The Cyclical Allure of Submersion
The humble position to take would be that Submersion Festival is akin to its many contemporaries; a gathering of like-minds, hosted by like-minds, with the intention of furthering musical and artistic experiences in a space that makes us all feel at home with the event and its surroundings. The more modest position is that Submersion has achieved a standing in our wider community that is reflected in the circuitous return of fans, friends, and acts year on year. If you’re still on the fence, now’s the time to get serious. Tickets are running out, the doors open in three days’ time, and we’re hoping to see each and every one of you out in crowd for three days of sun, shoreline, and serendipity.
The humble position to take would be that Submersion Festival is akin to its many contemporaries; a gathering of like-minds, hosted by like-minds, with the intention of furthering musical and artistic experiences in a space that makes us all feel at home with the event and its surroundings. The more modest position is that Submersion has achieved a standing in our wider community that is reflected in the circuitous return of fans, friends, and acts year on year. It’s no surprise that Paradise Lakes, when in the hands of capable operators, has seen more than its fair share of successful home-brewed festivals and concerts.
We’re far from the first to touch ground on that shoreline, but through consistent dedication to the service of inclusive fan-first programming, concert infrastructure, and a community-oriented perspective, the secret has long been out that the Pine Barrens are back in vogue. The returning fans alone shine a bright light on Submersion’s reach, particularly in an economic paradigm where excess funds are few and far between, and the relative costs of hosting these events have skyrocketed with tickets following suit. Return revelers are the financial cosign from the scene at large, making it clear that the juice is very much worth the squeeze, but they’re only half of the picture; Be it Justin Martin, the All.lo Records alumni, Kursa, Mickman, Daily Bread, Taiki Nulight or beyond, Submersion has consistently featured a rotating cast of returning acts year on year. Far from just a product of early offers or financial posturing, it’s the result of cultivating that very same community that we keep bringing up. These artists aren’t just some elevated caste in the social hierarchy, they’re the very same personalities that make Submersion so appealing in the first place. The throughlines in all of the promotional companies and entities involved in the production of this festival are the relationships fostered, and our social ideals held up to the light.
For 2025, the community is set to show up in force once again, bringing the same festive and familial energy that has made each installment since 2021 a beloved centerpiece for the lower Northeastern states. From the production crews to the vendors, from the workshop installations to the braintrust behind the precision audio/visual extravaganzas onstage, we’ve had the privilege as friends and cohorts to watch the as the cement hardens, binding this little pocket of experimental art together in a way that we could have only dreamed of at the start of this journey. With landfall set for this weekend, the winds certainly seem at our backs, and we can’t wait to show you the experience that Submersion has in store for its friends and family this time around.
If you’re still on the fence, now’s the time to get serious. Tickets are running out, the doors open in three days’ time, and we’re hoping to see each and every one of you out in crowd for three days of sun, shoreline, and serendipity.
A Quaint Catch-up With Smigonaut Ahead of Epitome LP Release
Longtime Rust collaborator and audio heavyweight Josh Kipersztok is no stranger to a diversity in composition. His latest collection of work, the Epitome LP, takes a departure from the crystalline profile that his mixing hygiene holds in the limelight. Taking cues from breakbeat, house, and midtempo bass music, the record is the most expansive collection of Smigonaut music to date. We spent a little time catching up with our longtime friend and cohort to get a taste of what powers Epitome, and where Smigonaut finds himself with relation to his musical output nowadays.
Longtime Rust collaborator and audio heavyweight Josh Kipersztok is no stranger to a diversity in composition. His established works under Smigonaut have their tendency to veer towards high-brow sound design and high fidelity engineering, but that’s never stopped him from exploring whatever musical nooks and crannies he finds an interest in. His latest collection of work, the Epitome LP, takes a departure from the crystalline profile that his mixing hygiene holds in the limelight. Taking cues from breakbeat, house, and midtempo bass music, the record is the most expansive collection of Smigonaut music to date.
With such an exploratory and arguably atypical release on its way by the end of the month, we wanted to catch up with our longtime friend and cohort to get a taste of what powers this Epitome, and where Smigonaut finds himself with relation to his musical output nowadays.
The Rust: You've had your nose to the grindstone for a few years now, churning out a wider and wider array of compositions. Talk about your current influences, what has you on the move, musically?
Josh: To be honest I've been taking a lot of inspiration from my early rock influences, bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Incubus, as well as some new bands I'm only just getting hip to now. I've become obsessed with Deftones over the past year or two and can't stop listening to the new album they just put out. I've developed a love for shoegaze-adjacent rock music similar to some of the ones I mentioned, bands like My Bloody Valentine, Hum, and things like that. I love the soundscapes in atmospheric rock music and definitely tried to incorporate that a bit into this album. As far as influences from the electronic world, I was thinking a lot about Tycho, Boards of Canada, and Bonobo while making this record, also some of the more cerebral Machinedrum stuff like Vapor City. The newest Tycho album is also fantastic and has been on repeat over the past year or two, as well as the latest ones from Justice, Washed Out, I've also been copping inspiration from poppier acts like Charli XCX or Tame Impala. The songwriting and production on their last couple records is so unique. It's been a lot of non-bass music. I'm still continually inspired by the many talented artists in the scene who I'm grateful to call my friends and peers, but I also think that there is a lot of stale music in the scene as well that sorta bores me and it's kind of led me to reach out of my immediate subgenre and incorporate a lot of other influences from different styles, both within electronic music and otherwise.
The Rust: Epitome easily blends your classic tempo choices with some more contemporary spins on the Smigonaut sound. Did you always intend for the project to be so expansive?
Josh: Sort of. Before starting the record, I knew at least one thing, that I wanted to make a 'downtempo' record inspired by my favs like Tipper's Broken Soul Jamboree or Boards of Canada's The Campfire Headphase. With that initial goal in mind it kinda just organically manifested from there. It was honestly a blast making this record, it felt very freeing to approach this tune from a perspective of 'what am I trying to say with this' vs 'how hard is this tune gonna bang onstage'?
The Rust: You've got plenty of collaborations stuffed in here; how do you balance your creative profile with their input?
Josh: I think it is a case-by-case basis. With each collab I had a general idea of what I was looking for in terms of contributions. For example, on Distant Shores I knew that I wanted to incorporate some live drumming, and who better to ask than ZONE Drums. Working with Phil/pheel. was somewhat of a last minute decision, Hive-Minded was just screaming for some scratches over it and before Phil cut his tracks on the single I was attempting to make some scratch-like sounds in Phase Plant but eventually it was just like, 'what is better than the real thing?' So I hit him up and he graciously lended his prowess to that one in the final hour. For the GUNK and DREWIDD collabs, these were more of a co-production approach to the collaboration. I am so grateful that I get to represent both of my side projects on this album with GUNK and DREWIDD (together we go by DeeZNauts) and for each of those we worked closely together on the vibe and ambiance of each tune, as well as the sonic palette and sound design. In terms of balancing things with their input, I am an open book and have welcomed any and all ideas from them for the tunes we worked on together. I think it's important to let ideas from others in, being an electronic musician can be weird sometimes because you're often the only one making decisions and its so important to bounce ideas off your fellow creatives and leave room for collaboration. I try to do that as best I can when working on a tune with others, even if its for 'my' release, technically.
The Rust: With full release of Epitome right around the corner, where is your head now? What are you feeling about this record now that it's out of the cradle?
Josh: I am on cloud 9 honestly. The response has been fantastic even with just the singles that have been released, so I'm very excited for the whole thing to finally be out there. I've said before and I'll say again, I truly love this album. It is the first album I feel like I've made for myself, if that makes sense. I can only hope others will resonate with it. It has been a surprisingly emotional process too. This year has been a tough one for me, and I think there was a lot of catharsis that went into making this one. I made it with the goal of creating a body of work that can hopefully help people improve their day if they're having a bad one, or enhance an already good day. This isn't a sound-system record, but it was definitely mixed to sound nice on the big rigs at festivals as well, so I'm hoping it can kind of fill both roles as something that peeps can listen to at home in their headphones or in their car or while exercising, as well as something you can play in front of a big crowd on a fat system at a festival.
With the release of Epitome right around the corner, we’re incredibly excited to share this particularly direct and raw interpretation of the Smigonaut sound. Keep your eyes peeled on all major platforms on September 30th for the full length release.
FOLLOW Smigonaut: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Instagram
On the Narrative and Clarity behind Rumpistol's Nebula LP-
We’ve certainly had our in-house favorites from over the years, and Jens Christiansen has been along for nearly the entire ride. Under his Rumpistol moniker, he’s produced a professional collection of music that has gradually filled out the narrative arc in his musical imagination. From pensive to frenetic, the territory his music lies in has always been deeply informed by a certain retro-future aesthetic, and his recently released Nebula LP brings that aesthetic into direct focus. With such passion demonstrably evident in the work, The Rust felt it necessary to have a brief conversation with Christiansen on the nature of the album, its inception, and what he has planned for its full unveiling as a dedicated performance.
We’ve certainly had our in-house favorites from over the years, having always been keen on keeping up with the wonderful artists from across the globe that have crosspollinated our company catalog for nearly 8 years, and Jens Christiansen has been along for nearly the entire ride. Under his Rumpistol moniker, he’s produced a professional collection of music that has gradually filled out the narrative arc in his musical imagination. From pensive to frenetic, the territory his music lies in has always been deeply informed by a certain retro-future aesthetic, and his recently released Nebula LP brings that aesthetic into direct focus.
With orchestral instrumental accompaniments from a cast of musicians, to a brewing interdisciplinary live performance and experience that’s soon to leave the lab, Christiansen has a clear vision of how his work needs to be channeled to its intended audience. Nebula, serving as the principle force in this extraplanetary narrative, comes off like a love letter to the stars, replete with tension, instrumental interplay, and cinematic overtures that take this collection of tracks far beyond traditional genre stereotypes. With such passion demonstrably evident in the work, The Rust felt it necessary to have a brief conversation with Christiansen on the nature of the album, its inception, and what he has planned for its full unveiling as a dedicated performance.
The Rust: Let’s talk about the direct influences on the Nebula LP.
Jens Christiansen: Many of the things happening in the US and the rest of the world influenced me, particularly the polarization of our societies. It made me wonder how a simple thing like stargazing has the potential to bring us together as a species, because we're reminded that we're all just part of this small planet, floating in space. Unfortunately whenever we hear about space in the news, it's usually stuff like Elon Musk's ego maniacal dreams of colonizing Mars, and his contribution to the ever growing belt of junk orbiting Earth, such as with his Starlink satellites, coupled with the fact that going into space has become a hunt for resources, because we've used up all natural resources on Earth. Combine that with the idea of space as a tourist destination for the super rich, and you have something that just seems grotesque.
A lot of books inspired me too: Carl Sagan's “Contact”, Kurt Vonnegut's “Slaughterhouse 5”, Arthur C Clarke's “2001: A Space Odyssey”, Michael Ende's “Momo” & Viggo Bjerring's “At Its Heart”, and of course sci-movies in general. Then the story of “Earthrise”, the photo of Earth that the Apollo Mission brought back from the first lunar expedition in '69. How a picture of Earth ended up becoming the most important piece of information after such a long and expensive journey is quite interesting..
The Rust: Your inclusion of orchestral elements both in production and on the stage for the performance of this body of work feels hand-in-glove. What's your perception of that?
Jens Christiansen: Thank you! I really enjoy working with Maria Jagd (violinist and arranger) and Sven Dam Meinild (woodwinds and brass) and they were both encouraged to come up their own ideas this time. It was more like a team effort than with the piano trilogy.
The Rust: How did you conceive of the LP? Did you set out to record this album as it exists right now, or did circumstance or experimentation drive you here?
Jens Christiansen: It was actually very deliberate. I wanted to do an album dedicated to the universe, so I started thinking about ways to do it justice. How to capture something of that scale!
The Rust: Talk about the recording process for Nebula. Did you craft these compositions prior to working with the musicians included on the record, or did you write together?
Jens Christiansen: I did all the rough compositions, melodies and arrangements before handing it over to the musicians. So my MIDI files got replaced with their instrumental takes so to speak. With some tracks like “Pale Blue Dot”, I asked Maria to write a large scale string arrangement that matched the song and there was also quite a lot of improvisation going on.
The Rust: Your music sits in a distinctly instrumental space alongside many of the contemporary producers adjacent to your project. Do you consider your own recent productions to be "electronic music"?
Jens Christiansen: I try not to think too much about genres, because I find them limiting. I guess Nebula is a mix of all my influences: space rock, classical music, a bit of jazz and vintage synth music like Vangelis and Tangerine Dream.
The Rust: Let's talk live sets: You mentioned to us that your intention for the performances on your side of the Atlantic is a synergistic approach between all the disciplines involved in a full-spectrum performance. What were some of the initial challenges in getting the ensemble off of the ground?
Photo by Jakob Andersan
Jens Christiansen: In September we're premiering the audio-visual version of Nebula which combines sound, light, set design and laser mapping by the light collective Vertigo. The idea is to create a site-specific audiovisual and performative experience designed to dissolve social hierarchies and inspire reflection. A bit like stargazing, just inside a theatre. This show is of course a huge production and so far it has just not been possible to bring it outside of Denmark, but it is definitely on our bucket list!
The Rust: How do you approach integrating the ensemble into your existing catalog?
Jens Christiansen: In the ensemble shows we have included older songs like “Gargamel & Cholic”, because it really made sense combined with the overall space theme. “Come into the laboratory”!
The Rust: What's your performance for each show?
Jens Christiansen: With the ensemble it's pretty much the same set list each night, but we have these moments of improvisation between the tracks, which makes each performance unique and fun. When I do solo shows I don't have a fixed set list, but rather go with the flow of the audience.
The Rust: How has your approach to the ensemble evolved? What kind of influence has it had on your concurrent productions?
Jens Christiansen: With Nebula I gave each musician more musical freedom than I've ever done before, instead of giving finished scores and very strict strict guidelines. I think this strategy works much better to be honest, because you get a more personal and dedicated performance this way.
The Rust: What does the future of Rumpistol look like to you? Where's the horizon for the project?
Jens Christiansen: I'm returning to stage production this fall with a score for Out of Balanz' “Turbulence” – a contemporary circus project exploring climate migration. I'm really looking forward to that. Then, we of course have the A/V shows coming up in September, as well as some festivals. Lastly, I'm also working on my 2nd Stargazer Mixtape!
Given his track record as a composer, musician, and producer, it comes as no surprise that Nebula is such a introspective and stirring album. There’s a clear evolution from the nascent days of his early works to 50+ concerts alongside a cast of equally impressive instrumentalists, LDs, and production staff, and the results finally have a proper place to call home within this record. Find the Nebula LP anywhere good music is consumed, and be sure to snag a copy on vinyl for a proper physical listening experience.
FOLLOW Rumpistol: Official / Soundcloud / Spotify / YouTube
Getting Frenetic With Conduit's Debut Duality EP
With over 14 years of music production hanging off of his toolbelt, Sam Rivkin has taken the patient path to musical maturation, gradually stirring his ingredients at the right pace and temperature to guarantee hearty results through his Conduit project. Rivkin is certainly no stranger to sound, having been a multi-instrumentalist for much of his life, and has been concurrently performing through his collaborative duo project Betafuse for over a decade. Up until now, Conduit releases have been kept close to vest. The payoff for this patience is release of his debut Duality EP through the veteran Colony Productions label, an apt home for such a granular set of tracks.
