As we look back on some of our favorite releases from October, it’s hard to believe some of these artists don’t have bigger followings. But that’s what’s so exciting about the bass music scene – new talent pops up every day and you never know who is going to come up next.
Names new and old, here are October’s Freshly Picked Beats.
10. Chmura – How We Do
Coming out of Denver, Chmura is a bass provocateur whose production style is as gritty as it is exploratory. No stranger to using hip-hop samples in his music, Chmura layers the wobble-saturated track “How We Do” with vocal snippets from Big L’s 2000 hit “Flamboyant.” The rawness from the New Yorker’s voice pairs with Chmura’s razor-sharp production effortlessly which makes for an energy-inducing track you can bump on any occasion.
9. FLY – Deja Vu
Opening up the track with what sounds like low-fidelity recordings of running water and birds chirping, the vibes presented at the beginning of “Deja Vu” give listeners very little warning of the procurements that lie ahead. However, that’s what makes the song so great. FLY paints a portrait with this recent release and does well not to crowd the main allures of the piece with unnecessary elements or oversaturated soundscapes.
8. TYGRIS – Without You
A River Beats favorite, TYGRIS has been super busy this year and we’ve been loving every bit of it. A handful of beautifully curated releases, some massive performances including one at Submersion 2022, and a heightened emphasis on his solo project are all contributing to bubbling production and high-tier sets from the Philadelphia artist.
His latest, “Without You,” plays with dazzling drum patterns, vocal samples from J Lo, Ja Rule, and Ariel Pink, as well as flickering melodies that combine for an emotionally stirring piece from start to finish.
7. Cool Customer – Patience
Cool Customer is a producer we’ve had our eyes on for the better part of 2022. So when we heard he was dropping a four-track EP, we were all ears. While the entire release is worth a listen, the last track, “Patience,” really stands alone.
What’s most interesting about this piece is that the build lasts for more than half the track, carrying on much like a journey set would until it comes crashing down into a symphony of uptempo madness. The waiting in this song, or rather the “Patience” you must have to enjoy that drop, makes it even more special. Catch Cool Customer opening up for Jade Cicada in December at the Denver Fillmore.
6. Smoakland x Ravenscoon – Never Heard of Ya
FINALLY. Played out in mixes like Speakerbox Thuggin’ V and festivals like Sound Haven, the Smoakland faithful have been chasing this ID for more than a year. The vocal sample is raw, hardcore, and makes me want to chop down a tree with my fists. Although the first drop gets the job done, what will really stir crowds is the pause before the second drop that suspends listeners in midair before plunging them back into that rowdy bassline.
5. INFEKT – Atuan
Released on the now 10-year-old dubstep label DUPLOC, “Atuan” by INFEKT offers a potent dose of 140 that is sure to rattle your ribcage. The track is a part of the German artist’s latest EP and serves as a massive statement to the work he has been putting in and the influences he has exposed himself to. While the song carries elements of traditional UK dubstep, it at times wanders off into more nuanced territories which offer unexpected kicks and wiggles in all the right places.
4. Bread Winner – Morning Toot
A playful, inventive, and highly experimental sonic narrator, Bread Winner has arrived on the scene with some of the crispiest bass coming from the underground. “Morning Toot” begins with an adventurous flute melody that makes you feel like you’re following a pixie through a forest only to be led to a four-horned rhino hurling heavyweight bass and chopped-up synthesizers at you. From the looks of it, Bread Winner is sitting on a lot of unreleased music so expect the Denver-based artist to be following this up with even more work.
3. KEOTA – Scobie international
October saw KEOTA drop his debut album, No Hands, which contains masterful sound design and a slew of expertly crafted tracks. Of those tracks, “Scobie International” takes the main stage with a goofy beatbox intro and rambunctious, genre-spanning experimentation throughout its entirety.
Something to appreciate about the stylings of KEOTA is the humorous approach he takes to production. That mindset, coupled with an ability to draw upon some of the most sought-out flavors and rhythms in left-field bass makes “Scobie International” and No Hands some of KEOTA’s best work yet.
2. Audio Goblin – Gobblin/Pac-Man Beat
If you haven’t heard of the Asheville, North Carolina producer known as Audio Goblin, today is your lucky day. Releasing music for about three years now, Audio Goblin has a mild following but a massive bite when it comes to curating speaker-thrashing bass music.
Titled “Gobblin” on Spotify but officially titled “Pac-Man Beat,” the intro song on Audio Goblin’s recently released Gamer EP is baffling, to say the least. Layers upon layers of sound design create a sonic texture that envelops you as it progresses, similar to the way a tar pit seizes control of your knees as it draws you deeper and deeper. With work like this, you should expect Audio Goblin’s name to start appearing on more and more lineups in 2023.
1. Tipper – Knee Pads
Although it was released on Spotify in November, Marble Hunting dropped on Bandcamp at the end of October which means Tipper just slipped in to take the crown for River Beats’ top release of the month. The receiving song is none other than “Knee Pads,” a plate that the UK artist has been rinsing for years and one that his fans have been salivating over for just as long.
The 3 ½ minute track has all of the elements we love about Tipper – sneaky and almost ominous builds, clear and crisp basslines, scratching, and plenty of unexpected twists and turns. The all-uptempo album, Marble Hunting, has plenty of crispy nuggets on it including a “Deal With It” VIP but “Knee Pads” and its aggressive flavor is what satiates this palette.
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