I wrote this EP after a month break from Ableton. After experiencing problems with my hard drives, I took a rest-bit from technology and focused on paintings, drawings, pastels, and videography. This analog process of creation allowed the mind to recover from digital overload. A nature break, we’ll say.
Returning to Ableton, I focused on ambient auras and decapitating decibels of bass. I’m continuing the exploration of the dark and glitched. Punishing malfunctions and borderline bad beats. Teetering the line between heady, introspective sound design and flat out noise. I thank my listeners for taking a chance, braving the corrupted collisions and whirlpools of wub.
“Halftime Homers” and “I could use a lil USAID” are two of my favorite tracks I’ve written, and tracks like “Jungle Garbage” are attempts to solidify myself into the genre of experimental bass.
I still have a lot of work. Much producing to be done.
But… I’m beginning to see the fruits of my labor. The hard work is paying off, judging by the results of these tracks.
“Naive-Expressionism”, the name of the EP, is the genre of art I classify myself.
From beats cooked in 2-3 hours, drawing and paintings done in mass, to the warfare of words; the majority of my art is produced in a barrage of emotion and represents the “outsider artist” – untrained and self-taught. Utilizing my sensitivity, I attempt to dispel my creative output like a hand-twisted sponge, dousing the canvas in the raw and gritty.
Releasing the project yesterday on my 30th birthday, I felt compelled to provide an honest representation of my production skills, and sat down over the course of a week and produced the “NAIVE EXPRESSIONISM EP”.
Producing electronic music is not achieved overnight, despite my intentions.
A process of learning sound design, composition, software, music theory, file management, mixing, mastering. Marketing. Over the past year, I’ve uploaded all finished tracks to provide a representation of my process. A “started from the bottom” proof of purchase.
Personally, I don’t think people understand the difficulty of producing electronic music. I know I didn’t. And by providing an honest journey, maybe others won’t be dissuaded from sticking with the art. It takes time, really.
The portfolio also proves that I don’t require any ghost producers.
I am self-taught, self produced. The proof is in the pudding.
Looking for the heaviest hitters in underground bass music? Look no further than Generation I from the mysterious arrival. – a curated compilation of our favorites names in glitch hop and neurohop. A crash landed ship hauling the prized goods of J.Lang, Sqonk, Fika, Crawdad Sniper, Ginseng, Shep, Hokey Boi, and more. With the impending departure of Tipper, producers across the globe scramble to fill the void and pay tribute to the monolith figure, Dave Tipper.
Today’s we’re blessed to uncover a transmission from the future of glitch hop and neuro bass, a transmission extending light years away from modern day Earth, a statement confirming that Tipper was only the beginning. Only the genesis of a movement that exists in galaxies far, far away.
A movement of laser-precision sound design, bone bunting bass, and translatable, alien squelches. Are we ready?
Track’s like J.LANG’s “Like This” prove to commandeer listeners as our digital vessel corrupts into cyberspace after a bad export. Gurgling and squelching, the track breathes with artificial life and drools with digital decay and malfunction. Like applying automatic driving to your Tesla on winding, country roads. Will you survive? The track insists we hold on for dear life. Hard when you’re made of pixels.
Next, we’re abducted abroad the spacecraft of Sqonk, a PA native who pushes the parameters of halftime with funky, glitched grooves and sound design straight from the riverside swamps of the Susquehanna. Sqonk, a versatile producer proves why he calls halftime home, delivering dank, digital download speeds over his tearout track “Brain Sludge”. Never a disappointing moment from a hardworking producer, releasing some five EP’s in the past year. Congrats Brodie, strong work.
After Sqonk, you’ll pause to see what church you’ve just been transported, but have no fear, Sqonk’s dropping listeners off at Crawdad Sniper’s mass to receive a blessing. And boy are we blessed. Beckoning bass lines, a colossal kick, whizzing wubs, and the Sunday School sample instruct listeners to stay engaged. A powerful combination of religious high magick and ironically a little witchcraft, but we won’t tell anyone. Especially not a priest.
J.LANG, Sqonk, and crawdad sniper back to back. Can you ask for anything more on this halftime hallelujah? I was hooked after the three-peat victory. Generation I bangs. If you’re looking for the most competitive sounds in the glitch hop universe, X marks the spot with Generation I.
And we love to see how arrival. hinted a Generation II? Like Terminator 2, I love a good sci-fi sequel.
Here is a list of my favorite Bass Projects (EP/LPs) of 2024
41) Kizer – Recursion EP
Looking for something that quenches your music listening thirst? Try the Recursion EP from Kizer. Tracks like Abnormal and Enhanced are especially keen to my appreciation for glitch. This whole EP stands together as something new and interesting in the field of bass music. Don’t believe me? Why not give Kizer’s Recursion EP a listen for yourself?
