BASSFoundation: Big Bass Beats from the East

India’s relationship with music spans millennia. From classical music in the the Vedic period to modern day Bollywood, music is a celebrated indivisible part of Indian culture. With globalisation and identification of the hungry lucrative market, India is fast becoming a global music destination with international luminaries regularly descending upon the sub-continent. It is not unusual to see an Akon gig or catch Trance titan Armin Van Buuren in action but stumbling upon a music collective that incorporates the cream of Drum and Bass, Dubstep and Dancehall is still a rarity. I uncannily did, in the majestic metropolis that is Delhi.

BASSFoundation has been taking Delhi by storm. The music collective comprising of India born, Germany/US raised Taru Dalmia-Lüderitz aka Delhi Sultanate, the Netherland’s Maarten Klein and the UK’s Ed Anderson aka Praxis; has seen India’s capital stomp to phat bass driven sounds. When in Delhi, my friends and I have been known to leg it all the way across town post conferences and book launches with our stilettos and suits still on to catch the unmissable talented bass brethren live and we are most definitely not the only ones. BASSFoundation’s thumping high energy sets have created a colossal devoted following and revellers cannot get enough of them. The Junglist massive, expats and curious Delhites alike, optimally fill to the brim every single gig the talented trio play.

BASSFoundation MC Delhi Sultanate talks to us about the collective’s music, methodology and mantra…

MOBO: How did BASSFoundation come into existence?

Delhi Sultanate: In my mind it all started with D.E.S.U. (Delhi Electronic Supply Unit). They were the first to organise regular non-commercial Electronica nights in Delhi and they provided a platform for a lot of artists to meet and appreciate each other’s music. This is where I first met Maarten Klein. We both decided to set up a soundsystem to promote MC culture plus Drum and Bass and Dubstep and to run regular nights in Delhi. Maarten and Praxis met at an Order of the Essence set at Sunburn Festival in Goa and things began to roll from there. We created a buzz with old school promotion ala flyers, stickers, tags and our little BASSFanthem tune and video.

MOBO: Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Reggae and Dancehall- a BASSFoundation live set is a soulful bass lover’s nirvana with your gigs achieving legendary status in the sub- continent. How difficult was it initially to introduce the BASS-F sound to an audience that gravitates towards Bollywood, House and Trance?

Delhi Sultanate: There is a sizeable number of people in all Indian cities that are sick and tired of vacuous mainstream dance music. Our aim was to unify that core and attract people that are new to the sound too. We’ve always stuck to venues that are open to our sound and make sure that we have a big, big soundsystem so that people get the physical experience that is needed with the heavy basslines in the music we play. Our parties generally have a very friendly vibe and mad energy which I think is what converted a lot of people. Initially we were a bit careful about what we played and stuck more to liquid and party friendly tunes over harder and darker stuff. We have progressed a long way since we first started the night and so has the crowd. We play stuff we never imagined we would play a year ago. We now play a lot more Dubstep and also deeper Drum & Bass and people love it. We still try to retain broad appeal though. I think the role of me as an MC has been helpful in making it more accessible. I see my job as hyping the crowd and involving people in the music while at the same time trying to make the music locally relevant by busting out social commentary the way they have always done in traditional Reggae and Dancehall soundsystems.

MOBO: From Verdi’s chorus ‘Va, pensiero’ in his acclaimed opera Nabucco to Public Enemy frontman Chuck D’s socially conscious rhymes, music and politics have had a lengthy association. Your own freestyles are astute political monologues. How apt do you think music is as a medium for political and social activism?

Delhi Sultanate: All acts of artistic and cultural creation constitute an interpretation of life around us. They always come from a particular social experience and express a worldview. As artists we have the power to influence how people view themselves and relate to events around them. Commercial culture does this aswell. I think that music is a very powerful medium for political expression in terms of everything ranging from the words in lyrics to the sounds of basslines and beats themselves. I believe Kode9 is doing some research on this. In Dancehall this is called ‘word, sound, and power.’ A lot of my political orientation and awareness as a youth came from listening to Public Enemy and Ice T and later Sizzla & Capleton. Artists like Immortal Technique & Lowkey use music very effectively. Of course, music is music and cannot replace direct political action but it helps in spreading awareness and creating a community. Ask KRS One about his ideas for a global Hip Hop nation.

MOBO: Guest artists who have performed with the BASSFoundation crew include UK Drum and Bass heavyweight Ant TC1, Dave Sharma from Subswara, Ed DL and Shiva Soundsystem. Which has been the most well received collaboration?

Delhi Sultanate: Difficult question, they all represent different styles and brought something unique to the table. I was happy about Shiva Soundsystem cuz they provided a connection to the South Asian scene in the UK. They ripped the place up and people went mental! I liked Dave Sharma aswell, he brought a very versatile selection and introduced a lot of new sounds.

MOBO: With the advent of widely accessible technology, music is breaking geographical boundaries and BASSFoundation is a testament to that. How do you think music will progress in the digital domain a decade from now?

Delhi Sultanate: Very difficult to say. I am not a futurist and am more concerned with the present. One thing I definitely noticed is that there is a lot more direct interaction between musicians through the internet. This has made it easier for us within India to connect and consolidate the scene and keep track of what people are doing in other cities and by extension people in other parts of the planet have become aware of what we do and can get a sense of how, what goes down at our parties and get in touch to play at our nights.

MOBO: Are there any plans to release a BASSFoundation studio album in the near future?

Praxis and Maarten are more focused on deejaying than producing at the moment but a Dancehall oriented Delhi Sultanate album is in progress. I am working with a number of Indian producers and I will also feature bilingual collaborations with political singers from different parts of the country as well as international Dancehall and Hip Hop artists.

MOBO: If you had the power to create the ultimate musical artist, which artists from the past and present would you use as building blocks and why?

Delhi Sultanate: Well I would probably go back to the Dancehall to search for components because that is the culture I am most familiar with and also I feel that today’s electronic music scene (including Hip Hop) owes a huge debt to Dub music and Jamaican soundsystem culture. Sound System selectors and Dancehall artists have always been a big inspiration to me. Not least because of their raw energy and vitality. The people who come to my mind are Ricky Trooper back when he was still with Killamanjaro and Rory from Stone Love. Something of the innovative genius of the likes of King Tubby & Scientist and The Soul Vendors and the uncompromising intellect and lyrical power of Tupac maybe?

MOBO: Which artists do you recommend MOBO readers to look out for this year?

Delhi Sultanate: There are so many talented, energetic and hungry musicians waiting to burst on the scene that it is very difficult to pick out just one. I would point you to one of the producers and deejays I am working with for my album just because I have seen his work process up close and I see a lot of promise. Chris McGuiness a.k.a Tony Baptist is definitely someone to look out for. He has mad skills both as a deejay and a producer, combining technical skill and constant research with clarity of purpose and creative vision. We are working on a project to tour India with a mobile studio set up and record with local lyricists that have charisma and political content. Our tracks and act will hit the stage and airwaves in the second half of this year.

MOBO: What does the future hold for BASSFoundation?

Delhi Sultanate: Basically keep doing what we started and make it bigger!

BASSFoundation is blazing a pronounced trail leading music lover’s from Delhi to Kingston sweet beat by beat. Good vibes, good music and lush bass goodness, this is one act that has its priorities right. In the words of Sugar Minott, “ Give the people what they want..” BASSFoundation triumphantly does and thank Jah to that.

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Written by Reema Kumari Jadeja ©