It is always an inspiring twist when artists decide to take their project in a new direction and change the game. This includes the switch from releasing on major labels to curating releases on their own; an important part of an artist’s development in music. One of the latest artists in bass music to initiate this change is producer Hydraulix, also known as Damien Williams. 

      Hydraulix started out producing and playing live shows in his homeland of Australia, quickly expanding to the U.S. market and eventually collaborating on music with the likes of PhaseOne, MoodyGood, and Doctor P. As of late, the Aussie producer has made the decision to start a new adventure as a self-releasing artist and has dropped his first independent release, “duCk hUNT”, a certified weapon of a track where wobbly bass and trap intersect in the most divine way to create a straight banger; meant to be rinsed out at every function (or on repeat during your morning commute to work, as we’ve been doing). 

      Speaking on “duCk hUNT’s” release, Hydraulix says he plans for many more of his tracks to drop in the near future so fans like us can get their fix, and we absolutely cannot wait to listen! For more insight into Hydraulix’s transition to being an independent artist and thoughts on the current state of bass music, check out our exclusive Q/A below!

“Being as this is my first self release I’m super excited for Duck Hunt! I think this tune is a turning point for me and makes me excited to take control over everything and bring you more music than ever before!

Duck hunt is just the start! So get excited..” -HYDRAULIX

1. “Duck Hunt” is an absolute banger; what inspired you to put this track out as your first independent release? 

Thanks so much mate! So stoked you like it.. Honestly there wasn’t anything in particular that made me pick Duck Hunt. We just really wanted to take back control of the music and put things out on my timeline rather than a labels. Duck Hunt is one of the tunes I’ve written more recently and has been getting good reactions live and from friends I’ve sent it to, so it seemed like a good place to start. But it is just that, the start. I have so much new music and I’m beyond pumped to be able to be consistent. 

2. What do you feel is next for experimental music; what trends/movements do you hope to see take place over the next few months? 

For me personally I’ve been really fucking with UKG and Speed Garage. Defs some coming up from me soon enough. I feel this is great direction it’s fun it’s dancey and has the ability to get weird AF while still locking you into that groove! Plus reminds me of my early bass music days with Fidget house.

3. If you could travel back in time to when you first started making music, what is one piece of advice you would give yourself? 

Damnnn that’s a tough one. But I’d say,  Stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone is on their own journey and have all different circumstances. But it’s so easy to get caught up in “why didn’t I get that opportunity” or “damn I deserve that as well”. The sooner you let that go the better your music and life will be. 

4. What’s next for the Hydraulix project? Any upcoming shows fans should be excited about?

Mate ATM I have no fuckin idea. I’ve been really focusing on writing some of the best music I can. Got a whole bunch of stuff in the works including an EP with Oski and a few bits with Moody Good which I’m super pumped for. And show wise I’ve got a show with Ganja White Night at Mission Ballroom and also doing Bass Ribbon Pines which will be a lot of fun.

Innovative experimental bass producer VEIL, is dropping an absolute banger of a compilation via her self-owned label Street Ritual. The compilation, titled “Revelations” features tracks from some of bass music’s most up and coming artists including Lingual and Bassface, and is sure to keep you in a trance all the way through. The premier track, The Hollow, produced by VEIL herself, is a continuation of the sci-fi meets cyber-world lore that serves as a catalyst for one of the forefront goals of the VEIL project, the discussion of real-world issues through art mediums. The track itself is wonky and weird, yet refreshingly light, featuring VEIL’s signature sounds that keep fans coming back for more. Now it’s time to take a deeper dive as to what makes this track what we like to call, a certified bop.

“Imagine learning how to control things you never thought you could control. Plans within plans. AZAL has entered THE HOLLOW. ” – VEIL

Being the owner of the Street Ritual label, how does it feel to be able to release yet another compilation with such amazing artists?

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What an honor it is to showcase my team and I’s favorite tracks at the moment coming from the underground sphere!  Very grateful for all the artists’ trust, patience, and amazing contributions to incredible body of work it turned out to be~  We love to dig deep and build a compilation of artists from all over the globe with various takes on bass music in general. This happens to be our 201st release, which reminds me how darn special it is to have had the opportunity to work with that many like minded artists and creators. I absolutely love to curate and what a better way to do it than through music! If you could choose one word to describe “The Hollow”,  what would it be and why?

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Well, The Hollow is where AZAL finds herself in this next body of music. She’s learning how to tap in and out of the cyber world and control things she never imagined she could control! The feeling of the song is laid back, lush, spooky yet inviting, sexy but a little scary? 