With over 14 years of music production hanging off of his toolbelt, Sam Rivkin has taken the patient path to musical maturation, gradually stirring his ingredients at the right pace and temperature to guarantee hearty results through his Conduit project. Rivkin is certainly no stranger to sound, having been a multi-instrumentalist for much of his life, and has been concurrently performing through his collaborative duo project Betafuse for over a decade. Up until now, Conduit releases have been somewhat scattered, making appearances on compilations and through remix tracks for contemporary artists. The payoff for this patience is release of his debut Duality EP through the veteran Colony Productions label, an apt home for such a granular set of tracks.
If there was a single word to best describe Duality, it’s “staccato”; the syncopation of percussion and bass synthesis is the driving motif of the EP, taking center stage across every track. Tracks like “Confined by the Demiurge”, and “As Above, So Below” are driving in their compositions, they build pressure in short bursts akin to a turbocharger. The constant frenetic energy serves as a clear bedrock for the whole collection of tracks, and it all dovetails to its conclusion with “Dynamis”, showing off the marriage of intensity, melody, and sound design in the way contemporary bass music best showcases. From start to finish, with a high polished sheen, Duality easily earns its place amongst many of its likely influences in the Colony Productions catalog.
While this might mark the first official Conduit release, its far from the first time the name has been on our radar. While keeping the recorded productions close to the vest, Rivkin has been performing under the Conduit moniker all along the way, showcasing his material in its prime context. Testing first and unveiling later has clearly paid off, and we’re confident that Duality is far from the last studio productions we’ll hear from Rivkin’s array of projects.
You can purchase or stream Duality on Bandcamp, Soundcloud & more
FOLLOW Conduit: Soundcloud / Instagram / Facebook
Referencing the Master: an Expansive Conversation with Matt Davis
Outside of the Hacienda Audio studio, their master engineer Matt Davis recently unveiled his latest rig deployment for the home-grown Reference Sessions series in Denver, Colorado. Featuring an enormous and meticulously designed sound system, expansive LED walls, and precision front of house engineering, he and his cohorts are aiming to set a new bar standard for high fidelity concerts and events. For one of our most technically expansive interviews to date, we had the opportunity to sit down and reference the master himself after their recent Reference Sessions 002 deployment in Denver for an intimate conversation about the philosophy and engineering behind one of the latest developments in the live audio playing field.
Written by Alyssa Barnhill
It's never a one man show, even if there is just one person in the spotlight. From the front of house to your ribcage, from the bass weight to the record crate, Hacienda Audio provides an all-encompassing workhorse through professional audio engineering and studio design. Outside of the studio, their master engineer Matt Davis recently unveiled his latest rig deployment for the home-grown Reference Sessions series in Denver, Colorado. Featuring an enormous and meticulously designed sound system, expansive LED walls, and precision front of house engineering, he and his cohorts are aiming to set a new bar standard for high fidelity concerts and events.
Matt Davis
Sound system hardware and music production software have evolved parallel to one another, which in turn plays into the dynamic evolution of traditional and modern conceptions of “sound system music”. One of the many contemporary brains at the center of this phenomenon is Davis himself. His own roster of projects reaches far beyond just our musical niche, and that experience in concert with his rigorously academic application of engineering fundamentals is precisely what sets him apart from his peers. Consequently, those same skills are what should also set Reference Sessions apart from the competition. I had the opportunity to sit down and reference the master himself after their recent Reference Sessions 002 deployment in Denver for an intimate conversation about the philosophy and engineering behind one of the latest developments in the live audio playing field.
Alyssa Barnhill: What technology or equipment was used to achieve such an articulate and immersive sound experience at the event tonight, especially balancing the heavy bass weight with clear and crisp highs?
Matt Davis: For this event I really wanted to create an impactful evolution on existing tech that could be perceived and appreciated, not only by the connoisseurs and audiophiles of the room, but even to lay people coming directly from another event, with who knows how much hearing fatigue. For this reason I used a multi-pronged approach to improving sound quality through a few different mechanisms.
The first was by using a full digital signal path the entire way from the CDJs to the amplifiers, which did not contain the insertion losses which are present in your usual signal path in DJ based events. The usual exchange goes from digital in the CDJ back to analog in the DJ mixer output to the FOH path, and then to digital in the FOH console’s A/D converters and back to analog leaving FOH, before being converted back into digital by the amps’ DSPs and then back to analog for amplification. In our configuration the entire chain stays not only digital, but is also synchronously locked to the DJM’s clock for the most direct, coherent signal possible, much like is found in mastering rooms.
We also brought a LOT more headroom/wattage in the sound system than is typical of a 400 capacity room, which carried with it a lot of benefits both in the latitude of tonal expression possible in the sound system, and lower distortion figures, which allow me to run the subs hotter than in normal rigs without the incorporated harmonic distortion which extends into the upper bass/low mids masks detail. By using subs with a ton of headroom I find you can still yield a balanced sounding tone, but with much more bass weight than you’d usually be able to get away with due to the lower distortion, making the sound not only detailed and accurate, but very involving and at times extremely aggressive with subrange pressure.
There is a concept in acoustics known as “cabin effect” which occurs in small air spaces with very large amounts of SPL (sound pressure level) in them. Cabin effect is essentially the state where the entire air volume is fully pressurized and dynamic compression takes place not due to electrical/displacement shortages, but simply by the air molecules being unable to propagate any further. I’ve been familiar with this effect since high school due to my interest in car audio design for bass competitions, and it’s been a long term goal to bring enough displacement, wattage, and xMax to a venue to create that effect on a much larger scale than in a car. There were moments during Murkury’s bass bath and at other points in the weekend where I felt that we were near the threshold of that cabin effect sensation, I’ll never forget feeling my whole body tingle in a way I’ve never experienced for at least 10 minutes after the bass bath, I attribute this to powerful infrasonic extension and the subrange SPL we were able to attain even at FOH towards the back of the room for those three minutes during the bass bath.
It could be argued that we have also improved upon the low end punch of a standard rig by trisecting the kick drum into three separate boxes (Kick First Harmonic Bin, TSW-718 (65-200hz), Kick Fundamental Bin, HSD Sherman (30-65hz), and Rumble/Infra Bin, V-Plated Battle Axes (15-30hz)) which separates and independently generates the different partials of the kick drum in a perfectly phase aligned manner, courtesy of our very talented alignment tech Brady Chionbian. Most rigs are 3-way or 4-way and use one box for the entire subrange or maybe a sub reproducing the fundamental and a kick bin to handle the first harmonic of the kick. In our 6-way configuration each partial of the kick drum is generated by a dedicated box which is inherently better protected from intermodulation distortion than a shared bin reproducing the full kick signal.
Another component of the secret sauce is the way that I perform FOH duties. I find most FOH engineers for DJ events have a tendency to either “respect the master of the music” by not altering it, or simply have a hands off approach to conducting FOH once they’ve established a starting level and tone. I, as a mastering engineer, don’t really care much for maintaining other peoples’ masters as they are when they don’t translate to the sound systems they are being played on, and take a very active role in improving the translation of those masters, mostly via dynamic EQ settings made on a song by song basis for each set of the night.
I vet the acoustic qualities of every room that I rent for an event by hearing, measuring, and messing with a sound system in the space in advance of renting it, and I personally vet every box of every sound system that we bring out for these events. I spend a lot of my time roaming around the country listening to what people say are the best rigs in the country, and I bring hybridizations of the ones I like best out for my events. For this event, we used most of Trash Fence’s inventory of Floodlights/718s and all of their subwoofers, and added four of Unify Mountain Soundz’ Battle Axes to round out the deployment.
We also design and fabricate new sound system technology to get closer to my metric goals of low frequency extension and lower distortion figures. We brought out the world’s first HSD Battle Axe V-Plate array at this last event which moved the low frequency cutoff of each 4-pack of axes from 26hz down to 18hz. I was shooting for 15hz, but I know how to get that low if not lower with my design for the next event’s sound system. I want the infrasonic range to be flat to single digits within the next few parties.
Lastly, we acoustically treat every venue that we use for a Reference Sessions party with materials donated by Hacienda Acoustics. A sound system will only ever be as good as the room you put it in, it doesn’t matter how talented of a deployment engineer and alignment tech you are, if the room sucks the sound will suck. I’ve been patiently waiting for years for the standards of acoustics/sound reinforcement in the US to get better, and somewhere along the line I got tired of waiting, so now we leave a wake of acoustically treated performance spaces to slowly and incrementally improve the standards of live playback in the US after every event, one venue at a time.
Alyssa: How was the sound system materially designed to create such a physical experience?
Davis: I attribute it to two things. Infrasonic extension which provides a more tactile/visceral/physical response when combined with strong subrange, and micro-dynamic control of transients in the program material by myself in FOH. There is a tendency in bass music to mix the snares and hats very loud with very little dynamic control, and this will tend to get very harsh through live sound speakers, even quite good ones due to their horn loaded nature and compression drivers. By controlling the energy/sound stage position of the snare and hats you keep them from jumping as far in front of the rest of the mix and becoming grating/fatiguing to the patrons while also revealing detail in the mix which was previously being obscured by the snare/hats.
Alyssa: What exactly are the “Reference Sessions”?
Davis: I basically wanted to create a series of parties that could be a “thank you” to my mastering/acoustics clients by paying them well to perform with a lot of amenities, a love letter to sound system culture, and a means for myself, my organizations, and my very talented friends to show off at a high level. We pride ourselves on very big productions in intimate and unconventional spaces, with excellent sound quality.
Alyssa: What techniques did you use to work with this specific venue?
Davis: I liked this particular venue because it had a classic dirty warehouse vibe, roughly the right size that I thought we could comfortably fill up with guests and that we could afford to acoustically treat, and the non-parallel ceiling with fiberglass lining. I tend to pick venues with fiberglass either attached to the ceiling or suspended above a drop ceiling. They usually sound considerably better than a flat and/or purely reflective ceiling. The main room had a moderate footprint with a lossy partial wall on one side which I knew would not present as a boundary for low frequencies and would allow the subrange to propagate through the entire footprint of the warehouse, allowing for deeper subrange extension. I also noticed a pretty strong constructive 25hz antinode in the room during analysis that I figured would support/enhance the deep sub/infrasonic range, and it very much did that.
Alyssa: What kind of challenges were in the way of achieving such a professional experience in a warehouse space like this?
Davis: Climate control was a big one, as the warehouse had no HVAC and the weather was pretty inclement at the time in Denver. We relied heavily on propane torches for heat during load in/alignment but we obviously couldn’t use them once doors open to guests. Electronics can be sensitive to temperature swings so navigating the logistics of keeping the place warm enough to keep the gear happy was a bit of a challenge.
Another big challenge was that we simply kept shaking our tech to death with subrange during stress testing of the sound system, and during the actual events. We killed one Armonia router a day for three nights straight, which was problematic seeing as how it provided our system engineer with amp health diagnostics during the event. These diagnostics are critical when you aren’t applying a highpass to your subwoofers as infrasonic energy can become incredibly destructive to subwoofer drivers if not properly tailored on a song by song basis, so I was essentially flying blind and relying on my ears to hear and correct for the drivers bottoming out in their unloading range in order to keep the subwoofers safe. We also killed an unused amp input on one of the Powersofts after stress testing the system, not via abuse but simply as a result of the incredible SPL taking place in “amp world” (which was between the front/rear sub arrays).
Alyssa: What steps were taken to balance the immersive visual elements, such as lasers and LED walls, with the impressive spread of sound?
Davis: I started planning this party hell bent on doing a temporary full visual immersive room using LED walls. We slowly had to pair that down to the realm of sanity and practicability for this event, though I intend to make it happen at a future party once we’ve built up a better internal supply of LED wall/trussing. What we wound up with was roughly 48x9’ of continuous LED which extended from behind the stage, around the speaker stacks, and into the sidewalls of the room. They were zoned into three segments that could be controlled by either Glass Crane or Tenorless, or both if they chose. I liked the idea of having multiple VJs working in congress with each other to create a unified vision, and I think they succeeded admirably, as did our laser specialist, Spilt, who did a great job of synchronizing his color patterns with the visuals through the three nights.
Alyssa: What successes did the team achieve while designing this experience?
Davis: I think creating the world’s first 6-way dance stack is definitely an accomplishment, and debuting a brand new deployment style with front/rear sub arrays which tested very well was a triumph for us as well. Just being able to organize productions on this scale, conducted equitably with our staff/artists, while only designed for 400 attendees or so per night, and getting away with it was our biggest achievement. Without the incredible logistical planning of Elias Walker and Mike Hollier, none of this would have been viable. The “bass cave” concept under the stage between the sub arrays was also a huge hit, and we’ll almost certainly be bringing that back and developing into the concept as well.
Alyssa: How did the design and setup of the sound system enhance the performances on the artists’ end? What qualities in producers do you look for when building your clientele at Hacienda?
Davis: I let all of our artists know that it’s OK to write sub notes far below F1 for playback at these events, and many of them are beginning to cut Reference Sessions dubs with extremely low sub notes that would not be audible on most touring rigs for these events. Dillard played a song with a 22hz sub note in it that was absolutely devastating, and had most of the patrons looking around at each other after they heard it the first time, likely because they’d never heard a sub note that low with anywhere near that kind of authority, it was an incredible moment for me and the sound team. We also have started commissioning Reference Sessions dub specials through different crews in Jamaica, which will mostly be heard at our events and are equipping our artists’ catalogs for the soundclash battles we’ll be bringing into the equation at upcoming parties. Shout out the One Sting Crew for our dub specials for this last event!
I don’t have any strict requirements for clientele at Hacienda per se, but I definitely have preferences in what I choose to platform at my events. I see the lineups for these always composed of eclectic varieties of bass music, whether that’s dubstep, grime, drum & bass, jungle, footwork, breaks, or whatever.
Alyssa: What role did the speaker layout and driver selection (e.g., 40/80 drivers) play in creating the physical presence amd clarity we felt?
Davis: There is a principle in acoustics/transducer theory known as Hoffman’s Iron Law. In layman’s terms, it states that you can only get deeper bass extension via larger drivers or by more electrical signal. There are obvious limitations inherent to the latter of the two options, as drivers have maximum headrooms that you cannot surpass without higher distortion figures, followed by a linearity, and lastly damage to the driver. Therefore we add driver size for extension, and for this reason we have spec’d very large subwoofer drivers (21” on the Axes, 24” for the Shermans), and a large number of them for more air displacement and coupling, for deeper extension. My old audiophile friend Mike Chafey always used to say “there is no surrogate for headroom” and I’ve subscribed to it in the design of my mastering studio and in the way that I spec deployments.
Having more drivers playing the same level drops the drivers’ individual levels, which in turn lowers their overall distortion figures. Good steering patterns make a huge difference, too. I’m one of few deployment guys who toes-in the mains for imaging purposes whereas most will fire the stacks straight back into the room for better coverage. I wanted to define a zone in the room where you would not only get an equivalent amount of L/R speaker in the space, but where the two sides would deliver strong localization and imaging qualities to the listener, which is usually outside of consideration for most live sound deployments. This space was defined directly in front of FOH and it was full of people all night who were probably hearing actual imaging out of a live sound PA for the first time.
