Another win for the underground. Wavecraft Collective and SATURATE! join forces to showcase some of the best the experimental bass scene has to offer in Halftone. Halftone, in its entirety, epitomizes cohesion, from the track selection to the ties between the art style and compilation title. Spotlighting a troupe of forward-thinking artists, these bass collectives push boundaries as they continue to propel progressive sounds. Now let’s take a deeper look.
Unleash the Tunes
SUAHN – “Glowsticks”
Seasoned bass producer, SUAHN, carries the honor of commencing this jam-packed compilation. Recognized for his methodical blend of acid, techno, and bass, “Glowsticks” upholds this genre crossover with a subtle industrial feel. To put it simply, “Glowsticks” is a mammoth of a tune.
The sound design. The breaks. The spacial panning. Plunging into a heavily filtered, washed-out ambiance, the track constructs a suggestive warehouse atmosphere. A gradual, but energetic build dissolves into a highly anticipated release.
The drop. A resounding synth stab gives way to guttural growls and slicing percussion. Part of “Glowsticks'” beauty is in its ability to sound spacious and full, even with what seems to be minimal elements.
Perhaps the reverb and delay are dialed just right, perhaps SUAHN just has the sauce like that. Regardless, we’ll be playing this one over and over. As a special treat for our readers who produce, make sure to check out the SUAHN x SATURATE! “Rave in Hell” sample pack!
KRYPTT – “Fourfold (BERSERK)”
Enter the KRYPTT.
Preceding a fresh release on Wubaholics, the San Francisco-based bass artist finishes out 2022 gifting us some incredibly solid bangers, with “Fourfold (BERSERK)” serving as a testament.
Breaks, neuro bass – what else could you possibly want? Listeners get a taste of such and more as booming, ominous drones give way to classic neuro-inspired growls.
The true highlight of this KRYPTT track is the call-and-response between the (very nasty) legato and staccato basses in the drop. (Also known as growls and womps.)
With an incredibly chunky, but still bouncy and energetic bass line, “Fourfold (BERSERK)” might be your next underground wub anthem.
styl & Niceotape – “Demolition”
Canada natives styl and Niceotape absolutely – you guessed it – DEMOLISH us with “Demolition.”
Listeners are made aware of this track’s vibe with the push of the play button. Damp, swung drums drag by creating what can only be described as swagger; think bank robber origin story soundtrack. Cue the introduction of a melodic motif, which soon evolves into a nasty bass lead. Each note has a different characteristic or tone, possibly done by automating distortion, or maybe a result of variations from FM synthesis. Either way, it’s nasty.
“Demolition” solidifies this swagger in the drop. Listeners finally get to experience the thick bass line in its all entirety, coupled with stuttered vocal chops and more heady drum work. The track continues to evolve and vary in complexity until the post – something I appreciate in all genres of music, but especially the bass kind.
If the words sweaty, nasty, or dirty are frequent descriptions of your favorite tunes, add styl & Niceotape’s “Demolition” to your must-listen list.
Chark – “Akame”
Chark is no stranger to Wavecraft comps, and they continue to bring the heat with “Akame.” Their Twitter bio reads, “Angry, fuzzy, slow, doom, modular synths,” a pretty all-encompassing explanation of this track if you ask me.
“Akame” slows us down with a grimy half-time mosh beat. Reverberating bass wails grow and evolve, foreshadowing the doomsday drop lingering ahead. As the drums pick up, the build gives way to a rugged and powerful modulating bass line.
Full of filthy, droning, mosh-y goodness, make sure to add “Akame” to your apocalyptic playlist.
A Huge Win for Wavecraft and SATURATE!
Halftone is a massive dub for not only the Wavecraft and SATURATE! teams and artists, but for the scene as a whole. Subtle, Dead End, our very own Mahsiv, Seda, Low Poly, Moniker, Fix, Phydra, and Tobacco Rat comprise the remainder of this awesome compilation, so grab your pash and mind melt to the headiest of tunes.
The brilliant execution of Halftone demonstrates the palpable love and passion that both Wavecraft and SATURATE! have for the underground. And for that, we thank them.
If you are a vinyl fan, make sure to nab one off the limited 200 run!
Explore what the underground has to offer with Halftone – listen here!
Keep up with Wavecraft Collective
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Keep up with SATURATE!
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Looking for new music? Keep up with our weekly Spotify Playlist, Fresh Hunts. Updated every Friday with all the latest releases. Whether it’s the newest drops from all your favorite artists, some old-school, or underground…we just want you to hear it.
