Article by: Ryan Hood
Oh boy, it’s about to get absolutely insane. SubDocta’s new EP Psych Ward is a maddening tale of twists, turns, and mind-melting bass. His label debut for Wakaan builds off his signature wobble bass, while further experimenting with his sound design.
“Motorboat” kicks off the EP in the best way possible. SubDocta teams up with the festive Father Funk for this one, and they open the song with an incredibly funky guitar riff reminiscent of 4am jam band sets. The percussion kicks in, and coupled with a groovy rising saxophone, culminates to a drop that is sure to send crowds into a frenzy. The drop begins with high-pitched wobbly synths and then some deep bass synths, giving the song incredible duality. Graced by a smooth bass guitar riff before the song builds to the second drop, it opens with aggressive bass that can only be described as absolute madness. Each drop has bits of guitar, saxophone, and bass guitar sprinkled in to keep the groove flowing.
The EP’s eponymous single is a true dubstep masterpiece, as SubDocta combines the kick-snare pattern of traditional deep dubstep, while tapping into his traditional wobble sound with a crazy topline that sounds straight out of a classic N64 game. As the name “Psych Ward” suggests, this track is controlled chaos. The song is guided by its steady, punchy percussion, while the synths take listeners on a wild ride, layered incredibly well as each sound stands out amongst the chaos.
For “Head Knock,” SubDocta taps experimental bass legend and keyboard wiz G-Space, as well as hip-hop artist Franc Friday, resulting in a perfect blend of rap and bass. Franc Friday’s vocals and G-Space’s incredible keys carry the track until the drop, where the song is taken over by a variety of wobbly bass synths. “Head Knock” showcases the incredible sound design ability both of these producers possess and, coupled with Franc Friday’s vocals, makes for an incredibly well-rounded bass track.
“Particular Sound” stands out on this EP, being the most uptempo of the five tracks. SubDocta channels neuro-bass energy for this track, as it possesses incredible bounce delivered by the exceptionally crisp percussion. This is some of SubDocta’s best sound design, as he uses a wide array of incredible sounds for this “Particular Sound.”
Last, but most certainly not least, is “Cut The Mids,” a true instant bass classic. A collaborative effort between SubDocta and Computa, this song sounds like it should be blasting from the main stage of Lost Lands. The bass synths in this one are incredibly crisp, like mixing a machine gun and a sci-fi ray gun. The pre-drop horns are a bright touch to an already stellar track. “Cut The Mids” is the perfect way to leave SubDocta’s Psych Ward with a bang.
Keep up with the latest from SubDocta using the links below, and follow along with Moon Lvnding’s New Music Friday Heat playlist on Spotify for all the fresh bangers worth banging this weekend.
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