A funny thing though, we actually ended up not using the attachments on the floodlights as they worsened the impulse response measurements. As a result, they were present but we didn’t wind up using them during the event. An interesting fact: if you have a speaker in a room that isn’t plugged into a powered amp, it will actually act as a passive resonator that will absorb the other speakers’ energy, so we hooked them up to a spare amp for the night that was powered but not receiving signal. I probably will be looking for lower distortion tops moving forwards as the subrange/bass/mids actually had lower distortion than the upper mids/highs on this particular rig, which bums me out a little because those Floodlights are probably my favorite top I’ve ever heard so far. They were designed in the 90s and our particular set of Floodlights was previously owned by Pink Floyd, before being lovingly restored and customized to improve upon the original specification by my dear friends Bill Weir and Citron Arbel at Trash Fence.
Since then, technology has advanced in ways that allow greater maximum output from tops, but Bill and I strongly feel that the Floodlight 760 represented a high water mark in live sound sonics that has never been replicated. I’ve been eyeing the Danley Jericho J7-95s and will be heading to the Danley factory to try them out soon. I absolutely adore the idea of synergy horns, on paper they should beat any non-coaxial top for impulse response measurements, and with 18 internal drivers per top the headroom is astronomical, and as a consequence the distortion figures at level should be much lower. They are rated to extend from 60hz-20k, but I suspect that using these in conjunction with TSW-718 kick bins crossed over circa 200hz, subwoofers, and infra subs will create a beautiful 6-way system. I just have to hear them and like them first!”
Alyssa: As a fan, I’d like to thank you and your team so much for choosing Denver for this incredibly special experience. The question is, what and where is next?
Davis: Deeper infrasonic extension, lower distortion figures, definitely soundclashes, bigger productions, and probably our own festival as well in the next year.
I’ve been in talks with the manufacturer of the largest infrasonic subwoofer driver in the world for super high end home theaters, which is outlandishly expensive, and requires the construction of the sub enclosure in the room it will be used. Their specs more than qualify them for use in live bass music, with 20,000 watt peak ratings, 35mm xMax, and 172L of air displacement. They would provide flat extension down to 8hz. However, the logistics of deploying an 80” subwoofer are extremely complex as you can’t fit a driver this big into an enclosure that would fit in the back of a truck or be able to fit through doors. They require a minimum enclosure size of 10m³ per driver! We would need to build rigid enclosures for these inside of the venue, which is not impossible, but would definitely add extra days to load in and require more staff to assemble.
I think there’s a lot more room for showmanship and spectacle in sound system culture, the most engagement I ever get on social media posts are pictures/videos of the big rigs I put together for these events. I know it resonates with people in a big way like it does for me, and I want to deliver more of what it seems like people really want out there, which is big fuck off sound systems that greatly exceed the sonic expectations of the listener.
As a patron, home is where the heart is, and Reference Sessions 002 brings a family-sized serving of master class engineering. This series is a tribute to the modern sound system, its impact, and the legends born from it, and these shows are one of a kind, precisely tuned, larger than life experience that can’t be missed. Let the system take you for a drive and let the team take the wheel; Reference Sessions is a breath of fresh air in the dynamic space of the musical counterculture.
“Every sound system has a story, and we are here to bring you that story.” - Matt Davis.
FOLLOW Reference Sessions: Facebook / Instagram / Youtube / SoundCloud
Discussing Influence, Balance, and Community with Murkury
Alec Seifart, the creative force behind Murkery, is poised to bless Denver audiences November 23rd at Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station alongside a cast of hand-picked characters. With years of production steeped in psychedelia and modern bass music fundamentals, he’s dialed in a sound, style, and presence that defines the Murkury brand with clear intention and direction. Speaking with Seifart, The Rust had the chance to dive a little deeper into the experience and the inspirations that drive his project and output, as well as attempts to address and assist community needs through his platform.
Written by Alyssa Barnhill
Alec Seifart, the creative force behind Murkury, is poised to bless Denver audiences November 23rd at Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station alongside a cast of hand-picked characters. With years of production steeped in psychedelia and modern bass music fundamentals, he’s dialed in a sound, style, and presence that defines the Murkury brand with clear intention and direction. Seifart’s recent collaboration with Rafeeki resulted in a track specifically crafted for Denver's eclectic audience. He explains, "Denver has a really dense population of sophisticated listeners... so we tried to come as correct as possible!" This dedication to his craft is evident in his upcoming projects, including a psytrance-inspired EP, and various collaborations set for release in 2025. Balancing his creative pursuits with community involvement, Murkury continues to inspire through his music and unwavering commitment to Asheville's cultural vitality.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, many faced overwhelming loss, but the initial shock and awe of flooding on a biblical scale has given way to an impenetrably strong sense of community and support. It is a testament to the resilient strength and spirit of the Appalachians, both the people and the territory. In my interview with Alec, I got the chance to dive a little deeper into the experience and the inspirations that drive his project and output, as well as attempts to address and assist community needs through his platform.
Alyssa Barnhill: We all feel for your community there. What was your experience with the hurricane in Asheville?
Alec Seifart: Thank you, my personal experience pales in comparison to what a lot of other people went through but it’s kind of hard to even boil down what it was like into a paragraph. A lot of tears and stress but also these little moments of laughter, like, cooking over a fire with a neighbor, making dumb jokes, simply grateful to be alive. We lost power and water and the cell towers were down for a good while but my house was spared. I was able to secure food and water for myself and my neighbor but going out into the world was like entering a warzone. My neighborhood in Barnardsville was devastated. I can’t describe the level of destruction around me, even now, a month later. But any time I go out, now, the conversations all start with questions like, “how’re ya holding up?” and “do you need anything”? It’s extremely heartwarming. My hope is that that level of general reciprocity continues into the future.
Alyssa: How is the music and art scene there now? Post hurricane issues?
Alec: Music scene was hit hard, for sure, but we have some really good venues and promoters here stepping up and providing the community with a place to womp out and hug friends. One of the biggest issues is water. The city of Asheville still doesn’t have potable water a month after the hurricane and I’m hearing estimates it’ll be another month before it’ll be safe again, maybe longer. What’s been really beautiful to see is all the local + national fundraisers in the immediate aftermath. From here in Asheville to Charlotte all the way to Denver, people have been spreading awareness and raising money with bass music and visual art and to me, it’s an example of what our scene is all about.
Alyssa: I saw you mentioned trying to make music and feeling conflicted. Speak on that
Alec: Absolutely, yeah the desire to help out around the community battling my need to continue working on music and prepping for gigs so that I can keep paying bills. Like, I knew internally that it was alright to sit with this feeling and it would pass, but honestly, expressing it out loud still helped a lot. Hearing that positive reinforcement from homies who are going through similar things definitely helps.
Alyssa: What do you think of the future of our kind of music in Asheville?
Alec: It’ll be interesting to see what the producers here create and what comes out of this destruction. I’m really curious about that, because I’ve already started to dig into those feelings and found good results in the studio. As for shows, it’ll be tough because without the tourism industry, a lot of people are without jobs right now. While a couple venues got wiped off the map, the scene here is extremely strong and people definitely want to dance at this point. I think towards the end of the year we’ll see more things happening (hint hint).
Alyssa: New track with Rafeeki is dark and ominous. Temple step? Deep and gritty. You guys made that just for Denver?
Alec: We did! We wanted to cook up something special for the occasion. Denver has a really dense population of sophisticated listeners, aka they always get the best shit and so their threshold for dopeness is very high. So we tried to come as correct as possible! Plus, it’s so much fun to collaborate with Jorge and we have really good chemistry in the studio. We actually have another collab together with Tunic, JuJu Beats, and Sum.Simpl called, ‘Flip’. That one also features verses from Rafeeki and Toh of Sum.Simpl, and will be coming out sometime next year but we’ll be highlighting it at Meow Wolf, as well!
Alyssa: What other concepts for tunes are interesting to you right now? And how Is that influencing your music today?
Alec: Well, I’m working on a psytrance-esque EP right now. Fast, four on the floor 140 bpm music with wubs and gritty basses has got me in a chokehold right now haha. But I’m still working on dubstep and finishing up some real special collabs, flute boi music and some meditations. Got about 15 songs wrapping up or already scheduled for release in 2025.
Alyssa: Anything special your audiophile fans would like to geek out on.
Alec: Well, my mastering engineer Matt Davis is doing these ridiculous sound deployments around the country right now when he’s not running FOH for Detox Unit or whoever. The first one in Orlando was the best sounding show I’ve done in my 14 years of DJing. He’s big on getting the best possible low end response and has challenged me to make a song that’s lower than I ever have made before. So I guess look out for that and apologies in advance because you literally will not be able to hear the sub on regular systems.
Alyssa: The reference session Orlando show in September, then DC with Artifakts, Yoga in Iowa, AND Denver Meow Wolf the 23rd? Do you ever sleep?
Alec: I sleep more than you think haha! I love to sleep. Sleep is life. Also I like playing helldivers or elden ring when I’m not producing or sleeping!
Alyssa: What Is your work life balance like and where are you finding inspiration these days?
Alec: It seems basic but I’ve been writing a lot of to-do lists lately, trying to cross out as many as possible each day. That’s been helping me balance things so much, stay on task and get my priorities straight. Highly recommend it.
Alyssa: I read that you're planning to go “ALL OUT” for this curated event, complete with temple forest deco, and Koja Sound paraflex sub rig? What's that looking like?
Alec: Yes!! We are going to transform Meow Wolf into a forest as much as possible, basically, and integrate with their awesome temple-style stage design. When we came up with the concept, ‘Magic Temple’, we definitely had that room in mind! The Koja Sound lads have been generous enough to bring out their whole rig for this one, including the paraflex subs, so we are really really grateful to them for helping us elevate the experience for everyone coming! We also have Hummingbird Productions out of Fort Collins providing deco, who specialize in forest-y environments. They’re going to make it look amazing there.
Alyssa: Yourself, Rafeeki, Tunic, BANkaJI and Quite Possibly. I'm sure you guys are going to throw down. Any hints at the vibe of the night and what can we expect of this secret guest?
Alec: Oh boy. I mean, each of these lads is a headliner in their own right, as I see it. They each have such a unique and powerful vibe and are such amazing humans. That’s why we stacked the evening with the best talent start to finish we could manage. Starting the night with a Tunic set might be the craziest part of the lineup because he is such a masterful artist and it’s almost insane starting out with him, but it’s gonna be perfect. Into our secret guest, who I’ll give you a hint that he has played Tipper and Friends events before and is bigger than all of us, in a sense, haha. Incredibly grateful to have him on board for a special offering. Then into Rafeeki followed by myself and finishing off the night with a high energy back to back between Denver-based legends Bankaji and Quite Possibly. We have some surprises up our sleeves, too, so everyone (including us) is in for quite the wild ride.
Alyssa: In your words what is the impression or significance of the intersection of nature or spiritualism and bass music? You intertwine them very beautifully and organically. Where do you think people feel this connection comes from?
Alec: It’s strange because the more I dig into those ‘spiritual’ realms, the less meaning I find myself attaching to the actual moments of creation in the studio. It’s only after a session where I can reflect on where the flow state came from. I use quotes for spirituality there because you can find it in any genre, even mumble rap or something people may classify as “low-vibrational art”, I believe. If the song is made with love/passion for creation, then it’s gonna naturally be a container for emotion and soul.
And as for the sound palette of eastern spiritual music, I really enjoy how flutes sound and how mantras make me feel. The vibrations during sound baths, for example, make me feel good, so I do it. Does it induce healing for me? Absolutely, but does it mean I should worship that process or see it as above other types of music? Each genre or whatever you wanna call it has a unique service it can provide the listener & can be healing in their own way! Hardcore techno is healing for me, too, haha, but obviously I’m not sitting down for that.
As the night at Meow Wolf approaches, it’s clear this show will be nothing short of extraordinary. With Murkury leading the charge alongside an all-star lineup of Rafeeki, Tunic, BANkaJI, and Quite Possibly, the event promises a transformative experience filled with deep bass, stunning visuals, and an unforgettable vibe. From the immersive “Magic Temple” concept to the powerhouse Koja Sound paraflex sub rig, every detail has been crafted to elevate the night into something truly magical. For fans of boundary-pushing bass music, this is one show you won’t want to miss. Prepare to dance, connect, and lose yourself in the music.
FOLLOW Murkury: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Official
An Expansive Conversation with Culprate in the wake of "Normal" LP
Resurfacing for air two years after the release of his psychedelic αριθμός τέσσερα LP, the Bristol-based producer John Hislop has come up for air with another minted project. Stretching back to his formative days with the Dubsaw and Inspected labels, Culprate has become a staple producer in the arc of bass music and contemporary audio production. his latest release through Inspected, Normal, puts pure force on display, harkening back to the energy in his formative years. In collaboration with The Rust, Hislop agreed to an insightful interview that has given us a proper lens into his thought process, approach, and interpretation of his own productions and some of the wider context to his career so far.
Resurfacing for air two years after the release of his psychedelic αριθμός τέσσερα LP, the Bristol-based producer John Hislop has come up for air with another minted project. Stretching back to his formative days with the Dubsaw and Inspected labels, Culprate has become a staple producer in the arc of bass music and contemporary audio production. His Deliverance LP shines just as brightly now as it did ten years ago, and both it and αριθμός τέσσερα feature an abundance of lush instrumentalism, novel arrangements, and nooks and crannies that feel like they’re still slowly revealing themselves to this day. In contrast, his latest release through Inspected, Normal, puts pure force on display, harkening back to the energy in the formative years of Culprate compositions.
It’s dark, dense, and frenetic in ways that feel leagues removed from the expectations set by his previous LPs. And yet it doesn’t come as surprising, with the foundational elements of fundamentally heavy bass music having always been a part of Hislop’s skill set. A merging of club-centric rhythms, lumbering half-time, drum and bass, and high-fidelity sound design deliver on the Culprate seal of quality, while exploring dance-floor relationships that exceed the boundaries of his previous contemporary works in many respects. Some might find there to be a lack of the melodious and harmonious elements that made him an indelible part of many burgeoning palettes throughout the 2010s, but that would be a disservice towards the altogether fresh interpretation of Culprate music that we’re now gleefully chewing on.
In collaboration with this publication, Hislop agreed to an insightful interview that has given us a proper lens into his thought process, approach, and interpretation of his own productions and some of the wider context to his career so far.
The Rust: Your time in the limelight stretches back to early releases on Dubsaw Recordings over 15 years ago, well before the establishment of the sound you're concurrently associated with. Looking back from "Normal", what are your thoughts on records like Flatline and Colours? How does your early work hold up in your ears?
John Hislop: Indeed! It's been a wild ride! Those records still hold up for me, especially Colours! Obviously they don't sound as huge as some of the stuff being released nowadays. But the ideas and vibes are still interesting, to me anyways. Sometimes I even think the ideas on those records are better than the ideas I come up with, now!
