Allen Mock Makes Waves w/ New 2019 EP via LoFreq

Allen Mock Makes Waves w/ New 2019 EP via LoFreq

by | Jun 26, 2023 | PREMIERE

In the world of electronic music, it only truly takes one killer release to shot put any artist into the spotlight, garnering them new fans and listeners from all over the world. This is exactly what Tokyo-based producer Allen Mock has done with his latest EP release via our friends over at LoFreq. The 2019 EP is straight heat from start to finish, combining some nasty deep wubs, deep driving bass lines, and an overall high-energy feel unlike any other. Our premiere today off this EP, ”Slump”, packs a punch from start to finish, with its grimy drops and booming bass sounds. Each track on this EP brings its unique sound design making this entire compilation something not to sleep on. We definitely are going to have the entire 2019 EP on repeat for the foreseeable future. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Slump” and the rest of the 2019 EP, a certified bop.

“I hope you enjoy this strange and incomprehensible world I built. There is a message and a feeling I want to express and I hope you somehow find it with your own interpretation.”

Diving Deep w/ Allen Mock

1. Creating a cohesive EP that explores different soundscapes and tempos can be a difficult challenge. How did you approach producing and putting together the 2019 EP? What elements and inspirations did you make sure to include throughout all three of these tracks?

I’m a huge advocate of resampling and “recycling” sounds and changing them in different ways. By using the same samples and morphing them in different ways (such as sampler/simpler, warping, putting a lot of fxs/delay and racks,) I was able to create cohesiveness throughout the EP. The songs are between 110 to 120 bpm in half-time (technically 55~60bpm) which is very slow compared to 130~150bpm dance-friendly bass music. However, I felt a potential to express myself within that bpm area.

I love to start my set slow, and gradually build up the tension and bpm from there, so that the listener’s body subconsciously starts to move and warm up. Which is why when I was making this EP, I was picturing a scenario where I am doing a 2-3 hour long set. I’m at a point in my life where high-energy songs for 2-3 hours make me exhausted and need to take a break. So with that in mind, I purposefully went into the session thinking “I’m going to start very slow and build tension”

I made sure to include the feeling of tension and suspense in this EP. I named this track “2019”, because these 3 tracks best represented how I felt at the time. There was a lot of uncertainty and confusion. I was lost and didn’t know where the “light at the end of the tunnel” was. I tried to re-create that feeling through ambience and unpleasant rhythm/melody in this EP. 

2. What was your favorite track on the EP and why?

My favorite track from the EP is Slump. The vocals are what makes the track interesting for me. When I came back to this project (when it was still work-in-progress) I realized I didn’t know what the vocals were actually saying ; it could be “your mind” “do you mind?” “Mnemonic” or “you’re mine”. I enjoy the process of wondering which one it is, and having my body/mind distinguish which one. 

3. When it comes to producing new music, what do you feel is the biggest struggle you have as an artist? What do you do to overcome this in your production?

For me, I find it rather easy to make music since I don’t necessarily think about releasing them officially. I do it for fun. However, with that being said, I noticed I haven’t been able to create “new” or ground-breaking sounds since I haven’t honed in my sound-design skills. I try my best not to compare my songs with other bass music peers, but it’s one of those inevitable things that happen every now and then, especially when I hear something completely unique and cool. I struggle with trying to create absurd sounds which makes it hard for me to take my music to the next level.
One of the things that has helped me tremendously is sharing my knowledge with my producer friends and learning from them. It almost feels like a trade between creatives since we’re all in this to explore, experiment, and learn. So, to have friends show me what’s possible, and being able to return the favor back with my own set of knowledge and skills has been one of the most effective ways to overcome this struggle.
I’d like to thank Herbalistek, Lowki, and GuiltChip for giving me a lot of great tips as well as showing me top-tier music. They’ve been one of the kindest and smartest individuals with an undeniable passion for sound-design/beat-making.

4. Where do you see yourself and your project in 5 years? Do you have any big goals you hope to accomplish with the Allen Mock project?

