Since it’s birth in the late 90’s from the abandoned warehouse and garages, up till today, bass-heavy music has seriously come a very, very long way. This sub-genre of electronic music slowly and gradually evolved itself from the South London underground to a must have genre on any electronic music enthusiasts playlist. It’s even made it’s way to the mainstream front with acts like Skrillex championing the sound of the more aggressive, mainstream versions of the bass heavy genre like “Brostep”, as well the commercialization of “Trap” by artist such us Diplo, Flosstradamus, Carnage and many others.
An example of the kind of warehouse, from which bass-heavy music was born.
This bass heavy mania also made it’s way onto Indian shores. The first time DJ Jon Jaggi aka Jon Jay unleashed dubstep to Indian ears, at the 2007 Barish Festival at Delhi’s Garden of Five Senses, it was the festival’s biggest surprise. A year later, DJs Kris Correya and Ritesh D’Souza spun the first sets of dubstep in Mumbai to clubbers who’d never heard the crazy sound before, and they didn’t know how to react.
However, today Correya – part of dubstep trio Bay Beat Collective – tours across the country and has gigs in Mumbai at least once every month. From underground clubs in South London to packed dancefloors in Indian metros, dubstep is gaining momentum one wobble at a time.
For the first video on new MTV show Sound Trippin’, anchor and music director Sneha Khanwalkar chose to fuse dubstep with Punjabi folk music. Dub Sharma, a dubstep producer from Chandigarh, used saw sounds from a cricket factory and motorbike sounds to create the bass line while Punjab’s Noora sisters’ lent their vocals to the top. The final track Tung Tung, which premiered on Indian television, was a perfect example of how this bass heavy sub-genre could be adapted to India’s rich cultural diversity.
So what forms of bass heavy music are out there? According to an article by Mumbai Boss, a website dedicated solely to the happenings of the city that never sleeps, here are just some of them:
Breakbeat
Where did it come from? Even though the origins of breakbeat can be traced back to the early 1920s and the music of certain jazz and swing bands, it gained popularity in the ’80s via the UK rave music scene and a few American hip hop tracks.
What does it sound like? Unlike the standard 4/4 beat heard in house, techno or trance music, breakbeat is characterised by its non-linear beat structure. In a breakbeat track, the drum loops are sampled during a “break” in the music i.e. the drum samples don’t necessarily fall on the beat.
Where can I hear it? In the music of The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and Afrika Bambaataa. In India, Midival Punditz have been known to use breakbeat in their tracks
Where might have I heard it before? “Firestarter” by The Prodigy.
Dub/Moombahton
Where did it come from? Originated in Jamaica in the 1960s, as a sub-genre of reggae.
What does it sound like? Think of it as reggae music made into electronic music, with more emphasis on the bass and drums and the heavy use of echos, reverb, and dubbing of vocal or instrumental snippets from old reggae tunes. ‘Riddims’, which are nothing but instrumental versions of classic dub and reggae tunes, are used by many dub singers and MCs to make their own customised tracks. These are often referred to as ‘dubplate specials’, which are, in other words, exclusive vocal versions or remixes of existing recordings of sorts. For example, “Cus Cus Riddim”, an instrumental version of a 1969 tune by Harry J. Johnson, has become one of the most popular riddims in reggae music.
Where can I hear it? Dub was pioneered by Jamaican artists such as Osbourne “King Tubby” Ruddock and Lee “Scratch” Perry. Other popular dub acts include Jah Shaka from the UK, Mad Professor from Guyana and Mungo’s Hi Fi from Scotland. In India, Delhi Sultanate and Reggae Rajahs have made some dub recordings. Delhi based Nucleya also has a ton of moombah hits.
Drum And Bass
Where did it come from? From the UK in the mid-1990s.
What does it sound like? As opposed to house or techno, which are between 120 and 130BPM, drum and bass is characterised by fast breakbeats with a BPM (beats per minute) ranging from 160–180 . The bass is heavier and the beats are less synthesised or manipulated than in jungle music.
Where can I hear it? In the music of London Elektricity and Andy C from the UK, Netsky from Belgium, and Noisia from the Netherlands, to name just a few. In India, Ox7gen, Bay Beat Collective (BBC) and Vachan Chinnappa are among the acts whose music extensively features drum and bass.
Dubstep
Where did it come from? The origins of dubstep can be traced back to the Jamaican sound system party scene of the early 1980s. However, the genre gained popularity in the underground dance scene only in the late 1990s and early 2000s through club nights like FWD>> in London.
What does it sound like? Dubstep combines influences from breakbeat, drum and bass, jungle, dub and reggae, as well as smaller sub-genres like 2-step garage. At 140BPM, dubstep is much slower than drum and bass . Another characteristic of dubstep is the use of the ‘wobble’ bass or the ‘wub’, where an extended bass note is manipulated. Dubstep earned mainstream popularity in early 2010 with the influx of American producers such as Skrillex, who play a sub-genre called brostep. Many dubstep purists believe that brostep, and its preoccupation with hard, screechy and aggressive sounding timbres and lesser emphasis on deeper bass lines , has lead to the downfall of dubstep in the last few years. Dubstep pioneers like Skream, for instance, have now shifted to producing other forms of dance music like disco and house.
Where can I hear it? In the music of UK artists such as Distance, Plastician, Skream, Benga, and Kode9, to name just a few. B.R.E.E.D. and Sound Avtar are among the most popular Indian dubstep acts.
Glitch
Where did it come from? Germany, in the early 1990s.
