Heard It Here First

Mersiv and SuperAve. have both been making waves in the freeform bass scene as of late, and their collaborative “How I Step” EP, out now on Zeds Dead‘s label Deadbeats, continues the momentum of these two genre-bending producers.

Known for pushing the boundaries of the sonic experience offered in both his tracks and his live performances, Mersiv has been blazing his trail unapologetically. His “Pretty Dark Loud” album, out last year, has become a hallmark of the freeform genre. The man behind the music is currently on the road as part of Liquid Stranger‘s Balance tour, alongside TVBOO, MIZE and more.

SuperAve., the enigmatic producer from South Carolina, is known for his fusion of 90’s hip-hop with a modern freeform sound. He has been causing a stir in the bass music scene since 2019, but his “The Block Is Hot Vol. 1” mix, released at the end of 2020, drove his name into the spotlight. The forward-thinking producer has been gearing up for Jantsen‘s Gutter Til I Die tour, alongside Space Wizard and Jon Casey, and we have a lot to look forward to from him this year.

The brand new EP from these two innovators contains a collaborative title track as well as a VIP from each respective artist. Each track beautifully captures the individual producers’ styles. If you’ve caught a set from either artist you will likely recognize the sonic signature of the collection.

The title track, “How I Step,” opens up with an iconic hook and some DnB-style drum breaks. It builds to a massive crescendo and explodes into a wonky chorus. Mersiv’s signature wobbles and SuperAve.’s fat sustain basses drive the energy, while creatively layered textures provide a rich atmosphere to get lost in.

The vocal hook repeats throughout and keeps the track grounded in its identity. The second chorus sees the use of more percussive bass design and creative mangling of the vocal sample, but with the same memorable melodic hook keeping the listener engaged.

SuperAve.’s VIP switches up the hook slightly, and his use of trap-style drums with a bouncy rhythm evokes the hip-hop influence he is starting to become well-known for. His signature sustains and penchant for catchy basslines are on full display here. Plucky synth stabs and vocal chops keep the energy high throughout the three distinct chorus sections.

Mersiv’s VIP slows the tempo wayyy down for us. The DnB-style breaks lend energy to the intro and midsection. The choruses, full of harmonically-rich wobble basses and cutting-edge sound design, will slap you right in the face and leave you awestruck. Rhythmic motifs and creative use of the vocal sample keep the track consistent but still fresh. Here is what each artist had to say about their new EP:

“This collab with SuperAve has been one of my favorite moments in my live sets this past year, and I could not be more excited to release it on deadbeats. It’s got that hype energy and I can’t wait for people to be able to jam it wherever now :)” – Mersiv

“The most fun part of this is seeing how our two styles mold together in creative ways. Making something you can get down with was important from the jump when we first started ideas. We came together to make something we can all step to.” – SuperAve.

We cannot wait to see these two budding legends on tour and hear more of what they’ve got in store for us this year. What did you think of their new “How I Step” EP? Let us know down below in the comments or on our social media!

Support Mersiv on Socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify

Support SuperAve. on Socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify

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