Dubstep Allstars: Vol. 04 (2006)
44 tracks, 123 minutes (2CD)
YouTube (Disc 1) • YouTube (Disc 2)
Writing this blog has made me realise how little I know about a lot of the music I love. This album is a good example, I think. I really like the music it contains, but I’m not sure I have enough of the correct vocabulary or knowledge of the style’s history to talk about it in the depth it deserves. I just have to talk about what it means to me, and why I love it so much – hopefully you’ll agree, and if you know more than I do, I always love to be corrected and educated!
This is dubstep from before it became a clichéd pop add-on: for a while, it felt like any pop song with a wobbly bass was classed as dubstep (I guess it’s like when any music with an acoustic guitar is called ‘folk’). But the style is much more than a bass synth with an LFO stuck on it. To me, dubstep is just dub without the reggae. It uses all of the same production qualities as the Jamaican style, but approaches them from a different direction, one informed by drum and bass, instrumental hip-hop and techno. Like dub, it takes these faster, dance-focused styles and turns the attention to the sounds themselves. Not that the focus shifts from dancing, of course, but this is more often a slower, more spacious groove. It’s darker than dub too, although in a way I can’t really describe – it feels a little dingy, in a good way.
This particular double album is from the Dubstep Allstars series, which saw eleven volumes between 2004 and 2013, showcasing the breadth of the style with a load of guest DJs on the mix. This one, Vol. 04, is mixed by Hatcha on Disc 1 and Youngsta on Disc 2. I like mix compilations, as they really give you the opportunity to revel in the vibe without having to take breaks at the end of the tracks: they’re basically ready-made club nights with only good music – score! On the whole, I think I prefer Hatcha’s contributions on this one, as his selections are more chilled-out and open. Great for very late nights.
Once again, this is a type of music that I’d love to hear more of and learn more about. Judging by the quality of these two mixes, I guess the place for me to start would be the other ten editions of the series!
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