What Is Dubstep?

Since its inception, Dubstep has undergone an evolution that has morphed into countless different forms. Dubstep sub-genres keep popping up all the time, and even massive mainstream hits contain influences of Dubstep.

While Dubstep surely has a unique sound, it is often hard to define in terms of its musical character. This is due in no small part to the speed at which the sound developed, and you’ve probably heard the term applied to many different songs that don’t sound like the same genre at all. 

Despite the mystery that surrounds the genre, it is possible to chart out a history of sorts and lay down some groundwork as to the different characteristics that make up the early sound and some of its off-shoots. 

What is Dubstep? – History, Origins, and Influence 

Like many genres, there are varying opinions as to who, what, where, when, and why. It is generally agreed that where Dubstep started and when it started, which was in London in around 1999-2000. 

1999 – 2000: FWD>> and Big Apple Records 

The origins of many genres often come back to a few groups or individuals. This is also the case when it comes to “Proto” Dubstep. However, there are two other players on the board that need to be taken note of. 

Early producers were few and far between in the late 90s. Guys like Oris Jay, El-B, Steve Gurley, and Zed Bias were scattered amongst the various clubs and parties in London’s UK Garage scene. 

Proto Dubstep evolved from the UK Garage Backbone but added flavors that had never before been heard. Mixing it with Drum ‘n Bass (DnB) and many Dubs.

A new dark tone was evolving… 

One that mangled epic baselines into otherworldly shapes and combined it with hi-hats and kicks from Garage and Drum ‘n Bass. They just needed a platform for their sound, and this came in the form of Forward Nights. 

Forward Night, often stylized as Forward>> or FWD>>, was started in 2001 by Ammunition Promotions. Essentially, these were exhibition parties hosted to showcase the new sound.

Forward Nights started at the Velvet Rooms in Soho but quickly moved to the popular club, Plastic People, in East London. 

FWD>> quickly became a unifier of all the new artists producing this dark new offshoot… 

The word “Dubstep” hadn’t popped up yet, but the sound was already there. And many of the early pioneers were able to showcase it at FWD>>. The importance of FWD>> in the establishment and development of Dubstep as a genre cannot be overstated.

Not only did it provide a dedicated venue for these artists to play, but it also managed a bunch of labels. Those labels allowed Dubstep artists to release and promote their material. These included Tempa, Soulja, Shelflife, Texture, Lifestyle, and Bingo. 

Ammunition Promotions also incorporated the darker and more edgy Garage, Drum ‘n Bass, and Techno artists into their catalog, which led to new influxes as artists met at gigs and began exchanging ideas. 

Dubstep was already changing, and it hadn’t even gotten a name yet…

Before people had words like Dubstep, Grimestep, Liquid DnB, Drumstep, and Glitch Hop, they found themselves at a loss to describe these new sounds. 

So, for a while, it was known as “The Forward Sound.” An early online pamphlet for FWD>> would have read something like “B-Lines To Make Your Chest Cavity Shudder.” 

FWD>> soon expanded its reach onto the airwaves by hosting a show on the pirate radio station Rinse FM. Originally posted by Kode9, the lineups would include producers and artists like Hatcha, Youngsta, Zed Bias, Oris Jay, Slaughter Mob, and DJ Slimzee. 

Big Apple Records

The internet was already up and running and on its way to changing the world forever back in the early 2000s. But, it was not nearly as equipped as it is now. This meant that listeners were still having to acquire new releases the old-fashioned way. 

The Big Apple Records record shop could be found in Croydon… 

As the name suggests, it was also a label. The shop started out showcasing UK Hardcore, Techno, and even House. Later, it became the place to go if you wanted the best in UK Garage, Drum ‘n Bass, and eventually, Dubstep. 

Instrumental artists such as Skream and Hatcha both worked at Big Apple. The shop was also frequented by many early pioneers to obtain new materials and keep up with new releases. 

These included Digital Mystikz, El-B, Zed Bias, Horsepower Productions, Plastician, N-Type, Walsh, and Loefah. While the shop and the label have since closed, their importance in the development of the early Dubstep scene must be recognized. 

