Trouble & Bass founder Drop the Lime has finally released the EP and video for “Sex Sax”, the first single off his upcoming album, set for an October release. The catchy beat, which is dominated by a saxophone (duh), is sure to ignite dance floors across the globe this summer. CLICK HERE to buy the EP from iTunes, which features the original track, along with remixes by Bart B More, MJ Cole, Sinden (previewed below), Zombies for Money and Blu Jemz. Then watch the hilarious music video, directed by T&B’s own Patrick “The Captain” Rood, starring Dirty South Joe and Kate Boyer. The video also features a ton of cameo appearances, including 77Klash, Telli Federline, Nick Catchdubs (our favorite), Dust La Rock and of course, the Trouble & Bass crew. Check it out after the jump…
Drop the Lime – “Sex Sax” (Sinden Remix)
Don’t miss Dance Right vs. Trouble & Bass this Friday at the Puma Social Club, where AC Slater, Star Eyes and The Captain will be joined by Them Jeans, resident DJ at Dim Mak Tuesedays at Cinespace in Los Angeles. The event is free with RSVP.
In spite of numerous complications that could have spelled disaster, Fixed and Trouble & Bass came out on top with yet another great party at Santos Party House. We’ll admit that the combination of acts – Dominique Young, Class Actress, Calvertron and Rico Tubbs – was a little odd, but each delivered with fantastic results.
The Trouble & Bass Crew (sans AC Slater, who is currently on tour), kicked things off and manned the decks between sets. Dominique Young was the first guest to take the stage with a sassy electro-tinged hip hop set, followed by Class Actress’ low-key breed of new-wave pop.
Then came the bass. Calvertron’s set was off to a deliciously melodic start with Doorly’s remix of “Counterpoint” by Delphic. As he progressed into heavy wobbles, the crowd lost control, moving and thrashing across the dance floor. Rico Tubbs laid the bass on thick, confirming my assessment of his “midas touch” on tracks like “Cold As Ice” by Foreigner, “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, “No Security” by Crookers, “Innocence” by Nero and “Party Up” by DMX. He was a master on the CDJs, expertly scratching and manipulating the music, and by extension, the audience.
I could go on and on about how great the party was, but the photos pretty much speak for themselves. Don’t miss Trouble & Bass on July 29, when they once again team up with Fixed and Santos Party House to bring special guests Breakage and Zombie Disco Squad, and be sure to check out our recent interview with the Trouble & Bass Crew HERE.
From the moment we set foot at our first Trouble & Bass party, we were hooked. It was their three-year anniversary blowout at Le Poisson Rouge last September, a party that was packed to capacity with a line of people outside, hoping to get in on the madness. With the help of featured guests Skream and Benga (who crowd-surfed, much to the audience’s delight), the Trouble & Bass Crew had the crowd going from start to finish. It was a truly fantastic introduction to Trouble & Bass, a night that AC Slater remembers as “the definition of a good T&B vibe”.
Luca Venezia (Drop the Lime), started throwing parties under the Trouble & Bass moniker during his college years at Bard, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he started the incarnation of Trouble & Bass that we know today. After a six month stint in Berlin, Luca returned to New York and teamed up with Vivian Host (Star Eyes), Math Head and Zack Shadetek to fill a void in the New York City music scene. “At that time, genres like bassline, dubstep, and grime weren’t really being played in New York, especially not at the same party,” Vivian says of the musical climate of the time. Luca adds, “we started as a party in basement warehouse spots in Brooklyn and eventually progressed into a band of DJs and a label.” In 2007, Patrick Rood (The Captain) was brought on board after the departure of Math Head and Zack Shadetek, and about a year later, Aaron Clevenger (AC Slater) clicked with the crew at a gig in Brooklyn, rounding out the foursome.
Luca’s vision was “to bring the energy, the fun, and dancing back into New York nightlife.” Mission accomplished. Nearly four years later, Trouble & Bass has thrown dozens of parties that have featured massive DJs and producers from around the globe, but events are just the tip of the iceberg. Trouble & Bass also consists of a record label, has a publishing deal in the works, and an upcoming clothing line that will be produced exclusively through Mishka. Put more formally by Patrick, who counts ‘label manager’ among his many roles in the crew, “Trouble & Bass is a multi faceted company that specializes in the advancement of music through the artillery of heavy bass.”
