Welcome back from what was hopefully a dope weekend! Starting off this week proper we’re going to feature some vintage tunes that fit well in the mix. Released mostly on CD’s and vinyls, these tracks may be hard to acquire, but are absolutely worth the effort of tracking down. Reaching from 2007 to 2009, these classic tunes fit in well with any present day dubstep set and can really set the dancefloor on fire when used correctly. Featuring sounds from Tes la Rok, Benga, and DZ, blow the dust off and check out these tunes.
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First up is a tune that eerily foreshadowed the sounds that are present today, back in 2007. Featuring elements from all across the bass spectrum, DZ’s, ‘Strong on Ya’ , surely is not a track to be lost in the archives. Sharp synths cut through the mix nicely, bumpy mid range add hop, and amen breaks meld it all together to create a jam that would hold its own in 2012. Pressed in 2007 on Hotflush Recordings, this release also features a massive flip side entitled ‘Slums Dub’.
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Next up is an absolute party jam that can change the tone of any dance floor with the flick of the fader. This sing-a-long anthem made its rounds on the mix and live circuit back in 2007, and is bound to make a comeback. Tes la Rok’s remix of Uncle Sam’s ‘Round the World Girls’ released on Argon in ’07 will most likely be a hard find for the vinyl collector, but anyone can purchase both the remix and the VIP on Amazon (256kbps).
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This next tune is an absolute pleasure to play out particularly because its sharp synth patterns that cut through and add to any mix. Fans and Dj’s alike can equally appreciate this futuristic-party track by the ever-diverse, Benga. Released in 2009 on N-Type and Hatcha’s Sin City Records, ‘On the Edge’ is featured on The Croydon Dubheadz Compilation vinyl as a well-deserved A-Side. Give it a listen and you will see why its always a good thing to dig deep in the record bag and brush off a dusty one.
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Thanks for listening to these tunes and we hope you’ve found something you can take away with you. Playing and hearing these finely aged tracks really add to a live show so don’t hesitate to drop some senior sub pressure on the masses and make sure to skank out if you hear one of these at the club. Check back tomorrow for another quality post, and some more fine tunes to discover.
Lately, as we look around, there is entirely too much hating going on. Too many jaded souls that feel that feel they have the right to determine when a genre is dead. It is honestly mind-blowing. Dubstep has always been about pushing boundaries, sub frequencies, and uniquity. Considering that all three of the aforementioned traits are still EVER-PRESENT, there is no possible way that the music we love so much had died. While many people’s claims that the current state of dubstep is “too commercialized” , “every song sounds the same”, or ” it’s no longer underground” do have strains of validity, they are in no way suited for generalizations. Many artists have reached unimagined levels of acclaim for sounds that are over-produced, but these people in no way encompass dubstep, musically or culturally. If you listen to song after song and truly say to yourself that they all sound the same then you don’t have a grip on what is being put out, or reality for that matter. The complaint that Dubstep is no longer underground is tired, useless, and blatantly incorrect. Although a particular niche (brostep) of dubstep has gained a large amount of hype in the past couple years, this doesn’t mean that dubstep, as a whole, is no longer underground. Just open your eyes and look around! You will find underground culture still in large effect in every country, city, or province. Dubstep is so multifaceted that making any generalization will leave you standing in the wrong. As stated by Goth-Trad in his recent Resident Advisor interview, “dubstep is very progressive, there are no rules…”.
Today’s post has the purpose of reminding you that dubstep is in no way, shape, or form, dead. The artists and songs that we have chosen for today are examples of music that is the complete opposite of commercialized, songs that all sound very different, and songs that represent the still-live underground culture of dubstep/bass music.
The first producer that fits into this category is the one, and only, Goth-Trad. This man has been making dubstep since the term hadn’t even been coined yet. During the early 2000’s the artists who are now credited with the formation of dubstep (Skream, Benga, Goth-Trad, Hatcha, etc.) were just making beats. It was all about experimentation, innovation, and limitlessness. They had no idea what they were making but they were just doing it. Goth-Trad is still making his music under these rules. Goth-Trad is one of the few producers today that when you hear a track of his you immediately know it’s Goth-Trad. Now, don’t get it twisted, that is not to say that all of his productions sound the same, because his sounds are all very diverse. But, his style of production is very unique so when you hear a tune of his, you immediately know. Already having too many releases under his belt to mention, Goth-Trad has a full-length album due out in February of this year on the Deep Medi imprint. The highly anticipated album, ‘New Epoch’, was, in part, inspired by the devastating earthquakes that terrorized Japan this past year. Read more about how the earthquake effected the album/the man here. We have two songs from the ‘New Epoch’ album for your ears today. The first track, ‘Departure’, is like riding through the subway systems at extremely high-speeds while everything around you in moving in slow-motion. The tune in an absolute gem suited for any occasion. The second track, titled ‘New Epoch’,
Goth-Trad – Departure
Goth-Trad – New Epoch (sorry for the radio rip)
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The next artist that we want to highlight is a Finnish producer who goes by the name LAS (Love and Sound). First caught wind of this guy when, during the latter part of 2011, Black Box released his track titled ‘Power Surge’. Now, with many more releases lined up, he is finally beginning to receive the attention that he deserves. The tracks that we have for you today are both really cool. The first one, ‘Mental Judgement’, is forthcoming on Box Clever (offshoot of Black Box). The track has a very nice incorporation of percussion that keeps the feet shuffling, and a soundscape that vibes eerie throughout. The second track, ‘He Ha Ho’, utilizes a really sick vocal sample, emitting the laugh of a monster from some sci-fi movie (we would imagine). The minimalist approach on this tune was perfectly executed. Show some love to LAS is you haven’t already!
