Tag: bass music
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On May 11th, I attended Warehouse on Watts for an event hosted by the Submersion Festival Team — The Rust and Aspire Higher. A stacked lineup including JEWELSSEA, Inspect3r, Nvctve, VCTRE, and Resonant Language. An experimental bass show with techno/club influences from JEWELSSEA and Inspect3r (1/2 of Nic Baker). After a promising weekend at Tipper’s Rendezvous, artists hit the road for individually curated lineups. The future of bass music, glitch hop specifically?
You may have heard the rumors of Tipper’s retirement— leaving traces of anxiety, “where does the scene go from here?” If you’ve been paying attention, artists like Resonant Language are practicing their lineup curations, moving towards individual tastes and promoting upcoming artists. If anybody’s paid attention, we’ve seen Resonant Language melding the dopest sounds in bass music: Nvctve, Onyx Garden, Richard Devine, Ooga, Alejo, and Crawdad Sniper are notable inclusions.
In a recent instagram story from Mickman, he hints at the changing landscape of contemporary glitch hop, saying “This I think will probably be the last time that a lot of us play together on the same show. We all love each other, ya know, me Detox, Schmoop, Res Lang, the boys….We’re not trying to play the same shows, where you just see all of us… we’re all super inspired by each other….but this next year its going to look a little different for each of us. We’re all stoked and glad that we can switch it up. It’s gonna be good, its a big moment for all of us, kinda scary! Everything happens for a reason, everything’s poetic, so yeah, we’re gonna crush this Mission (Ballroom) show, and then I think we’re not going to play again for a while… Everything’s getting a bit same samey, even for me!”
While this may dishearten fans who’ve grown accustomed to the Tipper n Friends reunion sets, I believe the glitch hop scene is headed for the New Age. Artists with opportunities to explore their roots, curating individual lineups, handpicking talent. An opportunity to express themselves and give back to the community.
How many artists was Tipper responsible for creating, not just through inspiration but handpicking artists for festivals? Artists are following in fashion, following the godfather in giving back to the community.
JEWELSSEA, Philly’s rising techno star, opened the floor — providing contrast to the night’s plethora of distorted neuro. Premiering earlier in May, REAL LOVERS ONLY!!, JEWELSSEA’S two- track EP highlights soul and R&B vocals, including Johnny Gill’s “There U Go”. The project’s upbeat, warm, and inviting— featuring intricate kick drums and soundscapes reminiscent of early nineties club. JEWELSSEA was an interesting choice for the glitch crowd, a choice made by Resonant Language. “I think Pat (Resonant Language) reached into his own pocket for JEWELSSEA. Especially after her boiler room style set,” says Vide, local Philly producer and half of Nic Baker.A success— the crowd maneuvered the dance floor early, as Warehouse on Watt’s is no stranger to techno, house, and UK garage. JEWELSSEA provides a charming, danceable energy emphasized by her own moves behind the decks. Looking for a night of grooving, vintage vibes, and an original perspective on dance music? Look no further. JEWELSSEA’S a treasure!
The transition from JEWELSSEA to local producer, Inspect3r, only made sense. Inspect3r, opposing half of bass techno alias Nic Baker, seized the decks for a combination of techno, neuro, UKG, drum and bass, the whole shebang. This was not my first Inspect3r set— a regular bookie of the rising Philadelphia bass scene, Inspect3r channels a versatile discography. Tracks like “No Chat/Kickin Hard” demonstrate a genre distorting ability, flipping dubstep into techno followed by experimental bass bangers from the Stuck In Motion EP. Insp3cter does it all, proven by crowd engagement time and time again, keeping you on the edge, changing tone on a whim, while staying true to his wide array of influences. Inspect3r’s about having a good time, a reflection of the party atmosphere curated during his sets. Have you caught a Nic Baker performance? What the hell are you doing? Highly recommend catching the Vide + Inspect3r combo for Baltimore club and techno-breakbeat inspired mayhem. We’re looking forward to the Submersion Festival appearance!
