Midweek Mantra Mix 021: MeSo brings the heat with ‘A Mix’

Wednesday is humpday, which not only marks the halfway point between the work week and the coveted weekend, but also Conscious Electronic’s Midweek Mantra Mix (M3). We’ve been scouring the web’s most enlightening bass music mixes that align with our vision, to provide “a conscious way to consume dance music.” M3 spotlights both veteran and up-and-coming bass music artists whose music seeks to raise the vibrations of their collective listener base.

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If you’re a fan of freeform bass, chances are you’ve heard of the red-hot collective known as Spicy Bois. Releasing a barrage of dirty wobbles with near-continuous speed, the members of the boundary-pushing crew are beginning to secure some impressive bookings as well as having their tunes played by big names in bass music. Prominent among them is Chicago artist and collective founder MeSo, whose creative output has been finding its way to huge sound systems and prominent mixes all year.

Exploring the discography of the Spicy Bois collective is an intense, all-encompassing experience. Members of the group have refreshingly eclectic taste, and artists like Herbalistek, Trigem and Space Wizard bring a new and creative take to their respective styles of music.

MeSo himself is proving his merit as a talented, dedicated producer with each new release, and with a slew of impressive collaborations, he is quickly making his name as a curator and ambassador for the emergent Spicy Bois brand. Securing a takeover at the highly anticipated Wakaan Fest in October, as well as upcoming opening slots for both EPROM and Of The Trees, his remix of “Sound Adventures” by Satherbass was recently featured on Mix 6.0 by the legendary Caspa.

Showcasing his additional robust skill not only as a producer but as a DJ, MeSo released a mix in early 2019 simply titled “A Mix” that has been well-received across the board. Featuring a ton of his own original music and that of his labelmates, he also sprinkles in occasional pop music a capellas and beautiful vocal work among the grimy bass beats. Switching songs easily and often, the tracklist on the 81-minute mix is so long that it requires a decent amount of scrolling to get to the bottom. Mashups, features and IDs are prevalent, with some songs receiving only a few seconds of air time. However, it never sounds overproduced, busy or incongruent. MeSo easily shifts gears between styles, returning frequently to his signature experimental sound, and giving listeners time to breathe between the gritty, excellently meticulous drops.

The rise of homegrown music is something to be celebrated. It’s apparent that there are now many opportunities for musicians to simply create their own sound and craft their own rise through the music world. It’s an exciting, accessible time for creators and fans alike, and grassroots artists like Spicy Bois are emblematic of the golden age of electronic music that the culture is currently experiencing. The meteoric emergence of MeSo and the Spicy Bois collective are showing that originality, creativity and overall flavor will always be the things that music fans hunger for the most. Their star is shining more brightly with each day and their collective output is a continually proving a thing to be cherished.