Bassnectar's European Vacation Mix by Bassnectar

Bassnectar's European Vacation Mix by Bassnectar


Bassnectar doing what he does best, taking hip-hop vocals and samples, bro-step basslines and electronica errata, putting in a blender and pressing pulse. Boom!! There's a quite a few standout tunes, deconstructed and glitched-out to nth degree. No track list unforntunately, but in case you were wondering, yes the the title of the mix is a nod to the 1985 Chevy Chase classic. "Look kids there's Big Ben." Indeed.

Magnetic Man NME Interview, Benga Takes the Piss Quits Dubstep

Obviously this is a joke, but these guys take some very serious stabs at the genre and actually have a good fucking point. It's obvious dubstep has become a homogenized, over-hyped, bro'd-out trend. Bandwagoners did kind of ruin the vibe. Advertising and film industries played out the most aggy, trash-produced bro-step over subjects that had absolutely nothing to do with the aesthetic. For fucks sake, The Red Tails trailer had dubstep over it. Are you serious? The Tuskegee Airmen flew in the 19 fucking 40's. So yeah, the interview is a joke, but there's some good take-away points.

Noisia - "The Devil May Cry" Melting X-Boxes Everywhere in 2013.

Got an interesting press release from the The Collective today. Apparently Noisia isn't content with murdering your home stereo equipment, there' set on melting your X-boxes too. So far these bass merchants have done no wrong and are still one of the most consistent and brutal bass acts around. I prefer their drum n bass, but this is good too! Check it!

Today Capcom announced that the popular video game series, Devil May Cry or DMC’s soundtrack will be produced by Noisia and the rock band Combichrist. Noisia recently released the “Devil May Cry Soundtrack Sample” on Soundcloud and made the almost 3 minute track available for free. They also released a statement surrounding their work on the upcoming video game, which is due out in stores January 15^th 2013 on Xbox and PS3.

"Its been an awesome experience working with Ninja Theory on the game. We had great freedom but were also bound by certain criteria typical in the game world, these are challenging boundaries (for example; consistency in sonics over 180 minutes of music) but also lots of space in terms of dynamics & progression and instrumentation, being able to create soundscapes without having to worry about holding the attention of a dancefloor. Also, their music director was great to work with, good vibes. It's great when you get to play to your strengths. And the game kicks ass." - Noisia

Benga - I will Never Change Teaser - Vinyl Soundwaves

Quick little cool an clever tease for Benga's "I will Never Change" directed by US. I'm assuming this will be a full video at some point and Ilook forward to see what kind of twist and change-ups that we'll see with this visual motif. I love the stop-motion vinyl coming on a soundwaves.

Us pressed, hand labeled, hand numbered, polished, and animated 960 unique records in their latest for Benga. - via Motiongrapher

I wonder if that bought their own dubplate lathe or vinyl cutter for it? And is there audio on it? Meanwhile you can buy Benga's track here: http://smarturl.it/Benga-IWNC

Chase and Status - Live USA Tour Documentary - I Remember When I Used to Feel Something

Here's a little slice of tour life with Chase & Status, Mc Rage, Delilah and their drummer Andy Gangadeen. It's a bit of a pretty fluff piece, with little to no over arching story, but if you like their tunes and want to check out what they are like on tour, here's your chance.

Mostly what I got from it; it looks like they put on a hell of a live show with DJ mixed real instruments on certain tunes. How they sound, not too sure as they only put the audio from their studio tracks over most of their performance. It would have sick if you got to actually hear the live show, you know, it is a live tour documentary after all. You get a little bit of a taste at the 26 minute mark, and it sounds pretty good. The soundboard audio is obviously not the best as it's mixed down for a live show, but hey I'll take what I can get! There is a few funny Raver Parking Lot bits, ala Heavy Metal Parking Lot. And lots and lots of pretty festival footage and venues going ballistic. Without a doubt it visually reflects the energy and vibe of their tunes.

