What is dubstep?

By Guy Cross (with additional input from Vince Millett)

Dubstep has been around for a few years now, and even though Secret Archives are based in Croydon, dubstep’s legendary birthplace, it’s a fairly new style even to us. It’s a genre that hasn’t made the mainstream headlines – possibly because of its lack of hit singles and radio friendly pap tunes. Probably a good thing! To me, it’s kind of like hip hop in 1985; mostly underground, amazingly creative and with a future where it influences most other types of music.

I wanted to take a minute to share with you a few links that try and explain what it’s all about, and they do a much better job than I would ever manage!

Hear The Sounds has this to say:
‘… its a UK originated and dominated genre who also gave us Garage & Drum and Bass, and 2nd it’s the sound of the 21st century…’

Apart from their inability to punctuate or use correct grammar, they have described it adequately.

Wikipedia is a little more helpful:

‘…Musically, dubstep is distinguished by its dark mood, sparse rhythms, and emphasis on bass…’

Wikipedia is always right about everything.

Blacksoundboy asks a different question, Where is Dubstep?, and gives a really interesting answer. Blacksoundboy is Martin Clark of Dusk + Blackdown fame and you can hear some of their music in one of our podcasts. Written in 2004, his blog entry is still an evocative and accurate description of the music and its roots in London.

Three links from top notch sources, all of whom only scratch the surface of defining the genre, mainly because this is one genre that doesn’t sit comfortably within record industry marketing boxes. I think that is why we have taken to it so well; dubstep is not one just one style of music. It is not necessarily a fusion of genres. The best description I have seen whilst researching this post is here.