I’m not sure if the title implies it or not, but I’m a pretty recent convert to Bass. Due to my background in music of all types, my preferences lean towards structure, melody, and lyrics. So you’re not going to find any heavy Bass in my picks because to me if half a track or set is just varieties of beats and incongruous wonky noises, I won’t waste my time. I’ve been told this means I prefer melodic Bass, so read on for my top five Must-See EDC Las Vegas 2019 Bass artists!
Liquid Stranger
Until the end of last year, I was a stranger to most Bass. The little I knew of it was limited to the bigger artists that Bassheads talk about breaking their neck to. Having been in a couple of car accidents that left me with whiplash and a fragile neck, the idea of breaking it is wildly unappealing. However, as Managing Editor I have to edit articles about all kinds of Bass, and after reading multiple articles from contributors like Erik Sisco, who writes amazingly well about people I’ve never heard of, including Wakaan’s own Liquid Stranger, he convinced me to give some of it a listen. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it! A big part of that is due to Martin Stääf’s ability to mix the music of many different cultures into his Dubstep. I’ll also attribute growing up immersed in reggae in Hawaii as another reason I hold a special place in my heart for his 2015 “Anomaly: The Collection” album. Looks like you’ll find me at the Basspod stage at EDC Las Vegas 2019 at least twice on Friday, May 17th.
Zeke Beats b2b Champagne Drip
With a couple of years of touring in the U.S. under his belt, Perth-native Zeke Beats returns to EDC Las Vegas with his special brand of live synth performance. I’ve never had the opportunity to see him live and was admittedly skeptical to see him labeled a turntablist, as that requires using actual vinyl which few do these days. One of my favorite tracks “Faux Bourdon” appears to have an image of a hand dropping a conductor’s baton, and I love the symbolism along with the musical structure in it. Seeing him paired with Champagne Drip made me so happy! His recent release “Hot Chicken” cracks me up. Both are frequent Wakaan collaborators, a label I’ve been growing more fond of lately. What kinda weird shit are these two gonna come up with? Join me at the Basspod stage on Friday, May 17th and we can find out together!
Delta Heavy b2b Dirtyphonics
Recently signed to Monstercat, UK duo Delta Heavy somehow snuck into my Spotify radio channels. I’m guessing that’s most likely due to their heavy use of melody, lyrics, and beautiful voices, like Pendulum, one of my favorite Drum ‘n’ Bass artists. Delta Heavy create beautiful and energizing music. No wonder the Trance girl likes it! I’m not sure how well they’re going to fit b2b with Dirtyphonics, who are much more Dubstep, but I like to stay open to possibility! The trio that makes up Dirtyphonics are French and some of their most popular tracks involve Sullivan King. In all honesty, many of them are distinctly Emo and grate on my every last nerve as I put up with whining teenagers in my weekday job. I guess I’m gonna find out how well these guys mash up Sunday, May 19th on the Basspod stage!
Skream! b2b Rusko (Old Skool Dubstep Set)
Like so many Dubstep and Drum ‘n’ Bass artists, both of these gents come from Britain. Considered an early Dubstep influencer, it wasn’t until Skream!‘s “Midnight Request Line” came out in 2005 that many of us got a taste of melodic Dubstep. His first full album “Skream!” hit the scene the following year, and all that time Oliver Dean Jones spent playing hooky from school at the local record store suddenly started gaining a return on investment. Rusko first gained popularity around the same time Skream’s self-named came out in 2006. His track “Cockney Thug“, though not the kinda thing I usually enjoy, it does make me laugh, as it sounds like it’s one of Vinnie Jones‘ lines from Snatch, though it’s nowhere to be found in that glorious film. After undergoing chemotherapy which led him to cancel all appearances, Chris Mercer returned to the stage last year. I feel lucky to see both these Old Skool Dubstep influences on the Basspod stage on Friday, May 17th.
The Glitch Mob
The Glitch Mob recently moved from my likes to loves list and I can attribute that to my recent straying from the confines of Trance, House, and Techno, not to any fault or flaw of their own. During college, I went through a dangerous period of depression when Nine Inch Nails was almost exclusively what I listened to. So I recognize many of the industrial sounds The Glitch Mob use in their tracks from my love of all things Trent Reznor. The connection between the two has always endeared TGM to me. Where so many artists fall short mixing Rock into their sets, The Glitch Mob excel. Their remix of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” is filthy! I’ve seen them a handful of times, but their Portland show this past December was ridiculous, as in sexy, dirty goodness. The shit part was I had a rib out of place and couldn’t dance as I wished without intense pain, so seeing them on the Basspod stage at EDC Las Vegas will be the perfect redemption.
Having never seen seven of the eight artists listed above, I’m pretty stoked I get to see so many due to their b2b appearances. I’ve been trying to keep my expectations low since I’m picky when it comes to music of any kind. If you catch me sending up a silent prayer that these guys play the most kickass sets of their entire year, it’s cause part of me truly hopes I’ll be transformed into even more of a Bass lover.
*Featured Image of The Glitch Mob Via Sam Martucci Photo*
