The dance of a unique and recognisable sound – The ‘underground’ with Level One

The ‘underground’ is of sheer importance to the Hardstyle scene. Whilst popular, mainstream artists are feeding the development of this style from top-down, the underground, otherwise known as the ‘Eden’ of talents are feeding it from bottom-up. Their interplay creates an ever-developing style that changes its colors like a chameleon on pills. With this being said, I went out and did some discovering and in the depths of YouTube, I found an obscure and unique talent who goes by the name Level One. Some of you may have already stumbled across his music, however many of you are about to make a new discovery today, so with that in mind, I had a quick catch up with the concealed producer to speak about his perspective and thoughts about the underground and its importance.

Hailing from The Netherlands, Bas van Herpt is the man behind the macabre sounds of ‘Level One.’  Tracks like ‘Doomed’, ‘Your Betrayal’, and the freshly finished ‘The One,’ aren’t exactly tracks you can drop at your siblings’ graduation party. These kinds of tracks ask of even the most dedicated Hardstyle fanatics to display their utmost aesthetic ability.

Don’t be fooled; this music is not for the faint-hearted and requires a couple of plays until one can envision the perfect environment for partying to it. Just listen, and imagine the flat kicks and lurid sounds being belted out of a pair of massive speakers at an underground party; it could be in a remote factory that’s way too warm, way too loud and filled with way too many f*cked up people immersed in an intense peak. Suddenly, the former ghastly kicks and high-pitched screeches evolve into a sound that sounds horribly right.

It’s exactly these kinds of sounds that don’t fit within the mainstream circle and ultimately that’s what makes the underground so unique. ‘Mainstream’ artists feel the pressure of thousands of fans who expect a certain sound or vibe; however, this pressure is absent in the underground as producers can roam around and take ample risks in their productions. This gives talents in the underground a certain kind of freedom that is unfamiliar to the mainstream. As Level One states: “I am free to create what I feel is right – I create the sound that I like,” when listening to his tracks you immediately know what he’s talking about.

All this seems quite incredible in terms of feeding creativity, right? However, Bas stresses that there’s a certain restriction attached to this freedom: “I deliberately create a sound that stands out from the mainstream sound. I have to distinguish myself to get recognised, and therefore my creations need to be innovative and original.”

So, whilst talents are free from any expectations, this freedom is restricted by a need to innovate in order to stand out from the dominant mainstream and gain some degree of a fanbase. The obvious question that comes along with innovation is if listeners are ready for a new sound and the response from Level One couldn’t make this notion clearer as he states “This is the gamble that all talents need to make.” And there is always the other side of the coin…

Too much of a unique sound and bam, people get lost in its ‘uniqueness’ as there’s nothing they can relate this new sound to. “Surely, I have to come up with something new, but it has to fit the common aesthetic; the sound needs to have handles of recognition” Level One states, accentuating that talents are free to follow their own aesthetics, however they need to create a sound that people can get accustomed to. And for this to happen, there needs to be a form of recognition.

A new batch of artists like Level One are in anguish, waiting in line to make the scene shiver with their innovative sound and hopefully make an impact on the wider demographic. In contrast to the mainstream, talents in the underground have a certain kind of freedom to follow their own formulas, however, they are bound to make this sound outstanding and innovative, creating a certain recognisable aspect within this sound.

So, even if talents feel free to create the sound they love, they only wish for one thing: to climb out of their underground dungeon and into the light of the mainstream. They want the masses to like their music, but is has to be their sound they like…

“To get out of the underground is a battle of gladiators. Talents only fight for one thing: fame. And their only weapon… is their own unique sound.”  

I’d like to thank Level One for sharing his thoughts with me and our fellow readers, for those who haven’t yet been infected by his legacy, you can follow his journey at the social media links below.

FOLLOW LEVEL ONE

FACEBOOK  |   SOUNDCLOUD