Since their debut in 2022, London-based Polish experimental duo Bassvictim has been hailed as an icon of the 2010s indie sleaze revival, eliciting comparisons to both their electronic duo predecessors, such as Crystal Castles and Salem, and contemporary peers like Snow Strippers and The Hellp. Although Bassvictim’s initial projects and even performance style can be characterized by the hedonistic and maximalist ethos of this revived subculture, their recent work marks a shift in tone.
Their freshman and sophomore albums, Basspunk and Basspunk 2, were saturated with sounds evocative of hazy nights out, dancing under neon lights and sweating in clouds of sweet, opaque smoke — think hard-hitting 808s, screaming synths and heavy, rhythmic beats. But their subsequent projects have undeniably taken a softer turn. Forever, which was released in October 2025, swapped out the industrial synths for bright, delicate piano riffs and ethereal melodies, crafting a soundscape reminiscent of ripples in a pond.
Bassvictim’s latest album, sitting at just 26 minutes and simply titled ?, builds on this progression. True to the duo’s name, the album retains a measure of their signature heavy basslines but softens them with tender vocals, contemplative lyrics and more organic instrumentation. The opening track, aptly titled “Dirge,” is a melancholic hymn with wooden flute-like components, evoking an overcast sky, muddy fields and ruins of buildings whose memories will fade along with their physical structures. The second track, “Sometimes I believe in God (Sometimes I believe in Me),” opens with hypnotic choral hums, and as the percussion kicks in, vocalist Maria Manow repeats the song’s title in Polish, singing in a chant that sounds almost childlike.
“Don’t Stop Me Now” features acoustic guitar and percussion, noises of chirping birds and a bagpipe harmony that gives the song a ceremonial yet bittersweet feel. The chorus follows: “Don’t stop me now / And just finish what you’ve done / All the lessons gonna be / At the end of you and me.” Much of Bassvictim’s songwriting is in this same vein — half reflective, half nonsensical ramblings about love, life, growing up and moving on, or what Archie Forde of Pitchfork describes as “IG-story streams of consciousness.” It’s right on theme for the duo’s stylistic evolution, with songs that blend the chaotic sensibilities of their electronic dance roots with their more meditative emotional depth.
On the seven-minute “Babcia Jadzia,” Manow contemplates the tumultuous relationship she had with her grandmother: “And I look at myself and remember / I see it’s you / And I wonder how you would feel about me now.” Her voice is simultaneously Björk and Daniel Johnston, distinct and undeniably feminine, but also raw and fragile, tuning in to the vulnerability displayed in Bassvictim’s recent projects. The sixth and final tracks, titled “Going Home” and “Home!!! (wake up),” also operate on a more personal level, with the latter evoking the universal childhood experience of emerging out of a deep slumber after a long car ride home.
Ultimately, what makes Bassvictim so alluring is not just the blistering dance beats or whimsical instrumentals, but their unique twist on a mix of both. Offstage, they are playful and slightly absurdist, showcasing an almost instinctive candor that is indisputable in their music. Whether this stylistic shift is a brief detour or simply a step closer to home, no one can be sure, but either way, we believe in them.
Daily Arts Writer Lane Liu can be reached at [email protected].
Related articles
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.michigandaily.com ’
