Poll: Dubstep, how do YOU feel about it?

[Leadfinger]

It's like a day at the dentist.

I was just at the dentist today they removed one of my wisdom teeth.

Yes! Like that, exactly.

 

[purplecactus]

That having been said, I have found some of the most glorious gems in the Dubstep genre. Not surprisingly, these are highly electronic-orchestral pieces with wubs and drops played sparingly and with devastating effect; aural juxtapositions of sound and noise and harmony and discord with the rarest of choice samples used as a deliciously familiar spice. And, from that description alone it should be obvious that such gems are very rare, and very specific to my particularly eccentric set of ears.

I find that the majority of dubstep tracks have a certain effect on me, like something is trying to drill into my brain in the noisiest way possible. That said, the above kinda sums up the few tracks I've found and enjoyed.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I don't mind it if I'm not sober, but even then I'll prefer other types of electronic music. If I'm just walking around or something I'll never listen to it, except maybe Skindred's dub influences (that's not really much though). I'll make the odd exception for dubstep that I find funny (like the remix of Mr Postman).

 

[floppylobster]

I like it as much as I liked Drum and Bass 15 years ago. i.e. Not at all.

Dance music will come and go to give Rock music a break. Rock will be back again. I just I hope the next time Rock comes back, it comes back better than this last lot we've had in between dance phases. But it seems to follow that pattern - every 20 years - good rock - 1950s, 1970s, 1990s... I guess we should be on the verge of something more interesting pretty soon.

Perhaps good rock is always a reaction against popular dance music phases (Disco, 80s, Electronica, etc...)? So if there's a popular wave of dance music coming, expect some great rock music at the end of the decade.

Oh god, you're killing me. I love 80s and Disco. So much fun to be had.

It's weird actually. I typically hate dance music at the time it comes out, then about 10-20 years later when it becomes retro or past it, I start to kinda like it. I lived through the 80s, hated the music. These days I love it.

 

[Elemental]

I never got Midnight Request Line. There's some good rhythms going on but otherwise the lack of a real drop disappoints me.

You must be one of these people.

Wow this is so fucking sad LOL
Anyways, yeah I hate that Brostep shit, 30sec-minute build up and then a NASTYYYY ASSS DROOPPPP DUUDDEEE
Fuck, they're just making shit and calling it Dubstep, it's like I'll fart into a mic and call it Electro.

 

[hecticpicnic]

*facepalm* Yeah i'm sure all aphex twin songs would be so much better with a sweet drop in them.
Fuck me, it's not even suppose to be dubstep, what were they expecting.

 

[Dragonclaw]

 

[Private Custard]

I can't really get into DNB

Well let's see if we can do something about that!!


EDIT: But seriously, I think that my real love of DnB is from many mental nights in places like Room 2 @ Fabric, a place so oppressively bassy that you can sometimes get that metallic taste of blood at the back of your throat if you stand in the wrong place for too long!

Unfortunately, I don't think a single decent video of that room exists on YouTube. I suspect it breaks a lot of cameras!

Spoiler

Generally, if people express they don't like it, then I don't bother, but if they're willing to listen I show them what electronic has to offer. Also, Pendulum does a pretty good job of getting people to transition from Rock to DnB.

I've never really been into Pendulum. They seem to be trying too hard for that evil industrial sound that just flows naturally from people like Hype or Bad Company, to name just a couple.

I think they're just not genuinely hard enough. The only way I can describe them is like, when I go to the superbike meetings, I see guys walking around in Dainese leather jackets, looking like they sort of fit in......then, at the end of the day, they go to the car park and drive home in their Audi while all the proper bikers go and scratch in the lanes!

 

[Hallow'sEve]

I like dubstep, most of it's crap though, and I'm picky about what I do like.
Stuff like Adventure Club, or random remixes I find, I like.

And I say Adventure Club because its the only dubstep "artist" I have, all my other songs are just random singles/remixes by nobodies who still post "check out my page"

Spoiler: Like this remix of a Beatles song

 

[Fwee]

Like most things on this planet, I can either take it or leave it because it's another tool in the drawer. But is more fun when you get to wub one of your own:

http://bobbieboob.bandcamp.com/track/crotchless-rubber-panties-march-15-2011

Oh and a Metroid remix:

http://soundcloud.com/bobbie-boob/tits-of-kraid-preview-cover

Ugh, making myself come across as a dubFiend! Remedy:


Afternoon Legends: Vol. 4 by Bobbie Boob [http://bobbieboob.bandcamp.com/album/afternoon-legends-vol-4]

 

[ThePenguinKnight]

I'm not much of a fan. I have this distaste for other artists altering existing songs and calling their own. If they actually used their own vocals it'd be a little different but otherwise, bleh.

 

[him over there]

I really love it. Mostly because of how aggressive it is, plus I have a massive sub woofer which means the bass can be felt, not just heard. Also for people who say it isn't dubstep? You're arguing semantics, it doesn't matter because we all know what we're talking about.

 

[Alex Baas]

Dubstep can never be a genre I like. I like music with an edge like political Bob Dylan, The Clash, Green Day, Springsteen, Social Distortion especialy when Mike Ness is angry, Rush, the list goes on. Dubstep isn't about anything so to me it is annoying and very, very bland.

