This week on the Disc Breaks show I’m stoked to be bringing you an exclusive showcase mix from one of the most anticipated albums from the scene newest stars – BSD. I also did an interview with the guys about them and the album – the full interview is below
BSD
BSD (BASS-STAR-DOS) began as a project in 1998, formed by two French lovers of electronic music, alternative trends and indie movement. Without resources, and virtually no experience producing dance music, we had to wait almost 10 years to realize the concept in which we wanted to make BSD.
During these 10 years we were flirting with Hip-Hop, Funk, New Wave, Nu Disco, Elektro, Breaks, etc … And much more, because during those years we review all that has been occurring in electronics since the late 70’s with the advent of disco music and 12” vinyl, to today in which digital files dominate the electronic scene.
Our goal when we introduced in the production of dance music was clear: Give the public what the public wants, working always in search of a musical identity, a style that characterizes us, but transmitting range of sounds at the same time.
Currently, with little more than a year showing the public our particular ideology, we have reaped success after success under iBreaks Records label, which bet on us at first, reaching up to the top of the global Breaks scene, finally confirming us as one of the most prolific producers of recent times. Proof of this is the “Breakthrough Producer 2010” award, which was bestowed to us in the last edition of Breakspoll Awards (2010).
Our first album, Malditos Bass-Star-Dos! (Which will be released next November 1st under our own label, Mental Machine Muzik), is the work of several months in which we have tried to capture our open minds and our obsession with attractive sounds. To present this project, we have created 10 new tracks, which will be accompanied by another 8 tunes published under iBreaks Records label, forming a compilation full of variety with a predominance of Breaks genre.
In this album you will find tracks clearly influenced by the purest Elektro-Breaks of the early decade (“EBM”, “Elektro-Life”); casual and fresh sounds characteristic of Tech-Funk (“Joe Jacks”, “Overestimate”, “Hard ‘n’ Bass”, etc.); Oldskool impressive percussions (“Total Cucumber”); as well as tracks inspired by Bassline and NuSkool Breaks predominant in the UK (“Everybody Scream”, “You Must Find Strength”).
In addition, we wanted to honor one of our sources of inspiration in this adventure in Breaks music, as in the case of “Party Groove”, a production subtitled as “Breaks Phenomenon” honoring the NuSkool Breaks classic “TSUNAMI ONE & BT : Hip Hop Phenomenon [Marine Parade] 1999.”
You will also find in “Malditos Bass-Star-Dos!” some of the recent hits of these French masked guys, like “Hypnotizin”, “You Must Find Strength”, “Compute”, “Get Hype On This”, “Funkdation”, …
http://www.myspace.com/bassstardos
http://www.youtube.com/BSDtele
http://www.soundcloud.com/bass-star-dos
http://fr-fr.facebook.com/bass.star.dos.pages
Exclusive Interview for the Disc Breaks show:
Llupa : It hasn’t even been 2 years since your Intoxicated Music EP hit the breakbeat world, but now you’re one of the big hitters in the scene with almost every release going top ten, if not number one. How has that trip been for you guys?
BSD : Well, when we decided to start this project we knew that to reach the top we had to make a style of music appealing to the public, away from underground sounds while avoiding commercial fashion. It was not easy to define our style, but we knew that if we followed that path, we would get out.
The rest was a matter of time, and waiting to see if it confirmed our thinking about how to do music. So this trip has not been a surprise, but rather a confirmation that the scene needed new producers, to do a variety of music with people in mind. All the achievements so far have been great, but we hope to get more.
Llupa : I know you like to keep the world guessing about the guys behind the masks, but can you enlighten us a little about your musical background and how you guys came to write music together?
BSD : We have known for many years, but was 3 years ago when we started to work together seriously. Until then had been largely separate musical careers. We had done some joint collaboration, but not too seriously. Over time we have seen that we work well together and we get to take forward our productions decently.
In all these years we have thoroughly enjoyed the music, perhaps the most in life. We have always had a predilection for Elektro sounds, but we have always been attracted to other styles of electronic music, or not necessarily electronics. We really enjoy the R’n’B and Funk from 70s and 80s, but we also marvel at the dark and experimental electronic labels like Ant-Zen. It will be noticed our musical tastes in our upcoming productions, because until now you only have listened to our Breaks-side.
Llupa : The production quality of all your tunes is amazing, have you had formal training or is it something that you’ve just developed?
BSD : Eric has had some training, but it was a few years ago. Currently we are guided by the ear. Training is good to have some knowledge about it, but go with the sounds, rhythm, vocals, etc … and, of course, get to know your speakers are sufficient for producing fairly well. Years of experience and take your time to listen to the productions of others, especially the ones you like as they do, it helps enough to get a good sound or at least an effective sound.
