Dubstyle
Encyclopedia
Dubstyle is a genre
of electronic
dance music
, based on the fusion of hardstyle
and dubstep
. It was introduced to audiences by artists Headhunterz
and Brennan Heart in March 2010, with the track "The MF Point of Perfection" on the album Studio Sessions, which followed a formulaic dubstep bassline, but stuck with the Hardstyle melody and synthesizer. Another release was made by Zany
for the event "The Great Zany Show". The genre was also touched upon by Wragg & Log:One in 2009 with their remixes of Rodi Style's "We're Gonna Rock You" and Neal Thomas' "Pyrotechno", although these tracks are more Hard Trance
than Hardstyle.
The vast majority of Dubstyle producers are current/former Hardstyle producers, as opposed to Dubstep producers.
Dubstyle is a combination of hardstyle
's melodic structure with dubstep
's rhythmic structure. Unlike hardstyle's mostly straightened 4/4 rhythm, dubstyle incorporates hardstyle percussion (most notably hardstyle kicks) into a non-straightened breakbeat
or 2-step
pattern. As a result, any present bassline doesn't follow the strict offbeat pattern that regular hardstyle incorporates. In turn, this sometimes results in basslines bearing similarities to those found in dubstep
. As with hardstyle
, the melody is often written in triplet form using electro or supersaw synths, and its overall structure is very similar to hardstyle
's. The term 'dubstyle' was coined not only as a conjunction between 'dubstep' and 'hardstyle' but also because the term 'hardstep
' already existed as a distinctly different subgenre of music.
Some artists, such as Headhunterz and Unknown Analoq (aka Brennan Heart) have so far produced Dubstyle that merely contains 2-step rhythms on a Hardstyle track and so can be argued as not wholly fusing Dubstep with Hardstyle. The drums are produced in the same rhythm as 2-step garage and dubstep, but the kicks are known to be very raw compared to Dubstep. Bas Oskam, an established producer in the Hardstyle world, made his own Dubstyle appearance at the Dutch
Hardstyle music festival
Defqon 1. Bas Oskam branded his Dubstyle appearance as "Pavelow", and produced a remix of the festival anthem for that year. Dubstyle made a large appearance at the Defqon 1 Festival that year, in the White Freestyle Area. Dubstyle was also mentioned in the Qlimax 2010 interview with Bas Oskam. Dubstyle attracted a lot of attention on the web. Dutch organisation: "Heart for Hard" developed a website in the dubstyle genre to gather dubstyle producers and fans to host the only known dubstyle radio show, called "INDUS3".
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
of electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, based on the fusion of hardstyle
Hardstyle
Hardstyle is an electronic dance genre mixing influences from hardtechno, hard house, hard trance, hardcore and rave music. It is between 148 and 157 bpm in speed and is written in 4/4 time....
and dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
. It was introduced to audiences by artists Headhunterz
Headhunterz
Headhunterz, formerly known as Nasty D-Tuners, is a Dutch DJ/producer team, consisting of Willem Rebergen and formerly Bobby van Putten. Their own label Scantraxx Reloaded, started in 2006 is a sublabel of Scantraxx....
and Brennan Heart in March 2010, with the track "The MF Point of Perfection" on the album Studio Sessions, which followed a formulaic dubstep bassline, but stuck with the Hardstyle melody and synthesizer. Another release was made by Zany
DJ Zany
DJ Zany is a disc jockey and former member of Shadowlands Terrorists, now specialising in hardstyle. He is currently the owner of Fusion Records.- Biography :...
for the event "The Great Zany Show". The genre was also touched upon by Wragg & Log:One in 2009 with their remixes of Rodi Style's "We're Gonna Rock You" and Neal Thomas' "Pyrotechno", although these tracks are more Hard Trance
Hard trance
Hard trance is a subgenre of trance music that originated in Western Europe in the mid-1990s as the breakbeat hardcore production community began to diversify into new and different styles of electronic music, all influenced by UK hard house, happy hardcore and jungle/drum & bass...
than Hardstyle.
The vast majority of Dubstyle producers are current/former Hardstyle producers, as opposed to Dubstep producers.
Dubstyle is a combination of hardstyle
Hardstyle
Hardstyle is an electronic dance genre mixing influences from hardtechno, hard house, hard trance, hardcore and rave music. It is between 148 and 157 bpm in speed and is written in 4/4 time....
's melodic structure with dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
's rhythmic structure. Unlike hardstyle's mostly straightened 4/4 rhythm, dubstyle incorporates hardstyle percussion (most notably hardstyle kicks) into a non-straightened breakbeat
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
or 2-step
2-step garage
2-step garage, or simply 2-step, is a typically English style of modern electronic dance music, and a relatively popular subgenre of UK garage.A transcription of this article is available as a PDF file.-Characteristics:...
pattern. As a result, any present bassline doesn't follow the strict offbeat pattern that regular hardstyle incorporates. In turn, this sometimes results in basslines bearing similarities to those found in dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
. As with hardstyle
Hardstyle
Hardstyle is an electronic dance genre mixing influences from hardtechno, hard house, hard trance, hardcore and rave music. It is between 148 and 157 bpm in speed and is written in 4/4 time....
, the melody is often written in triplet form using electro or supersaw synths, and its overall structure is very similar to hardstyle
Hardstyle
Hardstyle is an electronic dance genre mixing influences from hardtechno, hard house, hard trance, hardcore and rave music. It is between 148 and 157 bpm in speed and is written in 4/4 time....
's. The term 'dubstyle' was coined not only as a conjunction between 'dubstep' and 'hardstyle' but also because the term 'hardstep
Hardstep
Hardstep is a subgenre of darkcore which emerged in 1994. It is characterised by a gritty production style, that has an inner-city feel to it. The breaks are less cut-up sounding than oldschool jungle, and harder, hence the name hardstep...
' already existed as a distinctly different subgenre of music.
Some artists, such as Headhunterz and Unknown Analoq (aka Brennan Heart) have so far produced Dubstyle that merely contains 2-step rhythms on a Hardstyle track and so can be argued as not wholly fusing Dubstep with Hardstyle. The drums are produced in the same rhythm as 2-step garage and dubstep, but the kicks are known to be very raw compared to Dubstep. Bas Oskam, an established producer in the Hardstyle world, made his own Dubstyle appearance at the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Hardstyle music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
Defqon 1. Bas Oskam branded his Dubstyle appearance as "Pavelow", and produced a remix of the festival anthem for that year. Dubstyle made a large appearance at the Defqon 1 Festival that year, in the White Freestyle Area. Dubstyle was also mentioned in the Qlimax 2010 interview with Bas Oskam. Dubstyle attracted a lot of attention on the web. Dutch organisation: "Heart for Hard" developed a website in the dubstyle genre to gather dubstyle producers and fans to host the only known dubstyle radio show, called "INDUS3".