Bassbin queen Hannah Holland

Bassbin queen Hannah Holland

23 December, 2009 | 8.20AM

• Written by: Kirsty Kane
• Filed under: Music News: batty bass, hannah holland, new talent

Hannah Holland swaggered out of London’s East End electroclash scene with a truck load of sub woofers in tow, to launch a mini clubland empire that was obsessed by one thing: bass.

She loves the low frequencies, gut-wrenching gruff of dance music so much, that she named her club night Bastard Batty Bass and her record label Batty Bass, and in the process managed to forge her own unique sound that fits somewhere in between UK garage, drum & bass, dubstep, ghetto-tech, and electro.

Her label has become a champion for warped bass music, with a podcast, clothing line, and blog to boot.

We recently named Hannah Holland a future star of British dance music, so we decided to sit down with the now Berlin-based DJ to talk about her label, her clubnight, and the everlasting search for the perfect bassline.

What was it like growing up in a bassbin?

Growing up in South London in the 80s was like growing up in a bassbin. On TV all you heard was electronic pop music, Black Box, Culture Club, Depeche Mode and SL2. Dance music was constantly in the charts, and aged 10 I danced to ‘On A Ragga Tip’ at school.

As a teenager in the 90s we listened to pirate radio, DJ Hype, Grooverider, all the jungle classics, went to raves and places like Goldie’s Metalheadz. Around the time I bought decks in 2000, the whole electro wave hit London and I started spinning at house parties, and playing tunes by Green Velvet, Felix Da Housecat, Miss Kitten, and Vitalic, who are all big on bass.

Where did the name Batty Bass come from?

Our parties started life as Bastard Batty Bass which Mama, Batty Bass’ vocalist and co-originator and Batty Bass artist Alex Noble, came up with. It does what it says on the tin really. Bastard, meaning a raucous night, Batty, as in shake your batty (a homage to the East End queens, and Bass for the love of, and undercurrent of the night.

What is it about bass that particularly inspires you?

Bass is the sex appeal of a record. It is warmth and filth all at the same time. I think your body understands that.

Doesn’t all dance music have bass though?

Yes, and that’s the beauty of the night and the label, we are not prejudice against genres. The DJ sets at our night are carefully constructed from the early bleeps of house, techno, dubstep and jungle to any bastard genre in between that we feel has ‘that’ sound unique to Batty Bass.

So what defines good bass to you?

I like it to sound sleazy, dirty, deep and bouncy. From Steve Bug to Jamie Jones to Todd Edwards to Oliver Huntemann to Caspa to Zinc.

Which club in the world would you say offers the best bass experience?

Fabric Room One is amazing. You feel it in your bones, between your legs, and at the tips of your fingers.

Which three DJs in the world play the best bass sets?

Justin Martin loves a good bassline, his music is deeply rooted in bass. Zinc, as one of the greatest jungle producers and DJs (he still supports groundbreaking new sounds), and Benga for the ultimate London rooted dubstep experience.

What’s your plan for the label?

We have just released the debut single of POSH! The Prince, an incredible new talant who came to Berlin from Florida, grew up on Miami bass and makes psychedelic funk jacked up on genre bender afro booty. The techno wizard Mike Monday has done a great remix.

Plus the stylistically and sonically amazing Jahcoozi. Next year there will be more releases from eccentric and stand out artists such as Mama and Pilocka from Bar 25.

The label is an extension of what we’ve started from the party, releasing music with personality, artists breaking the mould, tunes with bass as a focus. Above all it has to be fun, and we plan to take it on the road and give new cities a taste of Batty Bass. 

Why did you move away from Shoreditch to Berlin? Isn’t there a danger that your typified British urban sounds will be infected by Berlin’s techno/minimal culture?

I am actually becoming German now, and have forgotten all the remnants of my past, I’ve turned minimal [laughs]! Berlin has some of the best clubs in the world, amazing soundsystems, a great attitude and it is a beautiful city full of creative people. When you’ve grown up in London your whole life, it’s nice to have a change.

I’m still working in London with Batty Bass, Trailer Trash, Fabric and Bugged Out, and I still adore it. I’ve been listening and playing German techno, mixed in with lots of other sounds, since I began DJing so it doesn’t come as such a new shock to me. I’m a music lover, and I like variety.

What’s the key to a successful club night?

I don’t really have the answer for that. All I know is we give 100% and are incredibly passionate about the music and the party.

Complete this sentence in anyway you see fit: ‘Dance music without bass, is like Christmas without Santa!.’

Essential Batty Bass

Hannah Holland guides us through the tracks that define her label and her club night.

Batty Bass: the label

POSH! The Prince ‘Re-bokk Robot’

He’s a character I met on the dancefloor of Panorama Bar, an afro space gender bender with a psychedelic twist. This tune has an old skool electro vibe with some nasty bass and a catchy drool.

Dr Woogie ‘Dutty Charge ft. MC Chickaboo and Mama’

Batty Bass’ two vocalists encapsulate the spirit of Batty Bass on this dubstep inspired track.

Hannah Holland ‘Shake It Up ft. Mama’

Myself and Mama’s dirty dancehall meets house tune is about getting off your ass and grafting.

Jahcoozi ‘Namedropper’

A band who break every genre rule, I love their dub and they have ferocious front women.

Jahcoozi ‘Namedropper’ (Solo Remix)

Solo is an artist who is making some serious waves right now, and his London meets Brazil at 5am remix of this tune fits right into our ethos.

Batty Bass: the night

Oliver Huntemann ‘Rubin feat. Stephan Bodzin’

Harddrive ‘Deep Inside’

Omni Trio ‘Renegade Snares’

Caspa ‘Floor Dem’

Frankie Knuckles ‘Baby Wants To Ride’

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