The Rust: For those of us on the outside of the process, the synergistic unveiling of your label Open Outlets and the "Deliverance" LP 10 years ago feels like a waypoint in your career, with a clear before and after. Can you speak on your influences at the time, and what your initial vision was with the genesis of Open Outlets?
Hislop: Yea, Deliverance was definitely a departure from what I was known for at the time. I actually created it to get less shows, if you can believe it! Being an in demand DJ is fun, but it's not as easy as some may think. At the time of recording all the instruments for that LP, I found out my wife and I were expecting our first child. At that time, I was away in 3-4 different counties per week doing shows. Not really sustainable for a parent. So I guess I subconsciously knew I needed a change of pace. The main reason for the birth of Open Outlets was the fact that I couldn't find a label willing to take on Deliverance.. So I decided to put it out myself. As for my influences at the time. I was really into Amon Tobin, Squarepusher, Pink Floyd, Radiohead and had just discovered footwerk. I still love all of that stuff, but Deliverance was definitely the record which really took all of those things and blended them into a single package.
The Rust: Your last two solo LP's, Deliverance and αριθμός τέσσερα, are primarily known for their lush instrumentalism and pensive atmospheres, where "Normal" clearly has its influences in breakcore, neuro, and other techy forms of broken beat music. Can you speak on the divergence and development of your sound from then to now?
Hislop: Deliverance and αριθμός τέσσερα are really the sort of records I love to make. I find it more difficult, therefore, more fulfilling than "regular" club music.
Deliverance LP Artwork
I guess you could call Normal an experiment, too?? For me, it's just that. It’s definitely got a weird energy to it. Not what you’re likely to hear on a lot of dancefloors. I was trying to think of things I haven't (or rarely) covered, and put them all in a somewhat familiar package which might be accessible to people who might never really listen to that sort of thing. There is a clear divergence. However, I can't really explain it.. Other than to say.. I think artists should try new things and explore new areas. All of my favourites do this. I think I'm always going to try new things with my music. To me, it's important to keep things interesting for myself.
Developmentally, I think I have upped my mixing game. Not that the tracks on Normal are the most aesthetically pleasing tracks I’ve ever done. But I managed to be a lot more purposeful with how this record turned out, than on previous records. Writing-wise, much of Normal was written at about the same time as αριθμός τέσσερα, as a way to decompress from the toil which comes as part of making an overly detailed LP. The Normal tracks were a welcome break, a bit of fun, and very normal in comparison.
The Rust: The progressions and compositions in your catalogue are a clear part of the reputation you've gained under the Culprate umbrella. What's your history as a producer and songwriter? Do you view yourself as a conventional musician?
Hislop: I started making music when I was around 13. Nothing electronic, though. It was all Rock and Metal. None of it was good, haha! I started on the guitar and slowly worked my way through the usual “band” instruments. (Drums, Keys, Bass, etc.. ) I never did learn to sing, though.. My first experience with electronic music was just before I started secondary school (around 1996-97). Older family members had DnB tape packs (peak 90’s) and I quickly got into it!
I didn’t get the opportunity to create anything electronic until I was around 18, I think. I got expelled from school at the age of 14 (almost 15) and managed to get into a music college a year early. My first couple of years in college were spent doing “band stuff”. The first year was a music practice course. In which you learn how to be in a band. After getting access to recording facilities, I realised that’s where I belonged! I swapped over to the tech side and began recording the college bands on hardware and tape. At the age of 18, I discovered reason 2 on some of the college PC’s. After playing with it for a while I realised “This is how they make dance music!!!” It was a lightbulb moment! From there, I never really looked back.
Do I consider myself a “conventional” musician? Na.. I stopped practising instruments when I discovered Reason. So my standard of actual playing is now very low.. It’s all still in my head, but my hands won’t do as they're told, haha! Clearly I can write riffs, melodies, harmonies and tie them all together with rhythm. But I need a keyboard and mouse to achieve anything listenable, these days.
The Rust: Where does the design start with a record like Normal? Did you set out to write this album as a cohesive unit, or did it come together as a result of circumstance?
Hislop: With Normal, it was the latter. I had “LIGO”, “Myka” and “Area51”, from back when I was making αριθμός τέσσερα. “LIGO” got an entire remake in a totally different style, but kept the rhythm of the kick/bass sound and tempo. “Myka” also got an entire remake. It was initially a Dubstep track, which had a 2 bar 4x4 section. I decided to audition the whole thing as 4x4 and it just made so much more sense! After this, I remade all the bass sounds to better suit the new groove.
The other two stayed much the same as they were back then, except the final mix. “Singularity” came from an exercise. I was trying to make a techno rumble kick/bass type thing. Something which I’d never managed to get right, in the past. It progressed pretty naturally and the arrangement was finished relatively quickly. “Lightfold” as an idea, is actually from 2016! It originated from the tracks I made for “Dawn” but was initially shelved. This also got a total remake, from the ground up.
It’s the total opposite to how I thought about Deliverance, Colours, and αριθμός τέσσερα, which were all planned out before I started any of the writing.
The Rust: What's the musical philosophy to "Normal"? What were the sort of vibes and juxtapositions that informed the writing process for these songs?
Hislop: The writing/arrangements all feel pretty alien to me. Hence some of the track names. Like I said, they weren’t specifically made to “be together” but they all seemed to share a vibe, of sorts. I think the overall vibe mostly comes from how I mixed the tracks. I tried to get something close to the feeling I got when listening to old DnB tape packs back in the 90’s but a lot cleaner. I wasn’t going for a particularly “HiFi” sound. I was more going for a “classic” sound, without things sounding dated, if that makes sense?
αριθμός τέσσερα LP Artwork
To me, it almost sounds like, for example, “LIghtfold”, “LIGO” and “Area51” are DnB tunes that are made by someone who’s never heard of DnB. Once I noticed this, I leaned into it and made the other tracks reflect the same sort of thing, uncharacteristic of the genres. While having them all tell a story independent of the other tracks on the record.Almost like how original Dubstep was created by someone, I forget who, trying to make Garage, but doing it totally wrong. The two VIP’s “Ghost Machine” and “Tentacle” were tracks which I had updated to use in live sets. This is something I do with older tracks, to keep them fresh and able to stand up next to other modern tracks.
The Rust: What kind of space do you work within? Is there a place for hardware in your process and studio, or do you approach production from a primarily "in-the-box" angle?
Hislop: Until very recently, I’ve always had a tiny workspace, no room for hardware, at all.. So I’ve developed a very “In-the-box” workflow. I’m also quite stubborn with the plugins I use. I try to keep things native and not jump on the same stuff as everyone else. For example, I still, to this day, have never used NI Massive or Serum… I tend to make all my sounds with either Operator or Analog. Both native to Ableton.
Other than that, I use the Fabfilter stuff and a select few other, what I consider, “tools” to make sounds and mix tracks. I’ll only buy something new if it’ll save me time. Like Shaperbox from Cableguys. I used to spend hours layering things with specific envelopes, only to find that it sounds like s**t and need to do it all over again! I do have a few hardware synths, but they’ve thus far been kept in their boxes and out of my workflow, due to space. Something which is much less of an issue now. So who knows, I might start a new and very expensive hobby in the near future.
The Rust: 15 consecutive years into the Culprate project, what keeps this fresh for you? Are you drawn to conversations and developments around music and music tech, or do you find yourself primarily focused elsewhere in the context of your musicianship?
Hislop: I do try to stay aware of what’s happening around me, in regards to tech and trends. But I also try to make music with an almost “timeless” feel to it. I think that’s been one of my strengths, over the years. With the vast upgrades in tech, you can now get far superior tools to what I had when I first started making music. However, none of this can substitute knowing what you’re doing and more importantly, knowing why you’re doing it.
I do welcome the future, and all the new timesaving tools which will come. But I’m of an old school mindset. I’ve always been really nerdy about the physics of what I’m doing. Why things do what they do and why I’d want those things to happen, or not. I’m not sure much of that will change in the life I have left as a producer. Unless we discover a new form of physics..
The Rust: What are you hoping to achieve in the wake of "Normal"?
Hislop: After the phenomenal and unexpected success of “Deliverance” I’ve learned to temper my expectations when releasing new records. Nowadays, I just try to put out the best thing I can do and not worry too much about what I’m going to achieve after the fact. The achievement is the record, itself.
Like I said before. I made the bulk of these tracks to decompress from LP life! Which was really needed at the time when we were all locked in our homes. I feel like I’ve learned a ton while working them into what they’ve become and I’ll be using that information to make my next full LP something really unique. For me, that’s all I feel like I want to achieve from this process, in general. To get better and more deliberate with each release. Anything else is a bonus!
Beyond the Music at Bass Coast
Every seasoned festival-goer in North America should try to attend Bass Coast at least once. But be warned - once you go, you’ll want to return every summer. That can be challenging for those who live far from Merritt, British Columbia, but the trip is worth every mile. Tucked into a hot, dusty valley in the BC interior, Merritt is Canada’s country music capital, or used to be, depending on who you ask. The likes of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Tanya Tucker have handprints on the town’s Walk of Stars, and Merritt Mountain Festival used to bring more than 100,000 people to the area. In this context, Bass Coast is a natural fit for the area.
Written by Mark McNulty
Every seasoned festival-goer in North America should try to attend Bass Coast at least once. But be warned - once you go, you’ll want to return every summer. That can be challenging for those who live far from Merritt, British Columbia, but the trip is worth every mile. Tucked into a hot, dusty valley in the BC interior, Merritt is Canada’s country music capital, or used to be, depending on who you ask. The likes of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Tanya Tucker have handprints on the town’s Walk of Stars, and Merritt Mountain Festival used to bring more than 100,000 people to the area. In this context, Bass Coast is a natural fit for the area.
Artist: Leikeli47
Photographer: 403 ABC
“We value freedom of expression in this community,” says Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz who was working inside Merritt’s mobile visitor center at Bass Coast. Residents love “the Bass Coasters,” he says, and the festival requires only a small police and fire presence compared to other events. “My daughter will be here tomorrow, she embraces this lifestyle. So I have this in my family, but we also embrace it as a community because these are the most friendly people you’ll ever come across.”
In its sixteenth year, Bass Coast was headlined by Leikeli47 and Of The Trees. West coast locals and international underground talent provided the best in bass, house, and broken beat electronic music across five stages, which were set up alongside dozens of interactive art installations. The-run of-show was world-class, but it’s what takes place beyond the music and art that truly sets Bass Coast apart.
Donna Dada, a Vancouver-based DJ and quietly influential woman in North American jungle, described the vibe at Bass Coast as “a culture of care.” Attendees care for themselves, one another, and the land, which is traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Nlaka’pamux and Syilx people. (“Unceded” means the land was not part of a treaty.) Sometimes, people treat festivals as an opportunity to stop caring, to abandon responsibility and just go wild. Yet during these weekenders where people are touching the veil, weather is unpredictable, transportation is scarce, and resources are limited, it’s a good time to exercise more caution, while still letting loose. It’s a delicate balance that Bass Coast strikes elegantly.
The Slay Bay stage.
Photographer: Banana Cam
The event is founded and primarily produced by women. Andrea Graham (aka The Librarian) co-curates the music, Liz Thompson curates the art, and Ana Hilliar runs point on production. Many of the staff, artists, and attendees I spoke with suggested Bass Coast’s culture of care comes from its femme-forward management structure. Another woman who contributes to this culture is Stacey Forrester, Harm Reduction Manager at Bass Coast and a Sexual Violence Prevention Educator who has worked for the festival since it moved to Merritt 11 years ago. Stacey and her 80+ volunteers in peach pink shirts help keep the festival safe and fun.
Harm Reduction, the largest team at Bass Coast, manages an emergency phone line and spends shifts in “lifeguard” chairs behind each dance floor. They run a sanctuary space where attendees can cool out, and administer a drug checking station with a television that broadcasts details about the substances circulating on the grounds. Coastal British Columbia was considered the epicenter of the continent’s toxic drug crisis, Stacey tells me. “The trends we saw in toxicity happened first here and slowly spread across the rest of Canada and North America,” she says. “It forced regulatory bodies to take harm reduction seriously.” After a teenager died of an overdose at a festival in Kelowna, BC in 2016, Interior Health, a regional health authority, required festivals to provide drug checking. The Harm Reduction team’s presence and the year-round messaging from their Safe Coast Instagram account encourages attendees to take some responsibility for one another. It’s not just someone else’s job. As a result, everyone becomes part of the festival’s infrastructure, weaving threads of mutual accountability that hold the festival together like a web.
Stacey also points out part of harm reduction is keeping people occupied. “There are things to do here at Bass Coast besides getting really messy,” she says. Every art installation is interactive. The Coldwater River is delightful. Arts, crafts, yoga, and workshops are available all weekend. For example, filmmaker Dan Pierce delivered a captivating presentation on the relationship between flooding, clear-cut logging, and forestry practices in BC. (Merritt suffered a catastrophic flood in 2021.)
Artists: Magugu & Mat The Alien
Photographer: Banana Cam
Among all these extracurriculars, though, music still holds court. JPS, a key electronic music curator in Australia, played a fan favorite late night set at The Cabin. He considers Bass Coast one of the best festivals in the world. “They’re not many festivals in the world where you can have Ivy Lab playing the main stage on a Saturday night. The difference here is the culture built around the music,” he says. “It’s in the name.” To hear the music, follow Subtle Radio for full set recordings coming soon.
The Bass Coast main stage.
Photographer: 403 ABC
People throw the word “family” around often in the festival community. Everyone wants to feel part of something greater than themselves. Some people embrace the festival community because their own family may not accept or understand them. Yet this word “family” can be limited. Sometimes people only extend that familial love to their homies, to good-looking people, to heteronormative people, etc. Sometimes people hold back that familial love because other people out there will take advantage of it. At Bass Coast, everyone was extending that familial love to everyone else.
To be sure, I heard criticism from some corners. Three attendees suggested Bass Coast can be “cliquey,” even pretentious, because its audience is primarily from Vancouver. Shambhala, a larger regional festival which Bass Coast is often compared to, can feel more “open,” two attendees told me. Still, hailing from cliquey New York City and having attended both festivals, I felt Bass Coast to be plenty open. Bass Coast feels like a family, and by the end of the weekend I felt like part of the family. The festival is large enough to overwhelm you with awe, yet intimate enough that you can find your place. After all, in this community, finding one’s place is what we’re all seeking in the first place.
Bass Coast 2025 pre-sale tickets are available now.
FOLLOW Bass Coast: Official / Instagram / Facebook / Soundcloud
10 Can't-Miss Artists of Color at Bass Coast
Why is it important to consider equity and diversity in dance music? From house and techno to jungle and dubstep, electronic dance music often came from marginalized diaspora communities which, at least in North America, were often Black and Latino. Yet as dance music has become a mainstream, multi-billion dollar business, it is impacted by racism and exclusion like any other business in a society where these challenges remain all too present. In 2019, Bass Coast started collecting detailed demographic data about its bookings and using it to “critically look at strengths and gaps in our programming choices.” In 2024, the Phase 1 lineup featured more than three dozen women and gender non-conforming people, and nearly 30 artists of color, including several indigenous and Métis DJs and producers from Canada. So with this in mind, in addition to Leikeli47, here are 10 can’t-miss artists of color at Bass Coast.
