As the funky new techno style demonstrates, the sounds of the city intrude on popular music more than ever. Today’s producers can sort through sounds like never before. The latest and greatest to emerge are from the genre of dubstep, named in reference to both the Jamaican dub technique and the break-core jungle style that came later.

Together, it’s a future Reggae interpretation of urban life — of streets and salvage and aluminum, bullet-casings and windblown signage. From what began as an easily brushed-off fad, young producers emerged with striking quick talent, and mostly from out of nowhere. Just as quickly, they managed to establish the art as legitimate, quickly reaching prominence on the BBC and more hip pirate radio.

The infection has set the style at the cusp of popular music. With the kinetic effects and a minimalien groove, it could easily work onto a pop record.

Skream! is considerably more sticky than nearly any producer at the moment. From his Googleable name and razor-sharp edits, the young designer has aims to challenge some of the biggest pop names. Most recently he worked on a remix of the hotly-tipped Klaxons, which has the young hitmakers in a perfectly dark chasm. Despite its nature, the dubstep style maintains its cool form:

Klaxons “It’s Not Over Yet (Skream Mix)”

That remix comes from a radio rip, so a proper release is somewhere forthcoming.

Skream made what some still maintain is the ideal dubstep track, a play on radio itself:

Skream “Midnight Request Line”

Also, a few months ago, we interviewed DJ natural JD Twitch of Optimo fame and - due to the file-size of the file, it was taken off the web (”The interview is almost as good as the mix itself” said one blog). We thought the mix itself was stunning, so here’s a link to download it here for now:

Optimo - July 2007 Mix

Tracklist:
01. Test Dept.: “Cha Till Sinn Tuille (Extract)”
02. Tim Maia: “Rational Culture”
03. Whitefield Brothers: “Yakuba”
04. Nino Nardini: “Afro Beat”
05. Black Sabbath: “The Wizard”
06. Johnny Wakelin: “In Zaire”
07. Lindstrøm and Solale: “Let’s Practice”
08. John Cooper Clarke: “Evidently Chickentown (Betty Botox version)”
09. Paul Haig: “Reason”
10. Betty Botox: “Cosmic Orgasm”
11. Mark Shreeve: “Assassin”
12. Ralph Lundsten: “Horrorscope”
13. Sonic Youth: “Shaking Hell”
14. Paul Johnson: “Rubber Band”
15. Jodeci: “Freakin’ (MK mix)”
16. Faze Action: “In the Trees (Carl Craig mix)”
17. Panico: “Guadalupe (An Optimo (Espacio) mix)”
18. Solomun & Stimming: “Feuervogel”
19. Truffle Club: “Gone Blue”
20. Lee Douglas: “Breakwind”
21. Grinderman: “No Pussy Blues”

More dubstep and sQuare productions later this week. If you’re in Boston, check out a local dubstep party near you.

 

 Klaxons - It's Not Over (Skream Remix): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Skream "Midnight Request Line": Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Optimo - July 2007 Mix: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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