40) Zach Christ – 𐘲(𐘨)𐚎𐘲𐝥𐃀𐘡𐘴𐝂.
Zach Christ resurrected the dopest hyper-glitch soundscapes I’ve heard in recent times. This project is absolutely bonkers and deserves a listen from any self-proclaimed introspective listener. I return to this project often when looking for inspiration or queues on how to produce the nastiest and dirtiest glitch. Looking for something different from your average bass tune, something experimental and abrasive? Look no further.
39) VANM – ACTIVATE EP
I don’t know why I like riddim, but I do… something about the feeling of marching the collective unconscious with alien sound effects over thick sub bass and repetitive, lurching beats. It’s quite obliterating. Speaking of obliteration, here’s VANM’s ACTIVATE.
38) Ooga – Brain Legs EP
Ooga blesses listeners with a party in our ears, bringing the fiercest beats we’ve heard from the caveman. What’s going on? Ooga sounds like he’s waging cave war with a rival tribe. We listeners wish a safe and speedy end to this war, but in the meantime, our ears are extremely pleased with the inspiration.
37) Crawdad Sniper – Mellifluous
I’m adding Mellifluous exceptionally late, and honestly it deserves higher in the list, but wasn’t something I found until today. But Mellifluous is from 2024 and I want to make sure it gets recognition. These grooves are funky and exciting to the ears. I needed Crawdad Sniper in my vocabulary much sooner, shame on me. Really digging this project. While I gravitate toward the heavier and grittier, Mellifluous scratches an itch.
36) Aweminus – GURNVILLE EP
Featuring massive sub bass, chaotic drops, variety in genre, Aweminus slams the goofiest dunk we’ve heard in awhile. This project is wonky and head rattling like mid 2000’s tear out dubstep. A nostalgia is present throughout the project, from the bleeps and bloops of Gurnville to the drum n bass of “All The Way Down”, this project satisfies many needs across many genres.
35) Isotropic – Refraction Spaces
I discovered Isotropic dwelling in the land of hyper glitch, a term coined by Woulg and fellow glitch.cool artists. A term to describe the morphing of bass and intelligent dance music. I enjoyed this project, a combination of emotional ambiance and far-out, IDM inspired sound design. Isotropic is easily the most underground on the list with a total of 75 followers, but the project inspired me to push sound design, and fine tune my ambient drone. “Refraction Spaces” is less danceable, and more of a cereal, heady experience, daring the listener to buy the ticket and take the ride.
34) BackLeft x Phunk Bias- Amateur Hour [WPN009]
Looking for heavy neuro drops, punishing glitch-scapes and funky fun? This halftime project is what you’ve been awaiting. Upbeat, funky halftime beats to rock there soul from two heavy hitters in bass music. What an unexpected surprise?
33) EXECUTIONER – CRAWLER IN CRAWLER
Executioner is one of my favorite names in dubstep and has been for a while. I was pleasantly surprised to see the release of “Crawler In Crawler. EXECUTIONER delivers just like his name implies, beheading sound design and chaotic atmospheres. If you’re looking for the darker side of dubstep, look no further. EXECUTIONER is a treat from hell.
32) J.LANG – Shenanigans EP
This jawn bangs. Four cyber bangers loaded one after another. Didn’t learn about J.Lang until recently and I’m thankful I did. Check out the review of his latest project, Protonoid here. Constantly upgrading, J.Lang is a force to be reckoned with in experimental bass music. We’ll be on the look out for more releases. Check out J.Lang’s release on BEET RANCH.
I mean holy shit. Not to mention J.Lang’s Overcomplicated EP released only a few months prior. This guy’s on fire.
31) Pluto Era – The Deep Breath
Pluto Era’s ability to capture mind-melting bass lines, psychedelic atmospheres, and uncanny compositions are a must listen. Take a trip with “The Deep Breath”, an under appreciated album, drawing inspiration from the Tippershere while still maintaining individuality and a unique sound.
30) SVBLIMINAL – THANATONAUT
I owe SVBLIMINAL for aiding my transition back into riddim. She runs a popular instagram account, showcasing new WIPS, riddim chops, and behind the scenes madness. She’s hilarious. And her bubbly personality, ear for good music, and quality content keeps me returning. THANATONAUT breathed fresh air into the riddim scene, opting for a thematic concept album, something a bit different. Get lost in the void as we confront our deepest fears with SVBLIMINAL.
