There’s an interesting resurgence of dub-infused techno happening right now. RA mentioned dub techno as one of the key stories from this summer, but not referencing the old school sounds of Basic Channel and their Chain Reaction label, instead it’s much wider soundscape with softer and hazy palettes cropping up across the board. This also translates to ‘deeptech’ and ‘deep-technoid’ – two sounds that Paris-based producer and DJ Beatrice M. is fiercely championing. Combining headier bass music and techno, it’s not a new sound by any means but the way that Beatrice M. approaches their sets and productions, in this incredible psychedelic style, they’re creating new context for these sounds. Something that people have latched quickly onto, evident through the label signings and esteemed gigs Beatrice has played in the last few years. It’s certainly what captured my attention as I dig deeper into this world of ‘low end psychedelia’, a sound that is becoming more popular in both the techno and bass scenes, one I’ve become obsessed with and have discovered appears a lot in France with producers and labels such as Christian Coiffure, Trois-Quarts Taxi System, Jan Loup, Sindh, Comic Sans Records, Blue Night Jungle, Cosmic Wave Records and SousTraitance alongside Beatrice and their Bait label.
Born in France to English parents, Beatrice was influenced by their mother’s long-standing relationship with the rave and their father’s affection for punk, ska and reggae-influenced acts. Whilst at art school, Beatrice was into the sounds of Actress, Lee Gamble, Simo Cell and LSDXOXO which spurred them on to explore DJing as a practice. Just both COVID hit, they played their first DJ set and with that sudden lockdown forcing everyone to spend more time digging into their hobbies, Beatrice became more immersed in these sonic worlds and soon found there was a lane for them to exist in.
This is where the world of Bait, their record label which we’re spotlighting today, comes into play. A platform for Beatrice to create a community and push their creativity whilst also creating space for non-males in the bass scene. The gender imbalance was one of the main motivators for Beatrice to found Bait but they soon realised there was actually so many non-males existing in this space already but less represented across the board. Citing the likes of Carré, EMA, CCL, Mantra, Mia Koden and Nono Gigsta as some of the artists they look to, they’ve coined a new term ‘siblingstep’, referencing to the close-knit community they’re building and championing through everything they do.
With the next Bait compilation scheduled for release next week, featuring tracks from VCR, ex.sses, lloydfears, gillielove and Ōtone, we caught up with Beatrice to dig into the weeds of Bait, how their perception of the scene has changed since launching, the impact the imprint has on their own sets and productions, and the labels they look to for inspiration. The interview comes accompanied by a 100% Bait mix to show the varying stylings that come under their deeptech sound.
Hi Bea! We’re here to talk about your brilliant label Bait which you launched last year. One of the reasons you initially started it is because of the lack of representation and diversity in the 140 scene. Has this perception changed since you started the label and if so, how?
Hi Chanel thanks for having me on this mix series <3
Yeah I definitely thought to myself, it can’t hurt to have a ‘dubstep’ label out there run by a non-dude, so this gave me motivation to do it. Also, you often hear the argument “it’s hard to find girls out there”. But over time you realize there are SO MANY non-dudes making or pushing 140. I’ve started calling it siblingstep, it’s all these people like Ambit, Carré, CCL, Dub Athlete, EMA, Introspekt, Kozee, Mantra, Mia Koden, Nono Gigsta, Old Man Crane (new name but one of her tracks is in this mix), Ophélie, Sharnie, Soa420, Vika,… and the list goes on.
What does having your own record label allow you to do that you don’t otherwise achieve through your own productions and DJ sets?
Ah, so much! It’s really stimulating to curate a label, organize the calendar, the artwork, the premieres, put it on bandcamp, I love it! But overall, linking all these artists with whom you share a vision of music, and creating a sense of community, it’s really comforting. DJing and producing can be a bit individualist and isolating, but running a label is the opposite, you get to collaborate with people and exchange thoughts, desires, it’s all about relationships!
What record labels did you look to for inspiration when forming your own?
Tectonic and Osiris were the biggest inspirations because I was obsessed with these rolling triplet kicks you can find in a certain type of dubstep by artists like Kryptic Minds, Killawatt, Thelem… After Bait was already launched I discovered how important the label 7even is to me, and one of my top 3 favourite artists ‘F’, with the same techno feel but the emotional bitter-sweet pads, a bit like Martyn’s output (3024 is also a big influence). And then obviously you turn around and realize “damn that’s only guys again” and that’s when labels like SPE:C and Woozy are so inspiring, refreshing and important. Seriously, Woozy’s new compilation is I think (almost?) only (?) non-dudes. And the tracks are insane mutations of 140 or other bass genres. This sort of initiative is so special and brings relief and hope.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that the wish to mix techno and bass music is a really common motivator for launching a label. It’s Timedance’s original AD as well.
You haven’t released your own productions via Bait yet, is this a conscious decision?
Not really conscious, I’d like to, but my music was promised to a few other labels already! I also really struggle to finish music tbh. So unlike most things, I’m slow with my productions. But the first Beatrice M. release on Bait is going to be a massive collab LP out end of 2025, hopefully on wax! I put one of the tracks in this mix (shoutout Theorist :). (and I’ll also maybe be doing a remix for Trois-Quarts Taxi System’s LP!)
In your Mixmag interview you mentioned that you only play tracks for a minute and a half and how that isn’t actually compatible with psychedelic sounds – does this approach to your DJ sets then influence the kind of tracks you want to release via Bait and also your own productions?
