Extreme Music: Post-Dubstep and Beyond
Contents
A look at the ever-changing landscape of extreme music, from post-dubstep to black metal and beyond.
Introduction
A new musical genre has been taking the world by storm, and it’s known as post-dubstep. This style of music is a hybrid of dubstep and other genres, including grime, house, techno, and drum and bass. While it shares some similarities with dubstep, it also has its own unique sound and style. Post-dubstep artists are pushing the boundaries of music, and their tracks are full of energy and innovation. If you’re looking for something new and exciting to listen to, then be sure to check out some of the best post-dubstep tracks around.
What is Post-Dubstep?
Post-dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that developed out of the UK dubstep scene in the late 2000s and early 2010s. It is characterized by its use of dense, atmospheric soundscapes, frequently incorporating elements of garage, grime, 2-step, and dubstep.
The Sound of Post-Dubstep
The sound of post-dubstep is often described as “dark,” “moody,” and ” atmospheric.” It usually features slow, minimal beats and basslines with occasional outbursts of noise or melody. The use of reverb, delay, and other effects creates a spacious, ethereal soundscape. Post-dubstep often incorporates elements of dubstep, 2-step garage, IDM, and ambient music.
Notable post-dubstep artists include Burial, Mount Kimbie, James Blake, and Actress.
The History of Post-Dubstep
In the late 2000s, a new generation of dubstep producers began to experiment with the genre’s sound. These producers, who came to be known as “post-dubstep” artists, incorporated elements of other genres such as garage and grime into their music. Post-dubstep is characterized by its use of atmospheric textures, syncopated rhythms, and complex melody.
The term “post-dubstep” was first used in a 2008 forum post by user Iajacks91. In 2010, The Guardian published an article about the new generation of dubstep producers, which popularized the term.
Post-dubstep has been described as a “darker”, “moodier” form of dubstep that is more experimental and less reliant on overwhelming basslines. Unlike earlier forms of dubstep, which were often criticized for their lack of melody, post-dubstep frequently features intricate melodies and harmonies.
Notable post-dubstep artists include James Blake, Mount Kimbie, and Cooly G.
Key Artists
To understand post-dubstep, it is first important to understand dubstep. Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged in the late 1990s. It is characterized by its heavy bass, syncopated rhythms, and dark atmosphere. Post-dubstep is a term used to describe a variety of genres that have emerged from the dubstep scene since the early 2010s. These genres are often characterized by their use of synthesizers, drum machines, and samples.
Mount Kimbie
Mount Kimbie is a British electronic music duo consisting of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos. The duo’s debut album, Crooks & Lovers, was released to critical acclaim in 2010, and their second album, Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, was released in 2013 to further acclaim. Mount Kimbie’s songs are often minimalistic in nature and heavily reliant on samples. The duo is considered to be pioneers of the post-dubstep genre.
James Blake
James Blake is a British musician, singer and songwriter from London. He first attracted attention in 2010 with the release of his self-titled debut album, which was lauded by critics and earned him a Mercury Prize nomination. His sophomore album, Overgrown, was released in 2013 to even greater acclaim, earning him a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Blake’s music is characterized by its minimalist production, delicate melodies and emotive lyrics. He has collaborated with a number of other artists, including Brian Eno, Bon Iver and Kanye West.
Burial
Burial is the recording name of London-based music producer William Bevan. One of the figures behind the post-dubstep movement, his first release was the 2006 EP South London Boroughs. His debut album Untrue was issued to critical acclaim in 2007, and has been credited as one of the reasons for dubstep’s transition from a local London scene to an international phenomenon
Bevan has been praised for creating atmospheric and emotive tracks which blend elements of 2-step garage, dub, techno, house and ambient music. Untrue appeared at number 130 on Pitchfork’s Top 200 Albums of the 2000s list, and was also included in The Times’ “100 Albums That Changed Music”. In 2019, Burial released his fifth studio album Tunes 2011–2019.
Conclusion
In conclusion, extreme music is a genre that is constantly evolving. While it may have started out as a niche subgenre of dubstep, it has now become its own distinct entity with a range of different subgenres and sub-subgenres.
If you’re a fan of dubstep or electronic music in general, then you should definitely check out some of the artists and tracks mentioned in this article. And if you’re new to the genre, then this article should have given you a good introduction to what extreme music is all about.
