Most of the songs on this compilation are at least grounded in dubstep. They crawl along at the familiar 2 speeds at once, one a clunking, simian crawl and one a hyperactive twitch.
Dubstep’s influence is spreading faster than anyone can keep track. It’s merging with drum and bass in one direction, getting saccharine with Skweee, sinking towards the bottom of the barrel with brostep, and finally (hopefully, maybe) edging its way into mainstream pop music. Remaining at the center are the YouTube producers, often cheaply remixing pop songs and turning new heads in the genre’s direction. This divergence has made any dubstep tag not quite as precise as it once was – certainly not as misleading as alternative or indie, but it’s clear we’re not talking about Benga circa 2005 anymore.
So where does Experimental Dance Breaks 36 fit in to the dubstep paradigm? Someone has probably tagged these songs already with ridiculous new genre designations. Neurostep? Post dub? Tech dub? It’s really anyone’s guess at this point, but most of the songs on this compilation are at least grounded in dubstep. They crawl along at the familiar 2 speeds at once, one a clunking, simian crawl and one a hyperactive twitch. There is something more here, though, and in keeping with the title of the compilation, most are heavily influenced by IDM. They are certainly danceable, but most of them are suited more for home listening than any club.
The standout track (audio clip below) is Equulei’s “My Modem Can Beat Up Your Modem,” which, even though it uses an admittedly cliché dialup modem sound, uses said sound throughout in a way that is neither hackneyed nor annoying. It brings to mind Akira Kiteshi’s masterful “Pinball,” which applied the same song-making concept to the sounds from the Microsoft Space Cadet Pinball game. Equulei’s attempt is better, as the modem sounds fit seamlessly within the context of the song, which evokes the jerky movements of, say, a malfunctioning robot. Another highlight, “Crunch Dub VIP” by CacheFlowe wobbles just the right way, a very digital-sounding take on dubstep’s funkier side.
Experimental Dance Breaks 36 isn’t all dubstep, though. There’s “Jungbeats” by Iuengliss, which sounds like Vim doing drum and bass. The song will please any fans of IDM’s faster moments, as the frenetic beat never stays still for a second, and the spastic chiptune-sounding synths frolic everywhere. Drop Logik contributes “Absolute Bowns,” a slower loungey track with an obliquely smooth beat and admittedly silly background noise that sounds like a reversed vibraphone recording. Ten and Tracer was a surprising name to see here, offering “Panta Rhea,” an oddly nervous and restrained jam replete with squelches and other abstract acidic sounds. “Tristeza Mi Amor” by Honduras creates a nice atmosphere, using reverb to create an impressive sense of space.
Overall, the non-dubstep tracks on Experimental Dance Breaks 36 are the most interesting, even though it’s hard not to think they would have been much more striking 10 years ago. The dubstep tunes do offer interesting and adroit production, but most of it has been (or feels like it has been) done before, which is a testament not to the aforementioned skill of the producers but the rapidity of the change dubstep is currently undergoing. The trails have been blazed for most of the other genres on display here, so any exercise in production in these genres is naturally less likely to come off as dated, just as (for example) any lack of originality in IDM today is self-evident and almost expected. Regardless, some of these artists are apt to create something remarkable given more time and inspiration. The talent and creative spark is present, but making a lasting impression on the genre and electronic music as a whole will take something extraordinary. And if this compilation really is compiled exclusively of work by Colorado producers, my guess is rising above the deluge of bedroom electronic music producers will prove to be an immense task.
Experimental Dance Breaks 36 will be released December 15, 2010 and is currently available digitally at Plastic Sound Supply. [Listen | Purchase]
[audio:http://igloomag.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/03-My-Modem-Can-Beat-Up-Your-Modem.mp3|titles=Equulei “My Modem Can Beat Up Your Modem”]