I see myself making music as usual. One thing I noticed about myself is that I’m paying a lot more attention to ambience and textures. I’ve been finding a lot of great music that pays attention to how the glitches,textures, and atmosphere sound within the context of a beat. With that in mind, I see myself field-recording and going outside more to get inspired!

I don’t know if this is necessarily a goal, but I do want to drop an album one day that feels authentic to myself. I’ve announced several times online that I was going to release an album, only to end up deleting the ideas due to insecurity and changing as a person. So, next time I ever say “I’m going to release an album” I want everyone to brace themselves.

5. What is next for the Allen Mock project? Do you and your team have any exciting things planned in the future that fans have to look forward to?

As of right now, I’m planning on self-releasing more and building my foundation all over again. I’ve had a confusing year ever since 2019 onwards which put me at a strange point in my life; where I sometimes view myself as a failure. I’ve been emotionally and mentally all over the place, and I realized it’s because I’ve released on several credible labels, but I didn’t know what sounds and music I wanted to express and present as “Allen Mock” – as I said before, I just enjoy making whatever and whenever, as long as I’m in the zone and exploring what’s possible, that was all that mattered to me. Nowadays, I pay more attention to the quality of the sound as well as dynamics. I have also been learning to sound-design and find new ways to create music. 

From this point on, you’ll hear a lot of deeper and longer music from me, because I love this form of art to heart. You’ll also hear chilled out tunes that are not so heavily focused on crazy sounds, and instead, family-friendly songs where you don’t necessarily have to tune in to get mind-blown. I pretty much enjoy both deep intellectual music as well as chill and light-hearted music. I’d like to challenge my listeners who follow my music to give my “chill” songs a listen and see if they enjoy it.

At the same time, I won’t forget my roots and the energetic/hype music that I started out with. I believe I can somehow combine all of the things I mentioned earlier, and somehow still sound like me. I can’t say I’m there yet, but I’ve been recently finding hints of ideas that are getting me closer to the answer I’m looking for. At the same time, I’m in no rush:)

smol Breaks Boundaries w/ New “Yu & Me” EP via Gravitas Records

smol Breaks Boundaries w/ New “Yu & Me” EP via Gravitas Records

by | Jun 23, 2023 | PREMIERE

For those who have heard of the smol project know the infectious energy, intricate sound design and overall stellar music that consistency is produced by this artist. He is back at it again, this time coming out swinging with the release of his latest EP, Yu & Me. From start to finish this entire EP provides the classic smol sound with new twists, featuring complex bass lines and high energy synths unlike any we have heard from this project before. Our premiere today is the title track off this EP, and man is this one an absolute banger of a tune. Its booming basslines and wubby synths will have anyone up and on the dancefloor from the first measure. This is definitely not an EP to sleep on, and we will have this one blasting for the foreseeable future. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling Yu & Me, a certified bop

“For this body of work I aimed to create a delicate balance of energy between dark gritty sounds and lush, swoon-ish vibes. I wanted to join with friends and family on this journey down the fused path of today’s hybrid/experimental music. The music I created with three of my friends was made in separate studios, sharing projects files back and forth. While some of the vocals for this EP were recorded from my Wife, daughter and myself in my home studio.”

Diving Deep w/ smol

1. You have created your own bass label, DoYu Digital, to create a space for artists to share their music on a large scale. What made you decide to create this space? How do you hope to grow DoYu Digital as it continues to gain traction?

t began back in 2017 as a support group for me and my friends to share our tracks on. I had just started writing music and what we were making collectively wasn’t worth a ‘real label’ release. As a kid growing up I was given a lot of grief for my talents and eccentricity, often being encouraged to give up by my peers.

The name “DoYu” is a reflection of this struggle and the battle to be my true self. Over two decades of being immersed in this beautiful, dynamic electronic music culture I came to realize that whatever was making me weird was actually my greatest asset. The label’s name, DO YOU is there to encourage people to embrace their talents and weirdness and experience the journey as their true selves. 

We have already started expanding DoYu’s presence this summer with the addition of DoYu Deep where we are focused on mainly 140 deep dubstep type jams. My friends Dylan Heinrichs of Nocturnal sounds and BoyNotHome have been curating, operating, creating art and working with me to streamline and expand on that front. We also started a new singles series on DoYu Digital called “DoYu Dance” which showcases all forms of that 4/4 vibe.