29) WRAZ. & MYTHM – CLOAK AND DAGGER
This project is fire. Front to back. Banger after banger from two certified dub masters. If you’re looking for a refreshing take on riddim, this project is for you. Seriously, can’t for another collaboration. Is that possible?
28) BackLeft – Gene Driver
This was the first project I heard from BackLeft, and guess what? I’m a fan. Featuring kick ass halftime beats, neurohop neurosis, and original composition, this project is nuts. Heavy, to say the least.
A foreshadow of much more to come.
27) Soulacybin – Bug Eyes
Another name I regret not seeing last year. Soulacybin proves why he’s not another “Tipper Clone”, pushing original composition, psychedelic atmospheres, and upbeat bangers, see why Soulacybin’s making a name for himself in bass music. The Philadelphia native is proof the local scene has nothing but potential.
26) Sqonk – Groovy Smoothie.
Despite a terrible year, there were silver linings. Seeing Sqonk was one of these silver linings. A talented producer, it feels like somebody’s filling my car’s gas tank with pure liquid LSD. High octane, ignition on. Let’s get groovy. Highly recommend this up & comer. A Pennsylvania native, when not occupying a music studio, find Sqonk roaming the Appalachian Mountain ranges like a true PA legend.
25) Hokey Boi – Upturn
Have you heard of Hokey Boi? You will after his latest project “Upturn”. Hokey Boi brings the bangers, challenging listeners with textured bass lines. and psychedelic intrusions. There was no shortage of Hokey Boi last year, dropping multiple EP’s but finishing the year strong with “Upturn”.
24) Fika – Deprivation EP
Fika, who the hell is Fika? Dropping two EP’s within a few months, Fika stuns listeners with overweight bass lines and bellowing beats from halftime hell. Like somebody’s trying to fit a floppy disc in a USB port. If you’re into groovy mind-melting lunacy, this is for you.
23) Humandala – Toasty In Happy Computer // Bad Operator
One of my biggest regrets is missing a Humandala show. What a project. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know about this project before “Happy Computer//Bad Operator”, but boy am I glad I showed up to the party a little late, regardless. If you’re looking for the freshest sounds is psychedelic bass music, look no further. This project is incredible.
22) BREAD WINNER – little songs
Does this guy ever disappoint? Seriously, funky banger after funky banger, this guy knows how to party. Wouldn’t recommend sleeping on Bread Winner. He’s also one of the more accessible artists on this list, less sound design mayhem and more danceable beats and grooves. Bread Winner is just that. A winner for 2024.
21) MYTHM – Mind of Madness
This is one of the first projects from 2024 I remember enjoying. Everything MYTHM touches turns to gold. Don’t believe me? Check out “Mind of Madness” and his riddim collaborative project with Wraz. This guy is dope.
20) Mr. Bill – Mechanomorphic
Does Bill even need an introduction? One of the leading influences in bass music, Mr. Bill proves why he’s always a relevant name in bass music, simultaneously showcasing features from Vctre, COPYCATT, Underbelly, and more. If you’re looking for an education in powerful production, Bill is always an option. I missed an opportunity to see Mr. Bill and I promised myself. Never again.
While not typically a fan of the more upbeat EDM sound, focusing more on the dark and dirty, Mechanomorphic has a track for everybody.
19) Hooligan – No Sight
I was excited for this release, following Hooligan’s work over the past years. Front to back, this is a strong example of strong beatsmithing: Textured Organics being one of my favorite tracks of the year. Stay tuned for more.
18) Herbalistek – Diraliavoid
Following the hype from Tipper & Friends, I discovered Herbalistek’s Diraliavoid. A victory for experimental dubstep, exploring liquid gold sound design and experimental beats. This album is different, uncanny, weird. Wet. Highly recommend for anybody brave enough to venture out of bounds.
17) Audio Goblin – Molting
Listening to this project recently, I would’ve felt wrong leaving “Molting” off the list. Audio Goblin is hot right now. There is no wasted space on this album, only a smooth journey. If you want the best in contemporary glitch hop, you have arrived.
16) Noer The Boy – Mr. Gibbons EP
Dude this project is amazing, seriously. Why is Noer The Boy so slept on? Noer constantly reminds us why he’s a ‘vanguard’ in psychedelic bass music. An innovator, pioneer, and inspiration to many, especially those of us who don’t understand music theory and rely on sound design and interesting composition.
15) Sighless – Roses of Silk
I loved this project. Neuro ambient horror. Experimental dubstep. Glitch. Sighless brings the intensity with Roses of Silk. If you’re looking for something intense, dark, and vibrant with creativity, this is for you. Heavily anticipating another release.