Nvctve stole the stage for a debut performance, shattering expectations with unique stances on halftime and dubstep. Nvctve’s mechanical, unpredictable, and experimental approach to bass production are authentic contributions to a genre saturated with similar sound design. Gaining the attention of Subtronic’s Cyclops Recordings, Nvctve isn’t shy to the spotlight, however this was a debut show, and honestly, you’d never have known! Dancing, smiling, amping the crowd, Nvctve demonstrated phenomenal stage presence — summoning halftime ballads from the Warp EP and Fester EP, drawing influence from COPYCATT and Frequent, cinematic and ferocious, while treating audiences to forthcoming masterpieces. The swift transitions from intrusive halftime-glitch to brain-blasting dubstep ‘tear out’ highlight the versatility of Nvctve. An insane set with the crowd in agreement, who reciprocated the artist’s excitement, raining Nvctve in dollar bills while shouting in triumph. Metallic, glitchy, intrusive with ambient overtones, Nvctve demands our attention! Highly recommend the 2024 Showcase Mix, a snippet of bass music’s promising future.Who’s bass music’s rising superstar with the Midas touch? VCTRE, known also for his collaborative project INTEGRATE with Black Carl! followed a fierce performance from Nvctve; and after waiting six years VCTRE didn’t disappoint. Pack the blender with halftime heat, neuro basses, southern hospitality, and emotional progressions, and you may produce a VCTRE track. Easier said than done. “Ring Master” from the recent East Kings Point album exemplifies VCTRE’s ability to sweep listeners to the dance floor — never losing energy amongst progressing bass lines and thundering growls. VCTRE’s ability to punch aggressive tones while simultaneously exploring emotional landscapes separates his craftsmanship from other producers. VCTRE isn’t looking for cheap thrills, but he’s still having fun along the way! Consistently releasing fire, VCTRE’s arsenal of tracks seemed infinite, slinging predominately original tunes the entire night. Might be wrong, but swear some of the most thrilling tracks have yet to be released. Will be on the lookout from VCTRE, who’s playing his debut Red Rocks show soon!
After one of the most impressive bass music lineups, Resonant Language took the stage— casually conducting the splitting of atoms. I mean seriously, operating a particle collider with his impact on inter-dimensional space that night. Playing favorites like “Input Slope” and “Non-Scents” from the Input Slope EP, Resonant Language seized our attention by the throat, spiraling audiences through glitched and glurchy sound design, chaotic breakbeats, while infusing danceable rhythms to move the crowd, and boy were they moving. Fresh off Tipper’s Rendezvous Festival, Resonant Language rode the momentum of a sold out festival, delivering a perfected performance, weaving crowd favorites, intricate remixes, and unreleased teasers.
During a brief conversation, Resonant Language explained he’s been producing for sixteen years, roughly six to eight hours a day. Can you tell? His devotion to the music scene is noted, not just production skills and lineups, but spending the majority of the show observing performing artists and networking with fans. Even so much as hugging a stranger before preparing for his set.Supporting Mickman’s comments on diversifying the glitch hop lineup, Resonant Language built an incredible show, each artist unique from the next, assisting the unveiling of the night. I’ll be the first to admit by hour three or four, “The music sounds the same”…. This is also coming from somebody who typically doesn’t listen to the same genre or sub-genre for more than an hour. When venues book similar sounding artists, there’s safety in the crowd reaction: Dubstep crowd loves dubstep, house loves house, glitch hop loves glitch hop, however, a powerful aspect of bass music is the multi-genre aspect, the blending. The larger bass music becomes, the less the sound’s confined to a specific genre. Bass house, psychedelic bass, glitch hop, halftime, techno… we’re beginning to see a dissolve of genre boundaries. Also who says a lineup has to stay unidimensional, confined to one sound?
I wrote in a previous essay, its only a matter of time before bass music, EDM in general, reaches new heights. Stadiums, beach parties, international festivals, the sphere, NYE Ball Drop. While city-wide raves are certainly appealing, a major aspect of the growing landscape revolves around small, independent communities. The counter argument to stadiums and arenas are creating an abundance of smaller, grassroots festivals. More festivals, more music. The scene can grow equally as large without compromising community to larger spectacles. However, I’d argue Bonnarroo is quite large and the vibes are quite high.
