Sonar Sessions 2007

Kalbata

Soul Jazz, Tel Aviv

Kalbata knows a thing or two about bass - whether it's round and bouncy like some West Coast booty or it's drifting on a cloud from the Aba Shanti Carnival sound system, understanding the belly-shaking beast is a life-long mission that Kalbata has accepted with relish. Born to an Argentinean family in Israel, Kalbata, aka Ariel Tagar, admits that Julio Iglesias was his very first musical encounter. Yet his musical journey led him somewhere else than being an old ladies' charmer. Asked how to describe his music, Kalbata uses the term 'bass music'. Meaning that his influences range from the obvious Miami bass to reggae, electro and the cloudy acid house, basically boil down to the love for the deep end. A move to swingin' London did the rest and introduced the former participant of Seattle's RBMA to the abyssal UK reggae sound system culture and the absorbing squat party rave scene. King Kalbata's remixes for the likes of Spank Rock, Fat Freddy's Drop, Sunship and Warrior Queen are hotter and lardier than a chip pan. This time he pulls a tasty mix of everything basse couture on behalf of London's Soul Jazz imprint.