14) ONHELL – Sandía EP
I listen to this project. A lot. Its an easy listen, featuring crisp production and forward thinking bass. If you’re looking to explore the darker side of ONHELL, this is for you.
13) Ginseng – Miracle Surface/Catfish Conundrum
I love Ginseng. This guy knows how to produce, offering a downtempo and uptempo EP last year, Ginseng does it all. Because both EP’s capture such different vibes and atmosphere and both released in 2024, I’m including both on the list. Why not, the more Ginseng the better!
12) Swampz – CHROME TO YA DOME
This project fucks. A mixture of experimental bass, dubstep, and trap, this project rewinded to the days of Skepp & Hawk, the days of head nodding beats, and body numbing bass. The good ol days.
11) Hyper Heaven – Lord Genmu
This project was on repeat upon release. A Bleep Bloop feature, seriously? In what well did you find Bleep Bloop? Front to back, this project is exceptional in every way, filling a void in the need for intrusive, distorted bass music.
10) Nvctve – Viscera EP
Easily one of my favorite artists, and saw Nvctve open for Resonant Language. A life changing experience, this guy is the future of dubstep and halftime, often combining the two genres into something he calls “Nightmare Music”. Check this out, yo.
9) DIGITIST – DEMONSTRATION OF FORCE
The only EP I reviewed last year, due to various unforeseen circumstances. However, Digitist is probably my favorite name in dubstep. Powerful, lurching sound design that penetrates the soul. Aggressive, angry, minimalistic, yet simultaneously complex
8) Finding Balance – Deescawa
Who knew Russia had an underground bass scene? There were few projects I listened to as much as “Finding Balance”. This project is original as hell, featuring halftime beats, neuro funk, its hard to put a finger on the genre, drawing inspiration from across multiple genres. This project is dope. Moody with fangs.
7) NEWSENSEI – Look What They Left Of You
NEWSENSEI released music last year? Yeah, some 10+ projects. However, out of all the recordings, this was my all time favorite. It’s something about the Grateful Dead references, resurrecting bass lines, and simplicity. It’s a perfect project and received absolutely no reception whatsoever. A cult classic.
If you own a subwoofer, you’ll see what I mean.
6) Cloud D – Shelter From The Storm
Another underrated project, “Shelter From The Storm” proves why Cloud_D is one of the hottest names in bass music. Carving out his own niche, Cloud_D explores cloudy atmospheres, dark corners, and the macabre. A project that weighs emotionally on the listener, while simultaneously calling to action. This project is thought provoking, inspiring, and original.
5) MINDEX – Resurrection Machine EP
A testament to production skills, “Resurrection Machine” is what happens when you cross beautiful chords and lovely ambiance, with quaking bass lines, ominous glitch, and symphonic compositions. This is for the heady heads.
4) The Gaslamp Killer & Jason Wool – ANANDA
This is a real project? Yes, drawing inspirations from the LA Beat Scene to underground experimental bass, this project is a testament to inspirations like the Low End Theory venue and Flying Lotus. This project feels wholesome. Nostalgic. It’s less danceable, more reliant on a vibe.
3) Onyx Garden – Xenophyonophore
I’ve been following Onyx Garden since his project CNXDRSON, and can tell you nobody saw the Onyx Garden project coming. Rebranding and releasing multiple albums, Onyx Garden proved he’s one of the hottest names in bass music and idm, drawing listeners into a completely original world of textures, landscapes, and emotion. This is a truly special project.
2) Mickman – You Have To Start Somewhere
Mickman’s cheerful, upbeat energy is palpable on his releases. The vibrant producer proves time and time again why he’s risen to festival headliner, featuring a wide array of emotions and production influences, Mickman’s “You Have To Start Somewhere” is proof Mickman’s no fluke. Proof Mickman’s only getting started. Listeners were teased with bits from the album on the Mickman Mini Mix and were surprised to find a completely new arrangement of tracks on “You Have To Start Somewhere”. How sick.
1) Seppa – See It Through LP
I was fortunate to see Seppa last year, which meant I heard “See It Through” played live. Silly me, I didnt even know Seppa released a new album and was floored when I heard the tunes over a professional sound system. Upon the shows conclusion, I stayed glued to the LP for the remainder of the year, and continue to listen. It’s not difficult to see why Seppa remains a pioneer in the genre of neurohop/glitch hop.
After nearly a month inside a psychiatric hospital, I found it tricky returning to Ableton. While I didn’t ‘forget how to produce’, my skills were rusty and I was forced to find my footing. The order of the tracks is the order each song was created, showcasing my transition from the hospital and back into reality. From a rough patch to some of my more interesting material; the half an hour EP is a showcase of where I stand currently as a producer, hiccups and all.
