Bass Kleph is the king of the Maschine. The versatile Australian artist has been on my radar for years, with his monthly Klephtomania podcast keeping me sane through many long road trips. Through running his own record label Vacation Records, touring, and creating Maschine kits, it’s hard to imagine he has had time to release 5 records in the last 4 months.
His most recent release, “Scream”, is high-energy electro house with a Melbourne bounce vibe. It jumps straight into the action, with heavy beats and rousing synths sure to ignite the dancefloor. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel the hype of the screaming crowd raging to the track at a sweaty show.
The track is available now on iTunes via Hysteria Records. Listen below, and check out the short interview we got with Bass Kleph about his fans, his plans for the year, and his passion for the Maschine. 
What was the inspiration or story behind “Scream”?
I’m getting bored of all the cliche dance breakdowns atm. I wanted to get back to my rock n roll roots.
As a former drummer and member of a rock band, what made you make the switch into electronic music?
I fell in love with the massive drums in dance music! I love rock, but for me the drums are often too quiet and small. When I first heard The Prodigy and The chemical brothers I was hooked!
I remember seeing videos of your Maschine performances and DJ TechTools interviews from back in 2012, and I am still amazed by them. How did you get started using the Maschine, and do you have any tips for anyone interested in picking it up?
Thanks! I started out simple, and was just doing it for fun. No plans of doing it live. The more you do it, the easier it gets. It still surprises me when I try to learn something new, and it seems impossible. Yet I know now from experience, that if I just push myself to keep practicing, that eventually I can play it. Well, most of the time anyway, haha!
Your dedication to your fans is unquestionable, and truly heartwarming to see. Is it difficult to keep up with your fans through your busy schedule?
Yes, my days are so busy! Aside from shows, rehearsal, I’m always busy in the studio. I write my own tracks like Scream etc. but I also write/engineer for some other artists too. Then there’s my record label, radio show, and Maschine Kit website too. Whenever I get a free moment, I do love to chat with fans via Facebook etc. Especially ever since I began my quest of performing with Maschine. They are so supportive and encouraging. It keeps me motivated to push the boundaries of what a DJ performance could be.
2015 has started off wonderfully for you. Any big tunes in the works, or any tour plans or festivals we can expect to catch you at coming up?
Yep! I’ve already released 5 records in 4 months! I am super excited about ‘Scream’! It’s getting played by Hardwell, David Guetta, Bingo Players and more already! Next up, I go on tour around Australia for a few weeks, then India, Europe and USA. I also have a colab with David Tort that is out on Flamingo in June!
As a former resident of Australia, what are your thoughts on spiders?
Hahaha, I don’t miss them! In 3 years of living in LA, I think I have seen one spider and it was tiny. In Australia, you’d usually see 1 every day – and they can be huge!
