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Bassnectar Mystery School Meltdown @ Boulder Theater Mar. 15
w/ Eliot Lipp, Kid Beyond & DJ Vajra
 photoby: Josh Adler
Playing at over one-hundred and fifty shows a year; to thousands of different people a month; from sold out festivals to overcrowded clubs and warehouses to tight and tiny bars and venues; Bassnectar’s enormous popularity reflects the current hunger for raw substance in modern music and a desire for social integrity inside the party scene.
2005 saw the debut of Bassnectar’s double-disc collection entitled
"Mesmerizing The Ultra," a journey through next-level musical
mutations, dreamy dubtempo, massive bass lines, heavy sledgehammer
beats, head-nodding hip-hop, and a wild assortment of unlikely
collaborations; remixing and producing with such artists as the
enigmatic and mysterious Buckethead, the jam band super group Sound
Tribe Sector 9, cult bluegrass rock star Michael Kang (String Cheese
Incident), roots musical activists like Michael Franti (Spearhead),
Heavyweight Dub Champion and KRS One, and dubstep/breakbeat pioneer
FreQ Nasty. Both critically acclaimed and voraciously consumed, the
record helped define the current sound of the West Coast Underground.
On the new album "Underground Communication" (due out in April 24on SF
Indie Om Records), Bassnectar takes another step forward in his
genre-bending blend of musical styles and emotions, combining the
visceral melodic presence of modern listening music, with the force and
volume of sound system dancehall devastation. Whereas the previous
record featured collaborations with musicians and bands, the new record
is more of an exploration of hip-hop culture, featuring scores of MCs
and rhythmic poetics mashed atop a heavy, driving range of tempo and,
of course, those signature throbbing bass lines.  Rooted firmly in
political conviction,
philosophical intention and backed by a rabid fan base and dedicated
following, “Underground Communication” sets a new standard for the
possibilities of merging music, art, new media and social activism.
Speaking on the meaning behind the title of the album, Bassnectar
explains "It centers on the concepts of indie media, the strength of
underground networking, social activism and defiance through music, hip
hop, and the internet." Judging from his enormous following
without any commercial radio play, media push, or licensing product
placement hype, the title fits perfectly, and comes at a time when
issues of net neutrality, corporate media, and privatization of radio
and news outlets couldn’t be more crucial. Already gaining critical
acclaim from tastemakers at URB, FLAVORPILL, and BPM along with winning
local Nitevibe.com, SF Weekly and SF Bay Guardian honors for San
Francisco's "Best DJ," Bassnectar’s music is forging new paths in the
electronic music world, the Burning Man scene, underground hip hop
circles, and beyond. Look for the singles entitled "Yo" featuring
Spanish rapper Kristina Maria with remixes by Princess Superstar, Zion
I (Amp Live), Speaker Junk and the current single “Bomb The Blocks”
featuring underground queen MC Persia with remixes by Ghislain Poirier,
Magik Johnson, Daz-IKue and Bassnectar.
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