A beginner's guide to dubstep
I'm not even going to pretend I know anything about dubstep, because I really don't. This blog's title is probably false advertising, because I don't know that much about it at all.
If you're a looking for a definitive guide about where dubstep is at right now, sorry bassheads, this isn't it. I can't provide it. If you want to know which level of bass or sub-bass will actually make you crap yourself, head somewhere else. You won't find it here.
In fact, my reason for writing this is to try to get a bit of an education on dubstep from readers who might know more than me about it. And if you don't even know what dubstep is, go read this and get ready for a musical adventure.
Dubstep is a genre of music that I've admired for a while now, in a, 'What the frak is this fantastic futuristic funk?' kind of way. It started when Auckland dubstep DJ Jason Howson opened for Dizzee Rascal at The Powerstation last year, then led me to track down albums by Burial, Optimus Gryme, Skream, King Midas Sound, Benga and anything else I could get my grubby little hands on.
Now I can't really get enough of it. To these weathered ears, the most exciting, original, entertaining and progressive music being made in the world right now is coming from the realm of dubstep. Have you heard Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Dubstep project? Go get it now - it'll blow your little mind.
Okay, so dubstep's not the most social music around. It can be very aggressive. I wouldn't put it on at a barbecue. And if you're listening to British dubstep pioneer Burial, it should be raining, your hood should be up, candles should be burning and a used voodoo doll should be sitting in the corner of the room. Just to set the scene.
But I think I might even be addicted. At one point at last Friday's Big Day Out, I found myself wandering around wishing there was a dubstep act on the bill. Lame, huh?
Still not impressed? Check out these tracks and tell me you're not inspired to find out a little more about dubstep: Sierra Leone - Mt Eden, Meltdown - King Midas Sound, Mezzanine - Optimus Gryme, Chasing Shadows - Ill and Head Butt Da Deck - Silkie.
Just make sure you've got a decent pair of headphones, or a massive sub, so your ears can differentiate between all the different kinds of bass. And hold on to your bowels.
And if you think you know more than me about dubstep, which you probably do, then please feel free to educate me in the comments section below.
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Dubstep? I don't get it, it just sounds like a bunch of whale noises to me. ;)
Dubstep is wicked! Phat10 blew my mind Skream vs. Benga o man awesome set. It's a genre of music that is changing and progressing very fast I can't get enough
Dubstep is sick! There are some great mixes out there, check out the radio 1 essential mix by Benga for a rude introduction to the genre... http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/essentialmix/tracklistingarchive.shtml?20080202 (tracklisting)
blah. you're a couple of years behind on this not so orignal sub genre. another "dance" fad that has a very short shelf life. just like all the "trance" pop that's come out recently. wheels keep turning.
It's not another "dance" fad. Yes it may be gone in a few years but like all electronic music It will be because it has transformed into something else. It's undertones will live on like Kraftwerk and yes it is very addictive I wish every festival had a D-step tent.
Am i the only one who finds dub step boring?! it just doesn't seem to go any where, fails to have an edge and all sounds very samey to me. I love dnb, hip hop, DUB and reggae , this just sounds like the stuttering red headed step child of them all!
No heart, no soul, done in a modern studio.
Worst music genre.
But I guess for music critics, they have to stay on the cutting edge of what 13 year old boys like.
Please dont waste my time again with links like that.
Huge dubstep fan, especially the likes of Benga, Skream, Joker, and N-Type. Though some of the really heavy stuff I struggle to get into. Find it goes well having a dubstep act following a dnb act towards the end of gigs, nothing like some soothing basslines as the sun comes up at PHAT!
poor brett dale needs to broaden his musical experience. the collective bloodline of hip hop, dub step and other electronic genres goes deeper than any soul you think might have inhabited some 70s bluegrass band recording in the woods (i'm guessing this is what you mean by music that isn't done in a modern studio?). besides, how can you describe a beat that gets tens of thousands of people moving in tandem as soul-less? ... at the risk of sounding corny, modern music lovers have learned to feel the music rather than thumb their nose at it.
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Dubstep is great! For those who are interested, there's a bunch of great mixes (mainly by NZ's best Dubstep artists like Optimus Gryme, Truth, Organikismness etc) for download at www.nzdubstep.com (click on mixes on the side bar). Also lots of great news about upcoming gigs and such.