Bassrush

After a short hiatus it’s safe to say that the London-based duo known as Bare Noize (aka Oliver Pile and Daniel Brown) are back in full force and at the top of their game. With their latest single with AFK, “Elemental,” taking over the charts, their unique blend of epic vibes and growling bottom end creates the perfect atmosphere for Anna Yvette’s heart-wrenching vocals.

The single (out now via LA90) marks the next exciting chapter for the artists who have captivated fans and heavy-hitters alike since first busting out onto the scene with a series of massive releases on imprints like OWSLA, Mau5trap, Ultra, Ministry of Sound, and Audio Phreaks. Drawing from a diverse palette of sounds and influences in all they do, the crew put together a list of their essential bass tracks of all-time. Check the full breakdown and playlist below:

OLLIE’S TUNES

Faithless “Insomnia” (Cheeky, 1995)
This is one of those rare records that just doesn’t age. The synth hook in this track has probably been mixed, remixed, and bootlegged more than any other dance song I can think of. Faithless perfectly captured the euphoria of the rave in this record. As soon as the drop hits you’re instantly transported to a sweaty dance floor in the ‘90s. Big tune!

The Prodigy “Charly” (XL Recordings, 1991)
That bassline! I first remember hearing The Experience blaring from my older sister’s bedroom in the mid-‘90s. Being seven/eight years old I was completely fascinated by the hoover bassline and how they had used the “Charlie says” sample. It was probably the first track that sparked my interest in sampling and synthesis and I don’t think I’ve gone more than a few weeks in 25 years without listening to it.

Roni Size & Reprazent “Brown Paper Bag” (Talkin’ Loud, 1997)
This track is special because it genuinely bridged not just genres but generations. It emerged during the rock/grunge wave of the late-‘90s and stood out because of its immense creativity and originality. It had integrity and it gave people a better understanding of drum & bass music at a time where musical tastes in young people were pretty polarized. You could be a 15-year-old metalhead or a 30-year-old jazz connoisseur and still vibe to this.

Shy FX + T Power “Shake Ur Body” (Positiva, 2001)
This track made a huge mark in the scene and set the tone for years to come. It brought drum & bass out of the shadows and into the mainstream. At the time, drum & bass was something that was strictly for tape packs and certainly not daytime radio. If you weren’t rinsing this on your Walkman at school, though, there was definitely something wrong with you.

Pendulum “Another Planet” (Breakbeat Kaos, 2004)
Just thinking back to this era gives me goosebumps.  The drum rolls, the bass sounds, the kick and snare—nothing anyone had ever heard before. Pendulum had already released “Vault,” which was an innovation in itself, but “Another Planet” took it to another level; this one fully changed the game. Hearing Mampi Swift double drop this at The End was definitely a highlight of my teens.

DAN’S SELECTIONS

The Prodigy “Smack My Bitch Up” (XL Recordings, 1997)
It would be criminal not to include a track from the Prodigy in my list, as they have been a huge inspiration since I started making music and all of their albums are still heavily rinsed. This one is a timeless classic!

Joker “Stuck in the System” (Earwax, 2007)
I bought a three-CD compilation called Dubstep, Grime & Bass and used to blast it in the car. I think this was probably the beginning of my love for dubstep. “Stuck in the System” was one I would re-visit on a daily basis, as it was just so catchy and is still a banger now!

Audio Bullys “Face in a Cloud” (Source, 2002)
A mate of mine left an Audio Bullys CD in my car. I found it one day flicking through my CD wallet, put it in the CD player, and when this tune came on it got the rewind over and over again.

Rusko “Jahova” (Sub Soldiers, 2007)
Had to put this one in because it’s probably one of a handful of tunes that has been in our sets since we first started playing dubstep shows—and it still is now! It’s just timeless.

Mr Oizo “Flat Beat” (F Communications, 1999)
This is just one of those tunes that will always go off no matter how old it gets!