Subtronics

About Subtronics

Jesse Kardon started making bass music in his bedroom in Philadelphia, calling himself Subtronics because he thought it sounded cool and vaguely technical. He was that kid spending hours on forums, reverse-engineering Skrillex tracks, figuring out how to make sounds that could rattle car windows. By the mid-2010s, he'd gotten pretty good at it.

His early tracks like "Depth Perception" and "Scream Saver" made rounds in the dubstep underground, catching attention for being heavier and weirder than most of what was coming out at the time. He wasn't trying to be melodic or accessible. He was making music for people who wanted their faces melted at 2am in a warehouse. The production was dense, full of these grimy, modulated basslines that felt like they were eating themselves.

The breakthrough came around 2018 and 2019. "Griztronics," his collaboration with GRiZ, crossed over in a way his solo stuff hadn't. It was still heavy but had this bounce to it that worked in bigger rooms. Suddenly he wasn't just playing dubstep nights—he was on festival lineups. Tracks like "Throw Back" and "Witch Doctor" became staples. He had this thing where he'd take vocal samples and chop them up until they were barely recognizable, just texture and rhythm.

His first proper EP, "Thermal Expansion," dropped in 2018, followed by "String Theory" in 2019. Both showed he could build momentum across multiple tracks rather than just make standalone bangers. But it was really the live show that set him apart. He'd bring out this massive stage production called The Cyclops—a giant eye that synced with the music, shooting lasers and LED patterns. It was absurd in the best way, like he was trying to recreate a video game boss fight.

2020 brought "Fractals," probably his most cohesive release to date. Songs like "Discotek" and "Space Race" felt more intentional, less random chaos. He started his own label, Cyclops Recordings, putting out music from artists in his circle. The pandemic didn't slow him down much—he did drive-in shows, livestreams, kept releasing tracks at a pretty relentless pace.

These days he's one of the bigger names in American bass music, selling out venues that hold thousands of people who know every drop. He's collaborating with people outside dubstep—worked with Zeds Dead, Subtronics, Boogie T, basically anyone in that adjacent space. His 2023 album "FRACTALS Vol. 2" continued where he left off, refining the sound without softening it.

He's still based in Philly, still extremely online, still making music that prioritizes impact over subtlety. Not everyone's thing, but if you're into bass music that hits hard and doesn't apologize for it, he's doing it about as well as anyone right now.

His sets hit hard and calculated. Crowds get physically bent forward by the bass weight. The room feels compressed during drops. He reads the energy tight, controlling when pressure releases and when it builds again. People come for the heaviness and stay for how locked-in the sound design is.

Known for Take It Back, Abyss, Neon Grave, Burn, Rift

See Subtronics Live