Tag Archives: Dark

Deco – ‘Across The Grain’ EP [DECEAST]

Posted by Bassweight Society on

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EZ everybody.

I want to feature an EP today from the Los Angeles underground badman, Deco.  Longtime contender in Southern California’s underground electronic music scene and Deceast label don, Matt is no stranger to first-class music.  If you’re new to his sound you may remember a couple weeks back when his recent collaboration with Mesck ‘The Way We Fall’ was released as the ‘B’ side of ‘No Shelter’.  If you haven’t heard that one yet, check it out here on the feature I compiled for my other blog —> LINK.

With this solo project Deco demonstrates the vastness of his production nature, weaving in and out of a multitude of genres as his influences; jungle to dub-reggae to contemporary bass.

Across The Grain ||

The EP’s title-track takes on the half-step formula utilizing chords  heavily submerged in reverb, a neck-snapping snare, and an all-around techno infused aesthetic.  The notorious ‘uhhh’ trademarked by the one and only Biggie Smalls shows it’s face scattered throughout the song’s duration really captivating the listener and adding a sense of ‘street nostalgia’ to the beat.

True Renegades ||

This one features second on the EP and is another techno-roller that according to Deco “…pays homage to the outsiders who stand their artistic ground in the face of commercial temptations.”  The message is definitely heard in the vocal sample enlisted by the man himself.  Powerfully catchy stabs, analog sounding atmospheres, and spacious kicks are standout characteristics of this one.

Conciousness Dub ||

Deco comes correct with a clear homage to dub-reggae music as heard in the generous application of reverb, and seemingly endless delay.  This track is not only my favorite track off the release, but also contending for one of my favorite beats ever released by Deco.  It truly captures the ethos and positive vibrations that dub-reggae pioneered for dubstep.  The uplifting horns, the distant vocal processing, and overpowering wall of sub-bass (among other tracks) all come together to form a piece of music I would imagine to be widely accepted by most true reggae fans.

Polymorphism ||

Matt exits his collection of songs with a very high-energy track that exhibits jarring drum patterns and an extremely intricate programming of several mid-range bass tracks.  The tribal-esque kick pattern keeps your feet in full-fledged stomp mode while the mind-swirling atmospherics will play tricks on just about anybody’s mind!  Definitely one written to smash dance floors across the globe.

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This EP has been made available at all fine music retailers so make sure to wander on over to your store of choice and press that ‘buy’ button if you’re feeling these beats.

Buy links:

iTunes || CHEMICAL RECORDS || BEATPORT

Deco’s pages:

FACEBOOK || TWITTER || SOUNDCLOUD

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Hope you lot enjoyed the sounds!  SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SCENE.  I’ll catch you tomorrow with some more deep house sounds for those with a palette for 120.

One love.

– Kinman

Tunnidge – 2012 EP [MEDI068]

Posted by Bassweight Society on

Tunnidge Deep Medi Art

To say that I’ve been frantically anticipating the release of this EP would be a vastly immense understatement.  With it’s original release date set for December 21st of last year, it’s been exactly one month of constantly waiting to see this one hit the shelves.  Tunnidge has always been one of most successful proponents of the ‘stripped-down’ approach to song writing and this most recent release with the emphatically idolized Deep Medi imprint displays three perfect examples of this type of production.

2012 ||

The track bearing the release title establishes a precedent of ominous synths and panning undertones that could easily disorient the faint of heart.  As always the fierce drums that have become a staple of Tunnidge’s sound are very apparent throughout the beat, namely (at least for me) his kicks and hat work.  I couldn’t imagine a track better-suited for the title.

Orion ||

This beat is without a doubt my favorite off the release.  Immediately the atompheres caught my attention as my mind quickly wandered into realms of pre-1990 video games and science fiction film scoring.  The rolling drum sequences are sure to keep your head nodding on this one as the classically Atari-esque horn blows sounds off in melody.  I still haven’t been able to make out much of the sound-bit that was used but what I can say it is a vital component to the tracks synchronicity.