Using the Grateful Dead for reference given the scene similarities to Tipper n Friends, I’ve stumbled over a lesson related to Jerry Garcia. Toward the peak of the Grateful Dead, Garcia became oppositional toward success, emotionally revolting against the climb to stardom from the underground. An act of self destruction for the world to see. While Bob, Phil, Mickey, and Bill readied for sold out stadiums, endless touring, Jerry spent a lot of time getting loaded. A lifetime working toward musical success, sidelined by the impending reality.
With bass music on the precipice of mainstream success, its important to ready ourselves for the reaction, the influx of teens and college aged kids, the rampant drug abuse, the mainstream venues and stadiums. The loser-suit opportunists with money who don’t actually care about the music. It’s important to maintain the sanctity that maneuvered the scene into the mainstream, and more importantly to stick around even when it’s not the “cool underground thing” anymore.
The emergence of bass music runs parallel to the emergence of psychedelic substances. With the legalization and emergence of psychedelics, we simultaneously posses the growing technology to guide psychedelic sessions. Bass music, feeling, is an integral advancement to the multidimensional nature of music, no? Could you imagine the technology of The Sphere, Function One’s, Tipper, Android Jones, dr0id visuals, and clean LSD? The possibility for awakening? Or even a bass adjusted bed from the comfort of a guided psychedelic session or your own home?
I love bass music, not just for the music but the culture and close ties to psychedelia, rave counterculture, the soul, the planet, the reminders of interconnectedness. The vibrations. Are we going to risk losing the message of awakening, spirituality, peace, and love to the emerging mainstream? And are we willing to overcome our oppositional mentality that “good music exists only in the underground”?
My psychoanalyst saw Jimi Hendrix perform in a bar basement on a single amplifier for a crowd of twenty to fifty people. Could you imagine the state of music if Hendrix never escaped the underground, never played Woodstock (my analyst also atteneded) if he spent his life playing those same shows?
Would we even have psychedelic bass music?
Food for thought. -
Envy.
Stumbling upon a Theo Von interview with Ruby and $crim from $uicideboy$, I was surprised to hear the pair discuss New Orleans. $crim recalls the emerging SoundCloud movement, rappers like Bones, Yung Lean, Xavier Wulf, and how $uicideboys$ achieved outside success before gaining acceptance in their hometown of New Orleans. $crim says, “We got poppin in all these other places first. It literally started from like Russia, and then came back… New Orleans was the last place”. Followed by Ruby, “The advice was don’t go local to international. Do the internet and attack the international crowd first because your hometown is going to be the last place that fucks with you, and it’s true because they still don’t fuck with us, deadass!”
Does this sound familiar?While complaining in my previous blog, I stated how political commentary might’ve snubbed initial local success. However, I think it’s the name of the game, an archetypal pathway. (Obviously I haven’t been producing long either). There appear to be multitudes of reasons why artists confront resistance? I’d say resistance depends from person to person; however, how much is envy? I’m not saying this is something I’m currently struggling with entirely, but many talented artists face backlash from their communities.
Originally from Pittsburgh, when I discovered Mac Miller’s early work and Facebook messaged my old homies, they responded apathetically, “Eh, he’s a private school poser”. Granted, Mac had been a student of Taylor Allderdice for a couple years, my grandparent’s alma mater, a public high school.
Easier to hop on the hate wagon? Doesn’t require any listening, lyrics, music video watching, deep analysis, original thought, or work for that matter.
Just a repetition of words.
“That guy’s fake.”
“Yup!”
It’s a bit lazy, but also highlights the emotion envy.Why should somebody deserve any more success than me? A nasty emotion, envy finds roots in the work of Melanie Klein, prominent psychoanalyst and contributor to object relations theory. When confronted with difficult emotions or narcissism, the infant will split the identity of the primary caregiver into two separate identities during breast feeding, the good mother and the bad mother. This is reflected by the infant’s treatment of the caregiver’s breasts. The infant may bite, tear, or strike a breast, while showing affection and gentleness to the opposite breast. The child splits the caregiver into separate identities, a good breast and a bad breast.