And there you have it. Trouble & Bass has several exciting projects lined up for the summer – Supra 1 recently released their first single, “Still Believe”, and next week, 77 Klash will release his long-awaited EP, Shadow of Death, produced by Drop the Lime and AC Slater. Drop the Lime’s new single, Sex Sax, is set for a June 22 release, along with a music video produced and directed by The Captain. AC Slater’s Calm Down Trilogy EP is coming out in August, and features a double pack Serato vinyl designed by Dust La Rock (Fool’s Gold).
After the jump, read our interview with the Trouble & Bass crew, CLICK HERE for a collection of our Trouble & Bass photo galleries from the past year, and for your listening pleasure, we’ve included the Trouble & Bass crew’s collective Smashcast below (subscribe/download HERE).
Smashcast 006: Trouble & Bass Crew
Don’t miss the Trouble & Bass crew tomorrow night as they take over Canal Rubber at Santos Party House with Calvertron, Rico Tubbs, Class Actress, Dominique Unique Young and JDH (Fixed). Advance tickets HERE.
Before you plan your summer escape, Trouble & Bass is bringing us one final installment of No Escape from New York before taking a little vacation of their own. Not only is this month’s party the “Heavy Bass Champions” edition with Calvertron and Rico Tubbs, Trouble & Bass is also teaming up with Santos Party House and Canal Rubber to bring a fresh summer breeze to their monthly staple.
Alex Calver – one of the UK’s most established electronic music DJs – is bringing his most recent alter ego, Calvertron, to our side of the pond. Over the past 8 years, Alex Calver has released over one hundred 12” vinyls under various aliases; Calvertron mixes electronic beats with vocals from a wide range of styles including hip hop and rock, expertly accented with bass in all the right places. Check out his Trouble & Bass Smashcast below out below or download/subscribe HERE.
Trouble & Bass Smashcast 007: Calvertron
Hailing from Finland, Rico Tubbs has been steadily cranking out party beats since he exploded on the scene in 2002. Citing James Brown, The Prodigy and Biz Markie as his biggest influences, his first single, “Flashlighter”, was inspired by the 1977 Parliament classic imbued with massive amounts of bass. Rico Tubbs often selects funk-based tracks to remix and possesses a sort of musical Midas touch – every track he touches turns into bass-heavy gold. Check out his take on Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “Next Episode” below.
Dr. Dre – The Next Episode (Will Power & Rico Tubbs Remix)
The evening will also feature performances by Class Actress and Dominique Young Unique, along with DJ sets by Fixed’s JDH and the Trouble & Bass Crew. We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the show – CLICK HERE to enter.
Come back on Wednesday for the Trouble & Bass edition of our “Behind the Decks” series, featuring interviews with Drop the Lime, The Captain, Star Eyes and AC Slater, and don’t miss the Trouble & Bass crew on July 29 when they team up with Fixed to bring us Breakage and Zombie Disco Squad. CLICK HERE for tickets & info and check in with us next month for your chance to win tickets. No Escape from New York will be back in full effect this September.
The wobbles returned to The Studio at Webster Hall last Wednesday when Trouble & Bass took over for their monthly staple. Mumdance showed us what he meant by “Kerplunk” with a diverse set that included dubstep, grime, and a drum n bass version of the theme from “Love Story”. Deathface (sans blood) brought us pure, unadulterated dubstep that had the crowd in The Studio getting down and dirty until the late hours. As usual, the Trouble & Bass crew – Drop the Lime, The Captain, Star Eyes and AC Slater – delivered a solid tag team set to open and close the night.
It’s that time of the month, which means that tomorrow night, Trouble & Bass will once again take over The Studio at Webster Hall with No Escape From New York. This month’s installment will be celebrating the release of The Horror, the new EP from special guest Deathface. The Horror, which is out today, is the first release from Deathface, newly signed to Trouble & Bass. The EP will feature five original tracks – all produced in 2010 – that Trouble & Bass describes as a “darker, dirtier and almost demonic dubstep sound”. More info and links to purchase the EP HERE. Check out “Theme to Deathface” below, and head over to the Mad Decent blog for additional tracks and remixes.
