Dubstep Album Round-up

09 Feb 2010

Due to varying different excuses, I have been slow in posting lovely treats and that for you all. So, here, to endeavour to cover the slurry of releases that have come out this last few months, I will attempt and album and single round up, with the first of the album reviews. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the review and the release...

Kromestar

Kromestar
The Other Syde
Dubstar Records
After turning heads with his ethereal, balanced debut My Sound, Kromestar returns to his darker, grimier side with a collection of self-produced tunes. Kicking off with murky, filthy wobblers such as Skaredem and the dark, synth-driven power of The Buddha, the mix momentarily dips toward the middle section for a breather, such as the thoughtful My Sound, the minimal euphoria of liveandexperience and Technique. But then it's skull-crushing business as usual with trademark bestseller Attenshun and the squelching nastiness of Dutty Bread being ripped out before mellowing everyone during a cool down period to round off. This sound may not be up everyone's street, but Kromestar mixes the lo-fi frequencies and the electric-shock mid-range bass perfectly. With mixing tighter than a duck's, this collection aptly demonstrates why Kromestar's contribution to the scene keeps the clubs rammed. Aimed straight for the jugular and the brain.

King Midas Sound
Waiting for You
Hyperdub
The Bug and Roger Robinson have somberly and cautiously picked up where Massive Attack left off after Mezzanine – but it's a shocking, sub-low realization within the nuclear aftermath of a world gone mad. Deep, penetrating basslines, subtle sombre percussions and Roger Robinson's poetic, fragile majesty offering a frank back-seat critique, over a sedated blend of long-lost lovers rock, heartbreak reggae and hip-hop-hard-wired dub. From vulnerable and jilted, (the title tracks wistful, dreamy pace and descending melodies captivate), to the caustic warning of Earth a Kill Ya, it's like awakening to a dystopian land after being asleep for ten years, disillusioned and unaffected by the surrounding world. King Midas Sound swap the garage steps and bashment thumps in return for comedown roots reggae and the result is nothing short of beautiful.

Various
Sub:stance mixed by Scuba
ostgut-ton
Having exiled to Germany, and subsequently bridging the gap between techno and dubstep in clubs like Berghain, Scuba here mixes us a compilation that takes us through the cutting edge of this new hybrid of sound. From the seething darkness of Instra:mental's Voyeur, to Mala's Stand Against War and Joy Orbison's hugely popular synth-rave track Hyph Mngo, this is cutting edge dubstep with a dance music orientated twist, fresh from the heart of Europe's clubbing capital. At times fluffy and atmospheric, and at times overbearing and militant, this epic journey of a compilation serves to represent the dubstep night in its purest form - and the future of this beautiful partnership of sound.

Blackdown and Dusk Vs Grievous Angel
Margins Music Redux
Keysound Recordings
Garage and dubstep spokesman and journalist Martin Clark and production partner Dusk created Margins Music - a journey through the urban music scene and cultural development of London. The narrative feel of this album covers heavyweight sounds, featuring vocal duties from Trim and Durrty Goodz, melding around lush soundscapes of African, Bangladeshi and Oriental sounds, anchored down by crisp snares and penetrating basslines that are recognised as essential parts of garage's offshoots. Enter Grievous Angel - with a clean ear for two-step, it's a darker, more personal interpretation, it's part remix LP, part DJ set and part dub rework - his skill at mixing production techniques to furious effect caught Keysound's attention in the first place. Lush, inventive and true to the original, this re-work offers a more club-bound perspective. I wonder who's next?

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