Why does the child split the personality? The child is preserving the caregiver as “entirely good”, to shield the child from the realization their caregiver isn’t meeting needs and expectations, the realization the caregiver isn’t perfect or even a narcissist. The greater traumas, anxieties, and unmet needs present themselves during breastfeeding, the greater a child may develop “splitting”— viewing people, situations, life as unidimensional, instead of a complex, multidimensional wholes. The child was unable to confront the caregiver, and subconsciously buried the emotions, negatively rearing the infant’s brain for adulthood.
How does this relate to envy?
The persecuted artist becomes a projection of the “bad breast” (failures, insecurities, negative emotions) instead of being recognized as an integral whole of the community.
Why should they make it, when I deserve so much more? An unhealthy comparison between me, mine, and the other.This versus that.
The underdeveloped ego fragments their fellow man as competition, a narcissism that drags everyone downwards, instead of banding together and rising the tides, because rising tides lift all ships.
What if I told you this Bad Boob mentality leaks into the collective consciousness?
Holocausts, genocides war— Us vs. Them. A society void of multidimensional thought, projecting negative emotions onto scapegoats— them, the other, the bad breast?
Clues of the narcissism pandemic: envious, unidimensional, unoriginal thought.How much of the problem is also rooted in society’s view of the arts?
I personally spent a great deal of childhood fighting for the attention of my parents, producing short films, writing short stories, and playing the drums. My efforts were largely ignored and viewed as hobbies, not careers. Interest in film school and creative writing were met with sighs, not outright disapproval, but sighs. Originating from a family of professors, lawyers, and small business owners, the financial outcomes of an art career looked misfortunate. Ironic, given my dad’s weekend spending habits: concerts, movies tickets, and live entertainment. Again, how much is correlated to envy?
“Why does he get to paint pictures, write stories, and make music while I negotiate deals for a hospital?” Have we lost scope of the full functioning society? The lawyers, doctors, accountants, developers, owners… but what about the plumbers, contractors, electricians?Do we respect the working class community like we should?
Pay them like we should?
Doesn’t everybody feel under appreciated to a degree?
From an art perspective, the process is extremely under appreciated until you find “success” aka until you make money. Most likely because it requires help. Theo Von Gogh, younger brother of Vincent Van Gogh, supported his brother through art trading connections, advice, and money. The Medici Family supported Leonardo Da Vinci through purchases. Kierkegaard was born into a wealthy family. Claude Monet was often funded by his father, received a will, and often required assistance from his wife. Edgar Allen Poe regretfully enrolled help from various family members, often tumultuous. Thanks to Max Brod, the works of Franz Kafka were posthumously published instead of burned. How many underground musicians required a couch to crash on between shows, albums, etc?
I suppose artists meet great resistance due to the platform, the potential fame?
The artist may become a celebrity to whatever degree, and why do they get the chance but not me?
Despite the pushback Mac Miller received as the private school crossover, high school drop out, corny white rapper, he represented Pittsburgh throughout his entire career, highlighting the cultural possibilities of a small, Pennsylvania city — writing Blue Slide Park into the international vocabulary, and establishing Pittsburgh as a musical landmark. Mac Miller helped make Pittsburgh cool, man. Shit rolls downhill. The city and all its inhabitants become that much more enriched in history. The town Woodstock and surrounding areas shine as artistic epicenters to this day— fall out from embracing their local art community and music festival history.Are we really going to ruin cultural opportunities based on unhealed parts of ourselves, based on envy? Is that the appreciation we show towards art?
Is that the appreciation we show toward our fellow man?
Or does hometown hate motivate artists to make even greater art, speak more freely from the heart?
Suppose it’s case by case but…
Next time you complain about your “dumpy small town”, why not think twice before shitting on your local artists? -
Reflections on the anniversary of Bicycle Day and 4/20.
Taking a trip through psychedelic bass history, I utilized my tax return, attending three Philadelphia electronic music shows. TRUTH, headlined The Ave on Friday, The Aspire Higher and The Rust (The Submersion Festival team) spotlighted Kursa for a stacked glitch hop lineup, and tackled the underground on Wednesday for the Verge 23 held by The Universal Emotion. Catching a glimpse of Philadelphia bass, I accidentally reincarnated my live electronic music journey. UK dubstep and brostep, experimental beats, glitchhop and neurohop, to the underground —the genesis.
