Bass god Lorin Ashton, aka Bassnectar, has done it again with his twelfth studio release Unlimited. Just as his label Amorphous Music suggests, this album is truly unclassifiable, yet it is undeniable that this collection of hypnotic songs is more downtempo than most of his previous releases. But fear not— there is still plenty of heart-thumping bass to cozza frenzy.
On Youtube, Bassnectar described the first track “Reaching Out” as a song “about human connection, but also about our personal journeys and how they intersect in cathartic and beautiful ways in a kind of metamorphosis.” The accompanying video stunningly captures this essence and can be watched here.
“Music Is The Drug” featuring LUZCID really needs no explanation and leaves one wondering ‘where can I get an IV drip of that?’ “TKO” is a referee-declared hit, with Rye Rye and Zion I delivering the final blows. Tapping in heavy-hitters G Jones and Lafa Taylor, an extra filthy layer of bass is dished up in “Mind Tricks.” It’s easy to get lost in the spiral of this song’s hook: “the mind tricks the body tricks the mind tricks the body.”
“Unlimited Combinations” is like a carnival ride for adults. Strap yourselves in, bassheads, we’re going for a ride! “Level Up” with LEViT∆TE features highly electronified elements of traditional Bollywood dance combined with nicely complementing verses by Seattle-based rapper Macntaj. “Shampion Chip” carries a heavy feet-stomping beat for two and a half minutes before bottoming out to wobbly drop full of clickety gloriousness. Right at the halfway mark of the album, “Zogdilla” delivers the heavy basslines just as we need them. Creatures of this same name will no doubt get raucous to this knee-banging track all summer long.
A paracosm, as defined by Wikipedia, is a detailed imaginary world created in one’s mind, that may contain humans, animals, and things that exist in reality…or not. With that bit of knowledge drop, it’s interesting to contemplate the intentions and delivery of Bassnectar’s next track “Paracosm,” for which he again partnered with glitch pioneers, The Glitch Mob. You can continue to sail away into the depths of your own mind with “Surrender,” and then wind down an increasingly darker path with “Dream Catcher.”
Critical to this other-worldly voyage, both on the album and for live shows, are tracks like “Journey To The Center” and “In The Beginning,” which challenge you to push through the glob of glue that is your head. When you make it through, you’re rewarded with the utterly beautiful “Rising Rising,” which is Bassnectar’s breathtaking remix of Crywolf’s original song. This whimsical lullaby leads into the final track “Inspire the Empathetic” which features a couple of guys laughing – Lorin included – and singing a capella. In 2004, he released a track of this same name, which spotlighted the corruptness of media corporations. Twelve years later, fans across the interwebs are now trying to determine the meaning of this newest release, which is much more light-hearted and political-message-absent, compared to its counterpart. We can think on that, as I’m sure the mastermind Lorin intended us to do.
Last week, the hills of Bethel Woods, NY were alive with the sound of bass music, as Lorin unleashed this fury for the first time at Mysteryland USA. While some were caught off guard with the more chilled-out nature of the set, the majority of his legion understood the transformational journey he was directing. Bassnectar’s next stop is Electric Forest, followed by a string of other summer festivals, including Moonrise, Electric Zoo, and Life Is Beautiful. Check out the full tour schedule here.
You can stream the new release below.