Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.
Various artists: Generation Bass Presents Transnational Dubstep (Six Degrees Records, 2/1/11)
Fleck & Fish Finger: “Rude Profile” (Pan Agnostix flamenco-step remix) [bonus cut, not available on album]
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/rude-profile-fleck-fish-finger-pan-agnostix-flamenco-step-remix_320k.mp3|titles=Fleck & Fish Finger: “Rude Profile” (Pan Agnostix flamenco-step remix)]Originating in East London at the turn of the century, dubstep loosely teeters between the electronic styles of garage, dub, and drum-and-bass. Distinct in its aggressive, bass-heavy qualities, it’s a fascinating genre that has blown subwoofers on both sides of the Atlantic. Though the music’s meditation on complex rhythms and cerebral twists make it all the more attractive, it is dubstep’s grimy, low-frequency synths and wobbly, soul-shaking bass riffs that have made it a movement.
Transnational Dubstep, a compilation by Generation Bass blog co-founders / editors DJ UMB and Vincent Koreman in conjunction with Six Degrees Records, is one of the first major releases to document the fusion of dubstep and global roots music. As something of an infant genre, a surge of electronic producers and DJs from all over the world are taking it in all kinds of different directions. From Latin American to Balkan, Chinese to Indian, and Middle Eastern to Japanese — the sounds are extremely diverse, giving first-time listeners an amazing introduction and long-time fans a mine full of new gems.
Though not particularly long, the compilation comes off quite dense. Whittling 300 tracks down to 30, with only 15 tracks making the final cut, DJ UMB had a mighty task in curating Transnational Dubstep. The UK-based DJ, however, is well versed in the field, authoring the underground Calling mixtape series, which explored dubstep with traces of Indian, Chinese, Sufi, and Middle Eastern vibes.
The compilation opens with Russian producer Mars fusing the musical traditions of India with dubstep on “India Sleeping.” The track is dark and down-tempo; the Hindustani vocal styling lends a haunting contrast to the deafening bass. Sitars give it a mild melodic fix, staying sparse enough for the double- and triple-bass kicks to come loud and clear.
Though instruments from all over the world are present, the dubstep style stays distinct and constant. As a musical template, dubstep works well. Some tracks are mysterious, falling in a hybrid category so amorphous that it becomes difficult to connote cultural influences. Fleck & Fish Finger’s “Rude Profile” has an Eastern European feel; a string-based hook carries the song along, while a mimicking jungle-bass part splices the song into sections.
At other times, however, the influences are more obvious. “Cumbia Dub,” from Know Knowone, derives from the Latin American style of cumbia, a music largely based in Peru and Colombia’s Caribbean region. The kick is tighter here than on most tracks, leaving the reverb for the reggae-influenced percussion. South American flutes keep the track accessible, but also make for some of the track’s weirder moments. When doubled with shaky synth lines, the chaos induces involuntary head nodding.
Stand-out track “Kamikaze” by Dysphemic can only be described as kung-fu dubstep. Using what sounds like a distorted gong as its major draw, the Australian producer decorates the heavy groove with kung-fu movie samples: flying nunchuks and voice-overs that act as fills. With a twangy synth hook, the track has an infectious flow that takes heavy cues from the Land of the Rising Sun.
But it’s difficult to give Transnational Dubstep justice on paper; each track is rich in its own inventive offering. The compilation is remarkable in its many instances of non-exclusivity between the artists and the cultural influences they use: a Russian producer using Indian traditions or an Australian DJ delving into Asian-influenced sounds. Not only does this reflect the doors that dubstep has opened as a global sound, but Transnational Dubstep reveals a slew of creative DJs and producers who are rethinking the way “world” music is perceived — all in the name of bass.