Review: A+
All students who are searching for a new artist or genre to explore will discover quite the colourful gem in Bassnectar’s recently released album. Lorin Ashton, known famously by his stage name ‘Bassnectar,’ released fifteen tracks ranging from the deep melodic to the hard-hitting on July 17th; in the form of his latest album titled Unlimited. Unlimited’s multifarious variety of down-tempos and bangers provides thoroughly enjoyable material for both forms of the bilateral student life: partying and studying. Personally, I believe that this is his strongest album yet and one that I would highly recommend to students of all musical tastes.
For those who are unfamiliar with Bassnectar, he is an electronic musician with deep roots in rock and heavy metal. However, as his latest album proves, these are roots that are seldom recognised today, if at all. Ashton has been active in the electronic music scene since his album release of ‘Freak Beat for the Beatfreaks’ in 2001 and has nurtured his dedicated and rapidly growing fan-base ever since by releasing new albums almost annually. Unlimited, being his twelfth album, is an expression of a changing Bassnectar. In this album, we see Ashton take leave of many aspects of his musical origins, whilst he recapitulates those he admires most; painting a kaleidoscopic image of himself as a new musician.
Collaborating with thirteen other artists in the construction of Unlimited, such as the Glitch Mob, LUZCID, LEVITΔTE and Zion I, has allowed for Ashton to express the influences their styles of music have had upon him and how they shape his ever-evolving music.
Though I personally really enjoy the music in Unlimited, those less acquainted may have difficulty accustoming to Bassnectar’s style. Coming from a background of playing the organ, I can really lose myself in the fullness of his saturating sound and in his undulating bass lines. Yet, this is often a point of criticism, as some people find that there is simply too much going on in his music. Fan or no fan of electronic music, I strongly recommend that you take a dive into this album and see what you find for yourself. Whether you want to become exhilarated by hard-hitters such as Level Up and TKO, or if you want to relax and open your mind to down-tempo soundscapes such as the title track Unlimited Combinations or Reaching Out, it’s all there for you to uncover.