Bassnectar - Reflective (Part 3)

Bassnectar
Reflective (Part 3)
2018
Spotify

The name Bassnectar can induce some pretty strong reactions. People either to think He is the second coming of Christ or a basic ass EDM DJ, with few people in between. His fans are often so obsessed that often nothing exists outside of his influence. What Bassnectar has done different from the rest of the crowd in EDM though is He has always remained fiercely independent. Instead of going for the easy cash of Vegas Residencies or big name collaborations Bassnectar continues to make his own music on his own terms. He created a festival called Deja Voom which HE typically headlines and brings in other big name DJs from around the world who share a similar vision. He doesn't really release full albums, typically different projects will just appear out of nowhere with little fanfare or warning. This series of EPs focuses on Bassnectar's collaborations. Reflective (Part 3) has the producer taking on different genres and exploring different avenues of music creaiion while still keeping everything very much about that bass. This is not a record for the faint of heart, or maybe even anyone with a heart condition for that matter, it is loud, aggressive and unapologetic. Bassnectar is not afraid to try new things because almost everyone who loves him is willing to go there with him. The thing is, his music is better than almost anything else you here in EDM today, by a long shot. Yet, nothing Bassnectar does feels like a path forward for the struggling genre, his music is his and his alone.

His anthemic ever growing songs take center stage on tracks like "The Mothership" where one lyrical line becomes the center of everything. You know what you are going to get with Bassnectar and it is going to big electronic sounds with an uplifting message. It's what makes him so adored, This could be a dark album but He never goes that way, there is too much life in his music for it to be nothing but this big shinning beacon. The thing about this kind of music though is it takes a really specific mood, and a really specific place for it to be super successful. When you see his visuals and his music is blasting through massive speakers it makes the whole experience so much better. People are so damn happy seeing this man that their smiles infect you and pull you in. There is a lot to like about this album, but it makes sense why some people don't really get it. There is a complexity and a realm of experience you need to have in order to understand this music. Once you do however it opens up a real world of possibilities. Reflective (Part 3) likely is not Bassnectar's best, but it is a great representation of the kind of music He like to create, and it's pretty damn good.

7.8 out of 10