What does it sound like? Glitch is characterised by the clever use of “glitchy” sounds such as CD skipping, electric hums, digital or analog distortion, hardware noise, and vinyl record hisses or scratches. Glitch Hop, which is the most popular sub-genre of glitch, has a BPM ranging from 100-110, which is very close to that of hip hop (90BPM) and makes it easy to dance to despite the complex beat structures.
Where can I hear it? In the music of Mr. Bill, Spoonbill, and Opiuo from Australia, KOAN Sound and Tipper from the UK, The Glitch Mob from the US. Sickflip, EZ Riser and Frame/Frame are among the few Indian glitch/glitch hop acts.
Jungle
Where did it come from? The UK, in the early 90s.
What does it sound like? Jungle is an electronic dance music genre that incorporates breakbeat and reggae/dancehall/dub influences. Some of the characteristics of jungle music are heavily synthesized or manipulated beats, and a BPM range of 150-170 , which is much faster than breakbeat, which is in the 130-140BPM range.
Where can I hear it? In the music of UK artists such as Congo Natty, Aphrodite, Goldie, and Shy FX. The only Indian artists pushing jungle music currently are the New-Delhi based BASSFoundation.
Trap
Where did it come from? The Southern United States, early 2000’s.
What does it Sound Like? Trap is a combination of hardcore hip-hop and EDM, it appeals to fans of both genres. Behind the grittiness and hard-hitting sound of trap, is the collaboration of genres that captivates a lot of people. Hip-hop producers like the added electro sound, and EDM producers like the added grit of the trap sound.1/3 hip hop (with vocals pitched higher of lower than normal) 1/3 Dutch house synths (Think Afrojack/Sidney Samson) 1/3 dub (low frequency and repeated through out the song).
Where can I hear it? Artists native to the United States such as Flosstradamus, Carnage & Diplo.
The best measure of its growth is the response of Indian clubbers. Bandra nightclub Bonobo’s drum and bass and dubstep nights Wobble, are usually packed to capacity. So popular is the genre that recent music festivals like NH7 (Pune) and Sunburn (Goa and Mumbai) dedicated a separate stage to dubstep.
London Elektricity’s Tony Coleman playing at Krunk’s Bass Camp event.
There are even pure bass-heavy only events that take place all over the country and are usually choked full of enthusiasts of this sub-genre, such as Mumbai based event and artist managing company, Krunk’s Bass Camp Festival, that have featured the likes of London Elektricity’s Tony Coleman, Koan Sound, Calyx & TeeBee, to name a few.
The Smirnoff Experience festival to be held in Bangalore on the 21st of December, is one that amalgamates a rich visual and artistic experience with a prime focus on the bass heavy sub-genre of electronic dance music. Smirnoff Experience will create Indian music history by becoming the first festival to create a truly visceral multi-sensory experience for its participants.
An Example of the Vita Motus crew’s work on Stage Building.
World-renowned stage designers, Alex Lazarus and Heather Shaw of ‘Vita Motus’, will create an exclusive set for Smirnoff Experience, one that showcases the limitless possibilities of visual art. Previous Vita Motus projects include the jaw-dropping 3-D visual mapping for Amon Tobin’s ISAM Live tour, and the infamously immersive Do Lab stage at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival – the most celebrated music festival in the United States. To read more about the Vita Motus crew’s work, and their previous, breath taking and visually dominative stages, read this article by the good people at Homegrown.
here’s an example of an ISAM stage by the brilliant team.
Dubstep super stars Nero & Rusko will be headlining Smirnoff Experience in Bangalore. Playing along with them are some of India’s most talented DJs – BBC, Dualist Inquiry, Mode 7, Sandunes, Squidworkds, Sulk Station & Vachan Chinnappa.
The artist’s performing have been pioneers of their own respective sub-genres of alternative dance music. Headliner’s Nero & Rusko need no introduction when it comes to their contribution to the music industry:
Nero won the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording in 2013 for their for their remix Skrillex’s “Promises”. The trio consists of DJ/producers Dan Stephens and Joe Ray and vocalist Alana Watson. Recognized as the leading live dubstep act in the world, Nero have taken the electronic music world by storm with their thunderous festival and club performances and electrifying tracks.
“Happy and heavy” is a proper way to describe the vibe that has carried Rusko from the first moments of dubstep’s life to the biggest stages in the world; from a single, seminal bass wobble to a swath of sounds that can’t be capped in a few simple syllables. He might be one of the guys who started it all – but he’s not going to leave it at that.
Other artist’s on the line up include: Dualist Inquiry, the brain child of Delhi-based Sahej Bakshi, known to draw influences from glitch, dubstep and funk, combining the characteristic sounds from all these genres into a melting pot of rich, ear-pleasing and intelligent music, Mumbai-based BBC (Bay Beat Collective) influenced by bass music artists across the board, BBC explores new aural territory, dabbling in styles ranging from drum n bass to dubstep, Vachan Chinappa, who has been instrumental in nurturing the Drum and Bass scene in Bangalore, Sandunes the famous alter ego to Sanaya Ardeshir, known to blend various organic and electronic elements into a hybrid zone that lies somewhere between electronica, garage and post dubstep, Sulk Station, who’s work are a mix of contemporary electronic genres (trip-hop/post dubstep/ambient) with traces of Indian classical music and Mode 7 who strives to falter in pensive, pro-ambient terrain.
With such a wide range of bass-heavy nights to choose from, and spanking new festival experience dedicated solely to the alternative sub-genres of dance music, India has come a long long way from that day in Delhi in 2007. Already having garnered a huge fan bass amongst the current Indian generation, Bass Music is definitely here to stay and to grow to gargantuan proportions, with Smirnoff Experience Festival spearheading the way forward. So all we’d like to say is,
“Bring on The Bass“
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