Written by Mark McNulty
Bass Coast in British Columbia, Canada, the reigning DJ Mag “Best Boutique Festival in North America,” has a theme each year. In 2024, the theme is “Reflection,” which encourages attendees “to reimagine their relationship with expression, consumption and the environment.” Recognizing this, we recently spotlighted the festival’s sustainability practices. The theme also offers an opportunity to reflect on racial equity and spotlight artists of color at the music festival.
Why is it important to consider equity and diversity in dance music? From house and techno to jungle and dubstep, electronic dance music often came from marginalized diaspora communities which, at least in North America, were often Black and Latino. Yet as dance music has become a mainstream, multi-billion dollar business, it is impacted by racism and exclusion like any other business in a society where these challenges remain all too present.
As a result, dance music’s humble origins have been lost in the mix, and it has become harder for artists of color to break into spaces. As Detroit techno originator Kevin Saunderson told Billboard in 2020: “it feels like Black artists are being eliminated from dance music.” Or as Chicago house legend Derrick Carter wrote in 2014, “something that started as gay black/Latino club music is now sold, shuffled and packaged as having very little to do with either.”
For one example, consider UNESCO recently recognizing the cultural heritage of Berlin techno without mentioning Detroit. This phenomenon began long before electronic music, and it’s well-documented in books like Blues People (1963) by Amiri Baraka and Assembling a Black Counter Culture (2022) by DeForrest Brown Jr. For another example, Led Zeppelin infamously plagiarized Black blues players without giving them credit.
So what are the solutions, and how is Bass Coast doing its part?
One thorny barrier to diversity in dance music is “colorblindness,” or the belief that you should treat all persons equally without regard to their race. This sounds reasonable on the surface, but what happens if you apply it to a community where racial inequalities actually do exist?
Consider R&S Records. This storied label released Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85-92 but its founder Renaat Vandepapeliere has been accused of racial prejudice multiple times. When artist Eddington Again published email exchanges in which he asked Vandepapeliere why R&S signs so few people of color or women, the label boss responded, "we are not a political party," and "I sign music I can find - I don't sign color mate."
It sounds reasonable to sign “music you can find” without regard to race. Yet if your roster is all white in a scene born from communities of color, it begs the question, “where are you looking?” Like other businesses, decision-making spaces in dance music (and bass music) are often white. It’s not wrong to book talent from your own milieux or comfort zone, but that likely won’t yield diversity unless your peer group is diverse, and at least for most Americans that’s not the case. In other words, if you “don’t see color,” you may not end up seeing any on your lineup.
This is why one part of the solution is abandoning the colorblind approach and intentionally considering diversity. For example, in 2019, Bass Coast started collecting detailed demographic data about its bookings and using it to “critically look at strengths and gaps in our programming choices.” The event is now far more diverse than other North American bass festivals.
Bass Coast 2024 is co-headlined by Of the Trees and Leikeli47, a rapper raised in the Brownsville and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods of Brooklyn whose music has bass, dance, and house elements (Leikeli47 cites N.E.R.D. as one of her greatest influences). The Phase 1 lineup featured more than three dozen women and gender non-conforming people, and nearly 30 artists of color, including several indigenous and Métis DJs and producers from Canada. So with this in mind, in addition to Leikeli47, here are 10 can’t-miss artists of color at Bass Coast.
Ashley Morgan
Born in Detroit and based in Atlanta, Ash Lauryn has spent her career as a DJ, radio host, writer, and curator lifting up Black dance music through her platform Underground and Black and other channels. Get ready for an assuredly soulful set at Bass Coast, and read some of her writing about Detroit techno: “That’s right guys, this music was born from the struggles and the good times of black people. Although it has taken on many different forms, the fundamentals will always remain the same.”
This Mexican American DJ and curator has become a pillar in Los Angeles and a household name in club communities across the states. Through her Warp Mode event series, Club Aerobics label, and NTS radio show radio, Bianca Oblivion strives to create physical and digital spaces for femme/non-binary, queer, and people of color. She blends high quality club and global bass fare with reggaeton and baile funk, and was one Mixmag’s 2023 breakthrough DJs of the year and part of Beatport Next's Class of 2024.
Conducta has been a key figure behind the renaissance of garage as both a DJ and the boss at Kiwi Rekords. His influential label closed its doors earlier this year, but Conducta continues on. You can bet a DJ who runs a label has plenty of tunes other DJs don’t have. That’s definitely the case with Conducta. Listen to the Kiwi Sound and hear Conducta describe his experience with mental health as a Black DJ on the Black Minds Matter interview series via RA Exchange.
Stephen Carr aka Digital has been producing and DJing out of the UK since 1994. As a member of the Metalheadz old guard, he’ll be delivering that timeless, galactic jungle drum & bass sound at Bass Coast. Digital knows and represents the roots. He grew up listening to reggae, ska, funk, and soul, and heard first-hand how these influences shaped jungle and later drum & bass. His 25 Years of Metalheadz set from Outlook Festival is a great Digital sampler.
Donna Dada
“Don Dada” is Jamaican slang for a top-ranking boss, and Donna Dada is definitely earning her moniker. This rising Canadian producer and DJ of Nigerian and Trini heritage exists “where jollof and doubles meet.” She has recently supported Sherelle in London, Anna Morgan in Vancouver, and K + Lab at Meow Wolf Denver, blending techno, afrobass, garage, jungle and more. Check out her Bass Coast 2022 set and get ready for Round 2 in Merritt.
Delano Smith is one of the first Detroit house DJs and credibly claims to be ”the real Detroit head's secret favorite.” He sinks into deep grooves that invite the audience’s attention with subtlety and nuance instead of demanding it with aggression. His imprint Mixmode has been dropping house jewels for more than 20 years. Simply put, Delano Smith is a master, and you don’t miss the masters!
Handsome Tiger’s music is the most unique of anyone on this list. The Anishinaabe Métis and North African producer/DJ resides in Vancouver and has become a beloved figure in western Canada’s bass community. On his latest release, First People, “Indigenous voices and PowWow Drums meet decolonized bass music, beats, global, hiphop, sound system culture & dub.” He was recognized as one of CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) Music’s six Indigenous artists you need to know in 2021 and CBC’s Reclaimed artists to watch in 2020.
JPS
Jerry Poon aka JPS is a world-class operator. Originally from Singapore, he’s become a centrifugal force in Melbourne’s music scene. His company, The Operatives, has been bringing global talent to Australia for 20 years, from Mala and Chase & Status to Joe Kay and Jyoty. He plays a full spectrum of sub frequencies, from future bass and jungle to reggae and hip-hop, but he keeps the audience guessing, so who knows what he’ll play at Bass Coast. His set from Earth Frequency Festival 2022 is strictly vibes.
For a sensual reprieve from faster, more aggressive sounds at Bass Coast, see Minzi Roberta. A multi-hyphenate residing in Toronto by way of Hiroshima, Japan, Roberta’s SoundCloud is full of contemporary R&B, neo soul, jazz, and amapiano packaged in mixes like coconut oil, mint tea & lavender. Roberta has performed for Boiler Room, Rinse FM and Soulection and manages her own collective, Kuruza, which has a terrific radio show.
Yung Singh
After earning DJ Mag’s “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” award in 2021, the UK-based open-format DJ Yung Singh has continued to level up. He mixes all kinds of club music including garage, jungle, UK funky and grime with Punjabi folk sounds, and has earned the deep affection of ravers and Punjabi diaspora communities everywhere. Watch his Melbourne Boiler Room set, which has earned more than four million views, or do what I do and just replay this clip 10 times in a row.
How to Practice Sustainability at Bass Coast (And Beyond)
It takes hard work to host an enormous music festival in the middle of the woods without leaving any waste behind, but Bass Coast in Merritt, British Columbia (BC), Canada strives to make it easier, for both attendees and crew. Boasting a modest 6,500-person capacity and operated independently in the southern BC interior, it’s been twice awarded 'Best Boutique Festival in North America' by DJ Mag and 'Best Midsize Festival in Canada' by the Canada Music Awards. Curated by Andrea Graham aka The Librarian and Max Ulis, the lineup is of course stupendous. But Bass Coast hasn’t earned these accolades for music alone. Excellence at the event extends beyond the music to things like harm reduction, cultural respect, and sustainability.
Written by Mark McNulty
It takes hard work to host an enormous music festival in the middle of the woods without leaving any waste behind, but Bass Coast in Merritt, British Columbia (BC), Canada strives to make it easier, for both attendees and crew.
Bass Coast is a 6,500-person independent music festival in the southern BC interior, twice awarded 'Best Boutique Festival in North America' by DJ Mag and 'Best Midsize Festival in Canada' by the Canada Music Awards. Curated by Andrea Graham aka The Librarian and Max Ulis, the lineup is of course stupendous. But Bass Coast hasn’t earned these accolades for music alone. Excellence at the event extends beyond the music to things like harm reduction, cultural respect, and sustainability.
Photographer: Lung Liu
Sustainability is the ability to maintain a process continuously over time. For a festival to be successful in the long run, it must be sustainable (or have gobs of money). At events, this means being intentional about waste and not damaging the ecosystem. This is the 16th edition of Bass Coast. They have longevity in part because they don’t pollute the land.
Plus, no one wants to leave a set all elevated only to see piles of trash everywhere. You may realize your fun is coming at the expense of something larger, and begin to question the vibes. So here are some pointers to help you understand the ethos at Bass Coast, and put sustainability into practice.
“Visitors on the Land”
Bass Coast acknowledges that it’s located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Nłeʔkepmxc or Nlaka’pamux (pronounced Ng-khla-kap-muhx) and Syilx people. The word “Nłeʔkepmxc” means “people of the creek,” according to the Lower Nicola Indian Band, one of five bands that live in and around the town known as Merritt. These indigenous or first peoples have lived for thousands of years along the Thompson and Nicola Rivers without significantly damaging the ecosystem. Surely party goers can keep it together for one weekend, in BC or anywhere else.
One of the best ways to manage waste is to create as little as possible. That starts by keeping camp waste organized. We’ve all hung out at that one haggard campsite before, and it can throw off the vibe. Plus, it’s easier to clean your site if you don’t let it get dirty!
Learn how to identify and sort your waste, including compost, returnables, specialty recycling, and landfill. Use black bags for trash and clear bags for recycling. If you run out, grab bags at the Eco Hub next to the Main Stage. Bass Coast tries to divert as much waste from landfills as possible, and your actions can make that easier or more challenging. Last year, the festival reduced landfill waste by 12% compared to 2022, according to their 2023 Sustainability Highlights. Each campground has bin stations and a Recycling Depot (marked with ♻ symbols on the map). Know where they are. When you depart, MOOP your site!
The Eco Hub is open 8:00am to 8:00pm. Drop off your specialist recycling (butts, batteries, propane tanks), wash reusable containers or cutlery, ask questions, and connect with super chill crew members.
One thing you’ll find at Bass Coast that you can’t always find elsewhere are pocket ashtrays. In 2019 at Shambhala, we introduced you to Jack Elliman of Brain Garden who invented them. They extinguish your cigarette butt and lock in the smell. You can purchase one at the Bass Coast General Store, and outreach staff will be distributing some. Empty them at the "Butt Ballot" at the Eco-Hub! If you want to join Jack’s butt patrol team at Bass Coast or get involved with Brain Garden in general, reach out here.
Bass Coast food vendors and bars are equipped to allow the use of reusable containers. So bring your own spork, bowl, and resealable mug for those Thai noodles or that granola cola. On a cold BC night after days of yelling in front of speaker stacks, nothing hits like a hot tea. But you can’t really boogie holding one of those spill-prone single use cups, so bring your own! Get one with a hook so you can hang it on a shoulder bag or belt.
Everyone’s got their own water bottle these days if only to stay hydrated, which is essential. Even Coachella cut out single-use bottles in 2023. Try extending that practice to food. At Bass Coast, I’ll have my own utensils and dishes for the first time. Bring a flash light instead of glow sticks, borrow instead of buying new (see the Buyarchy of Needs), and avoid packaging in the first place by buying bulk items and bringing them in your own containers.
Bass Coast sits on the Coldwater River. “It is a precious resource, and our rivers are constantly threatened by temperature and human intervention,” says Ruth Tolerton from the Lower Nicola Indian Band. “Please do your utmost to act with respect and responsibility toward our water."
It’s one of the most important systems in the larger Nicola watershed for wildlife like Fraser River chinook salmon, Interior Fraser coho, Thompson steelhead, and bull trout. Spawning Chinook and Steelhead were at record lows in 2018 in the watershed and both populations have been recommended for listing as endangered, according to Bass Coast.
Keep contaminants out of the river. I’ve heard some people who attend bass music festivals never use soap anyway, but if you do, don’t use it in the river! Reserve that for the showers at Camp B. Dispose of your dish water (“gray water”) at least 100 feet (about 35-40 adult paces) away from water sources. Here are tips for that process.
The pollution generated by a music festival includes the emissions everyone expends to get there, so consider how you can arrive with the least impact possible. If have to fly from the states, consider a carpool from Vancouver or Kelowna before a rental. The Bass Coast Ride Share Facebook group is always abuzz with activity (maybe bump my post while you’re there).
While BC is pretty rural, there are public transit options available. Bass Coast recommends Ebus. I’m arriving via BC Transit from Kamloops (but heads up, BC Transit doesn’t run every route every day, so check in advance). The best part of public transportation in BC? You can stare at the stunning scenery instead of the road. If you are driving, here are the directions to Bass Coast.
Festivals offer a unique opportunity to make changes. People are already feeling inspired and breaking away from the day-to-day. Build on that unique energy and embrace the Bass Coast sustainability ethos. We promise you’ll have a better time there (and everywhere) if you do.
Carry these sustainability practices to other festivals. For one thing, you’ll instantly become cooler if you tell people you picked them up at Bass Coast. For more tips, check out the Bass Coast First-Timer’s Guide and stay chooned for more of our pre-coverage.
FOLLOW Bass Coast: Official / Instagram / Facebook / Soundcloud
Entangled Mind Puts Collaboration Front and Center with Latest LP
Marissa Barbato, the creative force behind Entangled Mind, has carved out a place for themselves through their consistent blends of instrumentalism and exceptionally high production standards. Three years after the release of their debut LP, Eternal Motion, they’ve poured their energy into a sophomore album that expands on the thematic psychedelia at the center of the Entangled Mind sound, and reaches new heights against their personal catalog.The Lucid Living LP bridges the gap between emotive and somatic compositions, employing sound as a conduit for fostering connection and introspection.
Written by Alyssa Barnhill
Marissa Barbato, the creative force behind Entangled Mind, has carved out a place for themselves through their consistent blends of instrumentalism and exceptionally high production standards. Three years after the release of their debut LP, Eternal Motion, they’ve poured their energy into a sophomore album that expands on the thematic psychedelia at the center of the Entangled Mind sound, and reaches new heights against their personal catalog.The Lucid Living LP bridges the gap between emotive and somatic compositions, employing sound as a conduit for fostering connection and introspection.
