alienjones

An incredible piece of hardware, with arguably the greatest software library ever. Fare thee well, PS2...

@cnlmullen said:

I like beeps and boops sometimes too. I'm not saying beeps and boops can't be expressive, in their own way. I just prefer the sound of instruments. It's just a preference.

This too, it's a bit of a circular argument really. Why don't we all just chill out?

@whistlebottom: Yes, Doctor P is an 'extreme' example. Just to show you the different sides.

@morningthief: I'd agree with this. Good choice of Skream track too (maybe "Midnight Request Line" was too obvious); I guess that would now be a classic dubstep album? Certainly one that got me interested in the genre.

@Sweep: Hey, that Matta track isn't too bad. I'd say it's tough to find that 'middleground' dubstep, which is still has the big wobble drops (ie. stupid bass), but is actually well thought out and produced/arranged decently. I'll refrain from posting more YT links though.

.@Napalm said:

There's literally no difference except the form of the instrument.

Agreedo.

@Harkat said:

To be fair, UKF Dubstep, which is pretty much the deciding force of what dubstep gets popular, has stopped promoting "wobble-madness" dubstep, and is instead promoting more melodic, unoffensive electro dubstep. The dubstep scene seems to have realized the super-aggro stuff got a bit excessive, but their solution was not to go back to the chilled style, but to make it into pop music instead. Just look at Rusko's newer songs. Straight up pop music. I'm not sure wether this is better or not.

Yeah, I'd noticed this too actually (although admittedly I don't follow the genre too closely these days, and especially not the more mainstream side). I guess I'm alright with going poppier (except I don't want to listen to it either), it cuts down the offensive factor; then again, if we take the example of "Lick the Lizard", the flip side to "Everyday" ('poppier'), it's an absolutely shit track with the kind of drop/sounds I'm talking about when I say 'obnoxious'. Unfortunately, I'd imagine it still sells to a degree (more than the more legit forms of the genre anyway)... and you still get people thinking this is a "sick drop mate!". Oh, and James Blake stuff is a nice choice too - @cnlmullen: Check out "Limit To Your Love".

But whatever. I'm gunna crawl back under my rock and listen to goa trance.

@whistlebottom said:

@Harkat: Can you define the difference? I'm earnest in wanting to know what defines the genres.

Harkat makes a good comparison. The 'true' dubstep focuses on the dub part; it's deeper, bassier, and usually more atmospheric. The other side of it is (although there's some middle-ground) the more commercial wobble wobble stuff, chucking in as much bleepy-bloopy fuckery and obnoxious noises possible - especially into each drop. Can't tell I'm biased to one side, right? They each have their place, I suppose.

My comparison would be something like:

Compared to something like:

Drum n bass has gone in slightly similar directions, but I personally feel like it's a far more listenable genre even when it's worse. Although, I can at least applaud Jeff for finding the ...most interesting dubstep remixes out there for the TM2 server.