those reading this. So, without further ado, let’s get this thing started.

20. Sukh Knight, Mensah, Squarewave – G Activity (Hench Recordings)

  • One of the greatest party tunes this year has seen. Eastern vibes layered up with one of the most anthemic drops. Each producer on this track, on an individual level, smashes it. So, nothing less than great should be expected when all three collaborate on the same tune. Download here.

19. V.I.V.E.K. – Eyes Down EP (Deep Medi Musik)

  • Perfectly suiting the Deep Medi imprint, this 4 track EP takes the listener on a journey through human emotion. The sampling used in this album is of the highest caliber. His sounds have been described as “conciousness moving”, and this album is just that. Be on the look for this man in 2012. Download here.

18. Matt U – Straightened Up (Subway Music)

  • 1 of 3 tracks released on the Straightened Up EP. This tune is just an absolute slumper. Matt-U has been releasing some really big tunes for the past few years and this is just another one for him to add under his belt. Top notch production. Download here.

17. Distance – Meanstreak EP (Chestplate Records)

  • Founder of Chestplate Records, Distance, is out with another set of the heaviest and most evil sounds in the genre. This package is filled with 4 tracks produced with some extremely unique and technical sounds. Download here.

16. Truth & Decoda – The Emperor (Wheel & Deal Records)

  • As if the New Zealand duo hadn’t made enough noise since 2009, they had to top off their year with this absolute gem. We feel that this tune is a perfect example of how you make an aggressive party tune without going over the top. Download here.

15. Matty G – Back To The Bay EP (Dub Police Records)

  • It is a proud moment for us to place this release on our top 20. California native Matty G released one of the most unique and West Coast-vibed Dubstep albums ever this year. Each track has a different feel. Each track is produced amazingly. The samples and influences that Matty brings into his sounds truly make an imprint on the UK dominated genre. Download here.

14. Pinch – Swish (Deep Medi Musik)

  • The almighty Pinch, who never ceases to amaze, dropped this ultimate sub-flexer mid-year. The tune is a fine display of innovation applied to classical Dubstep ideals. Download here.

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13. L Wiz – Fotbojan (Hench Recordings)

  • One of the finest producers of the “purple” sound, L-Wiz releases amazing tunes each year. This track is an absolute feel-good vibe. One you grab the person you love to and skank out. One that you hear as the night is about to end and you look at your friends around you and say to yourself, “fuck, life is so good!”. Massive out to L-Wiz for this one. Download here.

12. LX One – You/Give It Up ( Wheel & Deal Records)

  • Both of these tunes are for the deep heads. Spot-on production skills. The bouncy vibe of ‘Give It Up’ is too good. The track ‘You’ is one that emits a tremendous amount of low-end pressure. This is how an MC shows you a thing or two about production. Download here.

11. DJ MADD – Arpz 3000 (Subway Music)

  • DJ MADD is a producer who has been making huge tune after huge tune in the shadows. A lot of people don’t know that this man is one of the hardest working and talented artists out there. Each year he releases a large number of tunes on various labels. This year he blessed us with many more. ‘Arpz 3000’ is a tune that anybody can get down to. Download here.

BOOM! There you have it. Bassweight Society’s first half of the top 20 releases of the year. Some absolute gems in here folks. If you haven’t already purchased these tunes/EP’s/Albums, please show these artists some support and do so!

Make sure you stay connected with BWS. Next Friday we will posting choices 1-10! Hope everyone has a great weekend and a fantastic Christmas, if you celebrate it that is.

To the Gods.

-Bassweight Society

Rewind Wednesday: Where Dat’ Weight From?

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Boh! Boh! Boh!  Friends, family, rando’s, we bid you welcome to our Wednesday rewind.  Today, as always, we have some great classic tunes to showcase.

The first track for today is one produced by the badman Soloman Rose, aka ‘Silkie‘.  The track is titled ‘Dub Breaks’.  Among the first characteristics you will notice in this tune are the very soothing reggae stabs along with a killer break-style drum sequence, as eluded by the track name.  With a slow and simple start, the tune leads to a drop that will put your dancing shoes on for you.  Silkie has been laying out some of the cleanest mix-downs since 2003 and this one is a perfect example.  Have a listen.

Silkie – Dub Breaks (2006/Antisocial Movement)

Second tune for this weeks rewind session is the infamous ‘War Dub’, produced by ‘Pinch & P.Dutty’.  The eerie intro, filled with truly deep and dark vibes, is complimented by one of the sickest drops to this day.  With that said, once the second drop comes the most pure forms of madness will rush through your blood giving you no choice but to commence brukking out to the hardest of your ability.  Released on Pinch’s label, Tectonic, in 2005 this track will forever rest as one of the hardest tunes of all time.

Pinch & P.Dutty – War Dub (2005/Tectonic)

Third track of the day comes from a producer who is too often overlooked, the man ‘Quest‘.  One of Deep Medi Musiks’ finest talents, and owner of some of the most beautiful tracks in the 140 arena, Quest is a man who is the epitome of the term ‘underground’.  This track, titled ‘Eden’, was released back in 2008 and sends out some of the most relaxed and translucent vibes.  The diminishing presence of horns combined with island-style strings really have to ability to take your mind to another plain of conciousness.  For all the heads, we know you know about Quest.  But, for those of you that haven’t heard his sounds, PLEASE go out and show some support to this man.  Buy his music, like his pages, tell your friends, do whatever you need to do.  Just DO IT.  Enjoy.

Quest – Eden (2008/Deep Medi Musik)

Today we are going to send you off with a tune written by the highest ranking spirit in Dubstep, ‘Mala‘.  Without a doubt one of the most influential artists, he has been very selectively releasing tunes since the inception of the genre.  Titled ‘Lean Forward’, this tune really exhibits the journey the each of Mala’s productions take the listener on.  Always a firm believer in the meditative power of music, Mala constantly implements this belief into his tunes.  Released in 2007 on Deep Medi Musik, this tune will always hit home for us.

Mala – Lean Forward (2007/Deep Medi Musik)

Alright, so we hope you all enjoyed today’s content.  Make sure you stop by BWS on Friday as we will be releasing our top tunes of 2011.  There is sure to be some bangers highlighted!

To the Gods.

-Bassweight Society