No shortage of bass, might not be Denver —bass music capital, but we’re brewing.
The Ave, home to Unlocked Presents, longtime curators of bass music in Philadelphia, consistently house the largest names in electronic music. TRUTH, Digital Ethos, Wraz, and Spector illuminate UK dub, one-forty beats per minute — the signature sound behind TRUTH’s label: Deep Dark & Dangerous. With sound-system culture providing roots in Jamaican dub and UK dubstep, TRUTH seemed a worthy start to bass music history, especially for his 4/20 midnight set.Upon doors, crowds stormed the venue, the signature Deep Dark & Dangerous purple octopus plastered Jerseys, bucket caps, fanny packs, the signature artist merchandise in bass music, primarily TRUTH’s since the fallout of Bassnectar.
The night was heavy with wubs, dub, but in particular Digital Ethos.
While no stranger to Digital Ethos, I’ve missed his sets since 2017’s High Caliber and SubOctave Festival. The result?
Mind-blowing bass, complex sound design and kick-ass arrangement — a set punctuated from your typical dub. During early exploration into bass music, I enjoyed artists like Bleep Bloop and G Jones, artists communicating dark emotions with cinematic fashion. Thundering bass, ominous and lingering — contrasted by tension and story building. Feels like a trip, a wormhole into the artist’s subconscious.The hero’s journey.
Recent REZZ collaboration “CUT ME OUT” and original “FLIP THE TRACK” highlight Digital Ethos’ potential as a forerunner in bass music.
Maybe I’m a sucker for hip hop percussion, insanely distorted bass lines, and a mature, refreshing take on bass music. Digital Ethos draws inspirations from the crisp production of Ivy Lab to the destructive, cinematic soundscapes of Noer The Boy.The cherry on top?
Whoever’s working sound at The Ave deserves a round of applause.
The subwoofers blew the crowd off their feet, literally. A perk of stationing your venue on Columbus Blvd: low frequencies, noise complaints? Who cares. Thanks for giving Digital Ethos a hometown performance. A powerful set to remember.
Digital Ethos coming to a city near you? Highly recommend catching a set, especially if you’re interested in heavier, headier tunes. His production skills are pronounced by the illusiveness of his lineups: REZZ, EAZYBAKED, SHLUMP, PEEKABOO, Dirtmonkey, his originality is spotlighted by his ability to accommodate any lineup.
Also shout out Spector, who brought an impressive energy, especially after his six hour car ride, fusing elements of deep dub, riddim, and tearout. Igniting the stage with a sonically-destructive open, successfully ushering crowds for Wraz, who made his promising Philadelphia debut – a soulful performance of one-forty bangers and saturated wubs.
Bathing in bass, crowds of all ages, ethnicities, shapes, and sizes took to the floor. Bass doesn’t discriminate, especially at Philadephia’s designated electronic club, The Ave.The next show? Goosebumps: Kursa, Duffrey, Smigonaut, Chez, and Sky.Lab, weekends before Tipper’s Rendezvous at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. The anticipation before Rendezvous provided opportunities for artists like Smigonaut and Chez to foreshadow their upcoming performances, Smigonaut who gave Rendezvous a debut performance, and Chez who hosted underground after parties alongside producer Sqonk, fellow member of Charity Sound System.
However, if I’m being completely honest, I realized my knowledge of glitch hop was one dimensional. Personally, I’m drawn to dark, textural, atmospheric, punishing bass. I found bass music thanks to artists like Midnight Tyrannosaurs, Getter, Tsuruda, Noer The Boy, Woolymammoth, G Jones, Bleep Bloop, Chee, Slug Wife, PROKO, Woulg, Mad Zach, Mickman, Leet, Hullabalo0, NEWSENSEi, SHADES, Little Snake, and even The Haxan Cloak. While I discovered Tipper’s Forward Escape around 2014/2015, my playlists with Duffrey, Dillard, or Somatoast remain largely untouched.
