bio
On a quest for cosmic grooves of unity, Àbáse is the imagination of Hungarian, Berlin-based producer and keyboardist Szabolcs Bognár. Known for his role as a cultural conduit and connector, his music pulls from an eclectic blend of global reference points, including modal jazz, Hungarian folk, West African, Brazilian, hip-hop and underground electronic music.
Szabolcs’ work has drawn widespread critical acclaim from the likes of MOJO, Songlines, Soulection, Okayplayer and The Guardian, and been supported by key tastemakers and DJs including Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova and BAMBII on the way to accruing 5000+ radio plays, selling 2000+ records and amassing 20 million streams. As a keyboard player, Szabolcs has also collaborated with the likes of Wayne Snow, Dele Sosimi, Patti Smith, Emmanuel Wilkins, Gulty Simpson and Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange.
His forthcoming 3 full length album combines creative processes from both his 2021 debut ‘Laroyê’ and 2024 follow up ‘Awakening’, marrying the sample-based and heavily produced style of the former with the latter’s full band, live analog recording processes. Musically, it hones in on his appreciation of his Hungarian and Eastern European roots, investigating how the backbone of underground club culture and avant-garde, folk, contemporary classical and Ethno-jazz can be melded with his global influences.
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press
“Maybe the richest album to date from Abase -- a set that has the collective working in modes that are more live and spontaneous than their previous effort, with a great array of instruments that help blend together influences from both Afro Funk and jazz!” - Dusty Groove