TuneLab
Oblig b2b Skee Mask
Keep Hush Live: The Cause Seaside Beano
Keep Hush at The Cause Seaside Beano was always going to be a chaotic collision of UK bass lineages, and Oblig b2b Skee Mask delivered exactly that – a set that treats 145 BPM as a suggestion rather than a rule. The BPM range spans 140 to 154, averaging 145.7, and the keywork is anchored in 12A and 3B – two keys that allow for smooth harmonic transitions between the dubstep, techno, and breakbeat elements. The energy profile is low-heavy (67% low, 26% mid, 5% high), which means the sub-bass is the primary conversation, while the mids and highs provide textural detail rather than aggression. Skee Mask's mixing is characteristically surgical: long blends that let tracks breathe, while Oblig adds a rawer edge, dropping into heavy percussion.
The opening track, Magnetic Man's 'Box Of Ghosts', is a classic dubstep anthem that immediately establishes a dark, cavernous sound – a statement of intent. The crate-digger moments are plentiful: YUNGBOILEXI's 'Tash (Intro)' is a bizarre, pitched-down vocal loop that shouldn't fit but somehow bridges the gap between dubstep and experimental, while Lancey Foux's 'India' brings a trap-infused vocal that the DJs manipulate into a stuttering breakdown. Volster's 'Exposition H (Flug Remix)' is a techno roller that shifts the energy into a driving 4/4, a brief respite before Sisu's 'Dreams' – a haunting, half-time number that sounds like it was beamed in from a lost Burial session. Emalkay's 'Crusader' is a dubstep classic that still slams, and the closing track, Dee Jay Nehpets' 'Na Na Na', is a gloriously silly vocal sample that ends the set on a playful, almost absurd note – a reminder not to take it all too seriously.
Journey: opens with 'Box Of Ghosts' to set the dark tone, peaks with the Volster remix's relentless drive, and closes with that 'Na Na Na' – a track that makes you smile even as your ears ring. For the UK bass devotee, this is a set that respects history while pushing forward.