This summer we are also now offering a variety of merch which include hand made pieces by my wife, Jenny. They include bucket hats, fannys, split t-shirts and a lot more! I can’t express how happy I feel when I see my friends in other countries wearing and pushing the message of DoYu! Yu can find our stuff on the label’s bandcamp and IG. 

2. This 4- track EP features collaborations with artists such as Omnist, ZURGLIN, and Visive. How did you work with each of these artists to create these different tracks? How did you work together to incorporate both of your sounds in the collaborations to create each individual track?

The process for collaborating on this EP was pretty simple for the most part but the process of writing this EP did take about three years. If anyone out there is following my music journey you would have noticed I’ve only ever released two small albums as I’ve struggled to stay focused on one genre, or flow for more than 20 seconds so creating something cohesive has been elusive for the most past.

The first track created for the album was with Visive who sent me the project to a half time, swingin beat with some ultra high pitched synths that sounded like angel vocals or something. We worked on this project for some months before I got stuck on the half time idea and the project came to a pause. I ended up opening it up about a year later and instantly knew I could bridge the second drop into dnb and use arps and flowing reese basses to amp the energy up and write an end to the story. 

Yu & Me was originally intended to be a collaborative remix of Bodega but after going back and forth for months Omnist had a breakthrough which saw us drop the remix vocals and add more lovey type bits in the mix. Omnist wrote the first half of the story out and then I tied it together on my end with some verbal guidance from him. We actually do still have that bootleg remix of bodega before it turned into a love story, so I guess we got two from one with this project! 

The last collaboration, and arguably the spiciest track on the album, is with my man ZURGLIN who I reallllly enjoy writing music with. Our last collab ‘Kung Foo’ was just rinsed by A Hundred Drums at EDC just a few weeks ago. My mance sent me an idea that contained ample fuzzy wubs, a slappin drum beat and the I LIKEY vocals which instantly had me sold. Like the others, I ended up writing out the second drop and progressing the story that ZURGLIN had started. There is a theme going on in this song between robots and animals and lush pads and guitars but I will explain that in more detail on the Gravitas youtube in the coming weeks. 

3. What is your favorite track on this EP and why?

I actually don’t have a favourite track but more enjoy each track as it is for a certain moment. All songs are different genres and tempos so the variation is too thicc to have a personal fav. I will however say that Do It Different is quite special to me as it features vocals from both my wife and daughter.

My favourite track to write was “I LIKE YU” as it was to-date the most cohesive hybrid track that I feel I’ve ever put together/been part of. I love how progressive it is, it includes my boi Ram Jam Rodigan and I feel the balance between distorted synths and basses to lush, melodic and organic vibes is on point. 

4. What is next for the smol project? Do you have anything planned for the project that fans have to look forward to?

After hitting festivals and shows for 18 years straight I decided to take this summer off and do a few things for myself and my family. I have been practicing piano obsessively as I wish to include the instrument and keyboard skill in both my nwmi & smol projects in a live setting for 2024. Now that Covid is done it was also time to get married and send it on a honeymoon. 

I’ve been working on a extra left field concept as well where I play intricate, emotional classical pieces on piano then layer bass, orchestral instruments, psychoacoustics and atmosphere behind the piece to fuse inspired writing from the 1800’s with music from now. This is more of a listening project than a dancing project but it’s something I’ve been passionately pursuing as a form of meditation and self healing. If anyone wants to explore the classical vein I’ve been on I suggest starting with Franz Liszt.

In regards to my bassmusic I have another 3-track EP dropping with a bucket list label and a single on a vinyl compilation coming later this summer. The fam can expect monthly releases for the rest of the year on my own account as well which include house, bootlegs and maybe dubstep or two and alllll the collabs.

To all my American friends – I will see you soon 

Rendr Begins New Chapter w/ New Disfunction EP

Rendr Begins New Chapter w/ New Disfunction EP

by | Jun 21, 2023 | Exclusive

Sometimes rebranding can open fresh eyes to a project, bringing more creativity, new inspirations, and ideas that blast it into the spotlight. Starting his musical career under a completely different alias, Rendr has emerged just this year, bringing forth a whole new sound unlike many have seen previously. Though his original project, Templo, was already a huge success, in order to progress as an artist, Rendr was born in its place, continuing the legacy with a whole new chapter with entirely new tunes for fans to enjoy.

