DreadBass Sound System
Worlds collide in creative combustion when three bass music ambassadors unite to bring their eclectic tastes and dynamic talents to the stage as DreadBass Sound System, the new endeavor of Kush Arora, Nate Mars and Juakali. From three pulse points of the domestic electronic underground, San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles respectively, this trio of artists connect their multiple styles together, pulling the weight of dubstep into the future by its roots to produce a sound thick with a global feel and dusted with digital dub, experimental electronica and energetic dancehall. The resulting music is motivating to the mind and body, with up-front lyrics and assertive beats popping together with grime-ridden basslines and proving that the dance floor doesn’t need mindless bangers to get down.
Kush Arora provides the drums, effects and dubbing for the trio; this mainstay of the San Francisco underground has recently set to flame West Coast festivals such as Shambhala in Vancouver, BC and Jujubeats in OC. His unique sound is a warped future-fusion of dancehall, dubstep, bhangra and grime, stepping away from the usual psychedelica found in the Bay and leaning towards a refreshing smack of boldness more indicative of his roots in the Punjabi region of India. Kush’s two releases of 2009, Dread Bass Chronicles and Boiling Over, were both critically acclaimed, with Dread Bass Chronicles on several “Best Of” lists of the year. He has contributed to releases on Surya Dub, Record Label Records and Blipswitch, and Kush’s presence in the Bay area’s electronic arts community is as dynamic as his sound, which pushes forward a world of influences to widespread and welcoming crowds.
Nate Mars contributes to the group his eclectic musical palate and trained talents on the keyboard and bass guitar, adding a substantial thwomp to DreadBass Sound System’s bubbling global sound. A regular on the BBC Radio 1 shows of Mary Anne Hobbs and Annie Mac, Nate’s singular style has evolved into a signature sound, his wobbling waves in the low end installing him as a stable force in the international dubstep scene. Dabbling in a myriad of genres, he has received accolades and fans from his drum and bass track “Concentric Circles” on compilation album The Deprogramming Sequence (Liberation Systems) as well as his acid house EP with a remix of a Morgan Page track released under the name “The New Yorker.” Nate’s debut dubstep album drops in spring of 2010 on Blipswitch; its first single “Above and Beyond dem feat. Jahden” was included on Freq Nasty’s FabricLive 42 compilation. Heavy and rich and dripping in bass, Nate’s original sound delivers a fat shoving dose of dubstep to the dance floor’s starving ears.
Adding a tactile touch of organic voice to the trio, Juakali caps the group with his unique and inspiring lyrical stylings. One of the foremost MCs of the global underground electronic community, Juakali’s melodic delivery is accented with an island lilt from his native Trinidad and slapped with smarts from the city of LA. His animated performance style together with his uplifting words and authentic delivery help to unite the musicians and crowd together as one blast of creative energy. Juakali also performs as part of the live electronics crew Sub Swara and is host of the first all-dubstep event in the United States, Dub War in New York City; as such he has been an integral factor in the introduction of this new sound to new ears. Knowing no genre boundaries, Juakali’s words are a ribbon of hopeful smoke that weaves through the deep waves of dub, bhangra, dancehall, jungle and reggae, leaving behind a wake of positive vibes, moving bodies and pulsing minds.
Together these three artists are DreadBass Sound System, a new sonic journey into genre-denying territory that never forgets the dance floor and always delivers a fresh sound rich in influences from all over the world, a few of other planets and the future of music as well. Kush Arora’s vigorous sound design along with Nate Mars’ substantial groove and Juakali’s vocal upswing combine to create an original and inspiring musical experience rooted in the global bass community and pushing forward to a creative future where we don’t need labels- only dance floors