Take Flight ||

While maintaining a theme of brooding atmospheres and analog presence, the EP’s final track takes the energy down a bit.  The dissonant, ringing lo-fi pad that is heard throughout provides perfect contrast for the remaining elements of the tune, as they’re extremely dark.  This is the type of music that sends chills down your spine.

Have a listen below and make sure to go out purchase this release if you’re feeling it!

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CHEMICAL RECORDS || SURUS

Tunnidge’s pages:

FACEBOOK || SOUNDCLOUD || TWITTER

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I’ll catch you next time.

One love.

– Kinman

West Coast Weight: Kelly Dean’s ‘Firewall’ EP [SMOG025]

Posted by Bassweight Society on

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Big up fam’, thanks for checking in again!  We’re already two weeks into the new year and there has been a solid amount of music to hit the shelves: DJ Madd’s remix of  Candyman’s ‘Killa Sound’, Killawatt & Ipman’s ‘Warehouse Dub/Single Entity’, Boddika’s ‘Soul What VIP’, Booka Shade’s 3-track release on Blaufield, and Bungle’s ‘Aura/Astral Travel’, to name a few.  If you thought that 2012 was an amazing year for bass music you’re right but, 2013 is going to be that much better!

Today marks the drop of California native Kelly Dean’s ‘Firewall EP’ on Smog records.  Kelly Dean is one of many producers within the deep dubstep scene who have recently been cementing the U.S. onto the radar of bassweight enthusiasts across the globe.  Yes, we’ve always had heads like Matty G, Starkey, OSC, Babylon System, and Roommate (among others), but the numbers are growing and the ratio of top-notch UK:US producers finally seems to be evening out a bit.

It should come as no surprise that one of the one of the nation’s leading producers rolls deep with one of the nation’s strongest and longest-running dubstep nights/labels – Smog.  This release sees Kelly Dean take on his role in the SMOG fam’ as the deeper and darker proponent with his sweeping reese bass lines, eye-closing sub bass, eerie atmospherics, and generally minimalist philosophy on production.  The EP also bolsters remixes from Chestplate Records up-and-comer District, as well as a remix by Drumcell of the infamous Los Angeles underground crew: Droid Behavior.  It is without a doubt an EP that should not be slept on.  I was lucky enough to grab a few words with Kelly in regards to this release so take a read below while you preview his ‘Firewall’ EP:

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BWS:  So how long has this EP been in the works for?

Its been over a year that’s for sure.  I actually played these tunes in an earlier form at the SMOG 5 year party.  They have transformed over the years and matured into what you hear today.  They actually feel like little kids to me at this point.  HAHA.

BWS:  What can the listeners expect to hear from this project?

This EP has a much more mature sound to it.  Take “Samurai” for instance.  The track’s vocal is actually me.  But I took the quote from Hagakure : Book of the Samurai which is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, drawn from a collection of commentaries by the Samurai Yamamoto Tsunetomo from 1709 to 1716.  So the historical context of this tune is pretty strong, and I believe the vibe of the song is consistent with that theme.

BWS:  Do you have a personal favorite off the release?

“Samurai” and “Firewall” are my favorites mainly because of the ongoing theme.  Its a lot of fun creating a song that has somewhat of a script, almost like your scoring a movie. Those tunes have little FX sprinkled in that hint at the track titles.

BWS:  Which beat did you have the hardest time completing?

Samurai was the hardest by far.  Its the longest of the lot and the structure is different then your average dubstep tune   .  It starts off dropping into almost a garage drum pattern.  Each 16 bars it changes slightly with the percussion slowly morphing into a standard dubstep beat.  The vocal was also quite a challenge.  This is the first time I have put my own vocals into a tune that has been released.

BWS:  Any shout outs to those that helped make this happen?