While not originally satisfied with the project, I didnt promote anything. However, after a few more listens, I’m ready to create videos and begin the process of marketing and showcasing thebadboob.com, once again.
The EP is a mixture of neurohop-glitchhop influences, to the more experimental and IDM side of bass music. All the while taking note of OTT in the world of dubstep. It’s my most aggressive and ambitious project to date; centering on punishing high ends and quaking lows, the project is a glitch-nightmare, showcasing new techniques in sound design and composition. Also, shouts out ZONE DRUMZ for the sample pack. Despite my desire to learn complicated from patters, sometimes a loop from ZONE DRUMZ breathes life into my projects. Thanks again.
Complete an EP within one week, before Halloween, despite overstimulation from election season. Here are the results: Halloween Hunger. A testament to an overactive gut brain resulting in insatiable hunger. The EP focuses on gritty percussion, distorted bass lines, and epic ambience – a cinematic approach to bass music and IDM. The project, given the timeframe, is raw. Dark, expressive. Heavy. I spent less time amassing OTT FX chains and leaned into overly distorted low frequencies. A tale of claustrophobia.
I was surprised by the results, Washy Washy in particular. Edgy but impactful. Digital with analog overtures. I’ll be honest, HOLIDAY INN BARBERS CONVENTION was written during my hotel days, but mastered the track this week. Needed a home, and it fit perfectly on the EP.
Realistically if I continue writing music at this pace, my skills will dramatically improve, and I see no reason to quit the momentum.
I’ve continued with my LAPTOP only ethos, preferring a copy of ABLETON 10 Suite and a MacBook Air. No midi controllers, no instruments, nothing. I want to demonstrate how anybody can snag a copy of software and start making music.
Unsure if I’ll ever book shows given my personal views on politics and cultural issues, but I love to create. Realistically the music fits perfectly into my film aesthetic, and will be another tool in the toolbox for filmmaking.
NOTE: I am falling behind on music videos however, and i’m not sure why i’m not receiving any ideas. Maybe because the music will be used for films? Still attempting to decipher the creative blockages.
Maybe I just need time off. Time to recoup, time to generate ideas. Time to heal, realistically.
With the Tired Tape EP, I took a minimalist approach, rediscovering influences like The Haxan Cloak, Raime, and Hecq. The IDM, dark ambient side of music. Chilling atmospheres, intrusive distortions, and surreal mind melts, summarize my initial influences, moviescapes. In fact, my earliest attempts at writing music took place inside Final Cut Pro with drone and ambient samples – Loudening the dark textures to create bass sounds, with little to no percussion. Fast forward, I discover G Jones, Aphex Twin, Bleep Bloop, tsuruda, Little Snake, and Eprom; diving headfirst into experimental bass music, where I might remain? Not sure, still figuring out my sound.
Here’s Tired Tape, an attempt to make music while my mind was secreting through the cracks in my skull, oozing, oozing.
In a previous post, I wrote about my departure from live music journalism due to distance, troubled finances, disappointing DJ dominating lineups, and a personal bout with mental exhaustion. If you’ve been following the story, you witnessed my escape from cockroach motel, avoided chaos living on the road, and numerous confrontations with my parents – Eventually landing in a tiny Poconos community.
Misty mountain tops, lake beaches, and cold beer by the fire, right? Wrong.
My parents bought a cabin against my best wishes, I felt a bad vibe and have spent four months fighting for clean water, suffocating from gas leaks, moldy insulation, dead mice, and clogged sewage without ventilation.
Not to mention my PennslyBama neighbors.
The process degraded my mental health – the cherry on YEARS without proper sleep. Constant wars with family members, police intervention, homeless excursions. I just wanted a place to lay my head.
Not yet, said the universe. Whatever, learned how to stick up for myself more. Especially when the most basic of needs weren’t being met.
I took a break from shows, and opted for discovering new mediums.
Without a studio for recording music, constant rain, and backlogged anger, I was desperate for a form of expression. I texted my therapist complaining that my mediums were too tedious…. video editing, electronic music production, glitch…. these mediums aren’t always the most immediate and expressive. Sometimes I need to release energy without hesitation, without dialing audio levels and FX, or neurotically trimming clips.
Anger is explosive. Why hold it back? Instead of producing music, I drove around the Poconos filming Vlogs and drawing on free priority mail stickers, a trick I remembered from the street art documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop”. Painting BADBOOB.COM along with demons and devils, paranoid avatars, and gritty figures alike. Ejaculating them upon my choosing. Philadelphia street corners, Appalachia alleyways, highway rest stops, WAWA parking lots, and porta potty’s are all viable locations for STICKER SLAPS.