Llupa : As there’s the two of you how do you approach writing a tune? Is one of you better at one element, like writing grooves?
BSD : Not really. Eric has many musical influences that have been acquired over time, so it is very good at developing the arrangements. But in general we are playing with our abilities: some tracks we produce together, other tracks the one begins and the other ends, there are tunes in which we joint two different ideas… So in our own style we get many different sounds.
Llupa : Can you give us a rundown of BSD studios and what pieces of kit could you not live without?
BSD : The only piece of kit without which we could not live is an ordinary computer, apart from our ideas. The rest was coming next, and some tracks from our discography have been produced with so few resources that would scare as much as our masks … ha ha ha!
Llupa : What would you cite as your musical influences?
BSD : We have many influences. We have been almost all life consuming and collecting music of all styles that attracted our attention. We love New Wave, Synth-Pop, Elektro, Indie Pop, Freestyle, Funk, Rap, Balearic… From the 90s we began to consume more dance music: Happy Hardcore, Trip-Hop, Big Beat, Trance, Goa, Madchester sounds, EBM, House, Breaks… the list is endless.
Llupa : The album is very impressive with many vibes and sounds captured, what does it mean to you now it’s complete?
BSD : It’s a relief really, we have been working very hard over the past months to release these productions. We wanted that everybody liked it, that it had variety within our style, and also it was a good album with lots of tunes to listen on the dance floor. It was not an easy task, and we have had to discard many productions while we were developing it. But we have done with great enthusiasm, so now the only thing that worries us is that the public will enjoy it, and to continue working on new productions.
Llupa : It’s being released on your own new label ‘Mental Machine Muzik’ – will this be a BSD only label or can we expect releases from other artists?
BSD : For the time will be a label for productions of BSD. But we want to keep expanding little by little, trying new genres, working with new producers, remixing, being remixed… It is quite possible that in the near future other producers can release their music on ‘Mental Machine Muzik’, but before we have to give popularity to the label.
Llupa : Now you finished the album – what’s next for you guys?
BSD : Work, work, and more work. We already have many ideas, as well as the desire to grow musically worldwide, and try new styles such as Indie Dance or Electro House. We do not want to stop for a second… Moreover, we already have 3 or 4 releases ready to release after the album, in which you can expect collaborations with vocalists, some tunes that were to be released in the album but ultimately decided to wait, new versions of our tracks, auto-remixes into other genres… Many surprises.
Llupa : So, when will we see you guys here in Melbourne?
BSD : We hope soon. Now that we have a place musically in the scene, we intend to work on some tours to introduce the album.
Massive respect to the BSD guys for the mix and interview – didn’t have working mic for this one, so it’s just the tunes doing the talking this time 😉
Llupa
01. Stylus Rex – Volta (Kiwa Remix) [Ground Level]
02. Deibeat – Start Fire [Pooty Club Records]
03. Home Alone – The Chameleons [Big Square Records]
04. Superpolitik – I Could Dance (Vandal Remix) [Yellow Finger]
05. Refunk – It’s Groovy (Boonos Remix) [Re:Connect Recordings]
06. Frank Lozano – Colombia Amazon [N-Mitysound Records]
07. Bartdon – Punch Groove [Spektra]
08. Beatman, Ludmilla – Leeroy Jenkins (Triple Agent Remix) [Ayra Recordings]
09. Audiohazard – Human Nature [Ego Shot Recordings]
10. Kultur & Colombo ft. Rachel Wallace – Stronger To My Beat [Red Card]
Guest Mix – BSD Album Showcase
01. LEUCE RHYTHMS : Brutally Honest (LINE OF SIGHT remix) [Dusted Breaks] DBR027
02. BSD : This Is It! [Mental Machine Muzik] BSDD006 / BSDD007
03. CURL & DEAN : Bantha (BETA remix) [SCARCITY] SCAR15
04. BSD : Hopiness [Mental Machine Muzik] BSDD007
05. JURASSIK : Guns’n’Ravers [Sound Of Habib] SOHR044
06. BSD vs AD : Ultimate [iBreaks] IBREAKS035
07. BSD : E.B.M. (Elektronik Body Muzik) [Mental Machine Muzik] BSDD007
08. KRAYMON : Without Words (LLUPA remix) [Dusted Breaks] DBR022
09. BSD : Joe Jacks [Mental Machine Muzik] BSDD007
10. K + C : Muzik [Metamorph Muzik]
11. BSD : Everybody Scream [Mental Machine Muzik] BSDD006 / BSDD007
12. WAYS & MEANS feat SUSIE LEDGE : Drowning (BREAKZHEAD remix) [Subtribe] SUBTRIBE049
13 BSD : Overestimate [Mental Machine Muzik] BSDD007
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