Everyone supporting me since I started making music has been a MASSIVE help!  Producing music is one of those things that even the littlest bit of motivation from your peers can generate a big response in your productivity and imagination, which really helps with the writing process.  Drew & Danny at SMOG are huge in that department and this EP would not have been possible without them.  Also huge shouts to District and Drumcell for banging out unreal remixes!  Its a honor to have them on board for this project.

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There you have it people.

Here are the buy links so  choose your record store of choice and make sure to get this one onto your hard drive!

BEATPORT || iTUNES || JUNO

Kelly Dean:

FACEBOOK || SOUNDCLOUD || TWITTER

Smog:

FACEBOOK || SOUNDCLOUD || TWITTER

I’ll catch you guys next time, thanks for reading!  Make sure to support your local scene – buy music, go to shows, and tell your local promoters what the people want to hear.

One love.

– Kinman

Bassweight Sessions 5: EshOne

Posted by Bassweight Society on

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What up fam’.  Hope everything is well.

Well, the nominations for the Dubstepforum Awards 2013 have closed and any day now we should see the announcement that voting can begin.  I hope to see the BWS name on the voting sheet!  What a year 2012 was for dubstep, right?  So many great tunes released, labels started, and boundaries pushed during the past year that it’s hard to predict where things will go in 2013.  One thing is for sure, and that is the simple fact that the music, people, and scene will continue to progress.  I’m going to compile a ‘Top 20 Releases’ (obviously just an opinion) feature for 2012 as I did for 2011, and am hoping to have it all wrapped up by the end of the month (there’s soooo much good music to sift through).  I’ll keep you guys posted on that so be on the look out 🙂

Today I have a special feature with US native Donnie Valdez, most commonly known as EshOne.  A long-standing staple to the US underground, Donnie has sought out to test every boundary possible with his music whether it be formula, tempo, or distribution.  Donnie has been releasing music since 2008 in both digital and vinyl formate.  In 2011, he started up his label Elk Beats and has been releasing music exclusively through that outlet (more information regarding that in the interview below).  Donnie is an all-around genuine guy who carries himself and his music in a concise and to-the-point manner.

Take a gander below if you want to get to know Esh a bit better.  Also, he has been generous enough to offer a free tune for you to play while you read the interview!

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BWS:  Can you give the readers a quick blurb about yourself (name, hometown, music you make, etc.)?

My name is Donnie Valdez, I have tracks out there filed as EshOne, Don Valdez, and a handful of other names that I will not say. I’ve split my time since I was young between southern California and northern New Mexico, so I guess that’s had sort of a big influence on my sound. I’ve been focused on bass heavy music since I’ve started, moving through the darker stuff as I’ve come along. At this point I’m trying to play mostly, if not all, my own music in my sets. I try to create and maintain in a variety of tempos and styles, and as the library grows, the fun does too…

BWS:  Can you remember any sort of defining moment that made your mind click, and you knew from then on that you wanted to make music?

Yeah. As far as making music in general, my mom bought me a mini acoustic guitar when I was a kid and I used to play these super annoying songs to her. It was hilarious to me. As far as creating electronic music, it started from playing whole sets on vinyl, and the whole time wanting to have made one of the records I was spinning. That was the cool part to me; playing them and having the knowledge and taste to like good music was an achievement, but what about making it? That’s the shit. This is still the driving force on a personal level. You can never be good enough at making music. You can never learn enough. There’s not like a pace you have to keep though, or a race against time. It’s all about having fun, and the harder you work, the more fun you have.

BWS:  As far as I know you paint among other sorts of visual art, can you elaborate on that a bit?  Do you find any sort of connective element in creating both visual and audible artwork?

I like to make stuff. I don’t draw or paint as often as I did before, but I do a lot more screen printing and digital art these days to make up for it. I used to paint skateboard decks and sell them, but it’s been a while! I do some design work and web development, if you looked at my productivity from a financial standpoint, design would be my main gig. As a connective element between visual art and music, I’d love to learn more about video and editing. I think it would really compliment any music I create, although it’s something I’ve never had the equipment for. Now that these handheld phone things we all have are capable of so much, I might do some weird stuff and see what comes out.