The idea arrived while shipping eBay returns and t-shirts (merch), and became a regular form of self-expression. Sharpies, acrylics paints, and priority mail stickers. Through the exploration of this medium, I encountered a discovery. The less thought, the greater the art. Intuitively, my mind scribbled graffiti-style cartoon characters. An unconscious repetition from bored years behind a school desk. Trapped with only pencil and paper.
The graffiti aesthetic echoed early hip hop and hardcore punk influences, listening to artists like Odd Future, Tribe Called Quest, KRS-ONE, Minor Threat, The Descendants, The Sex Pistols, and Black Flag.
Sharpie’s sprint across laminated priority mail stickers, spewing ink across government tax dollars hard at work. There is great enjoyment from slapping stickers across your local town, big city, anywhere really. Find a location, thumb the corner, peel the laminate, SLAP.
Why not give it a try? What’s stopping you?
Just grab a stack of FREE PRIORITY MAIL stickers from your local post office, or even better… order a stack from USPS.com… for free!
Sticker slaps not only assisted anger release, producing hundreds of stickers in a single session, but also assisted my overall message.
Street art often portrays themes, messages, talking points, criticisms.
Have you seen the work of BANKSY?
Bristol based street artist, BANKSY, known for displaying political themes and controversial messages, primarily taking shove at power structures, the military industrial complex, corporations, and dark human psychology.
Using a childish, naive artistic style fused with elements of graffiti, punk/metal, and freehand grit, I’ve been able to explore themes like the Oedipal complex, childhood developmental disturbances, narcissism, the mother complex, and childhood trauma.
A college friend relayed a message regarding the illustrations, “they definitely make you feel a type of way when you seen them which is good or bad.”
A lack of artistic brilliance is replaced by raw, unhinged emotion, expressionism; primarily repressed anger towards my sociopathic mother and codependent father.
While placing stickers in the streets of Jim Thorpe, I was beckoned by a woman – thrilled to catch an artist in the moment of mounting his work. However, the woman’s smile alchemized into a frown after making contact with the silhouetted woman glaring from the glossed paper.
“Is there a message behind these”, she asked intuitively. Sure, I thought, as another woman, covered in black – goth, peered uneasily into the drawings, shifting nervously.
“I like your shirt,” I said, eyeballing the surrealist monster climbing from the void presented on her charcoal t-shirt. “What is that?” “Goth band,” she said. (Sorry, I don’t remember the name) “Damn, that’s cool.” “I know,” she said, ” I have to get back to work,” and slithered from the local whiskey still.
A brief moment in contrast, as the two people standing before the woman couldn’t be anymore different in energy.
Narcissists are everywhere.
There’s no shortage.
The goal is to poke and prod the unconscious mind, to penetrate the deepest crevices, to unlock memories and trauma. To get people talking.
I don’t expect to be greeted with roses and wine, but I did take a few moments to test the whiskey’s provided by the woman working the local Still, who, for the love of God, wished I’d leave.
It’s not easy being THE BADBOOB. It’s not easy being the contrast in people’s lives. But this is the job of the intuitive empath, light work, to brighten the darkest places. To carry the torch under raining stones.
Additionally, the mounting EP’s, singles, and eventual album will require visuals to complement. Glancing at the Youtube channel, I realized video content was rather lacking. I opted for long format visualizers versus short form content, which slowed traction and prevented the initial launch.
Oh well, I was thrilled with how the visualizers appeared minus the conditions they were produced: moving constantly, state of chaos, uncertainty. However, I was able to produce a majority of my EPs plus visual content.
Recently, camera clutched in hand, I ventured to small mountain towns and sceneries: Weatherly, White Haven, Francis E. Walter Dam, using my camera for practice: taking photos, searching for cinematic angles, learning how to use the damn thing again.
Through this process, I learned how natural the camera felt.
How each shot felt connected to an intuition.
I’ve been using cameras to express myself since 2006, using a flip phone to capture lego annihilations, ketchup; and all, eventually receving a Canon ZR830 after receiving straight A’s in sixth grade.
Horror movies, Lego animations, and action comedies. The summer of 2006 was exceptional for creative exploration. I discovered a craft, draining hours of the day producing stop motion, editing fake trailers, practicing visual fx, fastening blood squibs to my brothers, screaming “ACTION”.
I think I’ve been neglecting this part of myself…. although the audio exploration wasn’t a waste, providing me with the much needed John Carpenter education; movies like Escape From New York, Halloween, Into the Mouth of Madness were childhood favorites.
