Mathias Pageau

Disappointed Future Bass Fans, It’s Time We Revisit San Holo’s First EP

Mathias Pageau
Disappointed Future Bass Fans, It’s Time We Revisit San Holo’s First EP

Times have been tough for future bass fans. The genre has exploded all over mainstream culture, slowly turning revered producers into radio-friendly hit making machines. I’m not really a fan of the sugary vocals that accompany most producer’s beat at the moment. Too much emotion, not enough fun.

In the vein, San Holo has released album1 a few weeks ago, a first full length with some great moments, and some frustrating ones. I know the Dutch producers primarily from his production techniques which are often used as reference in YouTube’s future bass synthorials, and look, the man definitely knows how to churn a beat…

But looking back at his discography, I realized the producer’s material was much more fun before he decided to go mainstream. The further I went down his Spotify profile, the more exhilarating the beats were. The man has talent! His Cosmos EP gave me a different perspective on his tracks.

If like me you were underwhelmed by album1, I suggest it’s time we revisit San Holo’s not-so humble as a producer. The 4 track album is a brilliant introduction to his discography, and a letter of intent that’s still totally awesome today.

Opener Welcome is an emotional intro that layers thick synth chords. So far, so good. Next stop, Fly matches an uptempo beats with stuttering 5th synth chords to great effect. It’s a trap rollercoaster of rises and drops that kinda reminds me of the heyday of TNGHT.

Memories is another uptempo track that balances the sour and the sweet to great effect. It might not have as much potential as a summer festival banger, but pop on a pair of headphones and it’ll have you tapping your feet in no time. Finally, Hiding packs a lot of energy in its downtempo beat. This one is another that might not have you crowd surf, but that will definitely have you head banging.

Who knows what the future holds for San Holo. He for sure has hard drives full of great unreleased beats. It’s fine with me if he wants to go in a pop direction, as long as he releases some mind-bending beats on the sly, once in a while.

Cosmos EP, an album by San Holo on Spotify