In their fifth year, Delhi-based Drum and Bass/Dubstep trio BassFoundation are set to hit the road with a music tour that includes a stopover in Mumbai today
They introduced Delhi to Dubstep when most music buffs in the city hadn’t heard of this genre that is characterised by overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns. Now, on their fifth anniversary, the trio that includes DJs Maarten Klein (Big Daddy Klein), Ed Anderson (Praxis), and Taru Dalmia (Delhi Sultanate) are primed to do what they do best — take people on a musical high.
ADVERTISEMENT
(L to R) Ed Anderson (Praxis), Taru Dalmia (Delhi Sultanate) and Maarten Klein (Big Daddy Klein) of BassFoundation
Anderson recalls their journey, “It’s a nice milestone to reach; back in 2009, we never imagined we’d be here. It’s great to have reached this point at almost exactly the same time as two crews that have been close to us from the start — Bay Beat Collective and Reggae Rajahs — both have marked their fifth anniversaries as well.”
Having met in 2008, the trio integrated their musical influences and energies to create BassFoundation in 2009 and broke in the scene with Bass & Drum and Dubstep as their primary sound. “We didn’t know if it would work,” shares Klein, adding, “To be honest, we had no idea if the music would work at all but it was great to see the response then.”
The DJ reminisces how at the start, they would only play a bit of Dubstep in their sets and this slowly increased. “At the moment, we play more Drum and Bass/Reggae/Jungle. We’re more into the deeper side of Dubstep, which creates a very different vibe on the dance floor than most Dubstep you hear in India and the festivals around the world,” explains Klein.
But, Anderson doesn’t mince words when talk veers to music venues. The DJ, who is appreciative of the sounds spun by artistes including Sandunes, East Stepper, and Frame/Frame, among others, says that while the quality of music in India is rising, venues remain a massive problem, which is holding the music scene back badly.
“There are a handful of dedicated venues, plus passionate people who run them. They know who they are. But 95% of venues, not helped by red-tapism and corrupt police, aren’t interested in the music and only care about footfalls and ringing tills. Now of course, people have to make a living, but at the end of the day, the underground music scene in India has to get more decent and non-commercial venues in order to be what it can and should be,” he rues.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