Cypress x Rusko - "Roll It, Light It" West Coast Grimestep

What a great collaboration between Cypress Hill, Rusko and director Jodeb. "Roll It, Light It" does what it says on the tin. It's a deep dubstep roller with slightly glitched-out hiccups and Cypress crew spitting slick grimey bars to the riddim. The rhymes are faster than you typical Cypress tune and seem fall into Grime-esque patterns, but that could just be because of the dubstep beats and association with it. Anyways this style doesn't always work, but here it's a freaking home run. Cypress are running ting's all up and down this tune, but they aren't making jibberish and bum-rushing the flow. Quickfire burst, then mellow chorus, let the tune breathe, then back into it. Future MC's take note, that's the way it's done. The video itself is a gorgeous train ride through collapsing monuments, broken glitch loops, Plexus vectors animations and color tearing separations. Newton-fueled down-rezzing and broken pixelization echos the grinding bit-crushed bass, harmonizing into a luscious aural and video landscape. It's edited quick and punchy but you still get a proper look at all the beautiful renders and slow destruction. Fucking aces.

Double Tiger - No Give Up - Mediative Tsunami

Here's a deep one from Double Tiger. The video is just a tease to a a forthcoming EP which in includes some dope remixes by AZZXSSS, J-Kenzo and T-AK. It's a pretty standard in terms of melancholy vocals paired with a measured and creeping beat. Not too speesh on the Medi side of things to be honest, but it's decent enough. However I really like video which uses some clever imagery of preparing sushi in reverse paired with some scary facts about the Japan tsunami that really gave me pause. I think it's worth taking a look at the whole picture, you get more out of the tune that way. And in that way, it's truly mediative.

Filastine (with Nova) - Colony Collapse

"Colony Collapse" is more on the song side of dubstep, and while it may not have the one of most original tear-out bassline ever, it makes up for with vocal melody and atmospheric riddims. This video is dirty and filthy in the literal kind of way. I like the D.I.Y. ethics of this kind of production. Here are some people that pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and made a song focusing on environmental issues.

Colony Collapse is filmed at sites of ecological friction, the fault lines of conflict between humanity and (the rest of) nature. We snuck into a gas drilling site gone awry, and performed in the midst of traffic jams in a megacity where those fossil fuels get squandered. We filmed in a landscape of garbage, and in a supermarket where all that discarded packaging originates. This is the slow-motion apocalypse, uncomfortably close and personal.

The audio EP of Colony Collapse drops February 29, 2012, and comes accompanied by some beautiful remixes made by production talent gathered from the four corners of the world: Beats Antique (US), Squeaky Lobster (BE), L'Ouef Raide (FR), and Fletcher in Dub (SA).

Colony Collapse is an early warning for £ooT, Filastine's third album, coming April 2012.

As their kickstarter page states:

...our goal for these videos is not only to make something beautiful, but to confront and indict the catastrophes that are the very fabric of our globalized economic order.

BASS KITCHEN: 12TH PLANET - FLINCH at Bottom Lounge in CHICAGO, IL on 02/16/12

BASS KITCHEN: 12TH PLANET - FLINCH at Bottom Lounge in CHICAGO, IL on 02/16/12

Video Jacking - Real N!gg@s in Paris

Some clever Parisian vandals straight up destroyed everything in sight just for a stupid Kanye and Jay Z tune. This video is equal parts sickening and fascinating. I can't help but think that some writers are actually doing just this all the time. Get high, listen to the new joint then proceed to trash everything in sight. Bomb with lyrics, tags, paint, and scribbles. A full on attack on public property for no real reason. The point is pure destruction and thuggery. That is pretty much the only thing I see in this angst, rage, and bullshit.

Dub Phizix and Skeptical feat Strategy - Marka - There's a Wardance in East London Park

Yes, yes! I can't believe this anthem slipped by me, I must be listening to the wrong DJs. The biggest tune of 2011 is reminds me of the old and proper dubstep. Brings me back to a time you can go out and hear Loaefah's "Goat Stare" and Mala's "Left Leg Out". There's Indian Chiefs in the woods and firedancers prancing in the park. A wardance in East London. Catch this vibe. Get it on vinyl at Exit Records site.

We a kill dem a bloodclaat gain Got the tings on lock down again Them a tek ten shots in again Dem pon a old pan sound dem again Man a gash dem and light them again Becaa me nah hyping again Man are ready fi di war, when it comes on top, ‘ca me nah feel frightened again

Rusko - Somebody to Love - video

An unlikely story. Two old people meet, fall in love, and brock out a Rusko gig @ the Congress on NYE in Chicago. This of course tells a very different story from the cruel reality of a teen being raped outside of Rusko's gig after being turned aways for having no ID. To be fair Rusko did tweet about the incident after he learned of it and was shocked and horrified as any reasonable person would be.

