What Type of Music Genres is Dubstep?

Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the late 1990s. It is generally characterized by sparse, syncopated rhythmic patterns with prominent sub-bass frequencies.

What is Dubstep?

Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the late 1990s. It is generally characterized by sparse, syncopated rhythmic patterns with prominent sub-bass frequencies. The style emerged as an offshoot of UK garage, drawing on a lineage of related styles such as 2-step and dub reggae.

In the early 2000s, dubstep began to emerge as a distinct genre from related styles, frequently referred to as “dark garage” or “nu-skool two-step”. A crucial element of the style was the Processing digital audio software created by Basement Jaxx’s Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, which was used to process entire tracks (rather than individual loops or samples) using filters and effects. This led to more experimental forms of dubstep in which producers began to explore new sonic possibilities offered by the software, resulting in a broadening of the genre’s stylistic palette.

The term “dubstep” in reference to a specific genre of music was first used by Bristol DJ Rob Smith in his 1999 mix CD Untitled #1. In 2002, Andy Pogo’s “U Can’t Stop Me” became one of the first songs to be identified as dubstep; however, it is worth noting that similarly bass-heavy tracks had been released previously, such asy G Dub’s “Sweat”, produced in 1999. The popularity of dubstep grew rapidly in the early 2000s; by 2007, it had become one of the most popular forms of dance music in the UK.

The Different Types of Dubstep

There are many different types of dubstep, but the two main types are Drumstep and Brostep. Drumstep is the original type of dubstep and is characterized by its heavy use of drums and percussion. Brostep is a more recent type of dubstep that is characterized by its heavier bass andfill drops.

Brostep

The word “brostep” is a portmanteau of the words “bro” and “dub step”. It is a subgenre of dubstep that originated in the mid-2000s in the United Kingdom. Brostep is characterized by its heavy, bass-heavy sound, as well as its use of Drum and Bass-style breakbeats. Brostep has been described as “the half-time equivalent of Drum and Bass”.

The term “brostep” was coined by Simon Reynolds in a 2007 article for The Wire magazine. In the article, Reynolds defined the term as follows: “[Brostep is] a subgenre that’s marked by lots of macho posturing, chest-beating throbbiness and general sense of aggro menace.” He also suggested that it was “a kind of mutant offspring of dubstep and drum’n’bass”.

The term has been used since then to describe a number of different artists and styles within the dubstep genre. However, there is no clear consensus on what constitutes brostep, and the term has been used both to describe artists who are seen as innovators within the genre, and those who are seen as being derivative or formulaic.

Some notable brostep artists include:
Skrillex, Flux Pavilion, Excision, Doctor P,Rusko

Darkstep

Characterized by growling, aggressive basslines andajarring, unsettling atmosphere, darkstep is one of the darkest, most extreme variants of dubstep. It often features samples from horror movies or video games, and some tracks even incorporate metal elements. Not for the faint of heart, darkstep is designed to shock and terrify – but it can also be oddly beautiful in its own twisted way.

Future Garage

Future garage is a subgenre of garage music that originated in England in the early 2010s. The style is typified by its use of low-frequency bass lines, Euphoric melodies, and sparse, syncopated percussion.

The genre evolved out of the UK dubstep and post-dubstep scenes, and shares many sonic similarities with those genres. However, future garage tracks typically have a more downtempo tempo than dubstep tracks, and often incorporate elements of 2-step garage and 4/4 house music.

Future garage artists often employ a wide range of sound design techniques to create their unique sonic signature. These can include everything from sidechain compression and voice manipulation to synth programming and field recordings.

The term “future garage” was first coined by journalist Simon Parkin in an article for The Guardian newspaper in 2010. In the article, Parkin described the sound of the genre as “a melancholy kind of electronica that nods to shades of 2-step and Garage”

Since its inception, future garage has been cited as an influence by a wide range of artists across different genres, including Mount Kimbie, Disclosure, Burial, The XX, Four Tet, Jamie xx, and Sampha.

Neurofunk

Originating around 1998, Neurofunk is a fusion of Drum and Bass with elements of Hip Hop, Funk, Trance and Techno. The name is a play on the word Neurotic and was first used by Goldie in 1996 to describe the work of himself and Kemistry & Storm. It is characterized by complex syncopated rhythms often created with drum machines, dark atmospheres with sparse basslines and aggressive vocals.

Post-Dubstep

Post-dubstep is a largely bittersweet and melancholy variation of dubstep, typified by artists such as James Blake, Mount Kimbie and Actress. These artists often utilize lo-fi recording techniques and minimal production values, combined with singer-songwriter or jazz influences, to create songs with frequently unconventional structuring and emotionally rich atmospheres.

UK Funky

UK Funky is a subgenre of dubstep that is closely related to grime, with musical elements shared with U.K. garage and bassline. The style was developed in the early 2000s by producers such as Skepta, Jammer, and Benga. Uk funky typically features a 4/4 time signature, with thekick drum on the 2 and the snare on the 4, and has a tempo of around 130 beats per minute. The sound is often very minimalistic, with sparse percussion and simple basslines.

Where to Find Dubstep Music

Dubstep is a type of electronic dance music that originated in the early 2000s. It is characterized by a heavy bass line and syncopated rhythms. If you’re looking for dubstep music, there are a few places you can look.

Online Stores

There are a few online stores that sell dubstep music. Some of these include Beatport, Juno, and Bandcamp. You can also find dubstep music on streaming services like SoundCloud and YouTube.

Streaming Services

Most music streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music, offer a variety of dubstep tracks and albums that you can listen to for free with ads between songs, or for a monthly fee with no ads. You can also find many dubstep songs on YouTube, which is a free option, although you will have to endure ads before and during the videos.

Radio Stations

If you want to find dubstep music, there are a few places you can look. One option is to tune into one of the many radio stations that specialize in this genre. Some of the most popular dubstep radio stations include:

-BassDrive
-Digitally Imported Dubstep
-UKF Dubstep

Another option is to search for dubstep music on streaming platforms like Spotify or SoundCloud. There are also a number of websites that specialize in curating and sharing dubstep music, such as:

-The Dubstep Forum
-DubBase.net
-Beatportal

Conclusion

After reviewing the data, it seems that dubstep is a genre that is can be classified as electronica, hip hop, and dance. Though it does have influences from these genres, it is its own unique genre that cannot be classified under one umbrella term.