Any NorCal basshead worth their salt knows that these next two weekends are going to be f*cking massive. Two of the most anticipated California bass music festivals are on the horizon, starting with Emissions West Coast Bass Culture this Friday, and Lightning in a Bottle next week. Both of these promise to be roaringly good times and as your festival guides this season, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to point out some artists you might not know about yet; trust us, catching these beat hustlers on your adventures this weekend is a must. So with that, we present to you the top 6 underground artists you need to see at the one and only Emissions festival.
The bass messiah has arrived and his name is Space Jesus. A native of Brooklyn, New York, his style is as entrancing as it is eclectic. Trap, dubstep, juke/footwork; this guy does it all and more with a flair that is truly his own. His recently released joint album with Esseks and an absolutely stellar performance at Serenity Gathering earlier this year have cemented this purveyor of all things weird and wonky onto our radar.
Hailing from Sebastopol, these two bass music masterminds are no joke when it comes to future beats. Their intensely intricate and crystal clear sound design has earned them a spot among the hottest artists in the underground bass scene today. Fresh off the release of their full length debut album, The OriGinALz are hoping to blow some minds open this weekend. You do not want to miss this set.
If you happened to follow along with our coverage of the High Noon Artist Pact, then this next one might sound familiar. A prominent member of the West coast’s We Got This crew and a supremely talented producer, Chase Manhattan is a name your library needs. Heavily inspired by hip-hop and purple, his versatility is undeniable. What’s more, the Portland beat-smith is constantly tweaking his infectious sound, always on the path towards leveling up. Check out one of our favorites from him below and imagine hearing it over a massive rack of VOID speakers.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Trevor Kelly is one of the most underrated artists in the bass music scene today. A veteran of everything glitchy, filthy, & hyphy, as well as a connoisseur of all things hip-hop, Trevor uses his extensive knowledge of music to produce some of the freshest and most progressive beats around. His new album is a testament to just that; with over 18 tracks spanning a multitude of genres, it’s the perfect expression of what Trevor Kelly is all about. His set at Emissions promises to be one wild ride, and we can’t wait to be there for it.
When it comes to low-end poetry, ONHELL has the Midas Touch. His sound is multifaceted and hypnotizing, a sexy yet somber blend of RnB, hip-hop, future bass, and psychedelic, ambient beats. From innovative remixes of icons like Marvin Gaye and Mariah Carey to his extensive catalog of original tunes, we’ve heard stunningly few tunes from this Northern California bass-slinger that didn’t tickle our auditory senses in the best way possible. Best of all, he’s got a new album coming out soon; so, you can expect to hear plenty of unreleased goodness at Emissions this weekend.
We’ll just come out and say it: this set is going to be pure and utter insanity, especially since Losco has never performed in the U.S. before. This quad of producers hails from Belgium and there’s really no better place than Emissions for them to make their stateside debut. They embody the festival’s musical ideology perfectly: heavy, body-shaking tunes with a focus on staying fresh, innovative, and experimental. Losco brings a Mr. Carmack-ish flair to their take on trap music and are responsible for some of Soulection‘s most intensely creative bass-fueled releases. If you’ll be dancing the weekend away in the mountains with us this weekend, missing their performance is not an option.
[Photo Credit: Kenny Hoff]
