Heard It Here First

The highly sought-after sounds of Toadface have finally returned to WAKAAN in the form of a wonky new single, titled “Cardboard”. The project is the lead track off of his upcoming full-length EP, From The Earth. This will mark Toadface’s first official WAKAAN release since his illustrious Bugs for Breakfast LP from 2018, which dauntlessly explored unchartered territory in his signature hybrid genre that fuses elements of dubstep with trap.

Toadface, or Todd Holler, carefully curated his swampy sound beginning in 2015, drawing influence and momentum from his older brother and fellow producer, Yheti. As soon as he began to gain some traction in the experimental bass scene, Toadface quickly jumped on the opportunity to tour with current bass music heavyweights DMVU and Of The Trees. Two years later, after the debut of his Bugs for Breakfast LP, the ambitious production maestro embarked on his first headline tour. Today, Toadface has become a dominant force in the bass world, continuously inspiring producers while simultaneously conquering the underground festival scene. In recent years, fans have flocked from all corners of the country to hear the mystical melodies of Toadface at large-scale festivals like Lost Lands, EDC Las Vegas, and Shambhala, to name a few.

Toadface’s most recent five-track EP from earlier in the year, dubbed Tides, reinstilled his sensational sound that relentlessly pushes the limits of experimental bass. Inspired by a maritime human-trafficking documentary, the EP follows a storyline that converges auditory art with an urgent storyline that calls to action. His trademark sludgy bass interweaves with vocal sampling pulled from in-person field recordings to produce an unpredictable aural experience, heard in tracks like “Big Trouble” and “The Grand Canaries”. Following this impressive release, Toadface ensures his vibrations will continue to penetrate the dance floor, teasing his long-awaited WAKAAN EP through the release of its lead track.

Just in time for spooky season, Toadface now presents fans with “Cardboard”, a consciously curated ensemble of digitized synthesizers that falsetto along a steady bassline. Vocal samples sporadically explore a realm of analog soundscapes, while eastern-influenced instrumentations act as support. Holler actively reminds listeners to expect the unexpected, planting outlandish twists within each verse. With Toadface’s unconventional approach to experimental bass, he manages to spawn an arrangement that cultivates a sensory experience and leaves listeners on a cliffhanger, yearning for more sounds from the swamp.

Here is what Toadface had to say about “Cardboard”:

“Cardboard refers to the feelings of thinking something is real only to realize later it was fake the whole time. The sample ‘so many details’ refers to how real you thought the thing was until taking a closer look.” – Toadface

While Toadface already has two confirmed tours planned for 2023, you can first expect to hear his newest EP alongside his labelmate, TVBOO, on his highly-anticipated Blue Collar Bass Tour beginning in November. These mighty WAKAAN favorites are sure to put on a show that you do not want to miss!

What did you think of “Cardboard”? Listen to the single down below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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