“Dubstep has been abstracted from its context” was damn pretty accurate, but “a spectacle of sound has been produced in order to attract people who are not at the EDM events but are listening to the radio or their computer speakers” is somewhat off.
Dubstep was never really an EDM genre. Yes, it’s electronic, and yes, it’s dance music, but it’s different. It was never “rave” music. Raves connote glowsticks, lightshows, scantily clad girls, etc. It was music that was listened to in dark, basements with no light but the light of the mixer and decks, with 30 people in them (but a massive sound system nonetheless). It was dead as soon as it became “EDM music”.
DMZ (who I assume you know well, if you consider yourself even remotely knowledgeable on dubstep as they’re the single most influential establishment in the genre’s history) has had the “catchprase” “Meditate on bassweight” for many years. That’s really what it’s about.
It’s more like this:
“a spectacle of sound has been produced in order to attract people to the EDM events and those who are listening to the radio or their computer speakers.”
There’s much more of a cultural divide besides just that. Dubstep was built on soundsystem culture, dubplate culture, and also pirate radio culture.
Dubplates (“dubplate specials”, dubplate or dub for short) are unreleased tracks that a producer will produce (dubplates are specifically acetate records, but in modern times, CDs and mp3s are also considered dubplates) and distribute very sparingly to DJs or keep to themselves altogether. Typically, dubplates aren’t given to more than 5 or 6 DJs. They’re meant to be exclusive.
The reason behind this is because dubstep was made for a very certain type of atmosphere (the aforementioned, dark, basement vibe + a huge soundsystem). Well, the producers/DJs dont want people listening to these tracks in any other sort of atmosphere, so they only play at the venues with proper soundsystems.
The people will come to hear certain tracks, certain dubplates, and it is ensured that they will hear the tracks in an atmosphere worthy of the music.
Dubplate culture and soundsystem culture go hand in hand.
I won’t go into pirate radio, but it’s also a really important aspect. I can explain if you really want me to.
Anyways, with dubstep you’ve got acetate dubplates, big soundsystems, and musty basements, and with brostep, you’ve got raves, stadium shows, pop song remixes, radio and ad play, etc. And then there’s all the obvious musical difference (check out “Loefah – Horror Show” vs. Skrillex for a real example of the difference).
That's interesting, though I think most people won't really care about it.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the origins of what we play and listen have nothing to do with the currently scene they're involved. I've once heard that Hard Dance originated and emerged from the gay public in Europe, still in the 90s. When I began listening to Hard Trance, in South America, I could never establish any connection with that, and this lack of connection is similar for the Dubstep.
Let's say Dubstep leaked, some people saw it and decided to make use of that sound, bringing it to prominence.
Another curiosity is that about the origins of Trance music. Still in the 90s, from the Industrial Techno folks as I've read, a new form of music was originating, with the name Trance slightly involved. Those producers never intended to make that sound to the masses, and when they noticed their music was reaching the rave public, they decided to quit production, what should've delayed the propagation of what we deem Trance today. Fortunately, it went ahead and has been furnishing us with a tremendous amount of songs for 2 decades at least, with lots of genres and sub-genres.
Great info about Dubstep, thanks for sharing it!
Great feedback MasrNRG, excellent detail into Trance/Techno.
ReplyDeleteWhile differing in popularity in different regions of the world, "Dubstep" has become extremely popular here in the States. Here in Texas for example, many 18,19,20 year olds etc have begun listening to "Dubstep" (which in most instances is Brostep)that normally listen to Country Music, Pop etc. Great for the sake of music diversity, however I feel that many would be surprised to find the roots of the sounds they're enjoying( ie the article linking the current Dubstep back to the real roots of the sound.
Again, I appreciate the feedback with expansion on Trance, great info!
Oh and Mars, I'm knocking around on creating a Speed Garage Tune in Reason.. Thought you might enjoy that!