Guest Column: Luke D. Smith on One Dubstep beyond

For the past decade, nowhere has produced better urban music than the UK. UK Garage, Drum n Bass and Grime have occupied record shops and urban charts up and down the nation, seemingly without relent, but none have successfully broken the US and the continent with any more staying power than a French republic. Even Grime, which has seen some success in the mainstream charts, albeit in a form rather far removed from its roots, hasn't had the mainstream success abroad that many predicted. This lack of popularity for UK urban music overseas however, could be about to change.

Meet Dubstep, grime's cousin. Dubstep has spread through the UK faster than chlamydia through a South Yorkshire comprehensive, and it seems unlikely to stop. Characterised by its '2Step' rhythm, emphasised snare hits (generally on the third beat of the bar), and a tempo of around 140bpm; Dubstep ranges from dark tracks, riddled with deep sub-bass (See: Skream - Traitor) to more upbeat tracks, more reminiscent of its UK Garage and Dancehall roots. Perhaps the most well-played Dubstep track to date, is Skream's remix of 'In for the kill' by La Roux, while the original sounds like a Kraftwerk cover of a bad Mika B-Side, Skream's remix adds a whole new dimension to the song, so much so, it received similar coverage to the original, and remains a firm Radio 1 favourite.

To me, the problem other genres have faced is their single-mindedness and the particular scene's hostility towards evolution, 'indie' music for example, is about as diverse as the guest list for Nick Griffin's Christmas knees-up. While I won't go out on a limb by saying that the Dubstep genre incorporates something that will appeal to everyone; it sort of does. Okay, so I'm not about to drag my Grandma down to PlayDub this weekend, she'll probably be too busy break dancing anyway, but if you're dubious about electronic music, just give Mercury nominated Dubstep producer Burial's album 'Untrue' a listen. You may be pleasantly surprised by this Trip-Hop-esque offering, somewhat reminiscent of the Portishead sound.

So, will Dubstep thrive as well overseas as it has in the UK? Honestly, I don't know.

Many US artists, including Snoop Dogg, are keen to get in on the act and break into the Dubstep market, and this could make or break the genre. I believe the influx of external influence could serve to cement the sound and idiosyncrasies of Dubstep, or dilute them to an unrecognisable fad. One thing is for sure though, as it stands, the Dubstep scene is spreading. This weekend on the continent for example, the Dubstep tourist has the choice of 'Earthshaking Dubwise Night' at Lazzaretto Occupato in Bologna, 'Paye Ton Smile' at La Java in Paris, and further afield, you could always try 'The Darkroom' in Brooklyn, New York.

If like me, you'd like somewhere closer to home, try PlayDub at The Magnet on Hardman Street, Saturday 10th October.

By Luke D. Smith