Plant Bass'd Takeover 019: Glimmerman

Returning to our playlist takeover series, we bring you Irish bass wiz Glimmerman who shares his 10 favourite club tracks of the moment and chats to us about his latest EP, the timely surge in bass music, and the recently re-opened Irish night scene.

Listen to his playlist selections here: open.spotify.com/playlist/5skAgzUfGmZLwrOPNLnGVf

Coming off the back of his 2021 stalwart release 'Step Mode' on First Second Label, Glimmerman (Ethan Hughes) finds himself finely fitted into the thriving bass music output coming out of Ireland in recent years alongside heads Sputnik One, EMA, and Cachai to name but a few. We highlighted 'Step Mode' as one of our favourite releases of 2021 in our end of year lists in December and when dissecting the shell of the EPs sound, Glimmerman delivers a rhythmic tribal journey worthy of play on any soundsystem. Not one to test out his own tracks on crowds usually, the First Second release put that hoodoo to bed for Ethan.

“That definitely changed with this release. Maybe it's a confidence thing but I definitely feel legitimately proud of these tracks and I do be getting excited to load them up in the club. It's also been great to catch other DJ's spin these out. Hearing Darwin send Sputnik One's remix of Step Mode while I was on the dancefloor was definitely a highlight of 2021!”.

Stream & Purchase Step Mode here firstsecondlabel.bandcamp.com/album/step-mode

With the revival of bass and dubs sounds along with the 90s UK sounds of jungle, garage, and breakbeat, and the emergence of drill, grime, and trap acting at their peak right about now, Glimmerman's style offers a fluid blend of many of these influential sounds.

“I've always been drawn to the creative side of electronic music and truly feel that bass music offers the most amount of musical leeway resulting in some serious innovation and variety. The fact that tracks can range anywhere in BPM is extremely liberating as a DJ/producer. It really is the most sandbox musical buzz around and I can't wait to see where people take it”.

As we have slowly but surely transitioned and continue to transition from pandemic times, something that has always caught our attention with this phase is the impact on creativity. On discovering Glimmerman's sound initially on Woozy and with his own releases, there was a real aggression and thunder to Ethan's take on breaks and bass music. Noting that there may be some 'subconscious correlation' between writing styles at different times, Hughes gives off the impression that he is swiftly inspired by others and that creativity can hit at any given moment.

“'Chainlink' on the Woozy compilation was penned directly after a Djrum gig back in March 2020. I'm pretty sure it was the last event on before everything went backdrift. I'd usually write directly after attending a gig so seeing as the pandemic shelved that all of that, I had to find other ways to be inspired. Radio definitely was a big thing for myself over the lockdown and really got me through some tough weeks. So I guess thinking on it now the EP is fairly radio type energy, if that even is a thing?!”.

Ethan flexing his 'Step Mode' release outside Dublin's prestigious All City Records

Ethan hails artists like re:ni, Bob Sleigh, & Laksa as key sources of inspiration during the writing of the Step Mode release, and after a slow draw these sounds are ready to find their home in the clubs of Ireland and beyond. We hope in turn to see more & more output from the Dub as a result. Now that the light at the end of the tunnel is there with regards to clubbing in Ireland, there is a feel from Hughes that we have reached our 'out of the woods moment'.

“The first reopening in October did have a sense of finality to it from the get-go. This time around I'm beginning to feel a serious sense of 'normality'. Overall I'm feeling hopeful and really looking forward to the good times ahead, may they last!”.

Long may they last indeed!

A big thank you to Ethan for taking the time out to chat to us and share some of his favourite sounds of the moment for our 19th edition of the Plant Bass'd Takeover!

1. Tristan Arp - Alternate Looking Glass
2. Atrice - Robinscreams
3. E-Talking - Hi-Res
4. Henzo - Iron Lighter (Mosca's Ferromagnetic Version)
5. Big Ever - Apti
6. Ploy - Dark Lavis
7. Simo Cell - Short Leg
8. Otik - Garuna
9. Farsight - Flash Flood
10. POL100 - Athalea

Spotify link: Plant Bass'd Picks