Prepare For Black Carl!’s Set At North Coast 2024 w/ Exclusive Road To Guest Mix

Prepare For Black Carl!’s Set At North Coast 2024 w/ Exclusive Road To Guest Mix

by | Aug 8, 2024 | Exclusive

The 14th installment of Chicagoland’s premier electronic music event, North Coast Music Festival, is set to take motion this upcoming Friday, August 30th-Sunday, September 1st at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois! If you didn’t have plans for this year’s Labor Day weekend, well now you do, and this is the most proper way to do it. This year’s lineup is consistent with top acts such as ISOKNOCK, LSZEE, Tchami, Malaa, Sullivan King, Illneium and so much more. We’re here today to show you what madness awaits us as we feature the prominent bass act Black Cark!, on a 30-minute journey through the heavy experimental realm that bassheads can’t get enough of. We couldn’t think of anyone better to properly represent the dubstep community and give us a glimpse of what to expect. See further below to stream the official road to North Coast Music Festival guest mix!

“So excited to play North Coast for the first time! Here is a 30 min mix of what you can expect, and trust there will be more where that came from. I will be playing Sunday at the Vega stage at 4pm!” -BLACK CARL!

Click here for further information on NORTH COAST 2024!

KTRL Bends Reality w/ New “Don’t Fall Asleep” EP via Street Ritual

KTRL Bends Reality w/ New “Don’t Fall Asleep” EP via Street Ritual

by | Aug 2, 2024 | PREMIERE

Being able to bend reality and warp minds using sound is a talent that bass artists have learned to master and inject into their music, capturing the attention of ears all over the globe. Using deep complex basslines, catchy melodies and intricate samples, Chicago based artist, KTRL, has put forth an absolute heater of an EP entitled Don’t Fall Asleep that is not to be missed. Our premiere today off this 3 track masterpiece, “Trouble”, combines dark and moody soundscapes with driving synths and melodies, giving this track a unique and bouncy rhythm that can be heard across the EP’s entirety. There is no doubt that KTRL is about to take the bass scene by absolute storm with this release. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling “Trouble” and the rest of the Don’t Fall Asleep EP, a certified bop.

“Wanted to create a project that’s cohesive & tells a story. Don’t Fall Asleep is the title track & bounces off well with the others. So happy it came together & I hope yall enjoy!” -KTRL

1. How do you keep your sets fresh and exciting for both yourself and your audience? 
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I honestly crate dig prior to the set, slap 70+ songs in it that I’m feeling (including my own,) choose the first 2 songs then wing it from there! Every set I do this! It keeps it super fun & fresh for me up there. No set is ever the same or the same order of tunes. We like to keep everyone on their toes. Including myself LOL.
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2. How do you stay inspired as an artist and avoid creative blocks?
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Inspiration comes in waves for me no doubt. I’ll make 4-8 songs in a one month span then take a nature break for a couple weeks then get back to it. Been hiking a ton lately & it’s opened the door so much more for inspiration nowadays. Even writing music outside is a whole trip in itself! But most importantly it’s the music always!! I’ve been in love with electronic music since I was 12. There is nothing comparable & I’ll continue to always have passion to create weird sounds & stuff 🙂
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3. If you could create a soundtrack for any movie or video game, which one would it be and why?
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YOOO I love this question!! Definitely would be music for the game Apex Legends. My favorite game ever for sure. I’ve played it for way too long & for a godly amount of hours unfortunately hahaha. Also I think some type of cyberpunk anime would be SICK. 
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4. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in the music industry?
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 Best piece of advice I’ve gotten so far is to be myself always, create what makes you happy, & BE CONSISTENT. That’s been my main goal coming into this year, & I’ve released more music than ever so far. Building relationships & being a good human is always the motto over at the KTRL team.
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NRVE Breaks Through w/ New Single “THRASHER”

