Bass X. I was always under the assumption that it was Scott Brown's alias. It is, but he wasn't the only one running this act. It turns out that it's led by four people, and one of them being Scott's brother, Stewart! I genuinely always thought it was Scott Brown on his own. You learn something every day! I grew up, listening to Bass X, but never discovered who was behind the name. Well, today is the day I discovered that, and also that my knowledge of Hardcore is not as wide as I thought it was.
I had to go and quickly look at their history on Discogs, And they've been active since 1993, with their first release being the 'Hardcore Disco' EP, on Shoop! recordings. But from that moment onward, Bass X were everywhere. Not for long though. Their success story only lasted until the end of the decade, but their legacy continues to this day. Scott Brown kept the sound alive by releasing tracks under his own name or one of his thousand aliases, by building on what Bass X created back in the early 90s.
The sound became synonymous for the Scottish sound that started to branch into the rest of Europe and the world. The Scots had this bouncier sound, a tad happier sounding view on Hardcore. Give it to the end of the 90s and the start of the Millennium for Scott Brown to become the most prolific artist in the UK Hardcore scene, but during the 90s he and his fellow colleagues dominated the Hardcore Techno/Gabber scene with the Bass X alias.
I knew about their existence (not who was behind the name, which has become apparent that my knowledge is just bad beyond anything I could ever comprehend), and their songs did appear on albums I purchased throughout the 90s, but never have I found a mix with Bass X songs only, so Colin H's mix is a very pleasing one. A trip down memory lane, and one that will give us the opportunity to relive the 90s. Especially the early years.
Bass X - Experience
Bass X - Quartz
Bass X - Xcelerator (Outerspace Mix)
Bass X - Hardcore Disco Part 2
Bass X - Atomic
Bass X - Bounce
Bass X - Chubby Round
Bass X - Bass-X
Bass X - Exterminate
Bass X - Don't Get That
Bass X - Get Up And Jam
Bass X - Bass Nation
Bass X - Psychopath
Bass X - Overdose
Bass X - Morphine
Bass X - Hardcore Creators
Bass X - Xceleration
Bass X - Time For The Underground
Bass X - Motherfucker
Oh wow. As familiar as I am with Bass X, I didn't know all their tracks. Only a handful of records did appear on compilations I purchased, so there's still a whole new world out there, for me to explore. And as this is the first mix, or first part of this mix series by Colin H, I expect more excellent music to be uploaded onto Soundcloud soon. This will only enhance my knowledge, which I desperately need.
This distinctive sound is so familiar, and still exciting to hear. The Scots did master the bouncy Hardcore sound, and they did it extremely well. It might sound slightly dated, but I do appreciate it a lot. In short, they don't make them like this anymore.
The mix is a short one, but it packs a punch. It keeps the entertainment level quite high. And it shows how awesome Bass X were, and still are. On Facebook I see old flyers every day, stating their names on the top of the flyer, and it makes me wish I was old enough to have gone to a party during the early 90s, and maybe even witness Bass X myself. That would have been ace.
'Motherfucker' is obviously a great track, but the one for me that got me bouncing the most, has to be 'Don't Get That'. Don't know why, but it is still a great track.
A solid mix. Really enjoyed it. Can't wait for part 2!
DJ: Colin H
Genre/Style: Hardcore, Gabber, Happy Hardcore, Early Hardcore
Mix Info: Colin H - The Bass X Mix (Part 1)
Length Mix: 00:58:14
Tracks: 19 (nineteen)
Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): CLICK HERE
File Size: 133 MB
File Type: mp3
Audio: Stereo
Bit Rate: 320kbps
Release Year: 2023
More Information: Colin HQ - Soundcloud Channel