Despite constant claims that SoundCloud is dead, the platform continues to be the lifeblood of the underground. It’s the breeding ground for innovative new sounds and THE place to find the best new artists. While the volume of quality is higher than ever, the mass of mediocrity is equally at its apex. Thankfully there are a number of underground labels out here doing it for the culture, working everyday to help develop and showcase the next wave of producers. We’ve decided to highlight 8 of our favoruites. Check the list below and let us know if we missed anyone.
Below The Surface
Below The Surface burst onto the scene last year with Sounds From Below, a stellar compilation that featured releases from founders THRPY and soulecist. alongside sfam, TVBOO and more. Since then they’ve put out 3 more compilations and a slew of singles. Each release is a true piece of the underground. They’re committed to digging to find the best under-the-radar stars in bass music and putting them on full display.
Dont Die At Work
Founded by HMU, Dont Die At Work is a label and clothing company based in LA. They started as “a reminder to work hard towards having the life you want, a movement founded on putting in that time and reaping the benefits in both your 9-5 and your 5-9”. The outlook speaks to creatives grinding ever day and dreaming about the future, while working to make it happen now. Their impressive Grind compilation kicked the year off with a bang and included the brain-bending single ‘Prehistoric’ from doppla & HMU. They’re constantly working to help break new sounds with single releases as well. ‘Cerepon’ and ‘Seizmo’ will give you a taste of the type of bass Dont Die at Work is slingin’. For even more DDAW be sure to check out their Day Of The Dead compilation.
Liquid Ritual
Started as a radio show in 2016 and established as a label less than a year ago, Liquid Ritual has climbed its way to the top in an incredibly quick way. In this extremely short span of time, Kareful, LTHL and Stohou have not only brought their creation to the forefront of the recording industry with iconic releases and a fabulous debut compilation, but also have expanded their action into shows, hosting a series of branded events in their hometown London and all over Poland. It’s not a secret that Wave is slowly infiltrating in the mainstream (pushed by names the likes of Virtual Self and Stooki Sound) and thanks to its marked identity, proved maturity and endless dynamism, it seems Liquid Ritual is ready to take the lead of the Wave movement. I don’t know if, as Stohou said, “Skrillex is going to be making Wave in a year or two,” but this UK label will be there for sure.
Lost Dogz
“We’re not a Label. We’re not a collective. We are a cult of best friends.” That’s how Lost Dogz recently described themselves. While they may not technically consider themselves a collective or label, leaving them off this list would be near criminal. Leaders in the minimal yet heavy bass space, they’ve helped to change the direction of trap and bass music across the industry. Their “cult” features a who’s who of innovators including Abelation, Milano, Untitld, Sktchy Ppl, Chrome Republic, Eazybaked, Chrome, Snuggles, Cambot, Player Dave & Vide. We’ve already featured 2 of the Dogz in our Focus Five segments and could easily run through the whole list. Lost Dogz’s sound is dark, dirty, distinctive, and dank but always fresh. If you’re sick of bright and cheery future bass, Lost Dogz are the perfect antithesis. Hit their SoundCloud and tell me it doesn’t get your tail wagging.
Misc.
Miscellaneous: home to everything you’ve never heard before. Just good music. Ambitious? Yes. Excessive? Hell no. The good folks behind Misc. are definitely not some random guys, since they’re responsible for one of my favourite bass compilations of the year. ‘Guest Vol. 2’ is a collection that should be on the top of every experimental bass junkie’s library and it’s a mirror that reflects the soul of the whole project. Freedom of expression is the only rule that is seen reflected in more than one hundred releases, among which you can find plenty of illustrious names. Capshun, episcool, Sofasound, Rohaan, Rome in Silver, and Great Dane are just some of the brilliant minds appeared under Misc.’s emblem with intriguing and unexpected creative works. This is a label I never forget to mention as an example when I find myself talking and defending the real underground movement.
Night Owl Collective
Night Owl Collective is a giant, a pillar of the SoundCloud community, an example and a model to admire and to take inspiration from. If you really have no idea what I’m talking about and you’ve never come across one of its monumental compilations, you better get out of your cave and listen up. With its 50k followers, the Owl is playing a pivotal role in the scene, ensuring a non-stop flow of new music from both well-known acts and newcomers. Its well deserved reputation suggests and encourages a positive and open-minded approach to every release that goes beyond the popularity of the artists’ names. Night Owl Collective isn’t just a label anymore, it’s a world apart, an all-out experience.
Phuture Collective
A lot of platforms claim to be the future, very few truly embody it. Phuture Collective however proves time and time again just how ahead of the curve they truly are. Their thematic compilations are some of the best out. Not only do they feature a cross-section of the most talented artists around, they actually sound cohesive and carefully curated. Each track is different shade or colour on the same canvas and Phuture is crafting works of art. While their releases speak for themselves, it’s really their knack for finding and helping to foster underground talent. Few people stay ahead of us but when it comes to the future of music, but with Phuture, I often feel like I’m catching up. If you’re trying to stay ahead of the game, Phuture is one of your most reliable sources.
Wormhole Music Group
One of Soundcloud’s strongholds has always been its ability to allow you to go through the next song you didn’t know you needed. Its dashboard is like a surprise package that you can unwrap again and again, day after day, always finding a new gift. Too often, however, it’s so overloaded with reposts that it’s quite a mission to bring out something good from that jungle, for this reason I guess everyone has their aces up their sleeve. Mine has always been WMG. Trying to forecast the nature of the new releases is always a shot in the dark, a mission impossible. “Forward-thinking, next-level bass music sounds that defy genre and push boundaries” is the label’s mantra, something that I know you’ve heard tons of times, but trust me, here you’re in good hands. From dark, mental, post-apocalyptic Trap to melodic Jazztronic inspired-vibes, passing by glitched, funky, weird and wonky cartoonstep bangers, Wormhole Music Group is the eldorado for any hardcore and open-minded bass music lover.
World by Alessio Anesi & Colin.