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BWS:  Where can the readers find your art if they’re interested in purchasing?

I’m continuously putting things up on the Elk Beats website [ http://elkbeats.com ], right now we are limited to digital music, and occasionally tees and posters – but cassettes, greeting cards, and weird sculptures are coming. Soon.

BWS:  You’ve got a pretty solid history within the dubstep scene here in the US.  What’s it been like to watch the scene evolve and branch out during the past 6-7 years?

It’s been entertaining! It’s crazy to me how much it’s grown. At first it was kind of this niche thing. Hard to find, and special when you found it. Then it was everywhere, and sad to say, pretty annoying. It blew up the the point of melting into the electronic music/dance music scene, this big flow of repetitive beats that are categorized in weird ways, and has now secured its place in the production style hall of fame. Now that it’s more settled, I’m hoping that everyone moving on takes to heart some of the amazing parts of this genre: the bassweight, the moodiness, the weird polyrhythmic aspects of the truly deep tracks, anxious syncopation, patience with the pace… I’m also hoping that those who stay with it don’t ride the sound into the ground, rather experiment and innovate. There is so much space to explore still.

BWS:  Any moments in your history that stand out as game-changers?  Tunes, events, etc.?

I make music fast… Like really fast. Now that I’m working with different tempos, it’s easy to make a house track when I’m not feeling like making dark bassy stuff, or the other way around. So the event is that I recently started playing digital music, on CDJs, which has opened up so many new doors to me. I’ve been stuck in the position of only playing a certain style and tempo of music for a while, because I would cut dubplates for every set. Financially, I had to cut only my best stuff, and things that were sent to me, that would mix well together. Time was an issue to – if I got sent a wicked promo that came out 3 weeks later, and I only had one gig in that time, it wasn’t worth the cut. It was painful to let those go, and not be able to play some serious tunes I’ve had my hands on in the past. Now with the capability to play all the promos I’m sent, and all of the styles of music I have, including things that are old and obscure, or aren’t finished yet… My sets have become infinitely cooler. To anyone reading and thinking, “I told you so,” I don’t regret playing on dubs and vinyl for so long, and I may go back to it. I’m just on a path of super inspired and rapid creativity right now, and the lathe can’t keep up!

BWS:  I’ve seen your dubplate collection (or at least segments of it).  Do you still get the same feeling each time a new box of acetate arrives on your doorstep?  Whatever that feeling may be…

I love dubplates, I will always love them. Everyone who’s held one will talk about the smell of them. It’s true. They have a very distinct smell, and I’m sure opening a box of fresh cuts by an audiophile is very similar to opening a bag of the finest Humboldt Kush a weed smoker could get their hands on. It’s magical! Going to the mastering studio for the cut is even more exciting than a box at the door. Watching a needle etch your track into a metal disc and seeing the acetate shreds getting vacuumed up and hearing it all in real time is an experience like no other. On a performance level, I am to the point now where I just want to cut dubplates for personal use. Just my best stuff, to collect, and have a physical copy of.

BWS:  I saw you post a cartoon strip like a week or so ago (state of the music industry from The Oatmeal), and you said it gave much of the reason behind the inception of Elk Beats.  Can you go into more detail what you meant by that?

Oh yeah! The cartoon had to do with the digital distribution market, the disconnect it creates from fans to artists, and offered insight into the benefits of cutting out distribution altogether. It’s all true! At Elk Beats, we just sell through our website. It’s never been about getting charted on Beatport, or iTunes, or any of those things. To be honest I don’t give a shit about any of that. As a DJ, I would personally never touch anything I found on any sort of a chart, and to be quite honest, I don’t want DJs who think like that buying my shit anyway. We’re making and putting out stuff that not everyone will like, which is perfect, because we’re making it for those who are going to like it. This model is fantastic! I get to meet, or get emails from, everyone who’s supporting Elk Beats and the crew. It’s rad getting to know who likes what we do, and to see what they do! Also, getting to work with some of the artists I have so far with Elk Beats has been a great experience. Both Raggs and AxH have been inspiring and fun people to build with, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to do so.

