Even by experimental standards, there’s nothing conventional about Ethan Glass. In an era where every young artist claims to make genre-transcendent music “like nothing you’ve ever heard before”, Ethan Glass actually does it. His biography does conform to today’s trend of nutty, social media-sized snippets bearing brief reference to pseudo-obscure pop-culture trends – but “Dance Dance Revolution on acid” is an amusingly accurate description of the producer’s sound. Based on the merit of such a comparison, it is safe to say that this emerging artist will be a hit at Emissions Festival in May.
In the tradition of innovative artists like Eprom and DMVU, Ethan Glass’s wacky style gives aspiring “Future Bass” producers something to strive for. The artist builds off the postmodern tag’s most attractive assets, notably its hip-hop influenced “trap” roots and low-end emphasis. Ethan Glass’s signature style is punctuated by the kind of gritty, industrial bass that begs for a sound system: a characteristic often overlooked by less experienced producers in pursuit of the elusive anti-melodic melody (which, incidentally, Ethan Glass has a flair for as well). His music is defined by a rare, other-worldly depth that can only be achieved through patient, masterful production.
In a recent interview with Emissions Festival, Ethan Glass cites the video arcade as a prominent musical inspiration. The influence shines through in his production. Perhaps another way to describe his unique style is as a juxtaposition of classic rave aesthetics and modern sound system sensibilities. It’s a testament to the idea that one needn’t eradicate the old to create something new. When asked what fans could expect from his festival set, the artist stated his preference for playing out unreleased tracks live. In many ways, this approach mirrors the same idea. Today, too many artists forgo the opportunity to introduce their audience to new sounds in favor of catalyzing collective crowd singalongs with familiar bangers. But, as any die-hard dubstepper would tell you, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of feeling an unreleased track emanate from a sound system.
As an exceptionally unique, forward-thinking young producer, Ethan Glass is an ideal complement to the Sub.mission Agency’s diverse roster of underground talent. Stay in tune to Ethan Glass on Facebook and SoundCloud, and check out his agency profile for information on booking and upcoming appearances. This emerging artist won’t be a secret for long.