Photo: Bassnectar.net
Bassnectar’s ( alias of Lorin Ashton)new album Cozza Frenzy is much different than his origins, and he intended it that way. Lorin describes his sound as “omni-tempo maximalism”, embracing every sound and tempo possible to create a surprisingly signature sound despite the vague description.
Cozza Frenzy focuses more on the bassline than previous albums, which is the distinct sound of dubstep. Although Lorin does bring in some dubstep, he is hardly just jumping on the bandwagon. He makes these songs his own with his barrage of random glitches, warbles, and nostalgic sounds such as the innocent laughter of a euphoric child.
“Window Seat” is more true to Bassnectar’s original sound. The song is heady and spatial, creating a dreamy atmosphere like so many of Bassnectars earlier sounds. The opposite and more mainstream end of this album features songs like “Boombox”, a dubstep banger that is impossible to sit still too. The song is cut with phrases, bells and drops to create a recognizable Bassnectar sound that’s a little more dance friendly than before.
Zumbi of Zion-I makes an appearance on the track “Teleport Massive”. A hip hop beat constructed of grungy bass and a circus-sounding-sample back of Zumbis abstract rhyme about sound and partying. The song sounds like a what if situation about “if Dr. Evil created a dubstep party record”. Weird, but yet totally awesome.
Overall, Lorin continues to push the envelope not only in his own sound, but electronic music as a whole. So many artists limit themselves to a certain style, but not Lorin. The San Francisco native is very obviously inspired by life in itself and his music reflects that. He has exactly what it takes to be considered a legend; using of a wide range of influences, at a steady progression while keeping a signature sound. Cozza Frenzy is a personification of just that.