“Shocked and Saddened by this ... if you saw ANYTHING AT ALL do the right thing & contact Chicago PD"

Still the video seems to be a bit insensitive. Perhaps if it was a montage of venues and not so clearly the Congress, I wouldn't have such a negative reaction to it. At least music-wise it delivers us some sorely needed vintage Rusko vibe. It's just a mystery to me, why anyone would want to associate their song called "Somebody to Love" with a night ended up being so tragic and brutal.

Re:Generation more like Regurgitation

Am I right? This trailer made me puke a little bit in my mouth. The last beat is actually kind of dope, but the whole idea of even making a movie about this... barf. Here's the write-up quote:

“Follow DJ Premier, Mark Ronson, Skrillex, Pretty Lights and The Crystal Method as they remix, recreate and re-imagine five traditional styles of music. From the classical perfection of the Berklee Symphony Orchestra to the bayou jams of New Orleans jazz, our five distinctive DJs collaborate with some of today’s biggest musicians to discover how our musical past is influencing the future”

That paragraph makes slightly nauseous as well. Hey producers, get over your self.

Top-Twenty Bass Tracks of 2011

Oh man here's is my obligatory 2011 top ten list. But it isn't ten, its twenty. I'm lazy and can't make decisions, sorry. Anyways here you go, I'll post up links to the tunes as I stumble across them and start rambling about how they are epic-ly brutal. Happy Belated News Years you bass freaks.

 Top-Twenty Bass Tracks of 2011 

 1. Dub Mechanics - Propane
I first thought this dubstep tune was by Coki and posted up about this on the blog here looking for a tune ID. Some helpful soul on dubstep forum finally pointed me in the direction of a you tube video and it's by some Dub Mechanics, whom are unknown to me. Best info I can find on them is on there sound cloud page.

"The Dub Mechanics, a South London based duo who Dj & produce Dub, Dubstep and various other genres of music."

As exclusive and mysterious as this dub is, it's actually nothing compared to it's gnarly roar. This tune is devastation and mega-death. It's the gamma bomb rage virus that triggers a zombie apocalypse. Barking rabid robot dogs commanded by lord Darkseid that will devour you and all you're little twilight raver buddies. A whirlwind of comic book violence and crappy metaphors. In otherwords, sick. For that it earns my top spot on the list.

 2. Evol Intent - Hollow Earth
Neurofunk inspired drum n bass tearouts tunes never really seem to get old do they? Alot of 2011 was me rediscovering my love for drum n bass. I found the landscape had changed and everything became slower   and mixed with old school flavors. Which is great, but I was looking for tunes like this that jumped forward from where I left off.

Evol Intent delivers one mother of a payload with Hollow Earth. A twenty megaton explosion of plasma pulsing bass and wreckage. It's got that sci-fi cinematic intro similar to a Dom + Roland or Virus tune, with some very lush and over-produced flotsam and jetsam spaces sounds. They are all too familiar trimmings of a tech-step epic. It drops straight into a hardstep runner, spits you out the otherside of the blackhole into a dubstep breakdown that dissects the beats and provides lot of delicious edits for the beard-stroking massive to fawn over.

So yeah basically I'm saying it's got some straight forward banging phrases on one hand, and complex breakdowns, on the other. Makes it an interesting tune to listen to again and again. All while being kick-ass and heavy and make me want to run around and play lazer tag and shit.

 3. Phace + Mistanthrop - Energie
GAH! What a stormer! This one draws a dark sci-fi vibe from films like Alien, Bladed Runner, Terminator and maybe Hellraiser In Space and injects it into a brutally futuristic beat. A tradition set forth by godfathers of tech step such as Dom & Roland, Ed Rush & Optical and )EIB(. It's not groundbreaking by any means but the sheer bass weight and energy makes it noteworthy. It's just fun having proper tech-step back in the lime light.  4. Modeselektor feat. Nazizi & Abbas "Monkey Flip"
 5. Digital Mystikz - Animal
 6. Basher - Androids
 7. Zinc - Recovered
 8. Azealia Banks - 212
No brainer on this here. Huge bangin'track from the indy breakout artist out of Harlem, Azealia Banks. Azzy can be as soulful as she is raunchy, and the contrast between the salty and sweet styles make "212" the perfect dancefloor banger. Granted, production on this isn't on the heavy side, but it's decent bass track. The groove is funky enough to get people moving and the hard-hitting bars amp up the vibe 'till screaming takes over the breakdown and dives into the honeycomb vocals on the refrain.  9. Mosca - Bax
 10. Magnetic Man - Karma Crazy
 11. Skream - Exothermic Reaction
 12. Excision + Datsik remix of Noisia - Alpha Centauri
 13. The Aliens - Xterminate
 14. Stinkahbell - Something In Your Eyes
 15. Interface - Twister (Ft. Shahin Badar)
 16. Wickaman - Free Bea
 17. Critycal Dub Feat Level 2 - Touch The Sky
 18. Noisia Remix of Deadmau5 - Raise Your Weapon
 19. MRK1 - Cardiac Arrest
 20. ill.Gates + Dov Remix of Greg Reve - Decoy

