What's that cone-ripping, Sugalumps-like bass?
October 13, 2010 2:28 PM   Subscribe

What's the bass & drum style of Flight of the Conchords Sugalumps, particularly 9th through 15th second of the video, called? Rhapsody's genres has something called Electro-Funk which includes artists like the Bass Mekanik that include test tones on some albums and Bass Transmission. I'm particularly interested in the sustained low low bass "notes," particularly when combined with higher percussion (snare) in a really danceable, but somewhat slow tempo.
posted by morganw to Media & Arts (10 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Wikipedia currently has this filed under Funktronica, with some artists who have made some of that sound. TBH, the only RJD2 track that sounds like that is Iced Lightning, but the rest of Since We Last Spoke is a lot of fun, too. And TLC ... no idea. The rest, I leave in your hands.

See also: Diplo - Way More, from Florida. Some of that sound can be found in hip-hop of the 2004-ish era.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:55 PM on October 13, 2010


Lazer Sword and Megasoid both use similar tempos and sounds.
posted by casconed at 3:32 PM on October 13, 2010


...and i've heard the genre referred to as everything from ghettotek to turbo crunk, so ymmv.
posted by casconed at 3:34 PM on October 13, 2010


I kind of associate that sound with old "Miami Bass", like where all the artists had names like "Double Oh BASS" and all the track names were like "Journey to Bassland" and "Bass Hills 902010" and "Laverne & Bass-ey". Cone-destroying synth bass with skittering hats and snares. I wish I was exaggerating on these titles, but...if anything, I'm understating it. Seriously, look.

Nowadays you find this kind of sound in like Lazer Bass shit like from Megasoid (IME though a lot of people don't really like to dance to this stuff, no matter how awesome that "My Love" remix is, which I can't find a stream of for some reason). But you have the usual hip re-interpretive risk of taking a little bit too much of a forceps-and-goggles approach to something that was supposed to be fun.

The other guys who really go nuts with these low synth basses is all the dubstep people, but idk if you'll like that as much. If you type "dubstep wob wob" into google, it suggests "dubstep WOB WOB WOB" as a completion. This music is only for people on drugs to dance to.
posted by jeb at 3:38 PM on October 13, 2010 [3 favorites]


Also look in to Mr. Oizo.
posted by nitsuj at 3:45 PM on October 13, 2010


Best answer: I'm particularly interested in the sustained low low bass "notes," particularly when combined with higher percussion (snare) in a really danceable, but somewhat slow tempo.

That sounds exactly like dubstep, but mostly its a lot more aggressive than the Flight of the Conchords song. In a more hiphop+electro direction, I'm thinking of LMFAO, Steve Aoki, Dim Mak Records.
posted by AlsoMike at 3:48 PM on October 13, 2010


The Flight of the Conchords video is a parody of contemporary pop music and riffs like that are fairly common on top 40 radio. I'd name some "artists" but that would probably embarrass everyone involved with this thread. If you're looking for music that is entirely made up of that sound you might try something like Tobacco. Although he's often more staccato with the melody, this is basically Dr. Dre's signature sound (skip to :45), his instrumentals are pretty easy to find.
posted by Locobot at 4:20 PM on October 13, 2010


It sounds like wobble/wonky/aquacrunk. See Starkey, Rustie, flying lotus (check the sustained low bass notes), etc.
posted by subtle-t at 6:58 PM on October 13, 2010 [1 favorite]


I'd name some "artists" but that would probably embarrass everyone involved with this thread

Why? Pop producers appropriated underground electronic dance music, not the other way around. I live in my own musical bubble and don't listen to top 40, but I don't look down on something just because it's popular.
posted by AlsoMike at 7:05 PM on October 13, 2010


Aw, I don't think dubstep/wonky/wobble/aquacrunk/ghettotek is quite right.

This just sounds like electro-derived pop music. There's lots of stuff like this in pop now, like Ke$ha (that's not an endorsement)
posted by alb at 8:48 AM on October 14, 2010


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