It’s the end of the month and that means it’s time for another installment of Focus Five. If you missed our first edition here’s the lowdown: each month Oggie & I (Colin) will be showcasing five of our favourite fresh finds. These are artists who recently landed on our radar and absolutely blew us away. This month we’ve got a touch of everything from a Canadian “lean bass” duo, to Australian and American bass producers and even a tinyghost. Check the list below and add a few new favourites to your regular listening list.
Charles Nimbus
Boston based producer Charles Nimbus is a beast on the low. Whether it’s pounding bass tunes or stunning laidback feels, Charles Nimbus posses the ability to conjure both, sometimes even within the same song. Take ‘visage’ for example. While it starts off sounding like it could be part of a relaxation mix, it quickly veers into a deep bass monster. Midway through it begins to drift toward tranquility once more before getting utterly abusive. It’s like doing yoga in the midst of a battlefield and somehow remaining unscathed. ‘light pillar’ drifts deep into the feels. It’s walking through a long trail where time ceases to exist, finally coming upon a small pond and looking down to truly see your reflection, for what feels like the first time. If that sounds a little to light for you tastes, you can always ‘hit the pipe’ and experience what it’s like to smoke PCP with a gang of samurai. Charles Nimbus’ music is a ride and I’m buying tickets any chance I get.
-C
Chuurch
Since last month there’s been no one popping on my radar, nor popping off more impressively than “lean bass” duo Chuurch. Could we interest you in a remix of Zeds Dead x Illenium? A spot alongside the Deadbeats daddies at their Dead Rocks showcase? Or how about an all original EP on NEST? I think it’s appropriate to call these two Vulcan, as they’re most certainly working with fire, and a bass sound that can only be described as godly. While much of their previous output was in the 120-130 BPM range, they certainly seem to have found their groove with maddening midtempo. Deep and dirty, the lead single from Uunion is set to destroy dancefloors. Look out for them in a city near you, and praise be to the bass gods!
-OJ
Hotwagner
When Oggie sent me Hotwagner’s ‘_thro’ my first reaction was, “oh what the fuck!?” From the cartoony meets trap intro, to the brain-bending first drop, I knew we had stumbled onto something special, and it only gets deeper from there. Pressing play on ‘_taukabou’ will provide a similar mind-rattling experience (switch cartoon inspiration for a laser shoot-out on this one). But like many others on this list, it’s not just slappers in his arsenal; Hotwagner can also ride the wave with the best of them, as seen on ‘_anywho’. If originality is something you respect and getting weird is something you revel in, Hotwagner is your new obsession.
-C
SIlva
It shouldn’t be a surprise when we find out that an artist we’re really fucking with comes from Australia, because as far back as this blog goes we’ve been wowed by what’s coming from down under. Another such artist seemingly straight out of the Aussie intersection of future bass and trap is Silva. While his output remains minimal in his nearly two year presence, it hits one of our core values: quality over quantity. There’s a clear, unspeakable energy that each of his productions exudes. You’re almost always left wondering what you just listened to, but wanting more. ‘Escape’ and ‘intentions’ are awesome displays of explosive power while ‘Jungle’ and ‘vnforgettable’ offer a more restrained approach. Here’s to hoping we get more soon, because yeah, we’re greedy.
-OJ
tinyghost
When I first stumbled onto tinyghost I felt like an astronaut uncovering a new planet. This feeling was aided by the fact that my introduction to the small apparition was the aptly titled ‘Jupiter.’ Part cinematic and worldly, part sci-fi adventure, the track is like instantly understanding an entire civilization based solely upon sound. It’s an enlightening and awakening exploit that weaves in just a touch of darkness to keep things riveting. ‘Blocked’ maintains a similar space-inspired energy but gets darker and dirtier. Rounding out tinyghost’s catalog are ‘Findme’ & ‘Dou,’ two elegant bangers that sample 50 Cent and Missy Elliot respectively. But these aren’t your standard bootlegs, these are complete re-imaginations with familiar undertones. The combination of familiar and fresh is nothing short of magic. It’s been six months since we’ve heard new music from tinyghost, but next week the silence will be demolished with a fresh EP that’s set to feature blake skowron, Laxcity, COPYCATT, and Khundi Panda – 쿤디판다. tinyghost is about to set the spring on fire. Get up on the ghost now.
-C
For even more music from these incredible artists. Listen to the playlist below.