MRK1 Freebies

Here's a whole mess of MRK1 freebies and remixes. From synthy epic vibes, to grimed-up dancehall, and trance-out pop, he's got multi-flavors running. Not very typical stuff you'd expect from MRK1. Personally I dig the dancehall and grime vibes, not a big fan of his trancy champaign dubstep cash-in's. MRK1 - Revival (free download) http://www.sendspace.com/file/dqc2p5 by MRK1 Dukebox - REPLAY EQ'D [DKS] free download! (MRK1 and Doctor) by MRK1 Lady Gaga - Telephone (MRK1 Booted it Rmx) free download by MRK1 Rossi B and Luca feat FLODAN - Shooter (MRK1 remix) by MRK1

1Xtra D&B Show with Crissy Criss 2011-11-24 Upfront Mix

http://www.filesonic.com/file/3997659955/1Xtra_D&B_M1X_Crissy_Criss_2011-11-24.mp3 There’s new music from Nero, Wilkinson, Fred V, Grafix on this one. It's a proper mix n blend and sampling of the current state of drum n bass from a guy that's literally grown-up doing this. Crissy Criss really knows his shit and you can tell he's got mad passion for this music. It's always a pleasure hear his latest mixes, have a listen. Sorry no TL.

Plastician on Rinse FM 2011-10-30

http://www.filesonic.com/file/3040090334/Plastician301011.mp3

Man, haven't posted much from Plas in a minute,so here's his birthday show. Not much has changed to be honest, his usual bag of ticks and treats include: straight top-40 bangers, hard-edged dubs, the occasional synthy love and grime and 2-step anthems. There's a couple of nice double drops and long riding blends, and some background chatter. A few technicals pop up later in the mix, the mike lead gets real spotty, but it never derails the mix or the vibes. That's what the radios show is all about isn't it? Pure vibes. And with that, the Plastician formula works well, what can you say. Happy Birthday Plastician, sounds like you had a good one!

DJ Class // Smash Gordon // Mark Instinct - Tear The Club Up 2099

TEAR THE CLUB UP 2099 - DJ CLASS - SMASH GORDON - MARK INSTINCT by SMASH GORDON - SUBHUMAN

This is commercial dubstep, I mean really, really, commercial. To be honest, I normally wouldn't post up about this kind of stuff, but I have a weakness for Baltimore Club and this is a remake of the "Tear The Club Up". I've heard the original a bunch of times on a Tittsworth mix or somewhere like that. It's booty-shaking roller-skating birthday party anthem. A total club bangin' dance floor killer.

The dubstep refix, is actually not horrible. I hear some Flux Pavillion/ Doctor P type influences, and a basic rave-up approach that's very broadly commercial. There's nothing too heavy or filthy about it and it certainly isn't deep. It's top-end is a bit too crisp for my tastes and a bit much on the chirpy whistle noises. I mean if Funkmaster Flex were to do dubstep, he'd probably do it like this. It kind of reminds me of when Adam F returned back to drum n bass with Breakbeat Kaos after spending years producing hip-hop and all of sudden had this really cleaned up sound. It's certainly better than the G-step shit from Snoop-Dog and Battle Cat. So yeah, I hate to admit it but this tune kinda works. I'll be interested to see what else comes out of Smash Gordon and crew.

So Undead! Trailer

SO UNDEAD! trailer from so undead on Vimeo.

So Undead! is an exhibit about making connections between seemingly unrelated genres: Extreme Guitar Music ie. Punk, Metal and HC and the endless shades of Electronica. The art that will be shown at the event is wholly based on interviews conducted with artists, who in the past have dabbled in guitar distortion and are currently masters of the art of the synthetic. The interviewees include: Mary Anne Hobbs, Robot Koch (Jahcoozi)..., Cristian Vogel (Super Collider), T.Raumschmiere, Lars Kirchbach (Tolcha), Vladislav Delay (Luomo), The Foreign Beggars, CREEP, Sneaky (Fingathing), The Bug etc.