I think it’s time to switch lanes a little bit. I’m having difficulty breaking onto the EDM scene, primarily because of politics; also because I produce ambient/cinematic thought-pieces. Following artists like G Jones, Eprom, tsuruda, Chee, Noer The Boy, and Little Snake, I haven’t delved into total IDM (intelligent dance music), but am surely tip-toeing the boundaries of experimental bass.
Instead of melding into the EDM scene, the ability to remain solitary allows for more exploration into my identity, my sound, and where I’d like to steer this project, THE BADBOOB.
Honestly, I’m not sure I want to be classified as “EDM”, instead drawing inspirations from Death Grips, Autechre, Woulg, and Flying Lotus’s label ‘Brainfeeder’, exploring the wild, weird, and experimental.
Together, the surrealism-horror visuals combined with the gritty-guerilla style filmmaking, raw glitch beats, and lifelong knowledge of film might aid the unravelling of what I’m ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
Because I’ll be honest, I still haven’t connected with my true purpose yet. If it’s not yet apparent, i’m going through a trial and error process, testing different mediums, forms of expression, styles, and building the arsenal of what works best, what screams NICK RUBINOFF.
I do not expect to discover the answer immediately:
Isn’t this a part of life; discovering who you are?
If so, why should I expect immediate results?
I don’t, so in the meantime expect more trial and error, more random uploads, more play. Because isn’t that what it means to be an artist, to find love in your work, in the words of Alan Watt’s:
I’m not attending shows regularly anymore. Why? I recently situated myself after moving from location to location searching for housing during the cockroach epidemic at my last apartment. Moving nearly everyday for six months. Why do I want to spend days traveling back and forth, two hours from the Poconos to Philadelphia, and continue my life as a headless chicken?
I do not. Plus, I’m meeting resistance about the topics I’m covering. Narcissists are a stone throw away, the community aggressively defends transgenderism, and the majority of artists I’ve seen are DJs. I’m not Anti – DJ, but I’d prefer covering artists.
A major problem with the music industry is ghost producers and management teams. A pay to play industry where somebody with zero songs can easily book festival lineups due to connections. Is the artist actually pushing new sounds, good music, or being utilized for marketing opportunities, filling lower lineup slots, promoting somebody else’s music? Recently read a post on the Mickman Facebook page where somebody mentioned the lack of transparency in the music industry: “The awareness of the evils of the music industry is bleeding into the casual fans lives more and more, resulting in people paying closer attention to who’s an industry plant, who’s truly “underground”, who’s managing who, who’s name is bigger on the event flier, etc. I’m guilty of it for sure.”
It certainly is a vibe, and as an intuitive empath, you can feel the silent judging from crowds amongst less established artists — artists who haven’t claimed their sound. Is this a problem, DJ’s in the scene? No, the problem is passing DJ’s as producers which is becoming increasingly more evident. Drama with Excision and Space Laces highlighted the trickle down effect from ghost producing, an artist (Excision) over encumbered by touring needs, required production assistance from dubstep’s latest, greatest artist (Space Laces). How did this mentality not trickle down the dubstep canopy? If the touring needs are so demanding on the music production, how do we know Jeff’s also handpicking talent efficiently for his Subsidia label? When after all, music creation is everything to the industry, no?
Could you imagine the uproar if Dave Tipper used a ghost producer?
Record labels and management teams create a circle jerk of nepotism, disguising artist individuality beneath a collective narcissism. The more you pay, the more you play: access to sample packs, mixing engineers, production lessons or outright ghost production, marketing, distribution, opening slots, and even booking tours. Instead of mastering art over five—ten years, somebody buys into a well-oiled machine, reaping the rewards instantaneously. As opposed to naturally progressing your art, manifesting likeminded relationships, and building an ethical art business with similar goals.
The experimental bass scene, largely underground, escapes ghost producers temporarily due to lack of stardom, financial success, and obscurity. However, the genre will reach success sooner than later, and the industry leeches will be lurking nearby.
Just to talk shit for a second. Why do I want to write about DJ’s and who played what song next? I don’t, it’s incredibly boring and lackluster. I find satisfaction in pushing the new sound, finding artists with powerful vibes, who are putting in the work. DJ’s are important to sound system culture, sure, they carry unreleased dub plates from bass music’s hottest producer’s and set the tone; however, from a journalism perspective it doesn’t do much for me. Writing about somebody’s collection and queue feels empty to the blood, sweat, and tears of the artist. Especially when three fifths of a lineup are DJ’s instead of producers. I know DJ’s are supposed to guarantee the crowd moving, but still, over half the lineup?