I’m drawn to noises which express anger, a synchronization with my intuitive brain, constantly in contact with dark vibrations. Inspirations like Slipknot, TOOL, Korn, System of a Down, Death Grips, Metallica, Slayer, Black Flag, $UICIDEBOY$, and XXXTENTACION were surprisingly healing, even calming. A controlled chaos.
Its not that I don’t appreciate or listen to downtempo or ‘chill’ music, I just find a natural affinity toward the dark and abrasive. This is coming from somebody who listens to the Grateful Dead for weeks straight, however, I’d argue I enjoy the ethos of rock n roll, the devil’s music.
Who doesn’t enjoy a good jam?
The Submersion Festival team, Aspire Higher and The Rust, served free pizza for early arrivals, drawing crowds for Face Plant’s new project, Sky.Lab — a combination of surreal, ambient soundscapes, closing with intricate neuro-bass. One of the more unique sets, demonstrating a contrast in tempo, taking risks with ambient storytelling, contrasting a heavy lineup while simultaneously debuting a brand new project.Chez followed with attention on crowd control, warming the audience with upbeat bangers, slinging remixes, and pushing smiles while performing tracks from the Mr. Nibbles EP, a sludgy exposure to the realm of distorted funk. Opening for names like Mr. Bill, Cool Customer, and Spoonbill; keep an eye out for Chez, who’s performing at Infrasound Music Festival this year.
The sheer variety of glitch hop is notable, from the hilarious remixes of Chez to the serious symphonies of Kursa, the genre has a spot for everybody, especially on the same lineup. Smigonaut demonstrated a variety of brilliant soundscapes, debuting a new groove with Philly’s own Zone Drums, hammering the audience with a combination of funky, introspective wonder. His latest project, “Abyss of Bliss” exemplifies versatility and production cleanliness, drawing ambient, drum and bass, and competitive glitch hop sound design. Smigonaut dances the line between groove, distortion, and transcendence, turning the keys in the ignition and launching the audience on a whim. Keeping the crowd on their toes, Smigonaut demonstrated why he took the stage at Rendezvous. Well deserved!
Duffrey stole the show with complex rhythms, euphoric builds, and inviting jazzy sound design featured from his latest EP “Legend of the Alley Cat”. ‘Welcoming’ is a word best to describe the sound of Duffrey. An innovator in bass music, Duffrey’s discography stretches twelve years on Soundcloud, fusing glitch hop, neurohop, and particularly drum and bass on his 2022 project “Shred the Infinite”.
Duffrey’s brilliant grooves, eargasmic engineering, and on-stage chill provide a beckoning experience for new listeners and veterans. Accessible, I’d consider introducing Duffrey to my non-EDM listening, jazz loving father. There’s something undeniably cool about the music of Duffrey, a conduit for the sounds of Miles Davis, Charlie Parker. From the laidback positivity of Honeysuckling to the spine-tingling glitch of Shred The Infinite, Duffrey’s crafted a unique vision of bass music.Finishing the night with Kursa, I was reminded why I decided to produce electronic music. Kursa’s music is badass. A realization when he dropped Crushed from his Rain Legs EP. There’s no other way to describe the sheer power, force, and influence Kursa’s music has on the bass scene. The soundtrack to intergalactic warfare, sun death supernovas, underground uprisings, deep consciousness exploration. Proof? Check out Kursa’s new single with Philadelphia’s own Alicia Kiah featured on the violin. My kind of music, harsh, abrasive, yet sonically composed to perfection — the contrast of beautiful melodies, dark themes, and dubstep influence. Kursa, a pioneer of neurohop (subgenre of glitch hop, known for neuro bass, dark atmospheres, and hip hop/halftime tempos), is infinitely evolving, crystallizing solid production, and a master of any genre. Recently departing from bass supergroup K.L.O and record label Slug Wife, Kursa’s exploring new freedoms, possibly shifting the spotlight from the collective to the individual, while simultaneously launching “Plant Industry” a new label designated for collaborations under the Kursa alias, according to Riverbeats.life. While this bass-breakup may dishearten fans, I’d argue the proof’s in his discography. A subscription to Kursa’s Bandcamp is all the evidence to know this man’s on a mission with no end in sight. Amassing over one hundred and twenty projects,
I say, Let him cook.