2002 – 2003: Branching Out

From mid-2002 to late 2003, the word Dubstep was being used to describe this new wild sound that was gripping the South and East end of London. The genre was barely three years old when new branches started growing from the tree. 

By the end of 2003, Hatcha was taking the original Dubstep sound in a slightly new direction. He showcased compositions that were even darker than previous ones. But more stripped down in terms of production. 

This new darker, minimal sound was often featured on his sets at Rinse FM. Much like old Reggae and Dub artists from Jamaica’s Sound System party scene, Hatcha cut his mixes to 12” one-off dubplates. These early sets included tracks by Loefah, Skream, Benga, and Digital Mystikz. 

At around the same time… 

Plastician, along with David Carlisle, started hosting an independent event called Filthy Dub. This became the platform for the new wave of artists and a more minimal but darker sound to flourish. 

Artists like Skream, Benga, N-Type, Walsh, Chef, Loefah, and Cyrus all had their live debuts at Filthy Dub nights. 

Digital Mystikz

If there is one group to single out when it comes to the development of Dubstep in the early days, it’s got to be the South London-based duo Mala and Coki. 

Better known as Digital Mystikz…

During the rise of a new hard-edged but stripped-down version of the earliest Dubstep, Digital Mystikz was one of the forerunners. Not just because they had the right sound but because they brought new sounds to the palette as well. 

The group embraced the culture of early Jamaican Reggae, Dub, and Jungle bass. Another strong influence on them was the “Sound System Party” culture that also originated in Jamaica.

The group’s early sets at FWD>> and Filthy Dub saw the introduction of African, Reggae, Dub, and even orchestral influences into the Dubstep sound. This very quickly began inspiring their peers to mix it up a bit as well. 

DMZ

The group released a few records on Big Apple’s label and then decided to found their own label called DMZ. This name would become very important in the history of Dubstep Music.

Along with releasing their material on a new label, the group also started holding their event called DMZ every two months in Brixton. This was a smart move since the area was already heavily associated with Reggae and Electronic music. 

Many artists ended up on DMZ night line-ups… 

These included Skream, Kode9, Benga, Pinch, Hijak, Joe Nice, and Vex’d. The DMZ nights became a huge success. 

When they hosted their first-anniversary party, folks came from the US, Australia, and Sweden to attend. There were reports of cues of around 600 people outside the venue that night. 

This massive success forced the group to move their event to a larger venue which ended up being the main room at Mass. This is viewed as one of the pivotal moments in the rise of the genre. 

In 2004… 

The popular Rephlex label released the compilation albums Grime 1 and Grime 2. These contained tracks by Mark One, Slaughter Mob, Kode9, Loefah, and Digital Mystikz. 

The popularity of this release contributed tremendously to the growth of Dubstep. And to the attendance at big events like DMZ and Forward Nights. Dubstep was a thing now, and it was here to stay for sure. 

2005 – 2008: More Growing Pains 

By 2005, things were gaining traction. The hype surrounding the new sound had been given more fuel largely due to the night events and also to an online forum dubstepforum.com. 

The Grime sound had also started appearing in FWD>> releases. This saw an influx of even more saturated and dark-sounding low-end come to the fore. One of the earliest Grime hits was “Midnight Request Line” by Skream.

Dubstep Warz

In 2005, Radio One DJ Marry Anne Hobbs gathered up some of the top figures in the scene at the time and hosted Dubstep Warz. This was later followed by a compilation called Warrior Dubz. This event was the first proper exposure of Dubstep to a global audience. 

Dubstep was no longer underground… 

Mainstream exposure started happening all over the place. And the self-titled release by Burial was placed on many Best of the Year lists at the end of the year. 

Digital Mystikz, Random Trio, Kode9, Pinch, and a few other influential Dubstep artists had their music featured on the soundtrack for the 2006 film, Children of Men. 

Ammunition Promotions released a 2000-2004 compilation album on the Tempa label Roots of Dubstep. It has since become a bible of sorts to students of Dubstep. 

Far Away Ambassadors 

The mid-2000s saw the rise of Dubstep in the US, largely due to Baltimore DJ and artist Joe Nice. Joe Nice would later be recognized for his role in developing the genre abroad; he was also featured at various DMZ nights.