The album opens with “Ossicle”, featuring the work of flutist Mattie Rosi; a delicate yet powerful composition that effortlessly blends listful flutes and chimes with a pulsating bassline, the result is a auditory painting complete with rich color and hue, evoking dreamlike sensations with every vivid note. “Tree of Life”, suffused with the harmonized tones of violins thanks to Matthew Rennick, introduces semitonal melodies overtop textured bass lines and precision rhythms. The composition is seamless, with each successive phrase paving its respective chunk of the narrative road. Raw and flamboyant. “Ghost Pipe”, a collaboration with Denver based producer Xenolinguist, delves into darker territories with its percussion-heavy arrangement and aggressive psytrance elements. The track's back-and-forth rhythms bounce the perspective between each pocket of tension and pressure. Capped off with “A Sunny Spot”, the relaxing final chords of the album ring out with in tandem with the gentle tones of the baserite flute and table, expertly handled by Eric Fraser and R!llo, respectively, and cladding the collaborative DNA of the record with an amber sendoff.
Throughout Lucid Living, Entangled Mind offers their vision of a transcendental musical journey. With its intricate compositions and evocative soundscapes, this album is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who chooses to embark on its voyage, and invites listeners to spend time in a state of diligent listening and introspection. Each new project from Barbato’s creative well adds to her repertoire of songs and effusive musical moments, and Lucid Living just the latest taste, with sure more to come.
FOLLOW Entangled Mind: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Instagram
Seppa Gets Straight to the Point with See It Through LP
Another year comes, and another stellar release makes it’s way out into the wild from the heart of Bristol in the UK; Sandy Finlayson’s Seppa moniker needs little and less introduction these days, with his extensive catalog of EP’s and LP’s doing the majority of the talking. With four years having come and gone since his last solo album release, and his current spate of US shows kicking off this evening, he’s primed to flesh out a grip of new tracks across each stop from his latest See It Through LP across the eponymous 11-stop tour.
Another year comes, and another stellar release makes it’s way out into the wild from the heart of Bristol in the UK; Sandy Finlayson’s Seppa moniker needs little and less introduction these days, with his extensive catalog of EP’s and LP’s doing the majority of the talking. With four years having come and gone since his last solo album release, and his current spate of US shows kicking off this evening, he’s primed to flesh out a grip of new tracks across each stop from his latest See It Through LP across the eponymous 11-stop tour.
Flitting back and forth between his trademark punishing bass lines and more effusive blends of melody and harmonics, See It Through is perhaps the most well-rounded of Seppa’s longform releases. The opening track, “Pyana” flirts with dainty keys and fluttered arpeggios against the backdrop of a stereo-compressed drum break, giving a small taste of most pronounced productions on the record. From “SDIG” through “Cru”, it goes pound for pound with any of Seppa’s heaviest releases to date, ripping through ungulent low end and imposing drum programming. Harkonning back to the core sounds of the Seppa project, these tracks are primed for the dance-floor and feel at home amongst his more classic palate. The ending run of the album, save for the break-out aggression of “Film”, is markedly different from much of his established catalog; from “Lacuna” to “Sole”, each track takes on fresh rhythms and striking melodies, giving listeners a chance to get acquainted with the further edges of Seppa’s arrangement and songwriting philosophy.
Whether it’s the early days of Whack Lack, Vol. 1, the sumptuous collaborative Chalky x Seppa records, or the latest machinations on See It Through, there’s an undeniable Midas’ Touch to every Seppa release. On and off the decks, his tracks have become staple anthems amongst the wider bass music underground scene and beyond, granting him thoroughly earned recognition has a top-flight producer and musician. With two months of tour teeing off later tonight, we sure to hear to the lion’s share of this record as it was intended, roaring and tearing through whatever speakers it can sink it’s teeth into, and we’re just as excited as you are.
Coming up in NYC!
don’t miss Seppa at Eris Evolution (5.24) in Brooklyn on May 24th with the SubSanctuary crew!
Back in the states with a bag full of psycho-naughty system-centric bangers, the Bristol-born technician of growling basslines and genre-defiant soundscapes Seppa will grace the 4-point Funktion-One dance lair of Eris Brooklyn on Friday May 24th. Bring a friendly freak or three to this special one-off collaboration between Pittsburgh, PA-based SubSanctuary and the enigmatic artivism powerhouse, Garlic.
Mutashi Xero (Asheville, NC)
Wink (Pittsburgh, PA)
Garlic (Brooklyn, NY)
Garage Sale (Pittsburgh, PA)
FOLLOW Seppa: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Instagram
Observatory Records Zeroes in on the Dance Floor with Pure Energy Compilation
Punching through to new territorial waters, the collective cross-atlantic bass music culture has been steadily seeking out fresh inspiration and deeper dance floor integration for several concurrent years, with breaks, house, and drum and bass feeling particularly syncretic for so many stalwart producers and fans alike. Recently stepping into the arena for a slice of newfound sonic territory, Observatory Records has tapped the efforts of several cutting-edge acts to craft their sophomore release, the Pure Energy compilation EP.
Authored by Pasquale Zinna
Punching through to new territorial waters, the collective cross-atlantic bass music culture has been steadily seeking out fresh inspiration and deeper dance floor integration for several concurrent years, with breaks, house, and drum and bass feeling particularly syncretic for so many stalwart producers and fans alike. Recently stepping into the arena for a slice of newfound sonic territory, Observatory Records has tapped the efforts of several cutting-edge acts to craft their sophomore release, the Pure Energy compilation EP. Coming off the heels of their late 2023 triple-sided Detox Unit and Sortof Vague release, this compilation flips the rhythm from low and slow to upbeat and cerebral, bringing sheer groove and hefty attitude to the table.
Rocking a potent list of talent to pack out the compilation, tracks from Gaszia, Nic Baker, Villain Era, Sortof Vague and Seppa place a serious amount of firepower behind this release, and it certainly shows it off. Across five tracks, front-loaded breaks and basslines dominate the record, putting the focus squarely on the dance floor. Foregoing obtuse sound design palates and the quirkier rhythmic demands of mid-tempo bass music, each producers’ mettle gets a new lease on life through no-frills, all-business compositions that hit with the right throttle through the right sound system. It’s the kind of recipe that makes this Observatory Records release so striking against the competition,
With the clear intention of platforming polished, professional productions, and the added weight of an already top notch list of associated acts, Observatory Records is striking while the iron is hot with their Pure Energy compilation. While we’re enjoying the fruits of this especially well crafted collection of tunes, we’ll have our eyes and ears peeled towards the Observatory Records in the near and far future.\
FOLLOW Observatory Records: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Instagram / Official
Submersion Aftermath: Mark Farina
At its core, Submersion Festival has no defined “home sound”; there’s no singular lane or style that fully engulfs the breadth of the festival’s musical vision. Both as a part of its appeal, and as a result of the palettes that craft each successive lineup, a diversity of sound and presentation is the fundamental characteristic that carries the event from year to year. High on our own list of desired acts, and standing atop a three-decade career, was Mark Farina, the prolific DJ & producer who’s remained an invaluable staple across the domestic and international touring circuits. A few days ahead of his appearance at Submersion, we had the opportunity to have a conversation covering a number of points that sat parallel to Mark Farina’s hour in the Saturday sun.
At its core, Submersion Festival has no defined “home sound”; there’s no singular lane or style that fully engulfs the breadth of the festival’s musical vision. Both as a part of its appeal, and as a result of the palettes that craft each successive lineup, a diversity of sound and presentation is the fundamental characteristic that carries the event from year to year. High on our own list of desired acts, and standing atop a three-decade career, was Mark Farina, the prolific DJ & producer who’s remained an invaluable staple across the domestic and international touring circuits. Graciously presenting a set of his widely-lauded Mushroom Jazz experience, fans and attendees took advantage of a late afternoon jaunt in the sun against the backdrop of Farina’s vivacious presence and undeniable groove at the Woods Stage. Even measured against the much more intense and weighty electronic music featured throughout the weekend, his impact and reputation cut through to the center of the collective attention span. A few days ahead of his appearance at Submersion, we had the opportunity to have a conversation covering a number of points that sat parallel to Mark Farina’s hour in the Saturday sun.
[The excerpts from this conversation have been edited for brevity and grammar.]
In conversation with Mark prior to the Submersion weekend, it became clear that getting the full picture of his 30 year presence on and off the stage meant going back to a foundational epoch in Chicago’s House music scene. Coming from the same nest of greats such as Derrick Carter and Ron Hardy, Farina’s history is first and foremost a history steeped in House and steady-beat flavor. The meat of that scene starts with the selective and heralded hardware, from the renowned Technic-1200 turntable to tape-based samplers and a plethora of other analog gear. The barrier to entry was altogether higher than it is now, from the need to physically collect the music in question, to the specificity and expense of the equipment in circulation in the late 80s.
“I remember going to this club, a teen club, back towards the end of the 80s where we’d start to experience and see DJing and mixing from a dancefloor perspective. You start to hear the way a continuous blend can really get dialed in, and that’s sort of where the bug takes hold. [...] Then getting into it, I had some friends who had Technic 1200s, which is really all you would use at the time, and that’s how I’d start to get my head around mixing records, and going ‘oh ok these songs line up nicely with each other,’ and then figuring out things like BPM, beatmatching, tempo changes. You sort of build out a kit of routines and doubles and the knowledge of how to actually use the thing. [...] Around the same time, I started to understand sampling and its role in the music I was listening to, in the Chicago House scene, and from there how production with these physical machines and synthesizers really worked. Back then, the physical nature of the tools and the samplers was absolutely a part of how the music ultimately came out, the shape it would take.”
The liberatory rhythms and motifs of early House anthems made a palpable imprint on Farina’s tastes and career, but shortly thereafter in the mid 90s, his Mushroom Jazz mix series would find its genesis first in the dark chill-out rooms at various clubs in San Francisco. Taking cues, cuts, and the musical DNA of European acid jazz and early trip-hop progenitors, fused with the right percussion and manipulated with just enough finesse, he’d stumble into a style and genre that would proliferate into a now long-running series of near endless, laid-back mixes.
“The Mushroom Jazz thing really started not too long after I really started to play out at clubs and get some notoriety. I had moved to San Francisco, and in these side rooms, these chill-out rooms, I'd take like, European and particularly French acid jazz, and combine those tracks with drum rhythms and other things like acapellas, and really it just took on a life of its own. From there I eventually turned it into a dedicated mix that I would occasionally put out, which I still do through this Ibiza station called Openlab. It’s changed a bit over time, evolved to include more styles and tempos, but for me it’s really in its own lane.”
One of the more curious and adventurous aspects of catching Mushroom Jazz live in action was its placement amidst a fairly high-energy lineup for the Submersion weekend. Though far from the chill-out rooms where the style made its first foray through speaker cones, the Woods Stage provided ample ambiance, soft light, and crystalline sound particularly fit for a lightweight sonic serving in the afternoon. Its low rise and accessible placement puts both dancer and performer right in the action, giving him the space and opportunity to do the crowd and his time slot proper justice.
“I come from the time where DJs were sort of off to the side, often in a room with a literal door, pretty separate from the crowd and the party. It can be a little daunting with the way things have changed, how stages have become so much larger and in front of everyone’s attention. It’s built out for a concert, you know? But the thing is, there’s something really powerful when you’re at the center of it, you know, right up with everyone where you can really read the room, get a feel for where everyone is at.”
While we mused about changing stage dynamics and the evolution of electronic music events, he was keen to touch on the music’s modern paradigms, and the sort of formulas that draw him to the selections he’s most interested in. Juggling the onslaught of contemporary releases with an immense collection of yesterday’s finest tracks, he’s got a veritable arsenal to choose from, and a tremendously vested career to back up those decisions.
“It’s really great to look back and realize that there’s 30 years of music history behind me, and so I sort of dig into that history to discover or sometimes rediscover records that have sort of been lost to time. I still have a collection of CDs, from maybe the 2001 to 2007-ish range, when promos were all on CD and there hadn’t yet been a big push into digital as a format. And of course there’s all my vinyl, I still have pretty much every record I’ve ever collected. Sometimes finding new tracks to play is as simple as finally putting on the B-side to a record and realizing there was something great there all along, maybe even better than the A-side. [...] I find that the speed of the music cycle is pretty fascinating today. Kids and younger guys will put out, you know, it feels like a track every two weeks on a different label. There’s so much of it, it gets disorienting pretty fast. I personally feel like, sometimes it’s like sifting through so much music that feels very ‘throw-away’ just to find the things that have the right ingredients. It can even be daunting finding music from labels or acts I know I like, especially if they have a quick output. For me, you know, it’s gotta have the right groove, a solid rhythm, the bass line needs some kick behind it, it’s like a sort of formula that feels right when I hear it.”
Of course, alongside the Dj fundamentals and ample selections, Mark has also been a producer for nearly as long, cutting his teeth on composition and programming in tandem with his development behind the decks. Coming from a youthful background as a drummer, it's no wonder he eventually found his way into percussion-driven genres and the hard-hitting, transient punch of electronic music.
“I’ve been dabbling and producing for almost as long as I’ve been DJing, and obviously I’ve been playing music for even longer, it’s always been there. I’m really a physical guy, in the sense that I do everything ‘out of the box’. I use drum machines and hardware samplers and keyboards and turntables all chained together. When it comes to including it in my own mixes, you know, it's really something I do first and foremost for myself because I enjoy it. A lot of times, I’ll feel like my friends are making better tracks, or just better music for whatever situation I’m in or thing I’m doing, so only so much of it really comes out or gets a real release. […] I’ve been considering making an all-original Mushroom Jazz mix, which is something I think can happen in the near future.”
Reflecting back on some of the major points in our conversation, it’s easy to understate the humility with which he describes himself, his career, and his skill set against the backdrop of his performance that Saturday afternoon at Paradise Lakes. The cool, effusive confidence and choice selection after choice selection reveals an artist that deserves to be called a real DJ’s DJ. The fast-changing dynamics of DJing as art, it’s inevitable crossover with our especially American brand of producer culture, and the evolving direction of electronic music as a global music pillar all feed into a gradually intensifying singularity, but so long as there’s space and appeal, the veterans that carved a path upward for all of us are staying firmly in the mix.
“I’m grateful that, you know, 30 years later, I still have this career, and can still play gigs. Like Derrick Carter, DJ Snake, a lot of those guys are some of my oldest friends and still have their careers, and it's good to see so many of the people from the Chicago scene are still in the mix all these years later. [...] I’ll keep on doing this and DJing and making mixes for as long as I have the opportunity, and probably still after that.”
With the inevitable final notes of Submersion’s Mushroom Jazz experience, there’s a clarity to the role that such a niche, yet palatable kind of music plays in the wider festival and touring circuits. Flipping the script from the sunrise sets and extremely late night appearances, downtempo and laid back electronic music surely has a place in both the spotlight and the sunlight, priming appetites with digestible, sultry melodies and transitions for much heavier musical meals in settings like Submersion and beyond. While there’s no telling what’s in store yet for Submersion 2024, we surely haven’t seen the last of Mark Farina in the northeastern US, and with a career and future as bright as his, it’ll be impossible to miss his next foray in our quaint backyard.