In the wake of this new project, Rendr brings forth his highly anticipated Disfunction EP which showcases this new adventure and new phase as an artist. Though each of these tracks were written at a different point in life, the entire compilation forms a cohesive piece, featuring iconic bouncy synths, driving bass lines, and an infectious energy unlike any other. Each track, portrays a different feeling through its changes in tempos and energies, perfectly illustrating all that the Rendr project has to offer through the incredible range of sound. 

“I made these 4 tracks at very different times in my life. I’ve been working on a couple of them for a little over a year and a couple are very new. It’s a good representation of the fact that sometimes it’s easy to create and sometimes you gotta work a little harder to make it happen. For me, accepting that was a struggle early on. Sometimes it’s hard to know when a track is ‘done’ but getting to the point where I know I’m proud of it and ready to let go and put it out into the world has been an adventure in itself. So here’s my debut EP ‘Disfunction’. So much more to come.”

There is no doubt that the Disfuction EP will be getting fans old and new excited about all there is to come for the Rendr project. While the Templo project has come to a closer, Rendr has finished loading, bringing forth new and exciting sounds, plenty of live sets and even more to come in the near future. We had the extreme pleasure to ask our burning questions to REndr about his new project, EP release and what all he has in store in the future. Make sure to check out our exclusive Q&A and the rest of the Disfunction EP below!

Diving Deep w/ Rendr

1. You started your music career as Templo, a highly anticipated and celebrated bass artist, and proceeded to reimagine your brand into Rendr this year. What made you decide to start fresh and transition from Templo to this new project as Rendr? What old elements did you transition from Templo to Rendr? What new inspirations and elements did you bring fresh to start the Rendr project?

There are a lot of phases you go through as a producer, or a creator of any kind really… I started the Templo project pretty much right when I started making computer music for the first time. The possibilities seemed endless, it felt sooo overwhelming, I knew that there was so much to learn and so many mistakes to be made.

I was really just having fun and making music, keeping it simple. As the project grew, I started to realize how deep the rabbit hole actually went. There’s a point I think every creative person gets to where they feel a real confidence in their abilities, sometimes it takes 6 month to get there, sometimes it takes 10 years, but you really can’t fake it and even though I was having success with the Templo project, I really didn’t feel like I was on the level that I wanted to be at.

After years of making music literally every single day, I finally just hit a point where I felt ready, it happened suddenly, and I was just proud of where I had gotten to. Around that same time, I linked up with my amazing new team at MindWarp Management and we decided to take this huge step into the Rendr era, with a solid collective vision for exactly what we needed to do from the start to take things to a whole new level.

2. The Disfunction EP is a 4-track compilation that explores a wide range of soundscapes and influences that embody different perspectives and points throughout life. How did you channel your life experiences and emotions into this EP? What inspirations did you take from day-to-day life and transition into these different sound designs?

It’s pretty much impossible for external emotions and perspectives not to bleed into the music I’m making. We all inevitably go through ups and downs, it’s a part of life. My style in general is just completely centered around the simple concept that I just need to sit down and make ANYTHING. I never really limit myself to a tempo or genre; I just sit down and let the music flow, I try to go back to that place in the beginning when I was just having fun making music that I think is cool. That’s exactly how the Disfunction EP was made.

3. You have Sonic Bloom coming up this week as well as multiple other live shows coming up. How do you prepare for sets such as these? What new experience will fans have at Rendr sets now that you have reimagined your original project?

I pretty much treat sets the same way I treat my production process. I try not to overthink anything and just let it flow. I’ll just load up like 3 hours of music onto a flash drive and feel it out as I go, that’s what makes it fun. Maybe a week before, I’ll start opening up old music and just go through and give the mix down a little facelift if it needs it.

4. What’s next for the Rendr project? What do you and your team have planned in the near future that fans have to look forward to?

