It's Monday, so time for another BBB! 🗞️✨
ENJOY 💙💙
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NEWS
Modal Nodes' world debut
The mystique may have gone, but the immense fanfare remains. One of the most talked-about Dubstep acts of the last year, Modal Nodes, made their first in-person appearance last week with a set at Northern Invasion festival in Montreal, Canada. There was definitely a point in 2025 where I wondered whether this project would ever translate to the live environment, or simply stay rooted online, etched in people's headphones and minds, surviving off of its allure. But this shows there are at least humans behind the alias, which is good to know because there was also a little part of me that feared AI could be playing a role in its general creation. Modal Nodes was a duo when performing, but is that how many people are making the music? That isn't public knowledge at the moment, as far as I'm aware. But again, it's good to know human endeavour is attached to the project.
Reel link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUcO-G5jDqO/?igsh=dXp1NW9pYmZnejNv
Social media was awash with people celebrating the inaugural Modal Nodes set, from some of the current biggest names in modern Dubstep to producers from the underground, and many Bass fans and followers too. It felt like a collective realisation that a Dubstep artist hasn't garnered this level of acclaim - without performing yet - in a very long time. Word got out about the alias early last year, when a sequence of 1-2min tracks started to be reposted on SoundCloud more and more. Every cut had a pencil drawing of the Modal Nodes character from the Star Wars film franchise for its artwork, which further helped garner a cult following. Virtually all the music is exclusive to SoundCloud at the moment, aside from one official remix of Subfiltronik & Bommer's track 'Planet Droid'. It's definitely worth rinsing the snippets on their SoundCloud page when you can, it won't take you long!
I imagine they'll put out more official music following this performance, having realised the level of hype that still surrounds the project. An EP of tracks from him/her/them in 2026 potentially? Whether self-released or with a label, I can absolutely see that happening, and I look forward to hearing what the project produces from here.
Modal Nodes Soundcloud page: https://on.soundcloud.com/zRF6mlrZ9R0cv1CMCh
MUSIC
New Eptic & HOL! collab
In 2022 we got 'Detonate', and in 2026 we have 'MALFUNCTION'. This is collab number 2 from Eptic and HOL!, a second part to this pairing that I must say I didn't see coming. I remember not fully understanding the hype surrounding their first track, so the fact they've reignited this partnership comes as a surprise to me. Regardless, I shall be going into hearing this new team-up with an open mind when I eventually do check it out - they're both great producers individually after all!
Have you guys heard 'MALFUNCTION' yet? If so, what are you making of it? Is it better than 'Detonate'? Drop your thoughts below!
Peekaboo shares Are We Dreaming? acapellas
This is unusual, but very cool! Producers rejoiced last week as Peekaboo took to X to share all the acapellas - vocals only - from his recently-released, sophomore album Are We Dreaming? Just to contextualise, this is vocals from legendary artists such as Flowdan, P Money and Scrufizzer, plus samples and more. Soundcloud will be full of Peekaboo remixes for the remainder of this year, of that there's no doubt. But the musicians amongst you should absolutely add to that if you want to - so get on it guys!
Acapellas Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8xvro29emwahywv7ghtp4/ACzibhFtLIxBDNucIQturlQ?e=1&noscript=1&rlkey=5ygt97swldn1t0dyajy8pombk&st=vfhoxi1f&dl=0
Taiki Nulight shares slew of new IDs
Christmas has come early in 2026! Just over a week ago, Bass fan favourite Taiki Nulight shared a selection of fresh, hot-off-the-press IDs on Instagram for followers of his to feast on. There are 6 tracks in the post, which the Cheeky Bugger™ dropped in anticipation of a show with Casey Club in Detroit. I've yet to hear any of these, but am excited to check them in their final form. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a second full-length album in 2026 from Mr. Nulight. Here's hoping we get it!
ID carousel reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUJQHopjhcG/?img_index=5&igsh=MTV2ZHI2dXNpYmRuNg==
Alix Perez to release new 130-140bpm project
This is huge. Dubstep and Drum & Bass legend Alix Perez - label head of 1985 Music - will be taking a definitive step into the first aforementioned genre for a new 'mini LP' (his words) called Sabotage. The collection will consist of 8 tracks, and drop on February 26th on 1985. In announcing the project, Perez wrote: 'l've previously released several EPs and singles around those tempos but I felt like it was time to explore a little more in depth on this 8 tracker'. There will be a few collaborations on it apparently, of which I'm looking forward to the Cesco one most!
Are you looking forward to hearing the latest multi-track offering from Mr. Perez?
This week's big Bass releases
Along with the Eptic & HOL! track mentioned above, there were several other significant Bass collaborations that dropped last week - and not too much else beyond that. I shall list them below:
Skrillex & Ahadadream
PhaseOne & Kompany
Ganja White Night & Mr. Bill (pictured)
Oliverse & LAUD
Deadcrow & Caster
Have you guys heard any of these collabs? If so, which one of them is your favourite?
DISCUSSION
Indeed, what does this mean? How can this be possible? How can someone not like the music they love live in a normal setting? Well, similarly to other BBB discussion topics, I have thought about this a fair bit recently, and so do have some thoughts.
It's interesting PhaseOne mentions the attention span point, because I personally think that's the main one to make with this subject. Generally speaking, people have a difficult time concentrating on one thing these days, and at a Bass music show you have a lot of things vying for your attention. That's why visuals have become such a staple across the scene. Compare this to simple listening through earphones or headphones, where focusing solely on the music itself likely doesn't have enough to it stimulation-wise for most people. For most, music listening is a side or secondary thing to do whilst doing something else.
I genuinely think most people find listening to music in everyday life quite boring. Bass fans particularly go to shows for the community aspect of it, and to hear the loud music they generally like even louder than usual. These are all great reasons to go to a show by the way, I'm not knocking them. But I do think the enjoyment isn't rooted as much in the music itself, as in what surrounds it.
I've asked this before, but with heaviness being such an integral part of the scene and its art, will we ever get to a point where the music is solely made up of builds and drops? 1min tracks are becoming more and more commonplace in the scene, so will we ever go the whole hog and leave the intros, outros and midsections out for good? I think this is a social experiment worth conducting, personally.
What do you guys think about this particular subject? I'd love to know your thoughts on it in the comments!
FUNNIES // COOL STUFF
Genuinely one of the best videos I've ever watched
This is so, so good. It's a video of Skism, Skrillex, Nero, former Foreign Beggars vocalist PAV4N and more singing modern Dubstep classics through a kazoo. And it really delivers! My biggest recommend and must-watch of last week, for sure.
Reel link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUUYfV4DEWj/?igsh=cXkwb3ExYjAxcXBh
Wholesome and awesome
Unfortunately this isn't a video in and of itself, but just a couple of screenshots from a great Kill The Noise Instagram story that shows his son Ezra trying his hand at producing electronic music for the first time.
What a thing to raise a human for 10 years or so, and then see them learn the exact thing you've been practising and perfecting for decades. I'd love to have that feeling some day!
Advice on 'being successful' from KOAN Sound
Another one for the producers amongst you - or anyone that likes creating for that matter! These are great words from one half of one of the best Bass duos to ever do it about what being successful actually means.
Well worth a watch for some inspiration alone!
Reel link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUbZL8oDtLb/?igsh=eGN6bGJvNzM0cjNz
A sound design lover's wet dream
There's a new horror film coming out soon called undertone, and a lot was being said last week about how incredible the sound design is on it. The latest trailer, which came out last week, suggests as much - and Dyatic thinks so too! I will definitely be watching this film in theatres.
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Did I miss anything from the last week in Bass music? Let me know below! 😌