Koan Sound’s music is dark, comprising twisted basslines and a clean, tech-house kind of production quality

In your bass

Koan Sound’s music is dark, comprising twisted basslines and a clean, tech-house kind of production quality. It is, therefore, a little amusing that the four-year-old dubstep duo from Bristol, England, decided to name their act after a Buddhist philosophy they learned in school. “A ‘Koan’ is essentially a question used in Buddhism — often as a means of meditation — that cannot be answered through logic or a rational answer, such as ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’” says Jim Bastow, 21, one half of the duo. “The solution to the riddle can only be solved through enlightenment or awakening.”
For Bastow and William Weeks, 20, the enlightenment lies in their highly accomplished and evolving sound, which has earned them accolades and the respect of their superstar peers. This includes the likes of Aphex Twin, Pendulum, Rusko as well as Skrillex, who was so impressed by their chops that he signed them on to his label OWSLA last year.
Bastow says growing up in Bristol, famous for its underground music scene, had a big influence on them. The two of them grew up listening to rock and metal bands such as Led Zeppelin, System Of A Down and Incubus. However, Bristol’s diverse musical environment, best known for producing trip-hop and electronic pioneers such as Portishead and Massive Attack, eventually pushed them towards electronic music and early dubstep artists such as Skream. “We probably would have never found out about these genres if it wasn’t for the city we grew up in,” he says.

WHAT: Koan Sound, a dubstep duo from Bristol, UK
WHEN: 10 pm onwards, Saturday (December 8)
WHERE: Blue Frog, Mathuradas Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel CALL: 6158-6158
ENTRY: R600