Las Vegas native Hekler is back on Bassrush Records, this time unveiling a filthy five-track EP entitled ‘HEK SZN.’
The project follows the previously released lead single “BUMPIN,” alongside BLVCK JVCK, as well as Hekler’s debut album ‘Abyss,’ which was released on the label earlier this year.
Hekler leads the EP off with “Work It,” a wildly dynamic destroyer that sees the veteran producer exploring new ground. An upbeat dance-friendly melody brings a nostalgic feel as breakbeat drums and classic jungle vocal samples further the aesthetic. The producer is at home here, unleashing punishing waves of dubstep devastation backed by gritty rave stabs and crunchy synth slams. As soon as it feels like the track can be pinned down, Hekler flips the script by delivering a warehouse-ready hard dance drop punctuated with pounding kicks and a relentless tempo. The distorted outro offers a mind-warping reset with an industrial edge.
The producer speaks to the creative process behind the track: “While I was writing this, I wanted to sort of embody the vibe of being in a warehouse with the rave stabs, yet maintain what heavily influenced my earlier music with that trap and bass music energy. ‘Work It’ became the lead track for this ‘HEK SZN’ EP, mainly because I stepped out of my usual tempo range and took on a 126 bpm song; if you’ve been following my music then you know this is not where I am usually at. I wanted to make something that could be a tool, not only for myself, but other producers, as well.”
Staying true to its title, “BUMPIN” is a banging genre-bending effort that’s primed for festival season destruction. Kicking off with a screwy hip-hop beat and an underlying alarm-like build, the introduction is a warning of the mayhem that lies ahead. BLVK JVCK flexes his vocal chops with a mischievous verse that exudes swagger and a carefree finesse. The drops serve to open up the pit with rowdy metallic sound design driving the grimace-inducing dubstep ruckus. Siren-like synths collide with punchy percussion, and grimy speaker-rattling low-end, while BLVCK JVCK drifts in and out to balance the energy. It’s a futuristic annihilator that is assured to leave broken rails and necks in its wake.
The single has been a weapon in Hekler’s sets as of late, with him stating, “‘Bumpin’ has to easily be one of my favorite songs to play in my sets. The energy that the crowd has when the drop hits is absolutely insane. Blvk Jvck delivered massively on this, as well—the energy in the studio was definitely captured in the track. I’m stoked to be teaming up with Bassrush to bring this monstrous song to the world.”
Joining forces with San Diego-based duo BLURRD VZN comes the low-end monster “BRAINS.” The mind-melting belter blends minimal mastery with skull-splitting sound design for a truly exceptional experimental bass creation. The hip-hop vocal samples offer a familiar yet gritty addition that enhances the flow. From its dizzying melodies to the speaker-rattling bass and perfectly placed percussion, everything fits together seamlessly. If forward-thinking bass music that is wonderfully weird sounds appealing, then “BRAINS” is the final course.
Pulling back the curtain on how “BRAINS” came to life, Hekler shares: “Blurrd Vzn sent this to me as a WIP ID to play out, so we decided to work on it together and it became the insane low-end monster that it is today. Both of our projects are heavily hip-hop inspired, so we wanted to make the drop feel like someone was spittin’ bars and flowing. This is one of my favorite records to play out in my sets!”
“BOUND” switches the scene with a gripping vocal performance courtesy of MADI. Her vocals act as a focal point, pulling in listeners to her emotional web, baring her pain and passion with each passing note. The understated backing provides the perfect canvas for her impassioned delivery before ramping up to a full-blown explosion. The beauty and restrained sound palette is obliterated with a devastating dubstep drop that’s riddled with laser synths, punchy drums, and grimy low-end. MADI saunters back in over the break, adding in another layer of heartfelt feels from the opening before Hekler brings back an even more murderous retooled drop to close things out.
Hekler reflects on the collaboration by stating: “‘Bound’ is actually a pretty old record that Madi and I worked on about 5 years ago. One day, I was going through some old drives and felt like we needed to revisit the original demo. What you hear today sounds completely different from what it was, however, it embodies the original vibes we created years ago.”
Capping off the project in style comes “MANTRA.” The closing cut flexes his sound design skills and speakers. The rolling melody offers a futuristic blissful groove that shifts as punchy drums unleash filthy doses of dubstep. Drilling industrial sonics are offset by sparkly synths to balance the rugged punches with a more approachable allure. The track dances between this dichotomy with pulsing low-end pulling everything together with precision.
The hotly-anticipated finale has been years in the making. “This is another track that has been sitting in the Hekler vault for a while. I wrote ‘Mantra’ about four years ago while I was on my way to do a show on the East Coast and wanted to have something new to play for that show. It remained in my sets for a while and hadn’t found the right way to release it, and am glad we found a home for it with the Bassrush fam. I love this song so much, when I decided to include it in the EP, I couldn’t bring myself to touch the record, so what you hear now is exactly the record I have been playing out for the last four years,” Hekler explains.
Las Vegas-based producer Hekler has been setting the bass scene ablaze with a diverse discography that pulls from hip-hop, dubstep, and ambient. He’s hot off his single “Bumpin” with BLVK JVCK, plus his debut album ‘Abyss,’ which was released on Bassrush earlier this year. The releases have been met with acclaim from a myriad of publications including Heard It Here First, Dubstep FBI, This Song Slaps, Let the Bass Get Ya, Canadian Ravers, The Music Essentials, Find Your Sounds, and more. He’s gearing up for a performance at Escape Halloween and has slayed an array of massive festivals and stages, including EDC Las Vegas, HARD Summer Music Festival, Red Rocks, and more.
Hekler once again expands his sonic signature on ‘HEK SZN,’ offering a buffet of bass for every palette.
Hekler’s new EP ‘HEK SZN’ is available on all platforms via Bassrush Records.