We’ve gotten to a point in music where artist’s respond “I’ve got an EP coming out shortly” as if its the biggest secret on the planet they release music for a living. I hope you’re releasing music, isn’t that your job. What are you doing everyday?
I’d hope you have something to show for the work?
No?
I guess we have to ask ourselves: What is an artist? Doesn’t art expresses the unconscious mind, the soul, the human state? Isn’t the artist a conduit for the unseen realms of existence, the expresser of the Divine? What happens to the artist when they stop producing art? Is art about perfectionism or expressing the emotion? To me, the bastardization of art occurs when we ignore these questions, treating art like a commodity for buying and selling, instead of absorbing and appreciating — Placing management and promotion companies into positions of power instead of well-deserved artists.
So who are the people looking for the short cut? Are they artists or opportunists? A byproduct of the narcissism pandemic, fragile ego’s searching for endless supply, bunny hopping for the admiration of an ignorant crowd, chasing the carrot.. Didn’t we see situation with NotLo, who lazily ripped sample pack demos, claiming them as her own, climbing the ladder of underground bass music before positioning herself comfortably on Deadbeats roster? Do these people care about the art? If not, what do we call them?
How about narcissists? What is a narcissist?
What happens when you repress somebody’s needs and emotions from birth to two years old? Anger and ugly emotions turn on the infants ego, regressing the child to a state of anger and the reptilian brain— the lower evolved brain responsible for primal desires. The child becomes trapped for life, projecting negative emotions onto society, falling underneath the umbrella of narcissistic personality disorder. Are these the people primarily responsible for the pitfalls of the music industry, even society as a whole?
I believe the influence of narcissism greatly affects the scene — people idolizing fame, wealth, and power instead of promoting great art. While I’m not claiming Excision to be a narcissist, I’m saying he’s not perfect either. A lot of Jeff’s problems seem to exist from his current size, lessening his ability to produce or manage a label closely. How many of Excision’s signed artist’s use ghost producer’s or bought onto the team? There have been more than one occasion where a dubstep artist feels uncomfortable discussing their music. Why? Do you make music, bro?
But isn’t that what art’s about, the imperfection, the flaws, the message? Being human. I thought so, maybe somebody should spread the message?
I did encounter a few great shows over the months, Midnight Tyrannosaurus, Dubloadz, Bommer, Cut Rugs, Seppa, Brainrack…. but after being stung by a bald faced hornet before my last show, I’ve decided to take a rest and heal.
Summoning the spirit of Team Supreme, Milano known for his wonky trap/dub influenced bass, has established The Producer Party- a Discord dedicated to production challenges, hosted by the Lost Dogz native. Looking to engage with the r/spacebass community, flex your production skills, appear on a weekly mix?
After providing a new sample pack per challenge, Milano beckons creativity, giving artists anywhere from a “power hour” to weekend-long event to create beats. We’ve seen variations of deep dub, riddim, and this week: the producer’s take on 174 beats per minute.
The rules are simple:
1. Follow the Beats Per Minute or Genre 2. Intro & Outro 3. No longer than requested time (60-120 seconds) 4. Post by Due Date 5. Use the samples provided, especially the GOLDEN SAMPLE.
With electronic music’s ethos of perfectionism, a return to raw artistic production is welcomed. How often are producer’s guilty of fidgeting a frequency shifter for an hour, EQing a snare, rewriting an ending?
Is art about perfecting minuscule details or releasing and processing an emotion? I tend to fall behind the ladder…. With increased reps and sets, the perfected result is attained naturally, intuitively.
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times,” says Bruce Lee.
How often do you see artists tweeting or posting about the song they’ve mastered for the past two years, and for what?
Is the song any better than one produced in four hours?
An interesting concept. A product of western work culture, “the grind”? If I didn’t bleed, sweat, and cry, is it really art?
The struggling artist, a victim complex?
I sense a highly competitive nature too: “If this producer spent two years writing a track, then I need to spend three years writing my greatest track.” How much of production and the arts is a pissing contest? Through our expression of the ego, we become a bit enslaved – blinded by narrowness and the self. Instead of creating community and dissolving into the collective, the ego prefers separation. A natural response- as the ego’s wired for survival.
Production challenges are a break from perfectionism, while focusing on community engagement and having fun! How important is keeping the creative process engaging and exciting? S/o Milano and the homies for picking up the torch and invigorating the scene. We’ve seen contributions from CamBot, Arcadian Sound, Xotix, and pantsoph, not to mention new producers like myself, anxious to acquire as much practice possible while learning from the pioneers.
THE BADBOOB 