Originated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, dubstep is a subgenre of electronic dance music that is distinguished by its intense buildup, big bass drops, wobbles (wub wub wub wub), prominent bass lines, and heavy drum beats. The term ‘dubstep’ is derived from the electronic music genres ‘Dub’ and ‘2-step garage.’ Dubstep subgenres include normal, deep, and dark dubstep, brostep, post-dubstep, chillstep, drumstep, halfstep, and so on. Skrillex, Bassnectar, Flux Pavilion, Skream, Benga, and Zomboy, are among the biggest artists in this genre.
As we continue to highlight documentaries about electronic dance music and its subgenres, here are a few dubstep documentaries you can watch right now –
The Sound of Dubstep
This documentary film takes an in-depth look at the origins of dubstep and the evolution of music genres that fueled it, such as UK Jungle, Breakbeat, and Garage. Drum and bass music producers and labels who laid the groundwork for dubstep with their experimental music are also explored.
‘That UK Sound – The Dubstep Sound’ also acknowledges the number of music producers and labels they may have overlooked and begins with an apology message in this regard.
Living Inside the Speaker: The Bristol Dubstep Scene
Bristol City is widely recognized as dubstep’s second city. Highlighted in this documentary are the history, origins, and growth of dubstep, the electronic music scene back then, how producers create dubstep tunes, and the significance of sound systems in Bristol city. Interviews with DJs Pinch, Blazey, Skream, Wedge, and other electronic music artists, producers, and promoters are also featured in this documentary.
Bassweight: A Dubstep Documentary
‘Bassweight’ was advertised as the first feature-length documentary about the world of dubstep. The Guardian remarked that “‘Bassweight’ could mark an important shift in how breaking-music scenes are presented.” Film Producer Suridh Das-Hassan wrote and directed the documentary film.
The documentary traces the evolution of dubstep from its beginnings in London to its reach the world over. Dubstep pioneers Skream, Plastician, Benga, Kode 9, BBC Radio 1 ‘s Mary Anne Hobbs, and many more are among the artists showcased.
Dubfiles – Dubstep Documentary
‘Dubfiles – Dubstep Documentary‘ delves into some of the genre’s most influential DJs and music producers. Spanning almost three hours in duration, the artists in this documentary bring to light stories of how they got into music, their influences, and highlights in their careers thus far. Skream, Joe Nice, Hatcha, Rusko, and other dubstep DJs take viewers on their journey into dubstep.
All My Homies Hate Skrillex
This nearly hour-long documentary will take viewers on a journey through the early years of dubstep as seen through the eyes of video creator Timbah. His fascination with dubstep, despite not being allowed to attend raves as a fifteen-year-old, obtaining dubstep tunes via Limewire, and fully immersing himself later in the scene, among other accounts are narrated. Electronic artists Skream, Burial, and Skrillex are all mentioned in the film.
YouTube documentary filmmaker who goes by Timbah On Toast described his film as, “A video about the first genre of music that I ever loved, which was dubstep. It kinda goes through how dubstep started, when I first heard it cause I wasn’t really on the scene early in dubstep’s development.”
“I came in sort of in the latter part of dubstep’s first era… (The Documentary) talks about how the scene changed from being quite a dark and brooding sound that represented a lot of.. kind of themes of the mid-2000s, reflecting a lot of trends in gritty cinema and film and encapsulated a lot of grey London and then it evolved into this very bombastic sound design accelerated sort of noise that was more of a spectacle,” he added.
Click here to watch an in-depth interview with video creator and narrator Timbah.On.Toast on Nawtystep.
Another informative documentary feature on Timbah.On.Toast which might peeve dub heads is ‘James Blake: The Dubstep Goat | A Post-dubstep Retrospective’
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