More music, more shows! We’re gonna put together a special curated headliner in Denver this August and then go from there. I have an album concept in my head that I’ve been working slowly on, that could take a little while. Luckily, I have a ton of music saved up and ready to go, so for now, just a ton of EPs and singles on the way, maybe some label releases.

I’m just trying to have fun making music and I gotta believe that if I can just convey that in the music, people will hop on board. 

 

Nosphere x Midnight Tyrannosaurus Blow the Roof w/ New Track “Festering Serpent”

Nosphere x Midnight Tyrannosaurus Blow the Roof w/ New Track “Festering Serpent”

by | Jun 21, 2023 | Exclusive

Music is truly a universal language connecting people from all over the world. Whether it be through favorite songs, new artists, or in-person shows, the love for music brings people together from every expanse even if their common language or walk of life is not the same. Through this bond of sound, artists find and join forces all over the globe, bringing forth new tunes and combining to form new sounds, unlike any others. This is exactly what Hungarian dubstep Don, Nosphere has done as he joined forces with EDM legend Midnight Tyranosaurs on his latest album release, The Gauntlet EP.

As he continues to make his way into the spotlight, Nosphere has brought his heavy-hitting bass sounds alongside Midnight Tyrannosaurus, whose sound can be recognized far and wide through his iconic nasty drops and intense bass. These two together are a storm of bone-crushing bass lines, and incredibly high energy drops, leaving listeners with broken necks, no doubt. “Festering Serpent” is definitely on track to be the festival track of the year, being rinsed out left and right throughout the whole summer. We got the chance to sit down with Nosphere and ask our most burning questions about his collaboration with Midnight Tyrannosaurus, track inspiration and hopefully a forthcoming US debut! Make sure to check out our exclusive Q&A below for more insight into his incredible project.

1. This is a huge collaboration for the Nosphere project. What was it like working with a big artist such as Midnight Tyrannosaurus on this track?

It was an amazing experience working with him especially since I played his NSD releases when I started DJing in 2017. Definitely made a friend which is amazing to think and we were talking about making another one !

2. Did you both have a certain vision when it came to “Festering Serpent” or did you find it along the way? What inspirations did you have for this track?

If I remember correctly I started the OG idea way back in 2021 but then when Midnight T hopped on it became 10x more dark and squelchy. For Festering Serpent we tried to blend our styles together nicely and we tried to keep the atmosphere scary and unexpected.

3. What does this track mean to you as an artist? 

It’s definitely a step in the right direction and I’m super proud of what I achieved in the past few years. This is definitely a collab that I’m super pumped about since he was a big inspiration when I started out!

4. What can listeners expect from this heater and the rest of the Midnight Tyrannosaurus album whether it is the first time they’ve heard it or the 100th?

They can expect a scary atmosphere with a powerful headbang friendly drop and a beautiful piece of a much larger lore/story.

5. What is next for the Nosphere project? What do you and your team have planned for the future that fans have to look forward to?

I’m very excited to tell all of you that I’m working on my US visa 24/7 now and I’m 85% done with it. I know a lot of people are waiting for me and im super grateful for each and every single one of you! I’m trying my best to make it happen as soon as possible so keep an eye on my socials for further announcements. Release wise I locked in another collab appearance with a good friend of mine AVANCE for July and an EP release later this year.

Shanghai Doom X Ren Zukii Break Reality w/ New Surprise Track “The Phoenix” via WAKAAN

Shanghai Doom X Ren Zukii Break Reality w/ New Surprise Track “The Phoenix” via WAKAAN

by | Jun 20, 2023 | Exclusive

Rising from the ashes and breathing new life into each of their projects is none other than dynamic bass duo, Shanghai Doom, and Aussie wub queen, Ren Zukii have teamed up to release their surprise new track “The Phoenix’ via our friends over at WAKAAN. Serving as a reflection of new life, this track was just a work in progress in Shanghai Doom’s files until they reached out to sensation Ren Zukii to take on a new and fresh perspective on the already stellar track. It features a range of bouncy synths, playful melodies, and a deep driving bassline all wrapped up together to showcase both projects unique individual styles in one amazing tune. 