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What’s next for the VEIL project? How do you hope to grow as an artist in the future? 

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Lots of exciting things in store for the remainder of this year!!! I’ll be embarking on the 140 Warriors Tour with Boogie T and a bunch of other legends throughout the Spring and Summer, then working on some very special headline plans for the fall and winter. I have been working on my debut album so that will be a large part of my focus this year and continuing to push the boundaries of my sound! Oh and Shambhala! The best gathering on earth, cannot wait to perform there again this July!

While few artists are able to master the ability to produce tracks featuring multiple genres so consistently, up and coming artist, STRVFE, has once again proven himself. Rising quickly in the scene and gaining notoriety, his newest release, “DKMV” is an enchanting club inspired bop mixed with nuanced bass that is an absolute must-listen. 

The track masterfully bridges the divide between the earlier days of the EDM scene and the shift over to bass music seen in more recent years, while heavily showcasing his ability to submerge himself in genres outside of his signature sound. Overall, “DKMV” shows his development as an artist throughout the span of the STRVFE project, and we can’t wait to see what this means for future releases. Stream “DKMV” today on SoundCloud, and check out our exclusive Q/A with STRVFE below!

“DKMV” features both hard-hitting bass, as well as elements of jungle and club-music; with that being said, what inspired you to take this route and combine these specific aspects of electronic music?

Well everyone knows a techno break is trendy right now. But in all seriousness ive been heavily inspired lately by the wave of heavy trap that has been taking over. On top of that, the aesthetics paying homage to the nostalgia of the 2000’s rave scene have always been a soft spot for me.
 

If you could choose one word to describe this track, what would it be and why?

Energy, because its constantly moving forward and its over before you know it. Just a constant build of momentum.
 

Most of your newer ID’s you’ve played out have been more oriented towards intense bass, why did you decide to switch it up with “DKMV?”

Personally i love experimenting and i think every artist should evolve and incorporate new styles to blend with their own. This track actually came out of a daily production challenge, where the goal was to write a drop every day of the week for 1 week.

What’s next for the STRVFE project? How do you hope to grow as an artist in the future?            

           Next up is more and more releases, and travel. This year im confident in my sound more than ever before, and i feel ready to show more range than i ever have.

Dub duo UGLY LUNGS has dropped an absolute banger of an EP, Digits, through well-established experimental bass label Wubaholics. The EP’s standout track, “Arrival” is a high-powered, intense piece of work that truly brings the heat. Featuring an extremely vibey wobble-bass sound paired with the duos signature free from bass production, this track is one that is sure to entice any crowd. As of late, UGLY LUNGS has played EDC Mexico and are currently making moves towards the U.S. scene, with plans to bring their live sets to an entirely new crowd. In the meantime, check out our short interview with Ugly Lungs below for more information on the project and their Digits EP!

“Arrival is definitely a standout track/personal favorite of ours from the upcoming Digits EP.

We really got a chance to have fun with this one and blend a lot of different styles together that we feel encapsulate the direction that we are moving in from a composition standpoint. Keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, heavy elements that switch up throughout the track, brings an excited vibe to the track, and is something we will seek to explore a lot this year!

In a climate that in many regards is “washed out” by stagnant sub-genres, monotony, and just plain overdone elements, it is a welcomed challenge for us to get in the studio and create something different and fresh, which we feel we achieved with ARRIVAL, and with the EP as a whole.

We are stoked to hear what you guys think of the tune, and we cannot wait to play it out at some shows in the near future!

As always, thank you to the bass community for the continued support.

Much love,

UGLY LUNGS”

1 Which track on the DIGITS EP are you guys most excited for fans to hear, and why? 

All of them!!! because this project really give the followers a deep dive into the future of our sound, and the elements of multiple genres that we will be exploring heavily this year. we’re also really proud of the work made in this ep. We can’t wait to see you guys bumping digits!!!

2 If you guys had the opportunity to collaborate with any artist, who would it be?

We have some collabs in the pipeline that we can’t talk too much about right now but we are VERY excited about it so stay tuned! In terms of “goals’ ‘ collabs we would love to work soon with Peekaboo, Tape B, Gunpoint, Slang Dogs, Tvboo, Hekler, Abelation and many more.

3. Are there any upcoming UGLY LUNGS sets that fans can look forward to catching this year?

We are in the process of locking in our VISA’s at the moment, and with our new U.S. based team, you can expect to see us in some new places very soon!