NRVE Breaks Through w/ New Single “THRASHER”

by | Jul 25, 2024 | PREMIERE

The HBS team is on a constant mission to find the best of what the dubstep scene has to offer. Today’s find takes us all the way to California where a fast-rising heavy bass act is taking up the talk of the town everywhere he goes. He goes by the name of NRVE, a commanding force in the world of heavy dubstep and riddim and today he showcases why he is a must-see act on any lineup. Today we have the honor of premiering their newest project, a single titled ‘THRASHER”. If you are a big fan of a few inspirational artists such as Aweminus, Saigga and Akeos, then this track will be right up your alley. Now it’s time to take a deeper dive as to what makes this track what we like to call, a certified bop.

“This tune was honestly a ton of fun to make. This was one of the first “real” riddim tunes that I have made so it was a bit of a challenge as to how I would translate my heavy style into the genre. One of my favorite bits is the overall flow of the drop and how loose it is. It gives it kind of a charm that I want to bring to songs that I’m working on currently. Overall I’m extremely happy with how this one turned out!” -NRVE

DIVING DEEP W/ NRVE

  1. What’s the strangest or most unexpected sound you’ve sampled in a track before?
    Me and a buddy of mine Exille made a tune completely out of fart sounds. Also I am pretty sure me and MOB did that as well a few times.

 

  1. How do you keep your sets fresh and exciting for both yourself and your audience?
    A lot of the time when I’m setting up playlists for shows, I dig through soundcloud and try to find stuff I really like. Once I find a bunch of stuff I immediately go into rekordbox and find doubles for those tunes. Another thing I’ll do often is make edits of classic dubstep tunes and include that into my sets.

 

  1. How do you stay inspired as an artist and avoid creative blocks?
    Two of the main things that I’ll do whenever I’m feeling uninspired or reaching a creative block is either making stuff outside of dubstep / riddim, or making edits of songs. Like I said before, making edits of tunes is a surefire way to have new material for playing out at shows, as well as potential releases! For the second one, making stuff outside of your main genre is always a good way to experiment in the daw. Even if what I’m making is just for fun, It’s always good practice and usually inspires me to make something else.

 

  1. If you could create a soundtrack for any movie or video game, which one would it be and why?
    I am a HUGE fan of the Destiny games. The story and visuals in those games ( especially the second one) really inspire me when it comes to developing intros for songs, and the sounds in that game are really fun to sample. Fun fact, both of my tunes, Sword Logic and Mythoclast, have destiny inspired names!

 

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in the music industry?
Make what you want to make! Don’t feel like you have to conform to making different styles of music to get numbers. Like I said before, making stuff that’s different from your norm is good practice and it helps you solidify your own style. The more stuff you make, the more you develop your sound.

AG Reflects His Evolution w/ New EP ‘Seeking The Vibe’ via Circus Records

AG Reflects His Evolution w/ New EP ‘Seeking The Vibe’ via Circus Records

by | Jul 18, 2024 | PREMIERE

In the world of free-form bass music where it seems like many artists come and go depending on how relevant they become within the space, one artist has continued to shine bright throughout the years. AG, an electronic bass artist from Boston, Massachusettes, continues to craft and blend the worlds between dubstep and smooth hip-hop. Today he unfolds what is bound to be another project that redefines and captures the essence of the evergrowing dubstep genre. The name of his new 3-track EP is titled ‘Seeking The Vibe’, which is now available on all platforms thanks to the collaboration with a respected record label, Circus Records.  Now it’s time to take a deep dive as to what makes today’s premiere what we like to call, a certified bop. 

