- The Polish region of Tricity is no capital of bass music—rather, the local scene is known for a predominance of drum & bass and straightforward techno. Ahead of RBMA's recent event in Sopot, I was afraid a lack of interest in the futuristic sound of Night Slugs would make for weak turnout. Still, I was excited to hear Bok Bok for the first time, and at a legendary venue: Sfinks 700, a once-bohemian club with a history reaching back to the early '90s.
Bok Bok was accompanied on the night by an all-star cast of Polish bass music artists, including Teielte, Daniel Drumz and Baboon. Warming up in the main room was Paweł Klimczak, AKA Naphta, a Polish alumni of the Red Bull Music Academy. The Wrocław-based producer played tracks in the vein of classic Chicago label Trax Records, eventually winning me over with the superb “Jack Rollin'” from 100% Silk artist Fort Romeau. Unfortunately, the floor was still rather empty but for a few oddballs vibing to the beat.
In a small room called The Fountain—a nod to the now-defunct fountain in the middle of the dance floor—I caught Hatti Vatti. The Gdańsk-based dub producer has been enjoying rave reviews for his latest LP, Worship Nothing, so it was exciting to hear his latest material. As expected, he played a summery set full of affable chords and spacious soundscapes. This room was equipped with Funktion-One speakers, a rarity in Poland, and the sound was top-notch.
Just after midnight I returned to the main room to see Bok Bok. Having heard many of his records and mixes, I expected an intricate selection weaving between a variety of genres. Instead, Alex Sushon played what mostly sounded like UK funky from artists such as Lil Silva and Scratch DVA, interspersed with Dance Mania tracks. Despite the overall harmony of his set, it felt repetitive and a tad boring. Bok Bok is known for promoting forward-thinking music, so it was confusing to see him stick to the sounds of the past.