The last artist that we want to highlight really caught us off-guard! We were introduced to his sounds after the boys at Trusik:Dubstep did a little highlight on him right before the new year. This Dutchman, Camu, has taken the eternal phrase of “meditate on bassweight” to a new plateau. The clips that we have for you today will send you on a journey through tribal hallucinations, spiritual cleansing, and extremely powerful sub frequencies. He has already received support on Rinse FM for a couple of his previous productions and if he keeps putting out tunes in the manner he has been, he’s going to be a quick-rising sensation for all the deep heads. The first tune, ‘Asmat’, made me laugh with excitement because it was so good right off the bat. This track honestly will put you into the jungle. The atmospheric production is absolutely amazing. The second tune, ‘You Are’, is a seemingly flawless fusion of sounds. Again on a tribal vibe, this track has bit more dance appeal than the previous. Enjoy! And try not to drool all over your computer.
Alright everybody hope these sounds will ease you into the weekend, nice and steady. We will see you all on Monday with a fresh batch of dankness that we always bring to the table. Be safe and, most importantly, be present.
What’s good party people! So, the first weekend of the new year, 2012, has arrived. How are you guys going to start the year off? Hopefully within the answer to that question lies layers upon layers of low-end frequencies, nudity, consumption of alcohol, and, of course, spliffs. Pretty much the most crucial components to any weekend for us here at BWS. We hope that all of you had a great NYE, now it’s time to get rollin’ into 2012.
We have some really big plans for BWS this upcoming year, it’s going to be very exciting. We are going to be bringing in a lot of top-notch artists to all of our family that is located in Southern California so, those of you this is applicable to, make sure you keep your eyes on this page in addition to our Facebook page: Bassweight Society. Aside from the talent we will be bringing in, there will also be some re-vamping of our website. Starting next week there will be a post up each day Monday through Friday, so hopefully the two extra days of content will aid the suppression of ya’lls bass addiction. There are many more changes that will be happening this year, many which cannot be disclosed at the moment, so we hope everybody is ready for a sick year!
Now, since all of the formalities are out of the way, let’s get busy.
Today is going to be an eclectic one, as far as the music featured. We have a few songs that we felt needed to be highlighted, and one of them even has a FREE download accompanied with it!
The first tune that we have for you is one done by previously featured artist, Compa. Being nominated in the Dubstepforum awards as ‘Best New Producer’, this man is going to be blowing people away all year long. This tune was featured in Compa’s EXCLUSIVE Bassweight Society mix done back in November, and is titled ‘Signals’. This one is an absolute necessity to any deep-heads collection. This spacey track is most definitely what would be playing prior to stepping into a wormhole through space. It’s reverb-filled snare drums, sweeping risers, and astranged-sounding shakers all leave you in some sort of catatonic state of bewilderment. This one is a free download, so make sure you click that download link after listening. Don’t be afraid to give a shout out to Compa for this one either. Big ups Compa, much respect from us here at BWS.
The next track that we have you people is one produced by the almighty himself, Skream. He released word about this production around Christmas time stating it was “like Xmas Day Swagger’s ugly brother”. An absolute old-school jam this one is. The wobble on this tune is so clean and so well-executed it’s no wonder Skream is, without doubt, one of the most prolific artists in the history of Dubstep. Swag out with this track folks! BOOM.
Third on deck we have a tune from, yet again, Killawatt. Another contender in the ‘Best New Producer’ category in the Dubstepforum awards, Killawatt has one of the most unique and amazing styles we have seen lately. His ability to master any and all types of percussion remain no secret as his songs are layered with the most intricate sequences. The tune that we have you today, titled ‘Numb’, is one of the sickest tracks I (Kinman) have heard the past couple of months. The track is just, so, ….. COMPLETE. I don’t know how else to describe it. I listen to this song and feel nothing but satisfaction the entire time. Make sure that you have your subs turned up for this one, because it is truly one of the heaviest tracks. Massive outs to Killawatt for this all-time production. Hopefully we will be seeing a release sometime soon!
