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10. David Greenaway

– The Emerald Dawn

In such an ambient and ethereal album, David’s somber and active bass practically tells stories all by itself. In many ways, it is the touchstone and the darker side of the music, and that mixes so well with the hazy richness that surrounds it. I really like how much character he brings to the record.

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9. Jean-François Boudreault – Hillward

Jean-François is one half of the red hot rhythm section in Hillward. Between technical and pulsating bass lines and sweeping, grand grooves, he really brings it and makes the Hillward album a rocking affair.

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8. Grzegorz Cisek – Yenisei

I really like how Grzegorz’s bass lines almost seem to speak to the listener. The new Yenisei album was pretty strong, and part of this was because Grzegorz kept the bass interesting and textured. It really stands out.

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7. Arwin Iranpour – Atravan

Atravan’s new album is criminally under-heard. The band has one of the best rhythm sections around, and Arwin’s tasty and surging bass grooves are one half of that. His playing is almost addictive in nature.

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6. Artem Gylyakevich – Mission Jupiter

Mission Jupiter are young and full of potential. Their music has real energy to it, and Artem is a big reason for that. His blaring and vibrant bass lines serve to launch the rest of the band even higher.

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5. Anton Mityugin – Existentia

Existentia has shown up a few times in these lists so far, and for good reason. The players in their line up are crazy talented. Anton is no different with his stylish and groovy playing that gives the entire album a liquid flow.

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4. Brian Hart – A Dying Planet

A Dying Planet has also shown up multiple times, and for the same reason. Brian’s bass is especially good, as he splashes and rumbles his way through some brilliant bass lines.

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3. Michal Dobrzanski – Sunnata

When I think of Sunnata’s latest, I think of bass. Michal’s bass lines are formidable and gargantuan, like a looming post-apocalyptic crawler. His bass lines deepen the darkness throughout the album, and they will test your speakers, as well.

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2. Christine Lanusse – Grorr

Much like Sunnata, Grorr’s latest is full of powerful and unrelenting bass. With Grorr, though, it isn’t a slow crawl, but rather an energetic and technical display. Christine really showed us her chops on that record.

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1. Randy M. Salo

– Titan Agronomist Project

Randy is one of my favorite bassists. His new Titan Agronomist Project is cinematic and rocking at the same time, and he shifts gears in his bass lines to accommodate for this. His grooves feel like they have actual color, for some reason, bouncing and moving with breath-taking precision. His bass performance is definitely my favorite of 2021.

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