Haha I did say that. Maybe that’s changed a bit now because I play more vinyl, so I leave tracks a bit longer (maybe 2 mins lol). A lot of the tracks released on Bait are quite short and more of the ‘banger’ type, and personally I find it hard to produce anything longer than 5 minutes, but it’s definitely something I aspire to. The plan is also to start releasing more mellow, progressive things on Bait (starting with Trois-Quarts Taxi System’s LP, got a couple of tracks from it in this mix ;). I see slowing down, taking my time to let tracks play out, and spinning deeper more mellow stuff as being a mature grown-up lol. So maybe wait a few years. That being said, sometimes I think that letting go, playing energetic, efficient tracks fast and having a bit of fun is healthy.
When an artist sends you a release to consider for the label, how much feedback and input do you give before deciding on the final iteration? Do you have a lot of feedback sessions with the artists you work with?
Actually, talking from the perspective of a producer, I really like it when a label-manager gives me feedback and helps me improve. This can be a nice part of the process rather than when the label-manager says ‘it sounds sick’ but with no feedback. Therefore, I like to exchange with the artist when they submit music for my label, also to permit the music to fit a little more in the sonic world of Bait, but always making sure the artist is comfortable with this, and always saying “in my opinion” or “this is just my opinion, feel free to disagree/stand ground”: It’s a fine line between giving feedback within the artist’s boundaries, and overstepping/being controlling. Sometimes guys have given me feedback on my music as if it were an immutable truth, and this I found enraging. So yeah, I try to watch out not to do this, by checking in with the artist, being caring, this is a core value.
What do you look for in a creative relationship?
Essentially, for everyone to be happy, satisfied. If one party is frustrated because they’re not getting what they want, then it’s better to stop. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out! Also looking for a feeling of osmosis. There are just so many artists that I admire and connect with their music that collaborating is a huge part of my project! That’s why I’m working on this collaboration LP which I think is a really meaningful debut Beatrice M. release on Bait. What would I be without all my music friends?
The world of Bait is your vision from the artists you sign to the artwork you design. Where do you source inspiration for the label? What’s on the moodboard when it comes to the visual style?
A really lovely friend and visual artist called Lucie aka Lune Perse made the first 3 visuals, with her unique style incorporating collages of aquatic elements and other graphic images she had captured. I thought, as I studied visual art, I could take over from there. So I purchased 2 magazines, one of marine things and one for a music equipment retailer, and started piecing cut outs together. I wanted to take it analog and simple because most visuals today are complicated digital designs. I like the hand drawn, messy stuff.
Are there any specific influences outside of music that you look to and reference from for Bait?
I love fanzine culture and DIY style, stationary: pens, crayons and coloured paper, staples, glue and scissors . I used to do a lot of arts and crafts growing up, and I still do! This is a big part of Bait’s identity 🙂
How do you know when something is a good idea?
Haha I love this question, it’s so Chanel. I’m usually pretty confident and spontaneous, sometimes I’m talking to an artist and there’s a magic connection, a spark and I just know that this collab or idea is going to be AWESOME.
How much does the people you work with and the places you visit influence your work? Are there any specific relationships or places you visit that you feel have had a lasting impact on your work?
It feels like the electronic music scene is a big family (siblingstep) with members that work together and help each other out. Everywhere you go, you have potential friends linked by a vision of music, it’s a very comforting feeling. It’s especially nice when there’s a radio and a community around it, for example Kiosk (and Gimic!) in Brussels, Rinse in Paris or London, Piñata in Montpellier,… you realize that most people have the same mindset and ambitions as you. Even when you’re far away from home, it’s not that different elsewhere… I notice this a lot with the desire to combine techno and dubstep: each city has its hub of artists working to bridge the gap between the deep tech scene and the 140 scene, you’ve got people like Jacky Jeane, Ogla B. and Ubik who form Sarcus Sound System in Paris, DJ Wiggles in London, Yumi and Amelia Holt in New York, CCL and ophélie in Berlin, Vika in Copenhagen, etc…
What do you hope for people to take away from your label? What do you want them to feel?
I want them to feel like they can pick and choose from a bunch of dance tools, contemplative cuts, immersive tension tracks,… also I want it to be an inspiration for fems, queer people starting out production, that they can release music and feel like the label is home, like they can identify with Bait’s output. It’s also supposed to be a fun welcoming platform with a lot of output, not an exclusive inaccessible closed circle. I’m always open to demos (especially from FLINTA folk)!
What’s on your vision board for Bait right now?
It’s been mostly club tools up until now, I definitely want to take it deeper and more experimental. Also, vinyl has been taking up a huge part in my DJing practice. Therefore I want to start putting out most of Bait’s catalog on wax. Very excited about this!
’Out of Step VEP’ by Various Artists will be released on the 18th October via Bait – pre-order here.
Tracklist:
Trois-Quarts Taxi System – Plexus 3 (forthcoming)
Agôn & Céline B. – Drifted
tighe – empty units (Pianeti Sintetici remix) (forthcoming)
Carré – plotting smth
Moriiiis J. – I.A.F.G.
Andy Martin – The Ark (forthcoming)
ex.sses – sanguine (forthcoming 18.10 in new Bait comp!!)
Old Man Crane – Hepp (forthcoming)
Beatrice M. & Theorist – Tangent (forthcoming)
Sub Basics – Effect (forthcoming 18.11)
Conzi – AU2 (forthcoming)
Chewlie – Denial
Trois-Quarts Taxi System – Fraction (forthcoming)
Ambit – In the Dark
tighe – untitled (forthcoming)
Buckley – Opal (forthcoming)
Hyas – Soulless (Spectre remix)
Soa420 – No Nerve (Parts Project remix)
VCR – Wood
Argo – Syndicat (forthcoming)
Night Garden – Regenerate
Trois-Quarts Taxi System – Sonar (forthcoming)
gillielove – procession in dante’s square (forthcoming 18.10 in new Bait comp!!)
Trois-Quarts Taxi System – Plexus 1 (forthcoming)