A beautiful night from the Submersion team transitioned perfectly to Wednesday’s underground event, The Universal Emotion: The Verge 23. Traveling from Kursa’s crowded upstairs performance at Warehouse on Watts, to the tinier downstairs stage, crowds skimmed for an emerging underground experience.Recently moving to Warehouse on Watts from Northern Liberties’ Kung Fu Necktie, The Universal Emotion is mounting success. This is attributed to show runner Joe Koidl, visual artist Tyme, and the Universal Emotion resident artists and crew.
New Jersey native Joe Koidl, DJ alias: Avrge Joe, founded The Universal Emotion during the COVID pandemic, live streaming bass music on twitch with artists like Mindwalker, Oni, Mindality, and Deez. Discovering a niche during the pandemic, Joe and collaborators continued hosting livestreams, eventually easing into “hybrid” (in-person/live stream) performances in late 2021, before bursting onto the scene after the pandemic’s conclusion.
With a stacked underground lineup including Tygris, Bandito Jones, and STARFOX, The Universal Emotion is ready to prove their contribution to the scene. Local DJs, musicians, and artists were all in attendance, DRO1D visuals, FREQ, Anumati, Wessanders, Inspect3r, photographer Kyle Ryan, and many more.
Only the Universal Emotion’s second event at Warehouse on Watts, and judging by the turnout, vibes are high.
Tygris (The Rust) demonstrated superb scratching abilities, incorporating elements of glitch hop over forward-thinking beats and kinetic drum and bass. Original while portraying extreme technical skill, Tygris resurrects the forgotten art of vinyl, blending elements of Tipper style distortions and nostalgic psychedelic soundscapes. His recent release, Shadow Box EP, demonstrates an ability to occupy the dance floor. However, the trick with Tygris is catching a live set — intuitive, in the moment, live scratching is priceless. With so much electronic music pre-rehearsed and scripted, Tygris is a breath of fresh air.
Bandito Jones displayed proficiency in reggaeton-dub influenced beats. Wailing reverbs, guitar samples, boom bap drums, funky and invigorating, with a summertime aura. “Ive been producing around ten years,” he said, “starts out as beep boop noises and eventually you find your way.” Words of advice for any new producers, myself included.If you stumble across his 2024 Rendezvous Headnod mix, you’ll find yourself immersed in the funk-inspired, charismatic mindset of Bandito Jones, highly recommend, especially with summer on our doorstep. Did you grow up listening to Bob Marley, reggae, dub or UK dubstep? Bandito Jones is the next logical step.
The headliner, STARFOX, tripped audience members into a portal of deep neuro basses, jazzy exaltation, flexing mind melting brass on the dance floor. Blessed to experience favorites from his masterpiece The Nexus LP: Wub Potion Number 9, Open The Portal, and Welcome To Existence. STARFOX contrasts ethereal neuro and mind melting FX with the aid of his trumpet and saxophone, casting shamanic ballads into an ocean of rupturing bass lines. Portal hop, a self coined term for STARFOX’s style of wub — accurately defines his style of bass music, tripping into dimensions unknown. The performance was captivating, energetic, and boosted with Tygris vinyl-scratching and Wessanders guest encore appearance.
“Started my journey throwing acid parties in the deserts of California, just trying to keep the tradition going,” says STARFOX, also hinting at an EP sometime in the near future. “Clearing with management,” he said.
We’ll be on the lookout!
From outdoor lines, flocks of merchandise, and elbow packed crowds, to emerging scenes and vacant dance floors, the scene is alive and well. The common denominator? Community.I encountered flashbacks of being crushed in crowds, eyes glowing on MDMA… Is this my sweat or somebody else? Memories of the 2010’s trap scene, Diplo, Vanic, hell I’ll admit to seeing Carnage and The Chainsmokers at Ohio University — gotta start somewhere? Unfortunately, there was hardly any room for dancing. The best features of underground shows being the ability to position yourself next to speakers, there’s always room to dance, plus the availability of likeminded individuals: People who actually care about the music.
