By: Jessica Reed

Of all the crews and collectives that have burst onto the scene over the past couple of years, SpicyBois—the record label based out of Colorado and Chicago—has had one of the biggest impacts. Co-founded and cultivated by artist Kevin Lee (better known as MeSo), the collective serves as a home for free form bass music producers to display their craft and to become part of a family of music lovers from all over the world.

Recently, Lee gifted fans with a new album compiled with some of the most forward thinking styles of bass and trap music, lending a multitude of sounds ranging from melodic and soft to just downright filthy. When I first began to listen to the album, I thought I knew what to expect from the release. I had listened to MeSo’s prior creative endeavors and was eager to see what he had come up with next. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I quickly realized it was much more than I had anticipated.

Over the course of ten tracks on Fantasy, MeSo compiles various sub-genres of dubstep and other electronic dance music styles. The collection begins with a cover of “Aeris' Theme” from Final Fantasy VII, which coincided perfectly, if not coincidentally, with the release of the remake, and creates a soft and compelling juxtaposition in relation to the other tracks on the album. The album kicks off in earnest with “Event Horizon,” a tune that I personally feel embodies the SpicyBois approach to music that sets the collective apart from others. The track only entices the listener into what comes next, which is without question an extremely hard-hitting array of singles and collaborations from the artist.

Of these collaborations is my personal favorite track on the list “Awakening” which is a gracefully composed piece of music created by MeSo and SpicyBois member MOLOKAI. The artists have collabed on tracks in the past as well, and this recent release continues to showcase the beauty that can come from two artistic minds meshing their personal styles together to become one. The track begins with a dreamy, underwater prelude, leading into a smooth bass line as the two sounds continue to dance together seamlessly. Close your eyes and take a listen, I promise you will not be disappointed.

MeSo flexes his bass house muscles on “Slick Flair” with SAGZ. Fans will be eager to tell you that Lee loves playing house sets whenever possible, and some recent live streams have proven he's got the chops, rivaling his skills in experimental bass.

In its entirety, Fantasy is exactly that—a fantasy of music that has come to life by the hands of the artist. From start to finish, the collection serves as an incredible unveiling of what MeSo is capable of as a producer and only generates more excitement for his listeners as they await for the future of his music. This captivating release brought to me a new appreciation for MeSo’s skill set in music production and I’m positive it will do the same for you.

You can listen to Fantasy and other music by MeSo on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Bandcamp. Can’t get enough? Catch MeSo and other SpicyBois members ION and Big City performing at The Untz Festival, taking place at the beautiful Sycamore Ranch in Browns Valley, California on October 9th-11th.