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BWS:  Is there any specific direction you want to take your music this upcoming year?  Personally or with Elk Beats?

I’d like to continue making different styles of music, and finding better ways to mix them all together. I’ve been inspired a lot this past year by people who mix different tempos, especially Wheez-ie, Distal, and Sublmnl Sound System. As for the label, I’m always looking for ways to push Elk Beats to the next level. I’m working with a couple of artists who I believe will help do just that, and looking forward to what we’re going to put out this year. More tempos, more styles, more art. Look for lots of cool merch and one of a kind stuff on the Elk Beats site this year.

BWS:  What was your favorite piece of music the past year?  If you can’t single it, top 3/top5?

There are way too many outside of the bass music/dubstep sound, so for the sake of simplicity, I’ll go with Goth Trad – Man In The Maze. That song is an amazing piece of music, as is the whole album. Plus he is one of the coolest people I have met in the music scene, a very smart guy.

BWS:  Can you tell us a little bit about the song you’ve be so generous to share with the readers?

This song, The Lagoon, is just one of those weird songs. It comes with a super thick vibe if you can pull it off right. I’ve only played it a few times. In order to play the track, the sound system has to be super beefy, the crowd has to be in the zone, and the set has to be authoritative. It’s one of my favorites for that reason. If you can play it, and it works, you’ve created a very rare and very fulfilling energy with a room full of people who will appreciate it.

BWS:  What do you think could be the most useful piece of advice to any new producer?

The more unique your music is, the more accurate it is. It’s just like telling a story. You can exaggerate the parts you think people will like, and leave out the personal stuff, or you can tell it your way and get better and better at communicating what you like about it. Decide what you want people to hear, and work hard at getting that sound to them as clearly as possible. It sounds easier than it is, but that’s the fun part.

BWS:  Who shot Biggie and Pac?

I think it would be disrespectful to speculate. I’ve been inspired by the music of both, and I’ve never even met either, so I guess I can say no one shot them. They’re still alive and reaching people through what they made, and will never stop.

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Here’s the beat Donnie has been kind enough to give away – a track titled ‘The Lagoon’ that emits a classic vibe with a slumping bass line for all the soundsystem heads to nod to.  Big up Donnie, much respect and appreciation for the interview!

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EshOne Pages:

FACEBOOK || SOUNDCLOUD || TWITTER

Elk Beats:

FACEBOOK || SOUNDCLOUD || TWITTER

I’ll catch all your mugs next time!  Big up and one love.

