Subtronics: King of the Mainstream or Ruler of the Underground?
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Subtronics: From Tripolee to the Top 🎛️🔥
Electric Forest, 2019. The sun was setting, and I was at Her Forest camping—just behind Tripolee, where the bass never stops. Normally, this is when I take a breather, grab some food, and regroup before heading back in for the night. But then—Subtronics hit the decks, and I stopped mid-bite. 🎛️⚡
The bass was chaotic, relentless, unpredictable. **Who the f*** is this?** I thought. One minute, he was dropping **Skrillex edits**, the next, a viral **"They Call Me Nasty" sample** from an old YouTube clip. I grabbed my stuff and ran straight to the rail. No hesitation. It was that good.
🎚️ Tripolee: Where Bass Icons Are Made
There’s a pattern at **Electric Forest**—Tripolee’s **5 PM slot** seems to be a launchpad. **Skrillex, Excision, Subtronics**—they all played it before leveling up to festival headliner status. Could the same thing happen for Tape B?
- ⚡ 2015: Skrillex played an early-evening set at Tripolee.
- ⚡ 2017: Excision followed the same path.
- ⚡ 2019: Subtronics took the slot and turned it into a movement.
Fast-forward to now, and **he’s everywhere.** His **Cyclops Recordings label** is pushing artists like Akeos and Leotrix, he’s selling out massive headlining shows, and his 2024 festival run is stacked.
🎥 Watch Subtronics' 2019 Electric Forest set
⚡ The Mainstream vs. Underground Debate
🚀 "Subtronics is Elevating Bass Music"
For the **Cyclops Army**, this isn’t even a debate. **Subtronics never stopped innovating.** His sets are still **explosive**, his **sound design remains experimental**, and his **meme-heavy online presence** keeps him connected to the community.
“He’s pushing the genre forward and making bass music bigger than ever.”
📉 "The Chaos is Gone"
Then, there’s the other side—the fans who remember his early days and feel that **the energy isn’t the same**. His sets, while still high-energy, have become **more structured, more expected**.
“Every festival set is starting to sound the same. Where’s the raw chaos we fell in love with?”
It’s a classic story in electronic music: when an artist **scales up**, the industry **demands consistency**—but does that take away from what made them exciting in the first place?
🔊 Where Does Bass Music Go From Here?
Subtronics **isn’t just a DJ anymore—he’s a brand**. He’s making bass music **accessible to new audiences** while trying to stay **true to the weirdness** that made him. But this isn’t just about him—it’s about the genre as a whole.
As artists move from **underground stages like Tripolee** to **mainstream headliner slots**, the question isn’t just about them—it’s about bass music itself. Does it grow **alongside them**, or does it **lose something along the way**?
🔥 What do you think? Is Subtronics keeping bass music raw, or has the chaos been curated out? Drop your take below.