FOLLOW Mark Farina: SoundCloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Facebook
FOLLOW Submersion: Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Official
pheel. Carves out his Territory through Debut echo chamber. LP
Closing out another monumental year in a career built on its own momentum, Phil Gallo continues to deliver a sultry, vivacious package through his musical alias, pheel.. The New York-born producer is a crucial member of Denver’s venerable all:Lo record label, injecting his distinct blend of boom bap and groove-driven bass music, and paying homage to the music of his childhood while nose-diving into the sounds of the future. Much to the delight of his fans, Gallo’s latest release is his long-awaited debut album, echo chamber., demonstrating his ever-evolving talent and ability across nine tracks of shifting moods and nebulous hues.
Closing out another monumental year in a career built on its own momentum, Phil Gallo continues to deliver a sultry, vivacious package through his musical alias, pheel.. The New York-born producer is a crucial member of Denver’s venerable all:Lo record label, injecting his distinct blend of boom bap and groove-driven bass music, and paying homage to the music of his childhood while nose-diving into the sounds of the future. Between his solo project and collaborations with Morning Coffee (pheel. & Parkbreezy) and Groovsauce (pheel., Parkbreezy & Thought Process), he’s managed to stay rather busy the last two years with a string of releases, a national tour with Lone Drum, and debut performances at Tipper and Friends and Red Rocks Ampitheater. Much to the delight of his fans, Gallo’s latest release is his long-awaited debut album, echo chamber., demonstrating his ever-evolving talent and ability across nine tracks of shifting moods and nebulous hues.
Beginning with the infectious head-nod track, “afterglow.”, and followed by “dust bin.”, “suss.” and “blip hop.”, the front half of echo chamber. stirs eerie soundscapes and infectiously pulsating low-end, all atop pheel.’s signature drum breaks. Falling directly in the middle of the album, “i’ve had it all.” is his lengthiest track to date; an absolutely stunning five-minute composition, “i’ve had it all.” showcases the growth in his songwriting ability, stirring up joy and sorrow through effective blends, turnarounds, harmonies, and potent arrangement. Past this point, the album increases in tempo and intensity, with tracks like “dripp.” and “solivagant.” putting a veritable bounce in each downbeat. Come the very end of the album, “blue skull cap.” and “yutia.” bring the vibe back home through sheer flavor and swagger, mingling the constituent elements across the entire album for a stellar two-track ending. Between the consistent arrangements, the infusion of high-end sound design, and the walking bass lines he’s become so known for, echo chamber is truly Gallo’s most comprehensive work to date.
The release of echo chamber proves that while pheel. is continuously improving his production chops, he still holds firm to his roots, remaining in a state of uniquity and staying on our radar as a direct result. Prior to his massive New Years Eve appearance opening for CloZee at Denver’s Mission Ballroom, we took some time to toss the man a few questions about his debut album and his last few years on the road.
Wes Johnson: Where does the title of the LP come from?
pheel.: I was very back and forth when picking the name for this album. echo chamber was one I’ve been sitting on for awhile. Its definition is “an environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own”, which felt a bit dark to me, but also felt like it really related to this point in time in our lives where there is a lot of darkness and debate going on. The other definition, “an enclosed space where sound reverberates,” really resonated with the artwork Veggie Tempura made for me 2 years ago when I first started working on this project.
Wes Johnson: How has the way you approach making music changed since the release of your last EPs in 2021?
pheel.: I feel like my approach is similar, just more refined. I try going into session with more purpose of what I’m trying to accomplish instead of just fucking around and seeing what happens. Sometimes that’s fun and gets fun results but lately it has turned more into time waste. My goal I’ve been working on since COVID started is to improve my sound design. I feel like I’ve improved a bunch but still have a lot of work to get where I want to with that aspect. I’ve always had a love for finding old tunes to sample or chop up to get a vibe going, but my main goal is to have a fluid combination of both of those styles.
Wes Johnson: What does this release mean to you?
pheel.: This one has meant a lot to me. It’s the first album I’ve ever put out - some of these tracks are from the 2+ years ago draft idea of this, and some are from this summer. For me, usually the older tunes I end up getting tired of and [they] go to die in my projects folder, but these ones still feel like what I want to show, where I’m at at this point and time. A combination of the chiller boom bap style stuff, building up to more sound design-esqe tunes then taking the energy back down to top it off.
Wes Johnson: What have been some of your highlights of the last year of your project and what are you looking forward to?
pheel.: Man, it’s hard to really pick, but the tour with Lone Drum really made me feel a lot more comfortable with the scratching part of my performances. Ever since that, I’ve felt so much more confident with it - even though I still feel like I have a lot of work to do to get to where I want with it, I’m happy with the results. Secret Dreams and Sonic Bloom were huge to me because it was our whole all:Lo crew, and these festivals trusted us with a whole 4+ hour block to showcase all our styles.
Wes Johnson: Anything else you’d like people to know about you/echo chamber?
pheel.: Thanks for listening and reading ⁃ love, Phil
Submersion Aftermath: Flourishing during Sophomore Year at Paradise Lakes
On October 5th, electronic music fans flocked back to the Pine Barrens for the third annual Submersion event. For the second year, the three-day festival was hosted at the picturesque Paradise Lakes Campground, nestled among moss-covered pines providing ample shade from the waning summer’s sun. The second and highly-anticipated installment of the Submersion camp-out once again housed two distinctly and carefully curated stages showcasing global and domestic veterans of the festival circuit, U.S. debuts, and up and coming stars of the underground. In the wake of its 2023 installment, Submersion proved that when the right teams come together, lightning can in fact strike twice, allowing creativity and inspiration to flourish while providing an exemplary experience for all of those who attend.
On October 5th, electronic music fans flocked back to the Pine Barrens for the third annual Submersion event. For the second year, the three-day festival was hosted at the picturesque Paradise Lakes Campground, nestled among moss-covered pines providing ample shade from the waning summer’s sun. The second and highly-anticipated installment of the Submersion camp-out once again housed two distinctly and carefully curated stages showcasing global and domestic veterans of the festival circuit, U.S. debuts, and up and coming stars of the underground, including DJ Shadow, Justin Martin, Mr. Carmack, Mark Farina, Pola & Bryson, Spoonbill, Luke Vibert (and his Wagon Christ alias), Monty, Mike Wallis, Krafty Kuts, Mickman, BOU, Resonant Language, and over 60 other artists. In the wake of its 2023 installment, Submersion proved that when the right teams come together, lightning can in fact strike twice, allowing creativity and inspiration to flourish while providing an exemplary experience for all of those who attend and perform.
The sun shone brightly as clouds littered the skies on a warm and breezy Thursday afternoon, as early arrivals, staff, and artists eagerly awaited to settle into their new homes for the weekend. A sense of communal anticipation for what was about to ensue over the coming days was clearly evident, along with a freshly minted confidence on the back of the first success on those same grounds the year prior. What makes an event like Submersion so impactful is the tangible sense of community that exists on the premises; it’s a place where you’ll likely have a mutual connection with virtually everyone around you, and a large part of that is thanks to the proximity and frequent collaboration of the event’s promoters, The Rust Music and Aspire Higher, with the assistance of their longtime partner in crime, Sermon (an organization that is absolutely, 10000% not a cult), creating a constant cross-pollination of likeminded social scenes between New York City and Philadelphia. The longer the event runs, the more it begins to feel like a family reunion to those who return.
The fanfare starts with the Beach Stage, the veritable home base, which hosted an impressive and bone-rattling Funktion-One rig, courtesy of One-Source Productions, and a crisp LED wall manned by Fungui Productions that allowed VJs to display dazzling visual journeys throughout the weekend. Directly across from that stage begins the Shakedown, featuring options for all dietary lifestyles and hosting Bam Bam’s beloved 24-hour cafe, essential to those who choose to party long enough to see the sunrise each day. Running parallel to the Shakedown lived the visual arts hub, brought to life by Andrew Croz, alongside the resting waters of Paradise Lake, where dedicated works of art came to life as visions manifested throughout the weekend, drawing in a constant stream of onlookers making their way from one end of the festival to the other. Virtually every angle was covered, from an abundance of legal weed, to clothing and accessories, on-site glass blowers created pieces all day long, Hear Ringz’s functional jewelry with built in ear-protection, DanceSafe’s onsite hub, and a new addition to the festival, a fully deck-out video game arcade which allowed attendees to flex their prowess with classics like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. Clocking in at just under a three minute casual stroll from the Beach Stage, you’ll begin to hear and see the Woods Stage in all its splendor, bolstering an incredibly clear and thumping Intent Audio rig manned by none other than Sean Hennessey and partner Abby Skelton, whose combined 10 years of experience in the music industry gives tenure to the high-fidelity and solid dynamics of their new in-house designs. Once again rocking the weekend sans LED panels, the focus at the Woods Stage is largely on the music. However, the newly anointed, loudly-lauded professional disco ball sporadically lit up the dance floor and the surrounding pines, sending frequent surges of life into an already rambunctious forest frenzy.
As the sun underwent its first gradual descent of the weekend on Thursday evening, music kicked off at the Woods Stage with D.C.’s own Crawdad Sniper. The rest of the night featured sets from established acts like Poldoore, Smigonaut, and Snakes & Stars, while upstarts like Parkbreezy, 3420, Ooga, and McWavy helped set the stage for the weekend with their chilled-out, groove-laden music. Early entry attendees were also treated to the debuts of new projects and collabs in the forms of Face Plant’s scintillating new project, SkyLab, Charles Nimbus providing a breaks and UGK set, the inaugural Thought Process b2b Duffrey set, a journey from Keota, and a rare festival slot from Beeswax (Wax Future, Jesse Miller of Lotus and Zone Drums).
As Friday came into focus, and the first official day of the festival began, those who had arrived for the pre-party awoke to a cooler and cloudy day, allowing ample time for those late-night owls to rest in comfort while others had time to explore various workshops and attend a relaxed yoga session, helmed by Colleen Kropp, and later by Tanner Adlard the following morning. Beginning at 1pm at the Woods Stage, Dave Scichman manned a Drum & Breakfast set to kick off a prolific run of DnB in the shaded oasis, featuring world-renowned talents from the likes of Hugh Hardie, Degs, the US debut of Pola & Bryson, Justin Martin, and a widely-lauded debut set from BOU. While the DnB curation was well underway at the Woods Stage, Brother Bear brought his seminal Boom Bap Brunch to a live audience at the Beach Stage at 2:30pm as attendees rolled in with brunch cocktails and beach games. Teeing up a curated run of hip-hop inspired, low-end driven music, Squalpat and Tygris provided a custom live performance of instrumental cuts and pocketed bass lines, leading into a legendary Krafty Kuts Golden Era of Hip-hop set, and capped off by the all:lo Collective flagship trio Groovsauce, (Thought Process, Parkbreezy & pheel.) ushering in the evening as the sun set behind scattered clouds.
As night settled in, veterans stepped up to the decks, featuring trip hop/glitch hop pioneer Mike Wallis setting the pace, performing a nostalgic set of pivotal tracks from across the many years of the Colony Productions catalog. In quick succession was the second annual appearance of Luke Viberts’s Wagon Christ project, and DJ Shadow, who played unopposed and treated attendees to a masterclass in DJ fundamentals and tools of the trade. Over at the Woods Stage, Justin Martin brought his venerable cuts out to play in a lively house set, followed by UK Underground legends Dusky with even more electricity, before Philadelphia's own Rob Paine closed down the stage for the evening with a sensational and deeply groovy journey, putting the final touches on the frenzied pine forest party until next afternoon. Keeping the party rocking well into the morning light, the beach stage was continuously brandishing budding domestic talent, crushing low-end, and unmistakable rhythms from Mickman, Resonant Language, Copycatt, Inspect3r, Charles Nimbus, Lusine’s uptempo set, and finally coming to a zenith at Mr Bill’s IDM Sunrise as a thick fog began to roll over the shoreline, the sun early in its path across the sky.
Mcnulty and Wessanders, a Rust affiliate and a label-side act, opened up the final day of festivities, and set the vibe at the Woods stage with dreamy house sets as the festival once again come to life attendees began occupy the dancef loor and find their day’s footing with Postal., the latest project between impasta and Relativity Lounge paying homage to their Chicago roots. The atmosphere was electric by the time Mark Farina performed one of his iconic Mushroom Jazz sets just prior to the sunset, as beams of sunlight delicately shone through the foliage from the treeline. The rest of the day at the Woods stage would only escalate in tempo and energy from there, as regional fan-favorite Nic Baker (Inspect3r and Vide) hit the stage prior to an extended set from France’s finest, Monty, who put the crowd through the paces as he effortlessly guided listeners from dubstep to sensational DnB. Hamdi elevated spirits even higher during his b2b with Sir Hiss, putting a quintessentially American crowd through deep garage fundamentals. Closing out the Woods Stage in style for its final three sets of the weekend, special performances from Commodo & Kahn & Neek, Khiva & Distinct Motive, and XL & Freq, who all pushed the Intent Audio rig to its absolute limit with one final bellow into the darkness of the pine barrens.
Running in parallel back over at the Beach stage, the day began with regional favorites JamL, Mindset, and Entangled Mind before one of the more anticipated sets of the weekend, Cloud Conductor - Daily Bread’s alter ego, typically performing deeper soulful cuts from his expansive discography. Kicking off hours of infectious dance floor energy, Chmura & Location kept the party going before Integrate (Black Carl! And VCTRE) rocked a set of familiar classics and anthems had the Beach Stage positively bouncing. A big standout moment during the final evening, kLL sMTH & Friends took on a larger-than-life visage, as the stage gradually flooded with a Last Supper’s worth of friends, collaborators, and fellow artists in attendance for the weekend. Headliner Mr. Carmack made good on his long-time tenure, delivering a set full of fan-favorites and new routines that rang out into the night before entering the final stretch of the weekend programming. Featuring psychedelic rhythms and intricate compositions from the debut of Tripp St b2b Maxfield, the first set of Spoonbill, Supersillyus, Random Rab, Somatoast, and Malakai, the last waning minutes of Submersion Festival 2023 were graced with Spoonbill reprising the stage for his second and final set. Performing his seminal Tinkerbox in its entirety, alongside a grab-bag of other accessory tracks, the joyous and tired cheers of the subdued crowd brought about the end of another wonderful weekend at Paradise Lakes Campground.
With the weekend in our rearview, we feel confident that Submersion once again achieved its goal of delivering a phenomenal experience to all who make the coastal journey, while highliting and placing a necessary emphasis on the importance of our communal and social relationships. The roots run deep and continue to strengthen as the festival and those who put it together continue to grow in tandem, with an evergreen future clearly on the horizon. While work has already begun in earnest on 2024’s installment of Submersion Festival, be sure to keep an eye on their homepage for sporadic and thematic events throughout the year under the Submersion banner, including their upcoming NYE event at the Armory in Philadelphia.
FOLLOW Submersion: Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Official
Lipphead Dive One Step Deeper in From The Back LP
The dynamic New York-based production duo Lipphead has gradually built out a sonic playground of funkadelic slides, swinging trumpets, and tipsy, on-the-nose rhythms, bringing their energetic and eclectic instrumental hip-hop style out to play. With already potent pool of established tracks between the two, Blockhead and Elliot Lipp continue to outdo their stereophonic dance floor motif with the sensual blends and lush progressions of their latest record, “From The Back”.