It just so happened I reincarnated a typical electronic music pathway for bass heads — House, Trap and dubstep, to glitch hop and neuro, and into the experimental.
A right of passage to the evolving bass music scene.
After the show, Wessanders, The Rust spokesman of the night, stressed the significance of The Universal Emotion, “I have one favor: if everybody’s able to bring just one person to next months show, that’s one more person we can introduce to the scene. Joe’s trying to create something special here, something uniquely Philly and I think we should all get behind and offer support. At the end of the day its ours, its our community.”
The writing is on the wall — we’ve seen Bassnectar and Zedd’s Dead sell out the Hampton Coliseum, is that where the genre is headed? Las Vegas’ The sphere?
I hope so, and for a couple reasons particularly.
Bass music appeals to the senses, low frequencies rock bones and maneuver flesh. It’s a visceral experience – mind and body. With a spotlight on sub bass, the music translates a multidimensional listening experience, drawing attention to the repressed “feeling” sensation, touch. I imagine this is only the beginning of sensory based music?Why should music be limited to the sensation of listening?
Have you ever seen the Futurama episode where Philip J. Fry learns the “Holophonor”, a combination of the Oboe and Holographic Projector? The instrument beams images and archetypes based on mood, tone, and rhythm, immersing the crowd into a spectacle of light, color, and sound. It is, after all, the future. But maybe the future isn’t so far? Shamans of bass music like Tipper, have mastered the art of transmuting bass across the human vessel, perfecting stage design, scavenging powerful sound systems, and curating frequencies particularly for the occasion.
A genre of music catered towards a live audience and sound systems — if you’re familiar with the Grateful Dead, a continuation of their ethos: a musical experience about “being in the moment”, creating community, familiar faces, the wall of sound, and the guidance of psychedelics. Can we deny the association with bass music and psychedelics any longer? In the spirit of the sixties revolution, bass music a similar, promising future of self expression and rebellion. A collective space to embark on the psychedelic journey, exploring consciousness and infiltrating the higher dimensions — unlocking clues for awakening.
After stumbling upon Tipper’s subreddit, I was surprised to read a majority of listeners reincarnating the lessons of their parents– following the Grateful Dead, spreading underground tapes/videos, following the act across the country — a family. A community based on forward thinking sounds, advancing technology in alignment with spiritual values, and an environment of acceptance, peace, love, and interconnectedness. With the addition of nature, a breathtaking venue to captivate the scenery, the final product is a bit…. Utopian. A peak into the possibility of the human spirit. Dissolving the walls of tribalism and personal trauma to breach the new age of existence — an existence of emotional transformation, breaking generational repetitions, building communal aid, and inspiring the search for truth. A return to the primordial sensation of “gut feeling” and intuition. The glitch hop scene (particurarly psychedelic) appears healthier, fitter, sexier than other scenes, even Friday’s dubstep show. Anything to do with the psychedelic influence on mindfulness and health choices?
Hoping the spotlight descends on healing. After all, it was substance abuse, personal trauma, and self-destruction, an inability to feel that cost the Grateful Dead everything – Jerry Garcia, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Brent Mydland.
A trickle down effect into a chaotic scene. Shit rolls downhill.The Grateful Dead weren’t exclusive: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison.
Does psychedelic bass music have the potential to learn the lessons of the turbulent sixties?
Are we able to implement the healing lessons of psychedelics into ourselves, the collective, the scene? Was this what Ken Kesey meant by the Acid Test Graduation? Time for healing?Since antiquity, individuals utilized sound waves as healing constructs, observing vibrational methods of tuning the body — Cymatics. Observed through sand or water when confronted with vibrational frequencies, the substances morph and sputter into geometric, crop circle-like shapes depending on frequencies. With our bodies comprised of three fourths water, energy, frequencies, and vibrations, electricity, wouldn’t the bass frequencies have a similar effect on the human body, the etheric body, the mind?
Are we subconsciously healing ourselves by attending bass shows?
Only one way to find out:
Turn up the bass! -
I’m releasing a few beats constructed last year.
Still learning.
Cheers!
THE BADBOOB 