Dubstep has been making waves in the UK underground music scene since the beginning of the noughties. It was born out of the garage, jungle, dub, drum and bass, breakbeat and 2-step style that was so popular in the South London in the nineties. The appeal of dubstep is that it is an innovating and fresh genre which is completely different to any other type of music already out there. There is no mistake of it being different, whether you are a fan or not. The club Forward>> is very important to the development of the genre as it provided a space for dubstep dj’s to play their new music. The founder of Forward>> and Rinse FM ‘Geeneus’ is responsible for kickstarting the careers of so many big names in the business like Plastician, Kode9, Skream and Benga, and more recently, the name on everyones lips Katy B. He has championed the superbly talented singer right from the start, when she was just an occasional singer at Forward>> all the way to her mega-stardom of 2011.
Dubstep has also been backed by Radio One dj’s Mary Anne Hobbes and Annie Mac who frequently played the genre on their radio shows. Dupstep then began to get more popular as it became quite commercial and was infused with pop music like the Skream remix of La Roux’s ‘In for the Kill’. But it is only in the last year or so that it has really gained attention with the hype of Chase and Status, Magetic Man, Katy B and James Blake.
If you want a taste of the dubstep movement which is shaking up the mainstream music scene, then you’re in for a treat as Annie Mac will be hosting a night that features the best in the genre at the o2 Academy Brixton on Saturday 28th June. The line-up includes: Skream and Benga, Youngman, Breakage, Shy Fx, Donaeo and many many more.
James Blake is another artist who is helping to raise the profile of dubstep, with his original sounds being inspired by his love of the genre after being a regular at FWD>>. This was the catalyst for change for the young producer, as it was what made his music so unique and thrusted him into the scene, albeit with a completely new spin on the genre that may not even be classed as dubstep. Fast forward a couple of years, James Blake has released his debut single and album to critical acclaim and will now be embarking on another tour across the UK in June.
Or how about catching Katy B on her UK tour in October, who will undoubdedly deliver a storming performance of latest hits that have won the hearts of so many. Combining her confident swagger, impressive vocal ability and funky sounds has garnered her much attention from the underground and mainstream music scene, whilst putting names like Magnetic Man, Benga and Geeneus on the musical map.
Chase and Status are also gaining a lot of recognition, breaking out onto the mainstream and developing a global fanbase thanks to their more pop coll
aborations with the likes of Plan B, Liam Bailey and Dizzee Rascal. Their second studio album ‘No More Idols’ peaked at #2 in the charts behind the phenomenal Adele, so this gives you an idea of how big the once underground producers have become. Catch them play a string of UK dates in October.
aborations with the likes of Plan B, Liam Bailey and Dizzee Rascal. Their second studio album ‘No More Idols’ peaked at #2 in the charts behind the phenomenal Adele, so this gives you an idea of how big the once underground producers have become. Catch them play a string of UK dates in October.
And rounding up the upcoming dubstep gigs, we have Flux Pavilion who will be playing his debut headline UK gig at London Scala this August. For those of you unsure of this guy, he is responsible for some of the most manic basslines with a high-energy tempo and that will leave you shaking in your boots. Drawing inspiration from the Prodigy, Basement Jaxx and Rusko will give you an idea of the performance that he is set to give when he plays his show.