Authored by Alyssa Barnhill
The dynamic New York-based production duo Lipphead has gradually built out a sonic playground of funkadelic slides, swinging trumpets, and tipsy, on-the-nose rhythms, bringing their energetic and eclectic instrumental hip-hop style out to play. With already potent pool of established tracks between the two, Blockhead and Elliot Lipp continue to outdo their stereophonic dance floor motif with the sensual blends and lush progressions of their latest record, “From The Back”.
Illustrated by the talented artist Maddison Chaffer, the album cover’s recognizable Lipphead character serves as both the group mascot and a personification of their fused musical styles, gesturing back to the likes of Mad Lib’s Lord Quas from hip-hop’s narrative-driven past. The delectable 10-track album easily delivers more of the duo's signature genre-blending mix of head-nod and electro-funk, infused with a groovier spin, with their trademark sense of humor in full swing. Showcasing Lipphead's distinctive style, "From The Back '' seamlessly merges Blockhead's groovy, sample-based palette with Lipp's upbeat electronic melodies and distinctive hardware synthesis. Tracks like "Studio 69" boast a velvety backbone with long synth tones dancing along the melody, while the decadent vocals add a veneer of class to the song’s attitude. In positive contrast, Blockhead's traditional sample-collaging shines in tracks like "Rolling Loud," filled to the brim with recognizable samples that slide across one another like a weave.
As Lipphead gains traction and expands their pool of minted works, the duo is swiftly establishing themselves as one of the most exciting new underground electronic acts. Their infectious and evolving synth-laden swing makes them a powerhouse production combination to watch out for in the ever-evolving music landscape. With each release, they continue to push the boundaries of their appeal, leaving eager fans curious about the future directions they may explore both on and off the stage.
FOLLOW Lipphead: SoundCloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Official
A Quaint Conversation on the new Collaborative DOS Project
Individually, Ilya Goldberg and Random Rab have extraordinarily fruitful careers on their own merits, with the former both through his Lapa project and being Doug Appling’s right hand man in Emancipator, and the latter through a dedicated, double-decade approach to the Random Rab sound. It was only a matter of time before these not so disparate camps found themselves unified under the same banner, and this year saw the inception of their collaborative project, DOS. Consequently, and ahead of their appearance at Secret Dreams later this month, the Rust felt it necessary to have a quaint conversation with these artists on the nature of their collaborations, the inception of the project, and the lens through which they view their own musicality.
Individually, Ilya Goldberg and Random Rab have extraordinarily fruitful careers on their own merits, with the former both through his Lapa project and being Doug Appling’s right hand man in Emancipator, and the latter through a dedicated, double-decade approach to the Random Rab sound. Their creative talents have existed in parallel for at least the last 10 years, filling the space with melodic, instrumentally-driven trip-hop and downtempo music on numerous lineups across the touring and festival circuit. With such a self-evident sonic crossover, it was only a matter of time before these not so disparate camps found themselves unified under the same banner, and this year saw the inception of their collaborative project, DOS.
Where others may feel the need to pull from and establish entirely fresh palettes of sound and influence for on-going collaborations, Rab and Goldberg don’t just lean further into their respective creative lanes; they actively elaborate on the air-tight fit of their compositional and instrumental backgrounds. DOS’ self-titled LP, released in February of this year, doesn’t feel so much like a third path taken as much as it feels like a maturation of both individual inputs. The benefit is as clear as the overall mixdown; there’s no lag or lull in their collaborative arrangements, with both musicians letting the multitude of instrumental layers blend as they will, and rest when they need to.
While combinations of popular producers from within the studio are in no shortage of supply, such a naturally congruent mix always has a particular shine to it, and we’d be remiss not to dive further into the makeup of the DOS dynamic. Consequently, and ahead of their appearance at Secret Dreams later this month, the Rust felt it necessary to have a quaint conversation with these artists on the nature of their collaborations, the inception of the project, and the lens through which they view their own musicality.
The Rust: Where does your relationship with one another start? Did you meet as a consequence of your creative projects?
DOS: We met at Burning Man (year?) We were both on our way to play a set. When we first met, we instantly said that we need to make music together. This was before either of us had even heard each other play. I think we both instantly knew there was some sort of connection that needed to be explored. We started by collaborating on our first track which was Vapour Train off the Random Rab album aRose. Since then we wrote over 20 songs before finally deciding to start a new project with its own identity.
The Rust: Why start this new collaborative project? What was the genesis point for DOS?
DOS: We had done a lot of collaborations and sets together. However everything either fell under the Random Rab or LAPA umbrella. While we love these songs, there was always a feeling that we weren’t able to explore a true artistic collaboration. Somewhere along the line we decided that we needed to make an album together that was more 50/50 and allowed us both to forget about our individual identities and be a part of something fresh and completely unexplored.
The Rust: There's a notable overlap in the style of your individual works, particularly regarding a focus on laid back and pensive compositions; what was the initial writing process for the DOS project like for the both of you?
DOS: Our approach has always been “when we both say yes, it’s a yes” This allows us to avoid any kind of conflicts or confusion. Basically if we both agree, it’s a go. This makes the whole process very relaxed and explorational. It’s true that a lot of these songs might feel more laid back, but there’s an intensity to the production
The Rust: The landscape of contemporary electronic music tends to lean towards a much grittier array of motifs. Can you talk a bit about your experiences within that dynamic? What keeps you both drawn to the more grounded palettes of your overall works?
DOS: We are passionate about true self expression which naturally comes out as the music we hear. We made the creative decision to be less concerned with what is happening in the scene at large and more focused on what’s in our hearts.
The Rust: While your self-titled album contains trace elements and infusions of your individual works, it carries itself with a much more distinct world-music appeal, especially in the percussive sense. Was this a conscious choice, or a consequence of happenstance?
DOS: Everything we do is a conscious choice. We have an array of acoustic instruments and percussion which bring irreplaceable textures to our sound. We also collaborate extensively with our friend Custom Phil who injects custom fire to all of our percussive elements. Although we generally perform as a duo, we bring out Custom Phil to a handful of select performances. For instance, we’ll be performing with him at Red Rocks on July 22.
The Rust: How much energy are you looking to put into the DOS project? Was this a convenient outlet at a convenient moment, or are you looking to dive headfirst into this new collaborative environment?
DOS: Rather than seeing this as a convenient opportunity, we see this as a natural evolution of our decade long collaboration. Our goal with DOS is to keep it special and always bring a unique performance and audio experience to our listeners.
The Rust: What can we expect from future DOS releases? Are you sensing a stride with the styles and grooves that dominate the debut album?
DOS: We are currently working on some new singles and have another album in the works. For our live performances we strive to bring a balance of lush melodic content and undeniably danceable grooves.
Rasp-5 & Tygris Return with Their Smash & Grab EP
Long after the divergence of hip-hop music and its swing-centric instrumental arrangements, both lyricists and producers find themselves coming back around to their time-tested partnership of songwriting and studio finesse, with a few choice sets of creatives finding their stride with contemporary flavor. Continuing their gradual dive into the murky waters of lyricism and bass music, Rasp-5 and Tygris follow up their rambunctious Cheap Thrills EP with a dual serving of brackish low-end and sauntering wordplay, with The Gradient Perspective hosting their latest release, Smash & Grab.
Long after the divergence of hip-hop music and its swing-centric instrumental arrangements, both lyricists and producers find themselves coming back around to their time-tested partnership of songwriting and studio finesse, with a few choice sets of creatives finding their stride with contemporary flavor. Continuing their gradual dive into the murky waters of lyricism and bass music, Rasp-5 and Tygris follow up their rambunctious Cheap Thrills EP with a dual serving of brackish low-end and sauntering wordplay, with The Gradient Perspective hosting their latest release, Smash & Grab.
“Duck & Cover” cracks the seal on the EP with a sharp bite, with every word and stab of synthesis cutting hardest on each successive downbeat. Dipping the intensity and raising the intrigue, “Get The Money” glides across a potent, tightly-wound neuro-hop beat that props up a tale of territorial paper acquisition, with both ends of the spectrum dovetailing into a choice breakdown. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they choose to lean into the syncretic relationship of broken-beat electronic music and its lyrical forebear, and Smash & Grab feels right at home with the bouncy, driving hip-hop compositions of the 90s and early aughts.
With a growing body of work between the two artists, and clear musical relationship on their own merits, Rasp-5 and Tygris never miss the mark when they emerge from the lab. Doubling down on that relationship, they’re a frequent pairing on the stage, often times as a last minute combination as well as a prepared performance, and the chemistry between the two has never failed to make pure sparks. Keep your ears perked and your eyes peeled as 2023 comes to a close and 2024 comes into focus, as we’re sure to see these two intrepid ne’er-do-wells pop up again on plenty of occasions.
FOLLOW Rasp-5: Soundcloud / Spotify / Instagram
FOLLOW Tygris: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Instagram
Getting Acquainted with NYC's Edica+
Making a fast-paced break into the spotlight of NYC’s sound system culture and musical underground, the texas-raised and New York-based DJ and show-host Edica+ has already made an ample name for herself. Stretching from Reggae and Cumbia to contemporary bass music and beyond, her effusive influences and pronounced mixing fundamentals have made her a potent force behind the decks, showcasing ecstatic and expansive DJing in pure form. Tomorrow evening, The Rust and our long-time co-conspirator Sermon are slated to host Commodo, Ellis Delta, EasyJack, and Edica+ at The Meadows in Brooklyn, and in anticipation of the rambunctious evening ahead, we felt it necessary to get ahold of Edica+ for a brief primer on her influences, background, her experiences as a show-host, and her time with Dub-Stuy records.
Making a fast-paced break into the spotlight of NYC’s sound system culture and musical underground, the texas-raised and New York-based DJ Edica+ has already made an ample name for herself. Stretching from Reggae and Cumbia to contemporary bass music and beyond, her effusive influences and pronounced mixing fundamentals have made her a potent force behind the decks, showcasing ecstatic and expansive DJing in pure form. In tandem with her burgeoning career as a prime selector, she’s also the host of the Dub & Effection radio show and an onboarded member of the legendary Dub-Stuy record label and sound system crew, rounding her out as a multi-disciplined and locally enmeshed artist.
Tomorrow evening, The Rust and our long-time co-conspirator Sermon are slated to host Commodo, Ellis Delta, EasyJack, and Edica+ at The Meadows in Brooklyn, and in anticipation of the rambunctious evening ahead, we felt it necessary to get ahold of Edica+ for a brief primer on her influences, background, her experiences as a show-host, and her time with Dub-Stuy records.
The Rust: Between EDICA+, Dub-Stuy, Dub and Effection, you have your work cut out for you. How do you divvy up your bandwidth of attention between responsibilities?
Edica+: The nice thing about it is that these projects tend to overlap in one way or the other. For instance, Dub & Effection is now supported by Dub-Stuy, as well as other upcoming EDICA+ projects. It’s great that my ideas are encouraged and welcomed by the label because our visions are so similar.
The Rust: While you've made a veritable mark in Brooklyn, NY, you're originally from Texas; what kind of influence does that bring to table, musically?
Edica+: Being from South Texas, I was exposed to a lot of Latin music growing up, which has overlapping qualities with my natural Caribbean roots. Selena is from my hometown of Corpus Christi as well as a major Cumbia artist, El Dusty, who encouraged me to DJ. So when I first started, I played a lot of Latin parties influenced by Bass, Dub, Reggae, Moombahton, Cumbia, etc.
The Rust: In the context of your sets, where does your preparation start? You've earned a reputation as a selector with a wide berth; how do you narrow it down for each evening?
Edica+: Digging for music and pairing sounds together in my head is just as natural to me as brushing my teeth, so I’m always in prep mode. My musical tastes all share the common thread of Dub traits as the foundation, so my sets are versatile yet still complimentary as I take audiences on a journey through different BPMs and genres.
The Rust: What's home for you, musically? What are the cuts and influences that brought you and your EDICA+ project to where it is now?
Edica+: I’m 100% Guyanese, so I grew up listening to Caribbean and Hindi sounds from my heritage, along with Smooth Jazz my parents loved. Now looking I see why Bass-heavy music resonates with me, as my dad always bumped it from his sound system. I love repping all my roots, which is why I even incorporate East Indian sounds in my sets.
I also have a project in the works called “Grown & Dubby” which is my outlet for the same type of Jazz I was exposed to as a kid. So I’d say my parents are largely responsible for my tastes with everything coming full circle now.
The Rust: You're the founder and host for the "Dub and Effection" radio show. What was the genesis for your part in the program? Are you operating according to a specific vision, or have you narrowed your focus over time?
Edica+: I first created Dub & Effection as an outlet to play the songs I love that all exhibited Dub characteristics. This includes anything with echo/reverb, sound effects, instrumental/remixes, and sub-genres of dubstep/grime/hip hop/electronica to name a few. It’s also my way of educating others on the power that Dub has had on today’s music, an effort to champion the sound engineers and innovators like Lee Scratch Perry & King Tubby who really were magicians on the mixing board. It’s amazing how their experimental techniques set the tone for much of the music we love today.
Due to time constraints this year I’ve primarily been focused on the radio show hosted on Dublab. But in the near future, we’ll be launching some new projects under the brand.
The Rust: Dub-Stuy has a venerable reputation as a veteran record label and sound system crew of the Northeastern circuit; how did you get linked upon with them in the first place?
Edica+: I’ve always frequented Dub-Stuy events under the radar for the sole purpose of just being a fly on the wall and enjoying the sessions. It was because of Dub & Effection where the founder discovered me and really liked my musical taste and the passion I have, for not only preserving the culture, but supporting the future of it as well. From there, I joined the musical crew, and eventually began helping with the business side of things as well.
The Rust: How do you view Dub-Stuy in the context of NYC's musical social culture?
Edica+: I have so much respect for Dub-Stuy, as they were one the first crews promoting proper sound system culture stateside. Over the years, they’ve influenced many other crews in the US and have made a significant mark on the NYC DIY club culture. It’s been awesome being on the team and really inspiring to see how the movement continues to grow and carry on to the next generations.
The Rust: What's on the plate for the rest of the year? Where do you want to take EDICA+ as you continue to navigate your slice of the music industry?
Edica+: This year's focus has primarily been touring. We’ve already hit US & Europe, and next up have Asia then Mexico in the Fall.
I’m also stoked about expanding the Dub & Effection brand across the country and building meaningful connections with like-minded people through special collaborations we have in the works.
Lastly, I’m looking forward to honing in on my own original music and taking my live performances to the next level. For me, it’s really all about what truly matters in art, which is creating for self-expression, sharing it with the world when possible, and having a blast doing it.
Even with such a plate of creative endeavors and responsibilities in front of her, Edica+ has a clear vision for the future of her project and the wider proliferation of sound system music and it’s ephemeral cousins, placing her right in the spotlight of our interests. If you’re as keen on hearing her in booth as we are, make sure you grab a ticket to our show tomorrow evening, and be sure to stay connected to Edica+’s social profile.
FOLLOW Edica+: Soundcloud / Mixcloud / Facebook / Webpage
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