Habstrakt Takes Control: A Masterclass in Contemporary Bass House
French producer and DJ Habstrakt presents Habstrakt Curates Bass House, a 20-track selection that works simultaneously as a sonic manifesto and a navigation chart for understanding the current state of bass house in 2024. Far from a simple ego exercise, this chart is a statement of intent: Habstrakt knows exactly where the genre lives and who its most interesting interlocutors are right now.
Structure and Editorial Coherence
The selection operates across a BPM range spanning 125 to 150, with moments that veer into more extreme territory — JOYRYDE's 4AM at 164 BPM is the mainstage anomaly that breaks the internal logic, but in a real set it functions as an inevitable climax. The predominantly minor tonalities (Eb, Ab, D, C, Bb, A) paint a dark and tense palette that defines the emotional character of the whole.
Standout Tracks
- Bass Dhol – Skrillex, Ahadadream, Raf Saperra: Including this Universal-Island cut is a nod to South Asian sonic influences in contemporary bass club music. Processed dhol percussion, demolishing sub-bass, and an energy that transcends genre boundaries.
- Inwards – Habstrakt (Distorted Reality Records, 136 BPM): One of his most well-rounded self-productions, featuring a bass line that envelops and a subliminal UK garage groove that adds real depth.
- Off My Head – Habstrakt, ElmyX, Simona Shao: At 150 BPM in A Major, this is the emotional peak of the compilation. Shao's vocals anchor a track that would otherwise border on chaos.
- Reading My Mind – Odd Mob, Sarah De Warren, OMNOM, HYPERBEAM (Insomniac Records): Melodic elegance within the bass house framework, with Sarah de Warren's voice as the key differentiating element.
- Won't You – Habstrakt, Asdek: A near-perfect exercise in UK Garage/Bassline at 135 BPM that showcases the curator's genuine versatility.
Collaborators and Labels Defining the Moment
NIGHTMODE's two entries (Nikko/WINK and Darby), Distorted Reality Records as a recurring label with ElmyX, and nods to Night Bass Records, Circus Records, and 88rising Music via Knock2 map out a coherent picture of the current scene. The inclusion of the one-minute Mix Cut of WORM TIME (Space Laces & Eptic) is a moment of editorial honesty: not everything needs to be an extended mix.
Conclusion
A disciplined, well-curated selection that cements Habstrakt as one of the most reliable curators in the global bass house space. Essential listening for any DJ seeking to understand the genre's current axes.
