Blog
Skrillex Killed Dubstep
By Ethan Baer and Jason Winter
2011 has been one of the biggest years ever for Dubstep, quite possibly the most significant since its decade-old inception in the UK. The Pop music industry as a whole has witnessed a massive transformation taking place over the last year, as major artists from all around the world have begun incorporating the instantly recognizable sounds of dubstep into their music. Britney Spears and Rihanna, two of the biggest female stars in American pop-music have already “jumped on the dubstep bandwagon” so to speak, harnessing the unrelenting, high-energy sound typical of the dubstep genre to infuse their music with a whole new dimension of appeal. Even more telling, industry juggernaut’s such as Jay-Z and Kanye West licensed the classic Flux Pavilion track “I Can’t Stop” in their official single “Who Gon’ Stop Me”. To top it all off, dubstep-icon Skrillex has not only released recent collaborations with several music-industry giants such as Korn and The Doors, he also just received a whopping FIVE Grammy Nominations, including the first “Best New Artist” nomination EVER to be awarded to a DJ/Producer.
Artist You Should Know: Stylust Beats
By Tate La Rock
At risk of sounding cliche, Stylust Beats has been in the production game for an extremely long while. Like many DJ’s of the time, Stylust first sharpened his DJ skills like a Wu-Tang sword in the nineties, starting with a devout love of hip hop that quickly developed and evolved into his own unique party rocking style. Inspired by an incredibly broad list of influences ranging from the gigantic guitars of Guns N’ Roses to the smoked out G-Funk Chronic of Dr. Dre, 2011 finds Stylust Beats attacking the bass-music movement with an utterly relentless passion.
CommentsArtist You Should Know: Elo!i and Heights
Elo!i and Heights - GANGSTAAA EP by Dubstep.net
This week, we’ve got a Canadian dubstep duo to present to the masses. Elo!i & Heights are a Montreal-based dubstep group who have been lighting up the local scene and playing alongside many of the biggest names that come through. What big names? Oh… maybe Mt. Eden, Chasing Shadows, Feed Me, Dirtyphonics, J.Rabbit and Dillon Francis? Yeah… those just a few of the big names with whom they’ve shared the stage. With their Bukkake EP released in April on Monkey Dub Recordings, and a new EP (GANSTAAA!) due this week through Dubstep.NET, Elo!i & Heights are not only tearing it up on stage – they’re igniting dancefloors everywhere with their infectious dubstep and wild moombahton tracks.
Coming from Waterloo, Ontario, I unfortunately don’t get many chances to experience the rowdy Montreal bass scene. However, back in August, I spent a few days in the city and managed to see Elo!i & Heights take over the stage at the SAT (Société des Arts Technologiques) for a three-hour set, combining dirty Dubstep, raging DnB, and grinding Moombahton into a sweaty, non-stop electronic bass-fest. These two work in perfect harmony together, Elo!i will work the controls and mix as Heights queues a few tracks and hypes up the crowd, and then they’ll seamlessly switch duties for several songs. And let me tell you – a crowd hyped up on Elo!i & Heights is probably one of the rowdiest sites you’ll ever experience. The audience cheers, waves their arms, dances crazily, and revels in the sticky heat for as long as the music plays. This is, of course, backed by insane stage performances from the duo themselves, it’s exhilarating watching them get excited for the drops in their own set; the kick drum starts firing, the beats ramp up, the bass drops, and Elo!i & Heights are airborne as they jump in perfect rhythm with the music. Their utterly unique mixing style also shines through in their live show; vocals from one track will be effortlessly mixed with instrumentals from another, songs are cleverly edited to transition between different genres, and the pre-drop from one track will build up only to reveal the drop from another impressive crowd-pleaser. All of this and more displays the exemplary live performances by this up-and-coming Canadian Duo.
On top of consistently stellar live sets, Elo!i & Heights also boast an impressive array of original studio tracks and remixes. Head to any of their shows and you’ll hear the crowd going wild for “HOE” (featuring Wicked Fat Noize), their remix of Jay-Z’s “99 Problems,” “Gangstaaa,” (both featured on their brand-new EP) or fan-favorite “Ground Control.” Fortunately for the listeners, you don’t have to be at one of their show to hear these E&H bangers – you can listen to the tracks on SoundCloud if you need some bass pounding instant-gratification through your headphones; a few are even available for free download. Each track is exciting and new; tempos and genres vary between tracks, the sounds stay fresh, and each one is extremely well-produced. They go hard at Elo!i & Heights shows, and these superb tracks will go hard in your own sets too.
This Montreal duo is already making big things happen in the local scene, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if they took a gigantic leap upwards in the ranks over the next little while. Make sure to check out their brand new EP “Gangstaaa” out for exclusive release on Dubstep.NET!