– Kinman

Bassweight Sessions 4: District

Posted by Bassweight Society on
DISTRICT
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Bless up everybody!  Today I have a special feature for all you readers consisting of Bassweight Sessions #4.  I’ve been lucky enough to grab a few words with District of the Chestplate Records crew.  With his debut release on Chestplate in 2011 it has been an eventful two years for the Coventry based producer.  With a production style that embodies heavily-charged sub-frequencies, twisted mid-range basses, and staggered drum patterns, the Chestplate  imprint seems nothing less than a perfect home for Dan’s sound.  He now holds a total of three releases on the label, including a collaborative EP with Sleeper and another solo-single released a few months back.  As Dan progressively asserts his sound as an integral component to the Chestplate aesthetic we can rest assured that 2013 will see the release of many District beats.  I was able to catch his set at SMOG Sundays last month and caught wind of some really great tracks that he has hidden in his arsenal.  Check below to see what Dan had to say…
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BWS:  Since your debut release last year, ‘3.5 Grams / Haymaker’, you carved out a very distinct sound for yourself, incorporating what seems to be a significant deal of industrial and nuerofunk influences.  Your sound fits in so perfectly with the ‘Chestplate’ aesthetic, I have to ask, did you have your eyes locked on Distance?  Or were you just sending tunes out to everywhere and happened to get swooped up by Distance first?
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To be honest, I originally set out with the intention of sending tracks to Distance to feature in his ‘New Talent’ section on his Rinse.FM show.  At the time there weren’t many people pushing the darker sounds so it was a natural thing to pass music to him rather than anyone else.  I was just lucky that he heard something in those early tracks and encouraged me to make more.
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BWS:   As far as I know this is your first time in the states?  What are your impressions thus far of the US?  So far you’ve stopped in Houston, Denver, and Detroit, what’s been your favorite stop so far?  Any crowds that have topped the crazy Belgians you spoke of in your AMA a few months back?
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It is!  I’ve been blown away by everything I’ve seen so far (and eaten), especially how polite people are over here.  We’ve had some great crowds already who know the classics as well as the new tracks which is really good.  It’s made the whole experience a lot more fun because I’m testing new tracks as well as playing my favourites.
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BWS:  Regarding the current state of file sharing and its obvious impacts on the artists records sales, what are your thoughts about people who argue that the artists make plenty of money touring and selling merchandise?  From your own experience, and from what you’ve seen with friends, does touring actually provide a realistic/sufficient income?
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It’s true that touring and playing gigs makes the artist the most money but I think as a whole, all areas of the industry are scratching their heads a little bit and trying to work out where the money is.  I’ve watched a lot of four-piece and five-piece bands have to give up playing and touring because it just costs so much, especially now that some venues are putting caps on selling merchandise.  For DJ’s its not so bad because you don’t need to take as many people or as much equipment but its still expensive for promoters.  None of us are millionaire rockstars.  We are just normal people, file sharing stops people like Distance from being able to put out new music and support new artists like myself, Sleeper or Razor Rekta.  Thats the real side of it.
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BWS:   If you collaborate on a tune with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
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I’ve been listening to a lot of drum and bass on the tour so far, I’d love to work Phace or Misanthrop.  I’m very fond of the level of detail that goes into their tracks.  Awesome producers.
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BWS:   What are your thoughts on being exclusively signed to a label, just as you are to Chestplate?  It seems to be something that is becoming more common of the late, what are some of the things that you find advantageous about artists sticking to one label?  Do you ever fear that it could potentially pigeonhole your sound or limit your exposure?  Or do you think that the ‘branding’ that comes along with that approach is more beneficial than hopping from label to label?
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I think it just looks better for all of us being part of a team together. we all have our sound and support each others tunes.  It will only pigeonhole us if we carry on churning out the same stuff which I don’t think there is any emphasis on.
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BWS:  What are you thoughts of the Los Angeles crew?
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Los Angeles was sick! Proper fun going back-to-back at the end with Distance and Tunnidge, thats the sort of thing that only people who were in the room at that time will be able to experience. vibes.
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BWS:  Can you let the readers know of anything as far as releases, tours, etc. to keep an eye out for?
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I’m currently looking at my next Chestplate release as well as a couple of remixes for when I get back home.  I have a collaborative track with Sleeper called ‘The Risk’ which will be out on Osiris just after Christmas I believe.
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BWS:   Who shot Biggie and Pac?
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Hologram 2Pac did it.
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Out to Dan for taking the time out of his schedule to answer these questions for us all!  Unfortunately he wasn’t able to record a mix for you guys due to a busy schedule but hopefully we can get one out of him in the near future 🙂  Be sure to stop by all District’s pages to show him some support if you’re feeling his sounds.  Be on the look for that Osiris release with Sleeper due out anytime now.  Below is a mix that was recorded a few months back as promo for his booking agency, so give it a listen if you haven’t already!  Still plenty of dubs inside!
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DISTRICT:
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CHESTPLATE:
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I’ll catch everybody next time around.  Got some new features coming to the website for 2013 so hold tight with the improvement massive.  Hope you guys have a dope New Year!
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One love.
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– Kinman