Soon there was talk of wild Dubstep parties happening in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, and Denver. 

Dubstep had jumped over the Atlantic… 

The mid to late 2000s also saw the incorporation of Dubstep into major Techno artists’ releases and sets. 

A notable example is Shackleton’s “Blood On My Hands” getting remixed by Techno artist Ricardo Villalobos. Berlin-based record shop Hard Wax later praised Shackleton and included Dubstep releases in their catalog. 

More mainstream recommendations in the UK followed in 2007. This was after tracks by Benga and Skream were featured in the Chanel 4 UK drama series “Dubplate Drama” and “Skins.” 

In 2008… 

Marry Anne Hobbs further helped to tell the Dubstep Story by inviting a plethora of artists, including Cyrus, Starkey, Oneman, Chef, Quest, Joker, and Nomad to the BBC’s Malda Vale studios. This was for a second Dubstep chronicling called Generation Bass. 

A Woman’s Touch

Around this time, the appearance of more ad more female Dubstep producers began affecting the fans of Dubstep as well. The ratio of fans at Dubstep parties began to even out more in terms of male to female. 

This is largely due to the expanding palette of the sound. Three notable female pioneers are Vaccine, Subeena, and Ikona. They are known for introducing new elements like double-time bass drums, 8-Bit samples, hand percussion, and complex string arrangements into the sound of Dubstep. 

The 2010s – Making It Big

The 2010s saw mainstream artists starting to collaborate with Dubstep producers and using the Dubstep influence in their sound. It was around this time that purely Dubstep tunes started gaining popularity on the dance charts in the UK and US. 

One of the earliest examples would be “I Need Air By” by Magnetic Man. The track reached #10 on the UK Singles chart. For many, this marked the rise of Dubstep into commercial popularity. Soon after, “Katy On A Mission” by Katy B debuted at #5 on the same chart. 

2010 also saw the rise of Skrillex, who is probably the biggest name in Dubstep. From playing major festivals to producing Billboard-topping hits as well as picking up big awards. Skrillex is the artist who made Dubstep something to be taken seriously worldwide. 

What is Dubstep? – Defining the Sound

Dubstep has branched out into so many forms that a simple definition is near impossible. Early Dubstep has a very strong reliance on the bass sound. Strong bass lines are favored over melody, and the drums are usually double-timed patterns with hi-hats playing 8ths or 16ths. 

If you know your Electronic Music history, the best definition is that Dubstep is a combination of UK Garage and Dub (which evolved from Reggae), and Drum ‘n Bass. 

Whilst there are variations on this basic theme that go so far out that it’s hard to hear the influence, you can recognize a Dubstep low-end when you hear it after a while. The “dub” in the word Dubstep also likely comes from the influence of Dub music. 

Notable Dubstep Artists 

Here are some of the biggest musicians in the Dubstep genre:

• Skrillex.
• Diplo.
• Skream.
• DJ Snake.
• Burial.
• Flux Pavilion.
• Rusko.
• James Blake.
• Seven Lions.
• Kill The Noise.

What is Dubstep? – Off-Shoots and Sub-Genres

To name even half of the genres and sub-genres that have evolved from Dubstep and Drum ‘n Bass is beyond the scope of a single article. Some off-shoots have gained more traction than others. And more keep getting invented every day. 

But here are some of the most popular sub-genres of Dubstep:

• DeathStep.
• Grimestep.
• Liquid Drum and Bass.
• Chillstep.
• Glitch Hop.
• Dark Dub.
• Float Step.
• Neurostep.
• Robotstep.
• Wobblestep.

Interested in Laying Down Some Low-End of Your Own?

Don’t miss our insights into What Is Trap Music, What Is Techno Music, and What is Otacore Music for more information on musical genres similar to Dubstep.

What Is Dubstep? – Final Thoughts

Since its invention in the late 90s, Dubstep has gone from being a very obscure sound made by a small group of people to a highly criticized art form that has often been ridiculed as not even being music, to finally, becoming a sound that is present in some of the biggest releases around the world. 

If there’s one thing you can say about Dubstep, it’s that it doesn’t seem to be getting old. It just changes its outfit a lot. Either way, it’s here to stay.

Until next time, drop that beat, and happy listening.