As we continue to explore the realms of under the radar artists and collectives we always have an ear to the ground listening and waiting for the next forward thinking release. One that has began to peak our interest more over time is Sub.Terranean, an outlet featuring innovative and entrancing electronic music. Back in September we had the pleasure of premiering ‘Jigsaw‘ and have since kept steady tabs on this collective. As with other outlets Sub.Terranean has a common goal to connect thriving artists and to work together with other below the surface bass-music communities through a means of live events, music releases, workshops and much more. Founded in January of 2018, they have since seen a combination of solo releases and support as well as a handful of stacked compilations. Now, they return with Vol. V of their series and we couldn’t overlook this one.
Sub.Terranean Compilation Vol. V is without a doubt an impeccable look into who is at the forefront of the trap and bass underground movement. It contains a heap of 15 total tracks, 14 of which are solo pieces and 1 that is a collaboration. Vol. V has a sufficient slew of FUXWITHIT favorites such as KUREI, POINT CLARE, TOWERS and more. Let’s dive into what these tracks have to offer below.
Coming out swinging and wasting no time, getting straight to the point is ‘Normal’ by MAR. A Chicago born, now New Orleans based producer, Thomas Marhill packs a punch with his bouncy addition to this volume. The intro vocal sampled goes on a rant of what is and isn’t normal, despite the title this track is far from normal. An infectious drop guarantees at least a head-bob or your money back. ‘Normal’ takes average experimental bass sound and flips it inside out. I hate to admit, this is my first encounter with MAR, but will surely not be my last.
Moving along about halfway into the comp we are presented with ‘Flurry’, which is a modern trap classic executed by none other than danforth. Using classic trap structure and samples, danforth tosses them into a blender to accentuate his modern take on the sound. Each sample and noise provided works in coordination with intricate bass line textures that help bring it to life. danforth is no stranger to pushing forward thinking audio as he represents Partica Artists Group and Good Nature Collective. ‘Flurry’ proves the formula danforth is capable of concocting, with proper Danny Brown samples sprinkled throughout and pristine percussion arrangement.
Anything KUREI related, you know we are all over it. The man is a pure genius when it comes to production. If you follow us in any measure, you should be very familiar with the name. This time, KUREI takes ‘Yes Indeed’ by Drake and Lil Baby and cooks it up with his signature KUREI sauce. His track ‘Pikachu’ displays proper octave and pitch play as the sounds easily build off of each other for an effortless consumption. At this point, I don’t think KUREI follows any recipes or formulas, rather just gathers random ingredients that are available to see what feast he can cook up. ‘Pikachu’ is as fun of a listen as it is easy to digest, making it one to keep on repeat.
Towards the end of the compilation we reach ‘INCOMING’ by KRMA. This track ramps the energy levels all the way up, being a compelling experimental bass project. The build up in the intro alone is capable of raising your heart rate, but when the drop hits it feels like an all out sprint has taken place as the energy grows even further than we thought was possible. KRMA offers a get-up-and-go dynamism to the comp with ‘INCOMING’ and you should be well prepared for this audio mammoth before listening.
Shout out to Sub.Terranean for creating this project as it is flawless inside and out. The artists gathered and the tracks presented could not have been put together better. FUXWITHIT will continue to follow the Sub.Terannean journey and we look forward to what they will provide next.
