The underground is coming out to play at Bassrush Massive this weekend at the Nos Event Center in San Bernardino. Bassrush is Insomniac’s flagship bass music brand. In the past we’ve seen some of the biggest acts in dubstep like Excision and Skrillex gracing their massive stages with top of the line speaker systems and production to match. This time around there is a new sound infiltrating the speakers. The experimental bass scene is on the rise with acts that are pushing the boundaries of sound. Props to Bassrush for recognizing budding talent as well as some underground legends and booking some next level ear candy. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to see what the new wave has to offer, here are 10 artists that you won’t want to miss!

10. Chee

With his brand new song “Midnight” just featured on the Bassrush Massive album Chee is making waves all the way from South Africa! His music weaves through the world of experimental with a glitchy downtempo style, pushing at the fringes of sonic possibility. Chee has garnered major support from bass music innovators Noisia, who have featured his music in many episodes on their weekly radio show.  He posted on twitter saying he will be playing an all original set and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with.

9. Proko b2b Nasty Nasty 

This heavy hitting duo both have tracks featured on the Bassrush Massive album and are known for their “Slimepunk” sound. NastyNasty who hails from the Bay Area takes influences from punk, dubstep, noise, and rap genres. Then we have Proko who’s productions have seen collabs with the likes of Space Jesus and Liquid Stranger to name a few. This duo is a prime example of the new sound that has been climbing its way up the bass ladder.

8. Dela Moontribe

Underground legend Dela Moontribe is making her way to Bassrush Massive this year. She is a resident DJ and organizer of Southern California’s legendary Moontribe Collective. Since 1993, Moontribe’s full moon desert gatherings have been at the core of Southern California’s underground electronic music scene. Her sets weave through many different genres touching on drum and bass, halftime, and experimental. I’ve even see her spin a techno set! Always a surprise with this one. The energy she brings to the table is unmatched, and the love she has for the scene shines brightly through her performances.

7. Tsuruda b2b Great Dane

Next up we have some more underground legends. Great Dane who is known for his performances at the local favorite soon-to-be-gone Low End Theory has a taste for hip-hop and experimental beats. He’s the co-founder of beat collective TeamSupreme and is an active front man in the LA music movement known as the “beat scene”. Combined with the forces of Tsuruda who has influences like Madliib and Flying Lotus, this duo is set to rock our socks off.

6. Alix Perez

Joining us at Bassrush Massive all the way from London, UK, Alix Perez is quite the renaissance man. Producer, label boss, and designer, he’s fully independent and there’s nothing stopping his creative flow. Alix Perez saw his rise to fame for his drum and bass sets full of soul, jazz, and hip hop influences. His sound has been evolving over the years and now you can expect experimental halftime riffs bouncing seamlessly in his masterful compositions.

5.  Shades

Shades is the alchemical forces of above mentioned Alix Perez and Eprom! This dream team features two masters at their craft. Shades exemplifies slanted grooves, a deep pocket and hard yet graceful composition. There is a fine balance of glitch and swagger to their music and it oozes innovation. Pounding bass, warm, crunchy drums, and finely tuned synths are the order of the day here. Each track is a well-crafted journey with great dynamic, and showcases both their influences in a new progressive light. Not missing an ounce of innovation, this set is for the sonic adventurers who want to experience something different from the usual platter of sounds presented at this festival.

4. Esseks b2b Freddy Todd

Esseks and Freddy Todd are a duo you need to see. If you want to hear what the underground is up to, these guys are it. Esseks’ music ranges all the bass-centric genres with a focus on the off-kilter. It is dark but in a playful sense, cartoon villain music you could say. Then comes Freddy Todd, “hearing his music is akin to being abducted by an extra-terrestrial cruise liner where everyone is tripping on space acid” is what we found in his bio lol! If you’re a curious bass enthusiast, this is the set for you.

3. Yheti

Yheti, what an interesting character. His music is arguably some of the most unique stuff coming out lately. He is very in touch with his spirituality and that comes across in his inter-dimensional productions. Fusing low-frequency bass with experimental and surreal soundscapes, he exposes people to the low end heavy side of electronic music. His live performances are an ever morphing detailed sound sculpture that plays with the souls of those open to the frequencies. You can tell he’s coming from a very pure place and his music is sure to take you to the moon (and maybe a few galaxies you didn’t know about) and back.

2. CharlesTheFirst

One of the most refreshing new artists on our radar is CharlesTheFirst. Fusing his organic hip hop roots with lush and experimental electronic composition, CharlestheFirst has developed a danceable style steeped in dreaminess and pyschedelia. Born in 1996 in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Charles has been heavily influenced by nature and the adventure that coincides with it. He’s been blowing up all over the festival circuit and we’ve even seen Rezz drop his tracks in her sets! MUST SEE.

 

1.  Clozee  

“In the way the clean curve of a Japanese roof is understated and exotic, CloZee pulls her power from a bold simplicity. Her classical guitar roots allow her an informed, melodic space that draws influence from flamenco to edIT of The Glitch Mob. This melting pot of instrumentation and cinematic flair puts listeners in a mood to move, with international crowds now cultivating the evolution of her genre. Clozee says she rarely lays down only electronic sounds. Her favorite sources are organic and real.” She’s been making moves in the international festival circuit and has landed herself in So-Cal for Bassrush Massive. Let’s show her some love!

 

Quite a jam-packed roster of sounds from all over the world! Take your pick, there’s a unique platter here,
alien space bass or organic sounds inspired from the jungles of the Amazon. This event will go down in Bassrush history. It’s amazing to see the underground acts making their way to the bigger stages. We are 100% here for this.