In the aftermath of the dubstep explosion, it seems nearly impossible to do something that can be deemed anything close to innovative. Enter WatchTheDuck, the Atlanta based crew of musicans/DJs Eddie Smith III, Jesse Rankins and Jonathan Wells, who are stirring up the scene with their fresh concoction of soul infused bass music. Part Jimi Hendrix, part Skrillex, a dash of Al Green and whole lotta Southern flair, the boys built a name for themselves on their freestyle Atlanta dance parties, for which single ‘Poppin’ Off’ is titled.
The video not only serves to highlight the groundbreaking style of the trio, but also showcases the energy and spirit of these notorious ATL parties, as well as features WatchTheDuck’s extended family, the Dragon House Crew (which includes the hypnotically robotic, dance moves of Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer of So You Think You Can Dance fame). It really is no surprise that the video garnered over 500,000 YouTube views on word of mouth alone, and later went on to win mtvU’s Freshman competition.
Be sure to check out WatchTheDuck at NYC’s own SOB’S tomorrow as they take the stage as part of Hot97’s Who’s Next Showcase (tickets available here). Visit WatchTheDuck’s Soundcloud page in the meantime to grab more tunes and stay up to date by liking them on Facebook.
NYC’s own Proper Villains is back with a little treat for all you dubstep lovers – a free download of his newest track ‘Pixy Stix’. With equal parts glitchy synths and harmonious rifts, ‘Pixy Stix’ follows in the footsteps of more melodic dubstep artists like Adventure Club and At Dawn We Rage. But don’t be fooled – as expected from Proper Villains, at the core the track is still 100% about the bass.
Grab the free download of ‘Pixy Stix’ from Proper Villains’ Facebook page here. And be sure to show your support for this local talent by following him on Twitter!
Tennessee native Wick-It the Instigator is back with his brand of hip-hop inspired dub with his newest track ‘Feel Lit’. Having remixed the likes of Dr. Dre, Ke$ha, Ghostface, and Notorious B.I.G (one of those things is not like the other), Wick-It has quickly gained widespread support from heavy hitters like Bassnectar, Skrillex, Pretty Lights, and Girl Talk.
With ‘Feel Lit’, Wick-It really puts his soulful filth on display; the raw, Timberland-esc opening undoubtedly showcases his Southern roots, while the drop proves that he has certainly evolved into an electro bad boy. Check out his SoundCloud for a free download of the track (as well as other freebies). And don’t forget to show him some love on Facebook and Twitter!
NYC is the only place to be this Halloween weekend if you are even a remote fan of EDM, and for those of you who don’t think the Sensation line-up is aggressive enough, Girls & Boys has you covered. The crew is bringing heavy bass to Hammerstein Ballroom this Saturday for Halloween Meltdown, featuring a DJ set from Nero (with a live performance by Alana), Adventure Club, and Fareoh. These DJs are known for putting together insane sets on a normal night, and they will be sure to up their game for a room full of costumed fanatics Halloween weekend.
If you want to get in on the party, EO has your back. For a chance to win tickets for you and a friend, simply follow @ElectronicOasis on twitter and tweet:
“I entered to win a pair of tickets for @NeroUK and @AdventureDub 10.27 @TheHammerstein thanks to @ElectronicOasis http://bit.ly/OZRspr†or simply hit the button below:
KDrew, the dubstep DJ out of NJ, is not only a serious player in the dubstep genre, but the man has a voice. Grabbing the microphone and laying down the vocals for his latest original mix, ‘Circles,’ KDrew showcased his musical chops brilliantly. The track itself takes a more melodic approach to dubstep a la Adventure Club, layering his vocals with drawn out bass growls and drops that are surprisingly smooth. The best part of the track? KDrew is giving it away for free. Grab the download below, and be sure to check out KDrew live on November 9 at the Starland Ballroom and November 23 at Webster Hall with 3LAU.
Monsta previewed yet another track off of his upcoming EP today, a remix of ‘Messiah’ with basshead Alvin Risk at the wheel. The original ‘Messiah’ was the definition of uplifting, but no longer now that Risk has put his hands on it. Plenty of face-melting, laser-shooting, drops litter the track, and little remains of the track’s original melodies.
Monsta’s album, aptly named ‘Monsta,’ is out next Tuesday on OWSLA. In addition to Alvin Risk’s remix, expect appearances from Skirllex, Nero, Dillon Francis, and Kill Paris.
We’ve got a new Rusko preview for you, and this one is definitely not what you’d expect. A departure from his classic wompy, deep bass from the roots of reggae dub, Rusko takes us on a different direction on the first sneak peek from his upcoming EP “Kapow”. “Like This” features some glitch hop drums with vocal samples ranging from the Crookers‘ classic “wow” to Kriss Kross’ timeless “jump”.
For Rusko traditionalists this new preview might be met with some mixed emotions, but this new direction shows the bass king’s talented range and evolution as a producer, and at the very least, Rusko diehard or not, we all get a new high-energy party tune.
For all of you who are tired of waiting until the 22nd for Xilent to release his new EP, ‘Touch Sound,’ there is good news. The long time Drum & Bass producer out of Poland decided to release a preview of three of his tracks, and a free download of the fourth, this morning. From the sound of things, Xilent has put together a strong mix of Drum & Bass, coupled with slick dubstep drops and electro beats, that certainly leaves you wanting the full album. Take a listen below, grab the free download of ‘Mass Creation,’ and be sure to pre-order the EP on iTunes out next week.
Within the ever evolving world of bass music, the artists with the greatest staying power seem to be the genre chameleons, which is certainly the case for British duo Dodge & Fuski. The boys have been a pivotal part of the scene for the last two years, building a reputation for diverse sets and innovative sound, and gaining a strong international following with their steady touring schedule. Their most recent EP off Never Say Die Records, titled Bad Meaning Good, reflects their finest work to date, as it spans across multiple tempos and breaks free from the monotony that that crept into the dup/electro arena.
Highlights include ‘Bad’ feat. Messinian, a track that could easily incite a riot with its striking riffs and adrenaline fueled lyrics, ‘Call My Name’, which features the haunting vocals of 720 amongst some heavy beats, and the bouncy, glitch-hop banger ‘Turn It Up!’. Check out a preview of the entire EP below.
Yesterday Bassnectar uploaded a new mixtape, and as expected, it is nothing less than massive. Featuring new originals from his upcoming Freestyle EP (which is slated for release Oct. 16th), the 40 minute explosion of bass also includes unreleased remixes with some trap and moombahton flavors.
Go grab the free download from Lorin’s Soundcloud here. Bassnectar will be playing 2 sold-out shows at Terminal 5 on November 17th & 18th. Tickets are still available for the Nov 16th show in Montclair, NJ here.