“Ren hit us up about working on some music – coincidentally right after we discovered her tunes on Wakaan. We sent over a few WIPs and she brought new life to what became ‘The Phoenix’. Very fitting for a tune that ended up being reborn.” – Shanghai Doom

There is no doubt that this tune is a breath of fresh air, bringing its infectious energy to anyone who gets the chance to listen to it. “The Phoenix” is without a doubt going to be rinsed out far and wide, at festivals and live sets all over the world. Both projects have taken the time to sit down and answer some of our burning questions about the release, their collaboration process and what is to come for each project so make sure to check out our exclusive Q&A with both Shanghai Doom and Ren Zukii below!

Diving Deep w/ Shanghai Doom & Ren Zukii

1. Creating music can be a difficult task on its let alone when three different people are working together on one track. What was your favorite part about working together on “The Phoenix”? Did you have any challenges to overcome while working together?

“To be honest the process for this collab went really smoothly. We sent over a couple ideas over to Ren that we were sort of stuck on. She ended up sending a couple versions of what she had done back and maybe the biggest challenge was that we were unsure which version we wanted to go back and work off of lol.” – Shanghai Doom

“This record actually came together seamlessly. We only went back and forth 3 times. I feel like we worked really well together creatively and I am so hyped on their sound so it was good to tie in my bass elements and style with theirs. I am keen to make more music with Shanghai Doom in the near future.” -Ren Zukii

2. What inspirations and elements did your project bring to this track? How was it translated into one cohesive work of art since you were working as a group?

“Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint exact inspirations in a track, but I think what ended up making the project sound cohesive with both our sounds is that the original idea already had a melodic aspect to it. I know a lot of times our music is a little more experimental in regards to melody and structure (or lack thereof)” -Shanghai Doom

“They sent me a few wips, all were fire so it was hard to choose, however as soon as i heard the first one my brain instantly knew where to take it so we went with it. I used my go to bass programming which is just a saw wave with a bunch of different distortions on top. The demo they originally sent me had a really good feel. I made sure to keep the motif and just intertwine my style. It came out really nice” -Ren Zukii

3. Both of your projects right now are being shot into the forefront of the bass music scene, but there is always more ground to cover! Where do you see your project in 5 years and how are you working to get there currently?

“In 5 years, hoping to be one of the mainstays on the festival circuit with some big headline slots, also hoping to be able to successfully headline our own tour and just be creating even better music – currently always working on new music to play out and bring the listeners a unique experience – and honing in on the flow of our dj sets. We’ve already seen a huge improvement over the past couple years when we really started playing out.” -Shanghai Doom

“In 5 years I am hoping to be continuing working and collaborating  in studios alongside other musical people. In terms of business I hope I’m pulling off successful tours for the sake of my team and I,  they work hard and deserve that. I guess the main goal here is to keep loving what I’m doing and hoping that the music output is enriching peoples lives or inspiring others somehow.” -Ren Zukii

4. Both of your projects have the honor of performing at Lost Lands Music Festival this year which is a huge accomplishment! What are you doing to prepare for such a huge set as this in September?

“Pretty much what was said in question 3 hahah – but having experienced lost lands for the first time last year the prep will prob be a bit more focused” -Shanghai Doom

“Yup thats the biggest milestone for me personally as of yet. I’m excited to experience such a big festival and to be able to play my own music to heaps of folks in a different country.  I can’t really believe it is happening yet and I’m so grateful to get such an opportunity. I will be playing all of my tracks and IDs &  alot of my favourites from other artists. Eventually i’ll have a 100% RZ originals crafted set but that’s for the future and when I finish more of wips” -Ren Zukii

5. What is next for your project? What do you and your team have planned for the near future that fans have to look forward to?

“We have more music on the way (obviously) but also have an EP lined up that were excited about! Also some tour stuff in the works that we may be announcing soon!” -Shanghai Doom

“More music, hopefully many more shows, more fun and laughs. I just want to go see the world, meet nice people and write good tunes. That is on the cards! I want to put a bit more energy into my brand and the visual side of the music. I am working with someone at the moment on the vision and that’s all really exciting. The possibilities are endless. Who knows.” -Ren Zukii