Deathface – Theme to Deathface
Coming at us from London, this month’s other featured guest, Mumdance, has upcoming releases on both Mad Decent and Trouble & Bass. He calls his new sound “Kerplunk” (also the title of his upcoming Mad Decent EP): “I named the sound Kerplunk! because it sounds like the old school kids game when all the marbles fall out. With Kerplunk! Part One I decided to strip everything right down & and do a golden era 8 Bar Grime track with a Kerplunk! breakdown.” Check it out for yourself below.
Mumdance – “Kerplunk, Part 1″
As always, the Trouble & Bass crew – The Captain, Drop the Lime, Star Eyes and AC Slater – will be your hosts and resident DJs for the night. Come by early for 2-for-1 PBRs and free Prometheus Springs from 10-11 PM; admission is only $7 if you RSVP in advance or if you wear your T&B t-shirt, otherwise it’s $10 at the door. CLICK HERE TO RSVP, and be sure to check out photos from our last encounter with Deathface at the Trouble & Bass Temple of Boom in Miami.
And for a double dose of Trouble & Bass this week, don’t miss AC Slater when he joins Moby, Neon Indian and Arthur Baker on the main stage at Webster Hall this Friday for GBH’s weekly party, Girls & Boys. CLICK HERE TO RSVP for $1 reduced admission before midnight, but be forewarned – the only way to guarantee admission is with advance tickets (available HERE). This is gonna be a big one, folks.
And last but not least, in preparation for tomorrow’s festivities, download Deathface’s Smashcast for Trouble & Bass HERE.
On Friday night, DJ Craze wowed the crowd at Webster Hall with an incredibly diverse set that flowed between hip hop, reggae, drum n bass, electro and dubstep, seamlessly integrating the genres with his masterful scratching skills. 12th Planet was up next, demanding that the crowd match his unending energy, and because an NYC dubstep party wouldn’t be complete without some Trouble & Bass action, The Captain and Star Eyes rounded out the line-up along with Girls & Boys residents Alex English and Rekles.
Another No Escape from New York has come and gone, and at the risk of sounding redundant, Trouble & Bass has pulled off yet another fantastic event. The Trouble & Bass crew’s opening set was conspicuously devoid of their usual wobbles, but when Roska took the stage, it all made sense.
One of the leading pioneers of UK Funky, Roska’s sound was of a more mellow breed than what we’ve encountered at No Escape, but he had the crowd in a fervor none the less. His mix included selections by Modeselektor and Crazy Cousins, peppered with his own work. Roska is quick and sly on the switch, but maintains a calm demeanor behind the decks.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tomb Crew stormed the stage for an explosive closing set. The reggae MC’s infectious energy had the crowd going until the wee hours of the morning.
Tomorrow night (Wednesday), Trouble & Bass will celebrate the release of “Take You” by AC Slater at their monthly party, No Escape from New York at the Studio at Webster Hall. RCRDLBL recently posted the Tete-A-Tete remix of the song, which features Ninjasonik (download it HERE). The original track, along with remixes by Drop the Lime, Nadastrom and more, is available on Beatport and iTunes.
AC Slater featuring Ninjasonik – “Take You” (Nadastrom Remix)
Making his first NYC appearance, Roska will join the Trouble & Bass Crew behind the decks, bringing us his trademark bass-driven underground London beats (check out his podcast for XLR8R HERE). Also from London, Tomb Crew will be on hand to unleash a mixed bag of dubstep, grime, fidget, drum n bass and bmore (listen to their No Love Lost Records mix HERE).
CLICK HERE to RSVP for reduced $7 admission. All RSVPs will be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to the show. In preperation for the madness, be sure to check out Trouble & Bass’s latest Smashcast featuring AC Slater. Listen to it below or CLICK HERE to subscribe.
Our sophomore year at the Winter Music Conference was even more jam-packed than our first. Click through to see how I fared as I navigated my way through the Winter Music Conference party scene, and be sure to check out our WMC Recap Page, where we will continue to add photos and recaps from our various exploits around town.