 

[Vigormortis]

Hence why I still refer to today's "dubstep" by it's real name. "Brostep".

And, seeing as one of brosteps poster-boys; a shining example of the range and quality of the sub-genre; is Skrillex...

No. I fucking hate todays dubstep. Just like SmashLove. It's awful, uninspired, uncreative, obnoxious, and just down-right annoying. For most brostep "artists", all they do is take samples of other songs; usually pop or trance; play them for a minute or two with some fucking annoying squeaky voiced singing over top, cut to the typical "wub" bass, and rinse/repeat a few times. It's the equivalent of every other awful, popular-in-its-time sub-genre that was only enjoyed by people without taste or people who wanted something they knew their parents would hate.

You want good dubstep? Listen to Deadmau5, The Glitch Mob, Basement Jaxx, or the like. At least their songs have some semblance of originality and musicality to them.

Though I will add that there is at least one "brostep" song I do like.

Spoiler

Funny thing is, it's repetitive as hell and, as far as I'm concerned, was "released" as a joke by Deadmau5. (released is in quotes because it was leaked to his MySpace/Facebook page and was labeled unfinished) Yet, I STILL find it more enjoyable than most brostep songs I've heard.

Quick caveat: enable the 3D on the player. For some reason, the audio quality is much improved. Whoever uploaded messed something up.

I have always called the new stuff "new-school" dubstep vs "old-school" dubstep, but just saying dubstep vs brostep is a lot easier. Also, maybe it's just me but that deadmau5 song sounds much more like the older stuff. Also, you gotta take everything he does with a grain of salt, as much of the work he's done was intended to be a joke, or so I've read.

Also, I haven't listened to Basement Jaxx in AGES, are they doing dubstep now? Last I listened they were very house, but that's back in the ol' WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT? days. Ah good times.

The song I posted is a tad more "Bro-step"-ish than old-school dub-step. Mostly because of the over-exaggerated "wub".

And, yes. He's done a few songs as "jokes". Or rather, as parody-like musings on the popular songs/genres of the day. It's part of why I like him.

As for Basement Jaxx, I'll point you to this:

Spoiler: Attack the Block soundtrack -

Basement Jaxx did the entire soundtrack for that film; and it was spectacular. It was a great blend of dubstep, electro, industrial, and classic orchestral soundtrack music. Here's a sample -
If you haven't heard the soundtrack, or even seen the film, I highly recommend both.

 

[Jazoni89]

This is some old dub.

I never got Midnight Request Line. There's some good rhythms going on but otherwise the lack of a real drop disappoints me.

Here's a couple of my old favourites:

Damn Kids...

The reason why this hasn't got a bass drop, is because real Dubstep like Skream doesn't have Bass drops (or at least not in an aggressive sense).

Hard Bass drops in Dubstep were popularised by Rusko around two, or three years back when he got told to change up the sound for his American tour.

 

[DanDeFool]

If you listen to the track helpfully posted by DigitalSushi, this kind of music sounds dreadfully boring when played at a sensible volume on regular speakers or headphones. However, play this kind of music in a high-end dance club with a state-of-the-art speaker system, with the volume turned up so high you can feel the vibrations from the bass in your femurs, and the combined audio/physical effect is pretty neat.

My theory is that most dubstep/house music/techno/etc. is less about making songs that actually sound good or are interesting to listen to, and more about concocting mixtures of highly stylized noise to allow clubs to show off their audio setups in the most visceral way possible: by making you go deaf while shaking your skeleton to pieces.

Because those kinds of places aren't about listening to good music; they're about blasting your senses with as much stimulation as possible while you dance like an epileptic and take ecstasy get drunk out of your mind.

It's like if someone tried to make a TV show completely out of remixed test patterns. No matter how much artistic effort they put into it, there isn't going to be a whole lot of entertainment value unless you watch it on some kind of 180" OLED HDTV with 3D. And if you're high on LSD, you'll probably enjoy it even more

while that is probably part of it I think its unfair to assume ALL forms of electronic music are about...well what you said

Don't get me wrong here.. I think I made an obtuse generalization when I didn't mean to.

To be clear, I love electronic music. I recently started listening to bands like Skrillex and Nero, and I've enjoyed many other electronic artists before them.

I was mostly trying to explain why a lot of electronic music (because it's not just dubstep) is just the same repetitive beats and sounds over and over

By the way, I appreciate you correcting me in a civil manner instead of blowing up into a giant flaming ragegasm. Your restraint is duly noted.

 

[Nash]

Damn Kids...

The reason why this hasn't got a bass drop, is because real Dubstep like Skream doesn't have Bass drops (or at least not in an aggressive sense).

Hard Bass drops in Dubstep were popularised by Rusko around two, or three years back when he got told to change up the sound for his American tour.

'Real' dubstep?

Bit elitist, lad.

 

[Stormz]

Not a fan at all. Electronic music in general for me is totally forgettable, it all just sounds the same to me. My brother loves it though so I get to hear more than I would like (Never, I would enjoy never hearing it).

 

[Zydrate]

I listen to Renard. I liked it before it was cool :3

Trufax.

I heard it over an advertisement at Gamestop. I was surprised to hear it outside of youtube.

 

[ThePS1Fan]

Music used to sound like that because a CD was sipping, and then you bought a new one. I like a lot of electronic music but I've never understood the appeal of dubstep.