Killawatt – Numb
The final track that we have for ya’ll today is one from some of the heaviest sub-frequency producers out there, Subreachers. This one, despite it’s title, is filled with melody and soul. A real nice way to end any night, or start one for that matter. The catchy vocal sample immediately hooks you while the ravey-stabs and groovy string-riff immerse your mind and soul with nothing but straight VIBES! If you haven’t heard of these guys, you NEED to get on their level. Absolute DON-like material right here. Big up to the Subreachers! P.s. THIS ONE IS FREE TOO! Check the description for the DL link.
Alright everybody that’s the word for today. We hope you enjoy the sounds and free downloads if you haven’t already copped them for yourself. Have a great weekend people! Let your mind be the guide.
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!
What’s up everybody. Today we are going to take a little journey back in time. First we are going to go back to a time when Dubstep was just starting to gain the title ‘Dubstep’, as it began to branch off the Dark Garage that was being made in the late 1990’s – early 2000’s. From there we will slowly ascend into the later years of the 21st century highlighting tunes that really began to cement Dubstep’s foundation as a musical genre and, most importantly, as a culture. For some of you this might be preexisting knowledge, and if that’s the case there is nothing wrong with hearing classics one more time, but for some of you this could very well serve as a great history lesson of the music you love. We believe that regardless of what particular style of Dubstep you fancy, be it the aggressive ear-piercing saw waves, or be it the deeper, spacious, and more meditative sounds, it is important to understand the roots of where it all came from. So here we go. Today we have 6 songs for everybody that, in a very incomplete manner, show the evolution of Dubstep.
This first tune is one produced by, arguably, the most influential person in the early formation of Dubstep music. Lewis Beadle, aka El-b, is a man who has been innovating sounds since the days when we were just elementary youth’s. Owner of Ghost Recordings and all-around badman, he has been keeping sounds fresh and forward-thinking. The tune that we have for you today is one from late 2002, titled ‘Buck & Bury’, still has many elements of garage but also shows the emphasis on low-end bass-lines that had began to show in the music. Just a heads up, the HIGHLY anticipated album, ‘Ghost Chaser’, from Ghost Recordings is due out soon. This is something you should definitely keep your eyes open for as it will surely be a milestone release for bass music.
El-b ft. Juiceman – Buck & Bury
The second tune is from another frontman of Dubstep. Running the FWD> nights and spreading music through hand-to-hand exchanges of CD’s, Hatcha was a busy man, as he still is today! Catch Hatcha alongside Crazy D every Tuesday on Kiss FM 12-1 am. The tune we have for you from the badman Hatcha is titled ‘Dub Express’ and was released on Tempa back in 2003. Again, we see that Garage break-style drum sequence, but the bass-line has much more presence. Lend your ears.
Hatcha – Dub Express
The next track hails from the productions of Digital Mystikz. Composed of two unrivaled producers, Mala and Coki, this production group has released some of the most prolific tunes in the history of Dubstep. But these guys are more than just a musical icon. Their philosophies on life, love, and the spirituality of human being’s is of utmost admiration. These philosophies show through their music as they incite an immense amount of emotion with each tune. The one we have for you today is a release from 2004 called ‘Pathways’, released on Big Apple Records.
Digital Mystikz – Pathways
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The next track is one that EVERY SINGLE person who calls themselves a “Dubstep head” should know. If you don’t know this track just pretend that you do, because not knowing is just embarassing. The production, titled ‘Midnight Request Line’, is by far one of the largest tunes that was, and still is, ever released. Coming from the world-acclaimed production of Oliver Jones, aka Skream, this tune perpetually flooded the airways of every radio station exhibiting Dubstep music. Nuff’ said about this one, just turn the sub up and skank out. Released 2005.
Skream – Midnight Request Line
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This next one is from the likes of Walsh and Kromestar and is a melodic roller with vibes similar to the Dub music made in the late 1980’s from influences such a King Tubby and Scratch Perry. This one, released in 2006, is truly a spliff riddim’, despite its title of ‘Panik Room’.
Walsh & Kromestar – Panik Room
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The final tune that we have for everybody today hails from the deepest dungeons of Dubstep music, the archives of Distance. This tune, ‘Radical’, gave way to many of the purely evil sounds that have been adopted by so many producers today. Owner of Chestplate Records and some of the heaviest tunes to reach peoples ears, Distance is one our favorite producers to ever grace this earth. This one was released in 2007 and is an absolute necessity to any heads’ collection. Be afraid.
Distance – Radical
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Alright people hope that history lesson broadened your horizons a little bit. That’s all for today. Be sure to check back Friday for new heat.
Bassweight Society 