Follow Elo!i and Heights:
http://eloiiandheights.com/
http://soundcloud.com/eloii-and-heights
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Eloii.n.Heights
Album Review: Arkasia “Evolution” LP
Album Review: Arkasia “Evolution” LP
By Mitchell Buchanan
When you get a promo package and everything contained within it is typed in caps lock, you know that someone is absolutely ecstatic that the package was sent out. Today, we were given Arkasia’s new album “Evolution” to preview – and truth be told, the album is entirely worth all the caps-locked hype that came with the nine track LP. Released yesterday on Heavy Artillery Recordings, “Evolution” shows two oppositional sides of dubstep: the soundscape-esque creations of long, drawn-out synths and melodies, and of course the big-bass auditory assaults filled with massive drops, glitches, and powerful screaming synths. Known as an “orchestral dubstep” producer, Arkasia has combined his extensive musical education (he played in an orchestra when he was 10 and helped create mini-operas by the age of twelve) with his passion for electronic music to create a fantastically unique hybrid that is something truly out of this world.
CommentsArtist Spotlight: Nit Grit (Launch of NitGrit.com)
Artist Spotlight: Nit Grit
By Ethan Baer
I first heard the dark and brooding melodies of San Jose dubstep producer NiT GriT (Danny Beall) almost two years ago while idly browsing through the usual music blogs, scouring the web for any updates on the then-exploding bass music scene, when I stumbled headlong into one of NiT GriT’s earliest tracks, “Park Manglement”. Absolutely stricken by the vast difference between NiT GriT and anything I had ever heard before, and I was instantly captivated with his incredibly unique and deeply impassioned sound-design. My immediate reaction was to go on a several-day searching spree to find and download as many NiT GriT songs as possible.
CommentsArtist You Should Know: Brown and Gammon
By: Ethan Baer
Jurassic - Baxta (Brown and Gammon Remix) by Dubstep.net
Be There - Brown and Gammon by Dubstep.net
Brown and Gammon - Blow My Mind (Forthcoming Circus) by Brown and Gammon
Largely known for songs released in only the last eight months, UK Dubstep artist Brown and Gammon still remains a figure of great mystery. After years of slinging beats in the shadows of the UK, Braintree-born producer Will Moore is rapidly rising through the ranks and garnering the respect of many of British dubstep and bass-musics greatest legends. Recently signed to the iconic Circus Records, Brown and Gammon’s productions have begun to spread like wildfire across the globe. Already receiving frequent play-time in the sets of internationally-touring label-mates, Brown and Gammon’s forthcoming Circus release “Blow My Mind” has been “absolutely smashing the North American tour” states Flux Pavilion. It’s only a matter of time until Brown and Gammon himself sets crowds ablaze with his mind-blowing talent and ingenuity.
Industry Movers: Reid Speed
By: Mitch Buchanan
You know all those artists who have a big sign that says “PLAY ME” on the front of their album? I’ve got two things to say about that. First of all, you should probably listen to those albums. Second, not only are those two words very simple and worthwhile instructions, they also represent a big name in the bass scene.
Our first episode in a series of “Industry Mover” articles covers Reid Speed, a Producer/DJ from Los Angeles who has not only made an indelible mark with her own music, she also created Play Me Records and Play Me Too, massive contributors to the booming Bass Music scene. Needless to say, Reid Speed has an insatiable hunger for bass – between touring, producing, and releasing music, Reid Speed has become one of the most prominent Industry Movers in American Electronic Music. Dubstep.NET recently got a chance to spend some time talking with her, and we learned more about the labels and her life as a DJ and producer. Jealous yet?
Artist You Should Know: Hooky
Latest tracks by ItsHooky
By: Gabe Gilker
Who is Hooky? That’s an extremely good question, and I would love to know too, but all the information I could find about this producer from South East London is that he is an extremely dangerous man, and a wanted criminal.
Artist You Should Know: WhiteNoise
by: Mitch Buchanan
White noise. You know – that annoying static that’s accompanied by little specks of “snow” on the TV screen. Or that sound on your favourite radio station whenever you’re too far away from home. Or, in our case, that ground-breaking producer who came barrelling out of Berlin with a ton of insane tracks ready to destroy dance floors worldwide.
Artist You Should Know: Cottonmouth
Who is Rorschach? That’s a fantastic question. The inkblot Rorschach tests of the 60s and 70s were open to interpretation, but Rorschach Beats is a psychological thrill through bass music. The melding and bending of frequencies of Who is Rorschach has you wondering what’s around that corner. What’s in store for the future? Is it paranoia? Is it pandemonium? You kind of just need to hear it for yourself.
The man behind Rorschach Beats is none other than Cottonmouth. Now, Cottonmouth is no stranger to rocking bass music. Having originally produced drum ‘n bass at the tender age of fourteen, he took a hiatus from production only to come back swinging blood soaked swords wildly at anyone who’s ears would listen. Releasing a slew of songs and remixes, Cottonmouth has made a strong footprint in both the dubstep and bass scenes. Cottonmouth’s discogaphy page is littered with psychedelic thrillers that will make the hairs on your neck stand up. Rarely since John Carpenter or Bernard Herman have musicians captured that essence in recordings. Cottonmouth seems to do it with ease.
