Canada has given bass music some pretty decent cuts of the years. Some of it obvious, some of it is hiding in plain sight, and some of it no doubt deserves a bit more attention. Toronto-born, London-based Bensley has gone digging through the country’s musical cupboard to pick out the producers who continue to inspire him.
These are Bensley’s favourite Canadian producers, a celebration of the sounds that helped shape his own, alongside his latest release, ‘Sinking Ship (D&B Mix’).
Paper Skies & DR MAD – Honesty (ft. Zoë Starra)
Coming in hot from the dubstep world, Paper Skies is one of Canada’s ones to watch. He’s just dropped an incredibly detailed concept album that oozes the energy of our hometown, Toronto. He’s been slept on for far too long, so I’m excited to see his project reaching new heights as of late. He gets extra props from me for including anti-AI sentiment in his recent marketing material.
Jacques Greene – Presence
I had already been enjoying this guy’s music for years before I found out that he’s from Toronto! Jacques Greene is an absolute must-listen for fans of left-field electronic, especially as we approach his next album release (which will feature ‘Presence’).
borne – Ignite (ft. Tasha Baxter)
borne is putting out some of the freshest bass music around at the moment… I absolutely love his sound design and he’s shown excellent range in his ability to produce across multiple genres & BPMs. Definitely on the rise.
flowanastasia, Tyr Kohout & Aaron Payne – Chasing Rainbows
flowanastasia & Tyr Kohout have been prominent Canadian mainstays in liquid Drum & Bass for quite a while, and I’ve always loved their work. They’re some of the very few DnB acts here touring internationally, so it’s great to see them representing our sound! The link up with Vancouver talent Aaron Payne on ‘Chasing Rainbows’ is well worth a listen. I was also fortunate enough to have flowanastasia feature on my recent album track ‘Watch Your Step’.
ATTLAS – Swan
I first heard ATTLAS nearly 10 years ago on his early mau5trap releases. He has a strong track record for producing colourful, atmospheric house music comparable in quality to that of the mau5 himself. While his attention to detail never falters, what we’ve heard so far of his upcoming album ‘SWAN’ indicates that he’s currently producing some of his most refined work yet.
Angine de Poitrine – Fabienk (deadmau5 Remake)
What list of Canadian producers would be complete without the legend himself? deadmau5’s music has long been an inspiration of mine, and I admire the way he manages to keep the craft fun and exciting for himself after all this time: his latest remix of Angine de Poitrine demonstrates this perfectly. As a curator, he’s made an undeniable cultural impact – my releases on mau5trap remain some of my proudest works.
Zeds Dead – Pourin’ Rain
Speaking of local legends, Zeds Dead have made one of the biggest contributions to the world of electronic music on Canada’s behalf. Their latest album & live production are full of their signature nostalgic sound but brim with fresh & exciting influences. As a long-time fan, their support for my music has been such a full-circle experience.
Heymac – Intentions
Heymac is a powerhouse of smooth liquid Drum & Bass out of Edmonton. He’s got a distinct sound but as a result of his deep respect for Drum & Bass culture, his music achieves a level of authenticity & nuance that many producers from outside the UK miss.
So Sus & MVRII – Atmosphere
Gotta shout out the Vancouver local So Sus! She has a really fresh palette of sounds in all of her music and a really tasteful take on leftfield bass. ‘Atmosphere’ is no exception, this one goes hard.
Kermode – musa
For some unknown reason, the west coast of Canada seems to breed some of the most creative producers – and Kermode is a great example. His musicality, sound design and attention to detail are something to be admired, and ‘musa’ is a masterclass.
Bensley Sinking Ship. (D&B Mix) is out now.