“Crafting the ‘Seeking the Vibe’ EP was a deeply inspiring journey of self-discovery and creativity. Each song was a reflection of my mission to find inner peace and embrace  the various vibes in my life. Through lyrics and melodies, I explored different aspects of vibe, capturing moments of joy, introspection, and growth. It was a process that allowed me to express my emotions and connect with others through music, resonating with the universal pursuit of finding balance and authenticity in our lives” -AG

DIVING DEEP W/ AG

1. What’s the strangest or most unexpected sound you’ve sampled in a track before?
Okay so way back when in my old parking garage, there were these like metal grates you had to drive over in order to enter the garage, and sometimes they are like loosened due to cars driving on them all day – and one time I was driving over them and the sound that happened when my car flattened them down sounded like the PERFECT snare sample. So I backed up and put my phone’s voice memo recording on and drove over it again. After some processing I used that snare sample in a couple major label releases. 
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2. How do you keep your sets fresh and exciting for both yourself and your audience? 
I try to make small edits here and there to keep things interesting. If I have played a tune of mine a bunch and it’s starting to get stale, making slight variations in the song for live sets really gives it new life, and can also spawn new ideas for another song. I tend to get bored of playing the same set multiple times so I am always adjusting and changing things to keep myself busy and keep the sets fresh. 
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3. How do you stay inspired as an artist and avoid creative blocks?
This is a tough one. I’m still trying to dial this in unfortunately but my most recent endeavors on destroying creative blocks is working out. I started running pretty much daily to get the blood pumping and the muscles moving. Being outside and vibing to mother nature really resets my creative brain and allows the ideas to trickle back in. 
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4.If you could create a soundtrack for any movie or video game, which one would it be and why?
LOVE this question. I would absolutely try and do a Cyberpunk 2077 score. I think having some dubstep in that game would fit perfectly. Can you imagine running through the streets of Night City with Keanu Reeves and I Cant Stop is is playing? LOL 
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5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in the music industry?
Not everyone is going to treat your craft with the same amount of respect as you do. And that is okay. 

Frantik Breaks All Necks w/ New EP “Cult Of The Hand” via Cyclops Recordings

Frantik Breaks All Necks w/ New EP “Cult Of The Hand” via Cyclops Recordings

by | Jul 12, 2024 | PREMIERE

Cultivating a heavy hitting dubstep sound complete with bone crushing bass lines and gnarly synths, FRANTIK is back at it and better than ever as he unveils his new 3 track EP, “Cult of the Hand”. Serving as an introduction into his new sound, FRANTIK has truly captured the essence of his project within each of these tracks. Today, we have the absolute pleasure of premiering the title track, “Cult of the Hand” and boy, this track is a real treat. There is no doubt that we are going to hear their track being rinsed out across festival stages far and wide. Let’s take a deeper dive into why we are calling the entire “Cult of the Hand” EP, a certified bop

I’m excited to share my new EP ‘Cult of the Hand’ via Cyclops Recordings. This EP represents some of my favorite songs from the past year, and I’m thrilled to unveil a new chapter of my sound and story through it. I hope you enjoy ‘Cult of the Hand’ as much as I do. -FRANTIK

DIVING DEEP W/ FRANTIK

1. What’s the strangest or most unexpected sound you’ve sampled in a track before?
I like to get creative with sound design. I do a lot of sample manipulation and have used tons of unique recordings as source audio for my sound design. I’ve used dog barks, bird calls, car alarms, machinery, and other foley sounds to create basses in past tracks.
2. How do you keep your sets fresh and exciting for both yourself and your audience? 
I prefer to play mostly originals in my sets. It’s always interesting to see which new IDs resonate best with the audience. A majority of my catalog is unreleased, so every show will feature dozens of tracks that nobody has ever heard before.
3. How do you stay inspired as an artist and avoid creative blocks?
I let inspiration come and go without trying to force things. I have long periods where ideas flow easily and I’m excited about the music I’m making. When I’m burnt out and not having as much fun, I take some time off and don’t stress about it.
4. If you could create a soundtrack for any movie or video game, which one would it be and why?

I’d love to do a soundtrack for a horror film. I have worked on some horror score projects for friends in the past, and it’s always really fun.

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in the music industry?
Always send contracts as soon as possible after confirming a show booking. I’ve learned this the hard way through some frustrating experiences.