Dropping during Pride Month, it feels less like a coincidence than a statement of presence: a reminder that queer, trans, femme, and nonbinary artists have always been central to the sound and energy of bass culture. Bass music has long been shaped by women, queer, trans, and nonbinary artists, even if the scene hasn’t always reflected that back to them. Bass n Babes was built to change that. Since day one, the label has created space for artists who are too often pushed to the margins, and Vol. III feels like its clearest, most fully realized statement yet.
Vol. III doesn’t try to define Bass n Babes so much as reflect what it continues to build. Across twelve tracks, the compilation moves through hunger, reclamation, duality, movement, and wonder, recurring themes that echo the label’s broader mission of centering femme and LGBTQ+ artists in bass music without flattening their individual voices.
Bass n Babes Vol. III brings together twelve tracks from fourteen artists for the latest Bass n Babes Records compilation. The project moves through dubstep, UK bass, drum and bass, riddim, and experimental bass, reflecting the label’s ongoing focus on femme and LGBTQ+ producers.
On Hunger
shmani sets the tone immediately with “Shameless.” There’s no easing in. The dubstep-hyperpop hybrid captures the messy, unfiltered side of ambition, the hunger to be seen and recognized without apology. It’s direct in a way that feels intentional. Nothing about it hides behind restraint. shmani is set to headline the Vol. III release party in Los Angeles on June 13, and “Shameless” lands like a preview of that energy translated into sound.
IIBARRA follows with “FTB,” marking her second appearance on a Bass n Babes compilation. Driven by gritty textures and hypnotic vocals, the track hits hard without sacrificing its experimental edge. As a Bay Area LGBTQIA+ and POC artist, IIBARRA continues to blur the line between community-driven intent and club functionality.
On Reclamation
Baby Kush, founder of Bass n Babes, contributes “okay diva,” a track that reclaims language often used to diminish women, turning it into something deliberate and self-defined rather than reactive.
The production matches that stance: wobbling low-end, tight drums, and a sense of humor that never undercuts its impact. It lands somewhere between playful and pointed, without losing its footing in either direction.
Two Girls One Laptop (Kurei and Auracle, featuring Rhianah Harleigh) follow with “In My Bag,” a track centered on self-assurance and clarity. The bassline feels organic and grounded, with a softness that never loses its weight, built around the idea of knowing exactly where you stand.
Aariaa pushes into new territory with “Make It Easy,” her first UK bass track. Rather than feeling like a stylistic shift, it reads like expansion. The production feels fast and deliberate, balancing hard-hitting bass with cool, controlled vocals.
On Duality
Duality runs through Vol. III in subtle, but consistent ways.
SOOSI’s debut “Mermaid Riddim” leans directly into contrast. The upper layers feel light, fluid, and almost delicate, while the low end stays heavy and intentional. Instead of resolving that tension, the track holds it in place, softness and weight existing at the same time without compromise.
Bass Temple takes a more cinematic approach on “What It Feels Like,” starting in restraint before building into distorted guitar textures and dense low-end pressure. The track feels designed for large systems, with escalation doing most of the storytelling.
Charlotte Rose, co-founder of Bass n Babes, appears with “Is This Thing On?” a drum and bass cut that balances chaos and control. A Lex Looper cameo gives the track a playful edge without losing its structure. It’s one of the more unpredictable moments on the compilation, but in the best way.
On Movement
Vyhara’s “Underground” stretches UK bass into wider territory, pulling in global rhythmic influence while keeping its momentum intact. The basslines feel fluid and forward-moving, while the vocals add friction and emotional weight.
Lex Looper and farley. team up on “baddie bounce,” a stripped-back rave track built around physical response. Deep bass and UK bass grooves make the track feel built for the dancefloor.
On Wonder
WEiRD WAiFU shifts the compilation into more narrative terrain with “Underland,” loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The track feels playful on the surface, but carries a deeper emotional pull underneath, with curiosity and unease existing side by side.
CPARK closes the compilation with “UNBOUND,” a track that dissolves more than it concludes. Glitchy textures, floating vocals, and rolling basslines gradually loosen their structure until the track feels weightless. It captures that familiar moment at the end of a night out, when things feel suspended rather than finished, but a feeling of endless opportunity fuels the soul.
Bass n Babes Vol. III ultimately lands as more than a compilation, it’s an invitation into a world where bass music is reshaped by those who have always been pushing it forward from the margins. Across its range of styles and voices, it carries a sense of urgency and joy that refuses to be contained, moving between power, vulnerability, and release with ease. The result is not just something to analyze, but something to feel in full volume. Press play from the beginning, and let it pull you through, because Vol. III doesn’t just represent a moment in bass music, it demands to be experienced inside it.
A Statement of Presence
Bass n Babes Vol. III is a bold celebration of the queer, trans, femme, and nonbinary talent at the heart of bass music. Be sure to check out this incredible compilation and all of the artists involved. It is officially out now, and you can listen to it here!
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