This looks pretty cool. I myself have a a strong background with punk, hardcore, grindcore, death metal and black metal. In high school I did a death metal fanzine called "Lockport Underground", and contributed to several others. Put out several tape compilations and one professionally released cassette EP by a band from the Netherlands. Years later, in college I did a punk/hardcore/extreme music fanzine called "I Hate you!" which was later changed to "I hate you! (And I hope you fucking die)" so I wasn't confused with a another 'zine that took my exact name (even though I had it first). Also a more lifestyle/story garage punk 'zine called "Fucked For Life". This was like '96-'98. I got into drum n bass in '98 and started a record label called Assassin Records around 2000. Put out two DnB 12"s before calling it quits after our European Distro closed owing us hundreds of dollars. Not to steal the thunder, and make this about me, but I'm interested in checking out this movie/ doc, as it seems to closely parallel my experience in underground music and many of my friends. I don't often get a chance to reflect on that part of my past, and this is the first I've actually blogged about it.

There's is something interesting in people on that journey searching for uniquely voiced aggressive music and taking similar paths to get there. Musicians get there one way, journalists and label owners another, and fans probably take the longest most winding trek of them all. It will be cool to examine this subject in a longer form and make the connections. I remember being floored when I first found out drum and bass producer Klute was also the drummer for U.K. skate punk band The Stupids, a band I used to listen to all the time. Mitch Harris from Napalm Death, Terrorizer, and Scorn fame; also went on to producer drum n bass and various dubstep projects. And Borgore, of course, was in the death metal band Shabira, and influenced by the band Death from their LP "Scream Bloody Gore" in taking his Dubstep moniker. "It comes from Borger, which is my family name and then Gore comes from Death's album, ‘Scream Bloody Gore’." For a music nerd like myself it will be exciting to examine those kinds of personalities, and just hear people talk about hardcore, punk, and metal; that are into bass culture as well. If you are down, support this movie, spread the trailer.

Skream & Benga - BBC 1xtra 23/09/11

http://cdn.getdarker.com/bacbc1b7ea5d4adc420e07a9c15ca9ef/download.mp3

It seems like it's been ages since I've posted a full mix, so thought I'd go back to the roots of this blog and post up and one by Skream & Benga who are playing at the Congress in Chicago Oct. 19th. Go check it out if you can, they always put on a killer show.

1. Buraka Som Sistema — Hangover (Caspa Remix)
2. Joker — Back In The Days
3. Stenchman — My Favourite Tree
4. Icicle & Distance — Exhale
5. Actrazor — Infadel
6. Echo Park — Fibre Optic (12th Planet & Finch Remix)
7. Kode9 — Samurai 9
8. ConQuest — Hard Food
9.
10. Showjacker - Rob da Banks guide to barely believable genres of music
11.
12. Chase & Status — Hitz (Dillon Francis Remix)
13. Sam Frank — Simple Life
14. Rusko — Taking It Back
15.
16. Sgt Pokes MC Session with Skream - Various Tracks
17.
18. Welcome To My Hood - Trolley Snatcha
19. Emalkay ft. rod azlan — Flesh and Bone
20. Amon — Tobin (16 bit remix)
21. Trolley Snatcha — Flying Missiles
22. Buraka — ba ba ba (caspa remix)
23. The Others — First Flight
24. Trolley Snatcha — Nasty sh**
25. Emalkay — Fabrication
26. Trolley Snatcha — Giving Up
27. Trolley Snatcha — The Jungle
28. Yogi ft. ayah mahar — Follow You (Trolley snatcha remix)
29. Foreign Beggars ft. noisia — Contact (Trolley snatcha remix)
30. Spor — Pacifica (chasing shadows remix)
31. Trolley Snatcha — Make my whole world
32. Goth-Trad — Babylon Fall
33. Goldie — The Core
34. Buraka Som Sistema — Hangover (Ba Ba Ba) (Caspa Remix)
35. Stenchman — My Favourite Tree
36. Actrazor — Infadel
37. Echo Park — Fibre Optic
38. Kode9 Kode9 — Samurai 9
39. ConQuest — Hard Food
40. Chase & Status — Hitz (Dillon Francis Remix)
41. Sam Frank — Simple Life
42. Rusko — Taking it Back
43. Flux Pavilion and SKism — Jump Back (feat. Foreign Beggars)
44. Goth-Trad — Babylon Fall